@gunrunnerjohn posted:The fact that neither the DCS or Lionel app hasn't been updated in years looks like Apple and Samsung aren't worrying about our little corner of the world. The idea of using a retired phone went out the window for the Lionel app, it doesn't work on a Samsung Galaxy Note 4, but does on my Samsung Galaxy S21.
If I have to use a current phone for a remote, news flash, remotes cost $1,000 right now!
And yet my Galaxy S5 which is of the exact same vintage as your note-4 works perfectly with both apps from Lionel and MTH and only costed about $30. The note-4 is a bit more of a specialty smartphone and some apps have to be designed specifically for it in some cases. The fact that the app doesn't work with your Note 4 is an app development problem by Lionel and should be addressed there. IMO the current Lionchief APP is poorly written and needs to be replaced... wait, I think Lionel is doing that now.
Hint, another trick you can do to get a cheap modern smartphone. Goto Walmart and buy a NEW Straight-Talk smartphone for around $50 or so and then don't buy any service for it. Take it home, connect it to Wi-Fi & Bluetooth trains and you're set!
@Joe Fermani posted:Touch screens are not precise enough for my taste to control a moving machine.
You should watch how kids play games like Minecraft and use the multi-touch interface on tablets in STEM class to control robots and drones. Our seed dealer uses an overhead crane controlled by a small tablet to load bulk seed containers on our farm trucks, no physical controls and he's handling 2500 lbs. 8 feet above ground.
@Ted S posted:Ring Engineering (RailPro) is also a small company, and they are selling a remote with control knob and a video display for $299.
The Railpro device is basically a small tablet with a single control knob. There are no other physical buttons or controls, everything else runs on a touch screen. You could do this now with your current smartphones by remapping the volume control keys on the side of the phone to do whatever that knob does on its CW or CCW input.
