I´ve seen DCC layouts controlled by a cell phone. Does anybody know something about this?
+Smarthand is the app, I believe. A google search will turn up all kinds of variants for Android and iphone devices.
I currently have +Smarthand on my iphone but haven't tried connecting with it yet.
TouchCab. http://www.touchcab.com/
Great app, I wish it was for Android as well. Unfortunatelly, only for iphone.
What happens if the phone rings? Does the train keep going or stop? Can you text and run at the same time?
I have seen the Lenz adapter that plugs into the cab buss to turn a cordless phone to a throttle.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Arras88 TouchCab. http://www.touchcab.com/ Great app, I wish it was for Android as well. Unfortunatelly, only for iphone.
There's one for Android, too. It's called Engine Driver.
WiThrottle uses JMRI as the interface, so it works with any DCC system that JMRI can control. It uses a WiFi connection, not your over the air data and minutes. The default is for it to stop your train if you take a call. I set up my laptop with an ad-hoc wireless connection at the last show I was at with our modular group and had no problems using my iPhone to run my train. I've tried it at home as well, although really wireless isn't needed, the cords on my throttles can reach all areas of the room from a single plug in, which is why I haven't bothered adding actual Digitrax wireless to my system - plus I cna always use the phone. It's quite responsive, and there are several on-screen throttle representations, including single road and yard mode throttles with both a left and right hand orientation, plus a dual-throttle option so you can control two trains at once.
If you're already a JMRI user and have it connected to your DCC system, it's basically free - the Lite version for iPhone/iPod TOuch is free, and works, but to get all the different throttle options you have to buy the full version of the app.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
One thing to watch for is interference with Digitrax duplex radio's. I've had it happen several times at the club. Standing away from those using the phone app seems to fix it though.
Springfield PA
locoi1sa What happens if the phone rings?
What happens if the phone rings?
It's probably the engineer telling you to stop interferring with his driving, Pete. LOL!
On a more serious and inquisitive note about using wireless at a train show: What kind of potential havoc can a malicious bystander with the appropriate cell phone and throttle app cause on a club layout? Could they acquire a locomotive by just dialing up the road number on their own phone. And how far away could they do this and go undetected?
I have no interest in doing this myself. However, it just occured to me that this could be an issue in this particular scenario.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Tom.
This has happened to us using the CVP wireless system for lenz at a show in a small gym. Another module group had the same system and it just so happened they had locos with the same address as some of ours. Kinda spooky when your loco starts moving and blowing for crossings that are not there.
I imagine that you would have to address the phone as a throttle like all the other wireless systems do.
tstage ...What kind of potential havoc can a malicious bystander with the appropriate cell phone and throttle app cause on a club layout? Could they acquire a locomotive by just dialing up the road number on their own phone...
...What kind of potential havoc can a malicious bystander with the appropriate cell phone and throttle app cause on a club layout? Could they acquire a locomotive by just dialing up the road number on their own phone...
The throttle apps use a wifi connection. As long as your wifi connection has the security setup on it and you don't give out the pass key, this wouldn't be a problem.
Exactly. If they can;t connect to your network because they don't know your password, thewy can't do a darn thing.
The only problem we've had with Digitrax Duplex was at the one Timonium show when someoen deided the best location for the food table was next ot the post with the UR92 on it. There's a microwave ont here, for peopel to heat up their food. The 'hot' side (opposite the control panel) was pointed at the UR92. I said this would be trouble. No no, it'll be fine. Until someone fired upt eh microwave and everyone lost control of their trains. And we have to use Duplex there, there are too many other clubs with NCE that just blasts the the old simplex off the air. Turned the microwave around, no problem.
Speaking of 'outsiders', one of the reasons we use radio is so we can go outside the layout (we have plexiglas walls around the edge, so people can come right up close, none of that roped off 'moat' thing most modular groups seem to use), and we often let kids run the trains. Huge thrill for them, controlling the train, watching signals, blowing the horn. After a lap or two, they get a certificate certifying them as an engineer on the railroad.
That's a great idea giving a certificate to the kids. Do you have a copy of one I could see? Might be something we could try this upcoming open house season.
Unfortunately I don't. It's pretty generic, with a certificate border (you can dig one out of Word or other program), some train-related clipart, and type certificate language, with the first coupel fo words in large bold, etc. Then a space for the name and date, and signed by the club president. If you want ot be really fancy have a laptop and printer and have it print the name, plus the date in words. We just print up a stack with a blank name and date and fill them out by hand. Then on the back it gives a free children's admission to the society's museum (with paying adult).
It's a huge hit, the kids go nuts when you hand them the throttle. We just use common sense, of a kid's been tearign around the layotu grabbing at things they don;t get an offer to run the trains, and if it's a particualry busy time, we tend to not do it either, if there's a large crowd around the layout it's hard to follow a train from the outside. Age doesn't seem to matter, as long as they are high enough to see the layout (it's built pretty low), they rarely go nuts and try to see how fast the train can go, and in fact are rather intent on looking at the signals to make sure they don;t run a red light.