Daniel J. Gonzalez posted:Rider Sandman posted:RJR posted:I find it difficult to accept the argument that components become unavailable. Seems to me that there is always something that can accomplish the same thing. Unlike the app, MTH doesn't need to put money into developing the remote. I have 2 WIUs and 4 remotes at my layout, and rarely use the app. I want to run trains.
Politely, but I can assure you that the number of 90’s era components that are either not available or not available in their inititial form factors or cost points is massive. “Something that can accomplish the same thing”, even if available, requires a redesign of a 20-year-old controller in the best case. The idea that one could take a 90’s era circuit board and find a complete set of ASICs, chipsets, surface mount and sticklead devices, and mechanical components (e.g., button/switch contacts) to mount to it in a cost effective and seamless manner some 20+ years later simply isn’t reality whether one accepts it or not. Keep in mind model railroading command and control was largely custom protocols. The recent implementation of Bluetooth and WiFi is being phased in so that going forward there will always be “something that can accomplish the same thing” without the need to replace and update custom and expensive hardware and software protocols.
But to your point, how expensive was a pc back then vs today. How expensive is a usb mouse today vs 20 years ago. Both of those devices received extensive r&d and thanks to it, not only did new technologies form, those "older" technologies got better and cheaper. If MTH is doing this to save money, I think some of us feel it is not exactly correct, if they invest just as much money as the app, they may come up with not only a new design but a better and cheaper one at that, just like those 90's products you speak of.
Don't tell me "thumbwheels" are getting hard to come by when Dell gives you a free usb mouse with scrollwhell when you buy a $350 PC.
LONG LIFE THE REMOTE! (Sorry lmao I couldn't help my self, I'ma huge Star Wars and Star Trek fan so I just feel like this is Darth vs Luke or Shatner vs Khan!! 😂
In any case, no matter how this goes, I think there should be an alternative for those that don't want to use WiFi.
Goodnight everyone!
You do realize that “PC” and “USB” - “personal computer” and “universal serial bus” - have been made in millions -perhaps billions - of copies, right? The ASIC chipsets in a model railroading controller have been produced, by comparison, maybe - maybe - in the tens of thousands. Point to a thumbwheel for a mouse that fits - without redesign - to the DCS handheld control. Again, does a business the size of MTH spend its resources redisgning a 20-year-old interface to accept currently available commodity components or does it invest in other product improvements? They seem to have made a calculated decision based on the business case before them.
