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gunrunnerjohn posted:

And you still believe train manufacturer shipping schedules?  Amazing!

GRJ,

This is software... no making it in China, no quality control issues (yeah, right!).  Software this simple shouldn't take a year to develop, unless you only have one guy working part time on it....

Ho, Ho, Ho,

Ed

I don't think the DCS operating system is being rewritten as much a this is a new interface controller for the operating system. The app & WIU are more lik building a new DCS remote and using the OS that already exists.

I am a little saddened by yet another delay of the premium app. It does seem a bit crazy that development & release of the app is well over a year. Especially for a product that only exists as a digital download and requires little effort for end user delivery. 

Maybe one of the original beta testers for DCS can answer this question: How long did the development of  DCS protocol, TIU, and DCS remote take in comparison to the WIU, and Premium app? 

I am happy to wait for perfect product, but promises that keep getting pushed back to a later date are getting hard to swallow.

H1000

H1000 posted:

I don't think the DCS operating system is being rewritten as much a this is a new interface controller for the operating system. The app & WIU are more lik building a new DCS remote and using the OS that already exists.

I am a little saddened by yet another delay of the premium app. It does seem a bit crazy that development & release of the app is well over a year. Especially for a product that only exists as a digital download and requires little effort for end user delivery. 

Maybe one of the original beta testers for DCS can answer this question: How long did the development of  DCS protocol, TIU, and DCS remote take in comparison to the WIU, and Premium app? 

I am happy to wait for perfect product, but promises that keep getting pushed back to a later date are getting hard to swallow.

H1000

So that's why it was reported here earlier in the year to expect a DCS upgrade to 5.XXX or 6.XXX whatever along with the App update?

 

When the TIU firmware is updated, you don't throw out all of the old code. You keep most (if not all) of the existing code and add new (or change existing) instructions in the code to accommodate new features, functionality or bug fixes. Most vendors also find this a good time to update the version number which allows end users to easily identify a newer version is available.

The firmware code for the OS is not completely rewritten. In this case it will be updated with new code to support new features from WIU & app.

Every time there is major Version change in the TIU Firmware, that doesn't mean MTH started over from scratch and had to rewrite the DCS operating system. In fact, I'll bet that code from version 1.00 of the TIU DCS Operating System firmware still exists in the current version of the TIU Firmware.

H1000

I'm in no big hurry for the advanced app. I agree with the others on giving MTH time to make it right, add all the features they can and make the user interface as easy as possible. The advanced app is probably not as easy as it sounds. To quote (and borrow from) GRJ's tagline above: "Nothing is so easy as the job you imagine someone else doing."

RTR12 captures my thoughts on the matter as well.  So far I've been enjoying using the App with 7" tablet and if I need to do more advanced functions I grab the DCS Remote which is already easy to use and user friendly.  There are for sure a number reasons/factors on why things develop the way they do, and the user-base has little to no visibility to them.  We live in a world of limited financial resources and that drives the rate at which things get done.  In the mean time I'm going to continue to be patient and go run trains while they finish up work on it.

I am a little frustrated. While I really don't have a permanent layout so it's not a huge deal, but when I bought the TIU and WIU about a year ago it was my understanding that the app was pretty much turned any mobile device into the remote. It was assumed that any minor features not available would be added shortly. I guess I could just stop being stubborn on my end and buy the DCS remote, but I really don't want to spend that money on something that will be obsolete in my mind pretty soon (hopefully) when I already dropped over $300 on what I have so far.

Maybe I am looking at this through a slightly different lens.  I bought the wi-fi AND a second hand held to try and have my 9 year old son show more of an interest in the trains.  I also am a gadget guy so I thought the wi-fi would be pretty cool.

You know something, the wi-fi is super cool (thanks Barry and others for the help) and my son loves using the iPad to control the trains.  The visual layout of the screen combined with all the things you "can" do make this a home run in our department.  The second remote is kind of like a shelf queen.

When Mac says, "Hey dad, can we run the trains?"  I know its a success.

Am I interested in the new version, yes of course.  Am I disappointed it's not out?  No not really.   Bigger fish to fry in the McCormick world.

  • The FREE version provides users with control of 3 locomotives and limited features.
  • The $4.99 STANDARD version provides users with full Proto-Sound 2.0 and 3.0 locomotive control.
  • The $24.99 PREMIUM version provides the user with full DCS control and more. The PREMIUM versions is slated to deliver in late February 2017.

          copied Right from MTH web

Last edited by c6usa

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