Thanks for all the answers folks. Train room is white so sounds like it will work.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
'Someone' isn;t too knowledgable. Cordless phones operate in one of 3 frequency ranges, 900Mhz, 2.4Ghz, and 5.8Ghz - all radio, and would have ZERO effect on infrared communications. Pointing your TV remote at it while also trying to operate MIGHT have an effect.
IR is line of sight, like shining a flashlight on something. Put your hand over the transmitter and the signal is blocked. Depending on the strength of the transmitter and the color and type of materials found about the room, you cna get some amazing bounces though. I've had TVs that worked 40+ feet away without the remote ever pointing at the TV. I've had others that you better line it up exactly witht he sensor window for it to work.
A friend of mine has an IR receiver on his Digitrax system. He has it halfway up the wall in a room with a white drop ceiling, and it works anywhere in the room provided you don't hold it down below the fascia. The Digitrax throttles have 2 IR LEDs for transmitting - a stronger signal than just one would give. They Dynamis appears to have a rather wide angle sensor window and should work across a wide field of view.
Cordless phones CAN interfere with radio wireless DCC systems, just like they can mess with your 802.11 wireless router for your computer network.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Good luck Ken. I have Digitrax and IR worked almost all the time. It seemed to miss only when I needed it the most. My radio is MUCH better, best toy in the train room.
Cell phone traffic will 'kill' either Digitrax or NCE layouts at train shows. The new Digitrax 2.4 Ghz duplex system is supposed to eliminate the cell phone issue. At the club we have had no problems with cell phones affecting train operation(and usually there are 5-6 trains running 'wireless').
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
locoworks i think the cordless phone bit is getting confused with mobile phones that some folks reckon can?? affect signals on the digitrax simplex radio ( the new duplex when available????? on 2.4 ghz wont be ) the current radio for digitrax works on 900mhz which is the standard frequency for some parts of the world on moibile phones. with manufacturers making tri band and quad band phones, some models transmit on all the frequencies even though it is of no use where you are. the only thing to bother IR would be stereo and TV type remotes IF they were on the same wavelength.
i think the cordless phone bit is getting confused with mobile phones that some folks reckon can?? affect signals on the digitrax simplex radio ( the new duplex when available????? on 2.4 ghz wont be ) the current radio for digitrax works on 900mhz which is the standard frequency for some parts of the world on moibile phones. with manufacturers making tri band and quad band phones, some models transmit on all the frequencies even though it is of no use where you are. the only thing to bother IR would be stereo and TV type remotes IF they were on the same wavelength.
I saw one of those Digitrax radio set ups at a train show about 4 years ago. They were having all kinds of problems with interference.
Ken,
IR will work, but a lot depends on how much 'white' there is in the room to bounce the sugnal around so it gets to the IR receiver. I have seen folks at train shows have to 'point' their throttle at the receiver to get it working(lots of 'clutter' and huge ceilings). I was at a layout with a 2' white wall and ceiling above the layout and it worked fine.
MR is using the Dynamis system for their 'Beer Line' project layout and they have mentioned that it works pretty good. You might want to send a note to Cody or one of the guys to get more info. What I do not like about the Dynamis system is those big bulky throttles that you realy need to use 'two handed'.
I can't see how a cordless phone could possibly interfere with it. It's two completely different types of signal. A couple user reviews I saw said you could swing the hand held about 60 degrees off direct line of sight from the base before they had any problems. Looks like you can get it from MB Klein and get your free loco now too!
Yep
As some of you know I am planing to buy a Dynamis inferred DCC system from Bachmann. My LHS was going to get it for me, but Horizon is out of stock. K-10 is a Digitrax store and the owner knew nothing about the Dynamis but the part number.
Tonight while I was picking up some decoders I told him it was a infrared system, he said infrared system don't work with a darn. But, that was the Digitrax system. One person threw in "if you have a cordless phone, it will interfere with the infrared signal?
I am not worried about Line Of Sight, that I can deal with.