Mallard4468 posted:rrman posted:Andy Edleman: "He was suggesting to the group that they need to get over the remote and move to running their trains with the WiFi application. It works much better."
Great, so I should now need a $50+/mo cell phone just to run my trains (I use my $100/yr TracFone for emergency calls). Not a good cost payback for occasional use in wintertime layout running. I'll stick with my two remotes and when they expire there will always be my trusty ZW levers. All I lose would be horns and bell functions but not used that much anyway.
Each to his/her own.
Sounds like you've made up your mind based on incomplete information, or just don't want to consider anything new, but here goes anyway (from someone who didn't like the idea at first either)...
There's no need to buy another cell phone or pay for additional cellular service. Not sure where you got that idea. Get the MTH wi-fi box (under $200), buy a basic Android table (under $50 - you don't need a high-end model unless you want it for other stuff), and download the premium version of the app ($25) and you're good to go. You don't need to connect anything to your existing computer or cell service. You buy the app once, and it covers all of your Android devices. When the tablet bites the dust, just buy another one.
Drop or wear out a couple of DCS remotes and you're money way ahead with the wi-fi version.
Now go eat your broccoli.
However I believe you have to upgrade the TIU software to 6.xx, so there is expense to send to MTH or a service station. And you would have to have cell service to at least download the ap to the phone from MTH. And before someone chimes in do TIU yourself, I did it just once years ago to get to 3.xx version, took most of the day. Had to drag TIU and ZW upstairs to my boat anchor computer, solder up cords, lotsa blue words, and had to keep restarting ritual before software finally "took". But that's my wah-wah oh woe is me story.
And yes, I really do love broccoli 
