Why did MTH changed the remote part # from 50-1003 to 50-1038 ?
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To charge more $$$$$$, same thing everyone else does.
According to Mr. Muffin's latest email they are doing one last run but it will have some different components in it than the original.
BradFish1 posted:According to Mr. Muffin's latest email they are doing one last run but it will have some different components in it than the original.
As someone who is considering purchasing the MTH DCS system I have to ask what is meant by "one last run". Is a brand new remote on the horizon?
Dan
geepboy posted:BradFish1 posted:According to Mr. Muffin's latest email they are doing one last run but it will have some different components in it than the original.
As someone who is considering purchasing the MTH DCS system I have to ask what is meant by "one last run". Is a brand new remote on the horizon?
Dan
No. They are discontinuing the remote in favor the WIU and smartphone app.
OK, I understand. I guess it makes sense to rely on "everyone" having some sort of a smart device - everyone except me, of course.
Dan
geepboy posted:OK, I understand. I guess it makes sense to rely on "everyone" having some sort of a smart device - everyone except me, of course.
Dan
FWIW, you are not alone. I use an iPhone and I love it. But I much prefer a dedicated remote for trains. It's the right tool for the job. After you get familiar with the remote, you can use the basic functions (like speed control) without looking at it. You cannot do that with phone or tablet. I have a back-up DCS remote already but I'll be looking for a third and maybe more.
DCS hand held being discontinued? Seems like I’ve heard that once or twice before. I haven’t seen any announcement from MTH that it’s being discontinued. Also, Part number 50-1038 came up empty at MTH.com. Seems to me if they are going to the trouble of making a new remote with some new parts, it wouldn’t be the last run. Even if it is, I have a spare TIU, a spare remote and a spare thumbwheel so I think I will be OK for a while.
Last October at York, I asked one of the MTH reps about the remote. He said that they were having difficulty getting some of the parts and hinted that at least one of the parts suppliers was trying to price gouge. I’ll have to stop in at their both on the 18th and see what’s up.
I asked Mike Wolf about the remote today. He said that this will indeed be the last run of the hand held remote. MTH bought up all available pieces of obsolete parts and will have another part that can no longer be obtained redesigned (he told me which one, but I don’t recall). They will make several hundred remotes, but that’s it. He hasn’t sold me yet on the WIFI, but he is getting closer. One feature I particularly like is the engine selection. I keep all my engines in the active list so it can be a pain to use the thumbwheel to select a new engine. It is a lot easier to scroll with a tablet and you see 15 locos at a time to select from.
In the latest episode of Notch 6 podcast, Andy Edleman addresses the issue in depth (for about 5 minutes). It begins about 48:00 mark. I can sum it up:
This is the last run for the remote. Get used to using a phone or tablet for DCS. The end.
Mr. Wolf makes the decision upon which his company will live or die. If he is willing to lose customers who don't have the desire to use phones/tablets or the means to do so, competitors will welcome them.
Competitors? Name one. Who else out there has a system that will play nicely with MTH locomotives? Lionel doesn't. Other than that I know of no O gauge system that is as easy as DCS or Legacy to hook up and run, that has AIU capability to run switches, fastrack switches. Lionel at last check only runs lionel loves. Please advise
Locomotives, not loves. Darn autocorrect.
I'm okay with this since I have enough remotes and spare thumbwheels to last me forever. BUT AND HOWEVER...if they ever release a software update that will only work with the wifi then I will be howling. "Oh do you want that feature? Then upgrade to the wifi!" Or maybe a TIU update that limits the TIU to wifi-only operation. I would regard this kind of thing as an unfriendly act!
Don
Don Merz 070317 posted:I'm okay with this since I have enough remotes and spare thumbwheels to last me forever. BUT AND HOWEVER...if they ever release a software update that will only work with the wifi then I will be howling. "Oh do you want that feature? Then upgrade to the wifi!" Or maybe a TIU update that limits the TIU to wifi-only operation. I would regard this kind of thing as an unfriendly act!
Don
Don, I don't ever see this happening. The last firmware update for the remote was a big nothing burger. The only change for the remote when you upgrade from firmware 6.00 to 6.10 was firmware version number when you power on the screen. It was done merely to aviod confusion to the end user that the TIU was on 6.1 and the remote was on 6.0.
I suspect that future updates for the remote will follow this path. If there are no actually changes to the DCS remote software, MTH will still issue an update that only changes that number you see when you power on the remote to ensure it matches the TIU.
I'm with Mike H. I too, much prefer using a handheld device vs a phone. Been on the forum only sporadically in recent months and wonder if there was much discussion on the topic of the planned discontinuance of the MTH handheld?
Enough to fill the daily trash train from NYC south
I was OK with dial phones, bias-ply tires, and drum brakes. Would I go back? Of course not.
Try it. You don't need a home computer or network. Instead of a $200 remote, you use a $30 tablet with a one-time fee of $25 for the app (covers all of your current and future devices). When your "remote" stops working or gets dropped - go buy another one for $30. Visiting a layout and want to run trains but the host doesn't have enough remotes? - whip out your tablet. And don't forget that the tablet display is a million times easier for our old eyes to read.
If anyone wants to quit using DCS because of wi-fi, please contact me and I'll buy your "useless" MTH locos. At a bargain price, of course.
I'd rather sell the useless WIUs, but not at a bargain price.
Mallard4468 posted:I was OK with dial phones, bias-ply tires, and drum brakes. Would I go back? Of course not.
Try it. You don't need a home computer or network. Instead of a $200 remote, you use a $30 tablet with a one-time fee of $25 for the app (covers all of your current and future devices). When your "remote" stops working or gets dropped - go buy another one for $30. Visiting a layout and want to run trains but the host doesn't have enough remotes? - whip out your tablet. And don't forget that the tablet display is a million times easier for our old eyes to read.
If anyone wants to quit using DCS because of wi-fi, please contact me and I'll buy your "useless" MTH locos. At a bargain price, of course.
You've made some good points I've never considered. I did need to purchase a new remote just recently ($150 ouch). Thanks for your insight.
