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Reply to "Why Lion Chief 2.0?"

JohnGaltLine posted:

As addressed before, while the tech has existed for about 2 decades now, the innovation of the jellybean BLE module for $2 is fairly recent.  That same tech was much, much more expensive just a couple years ago  The next best option, and one I would have preferred, Xbee, costs 10 times as much, and even a year ago cost 35 times more.  The same holds for BLE, where earlier iterations of Bluetooth product cost $70 per transceiver.  

In 2006 I bought a USB Bluetooth (2.1 version I believe) adapter for $9 on that popular online auction site. I used that same adapter to interface my laptop wirelessly to a Serial DB9 Bluetooth device (about $20 cost in 2006) to plug into a CAB1 base and run tmcc via Bluetooth in 2006. In 2004 I bought a very expensive RTK GPS receiver, the difference in price between the Bluetooth model and non-bluetooth model was $18 retail. Bluetooth wasn't expensive then, or now.

Lionel didn't need to wait for BLE technology. The primary purpose for BLE devices is energy conservation for devices that don't have easily serviceable batteries like TPMS sensors for vehicles.  I don't get why BLE is so important for LC to function. Track power is endless supply for the module and three AA batteries will run a standard 2.1 module for 100's hours.

All of the technology being used has existed cheaply for years, Lionel just hasn't put all together until now.

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