The DCS WiFi Companion is Now Available - Both eBook and Printed Book - and Maybe Something More!

Thanks Barry for all of your efforts in this regard.  I sure hope that MTH appreciates you providing this service and product to them.  It's amazing that they offered a product without, much if any, kind of documentation.  Any other situation I would not even think about purchasing such a product.  But knowing that you were going to fill the gap, I proceeded to purchase 3 WiFi units and premium APP.  I really appreciate you doing this.

That's for the kinds words, they're appreciated!

You may rest assured that both my business and personal relationship with MTH is just fine. We've been business partners for almost 10 years and MTH has provided resources for me to make my series (yes, 2 is a series!) of books much, much better than I could have made them alone.

Regarding the seeming lack of documentation in the app, most smart device applications come with little or no real documentation. MTH has developed a very nice complete WIU user manual that describes the WIU hardware and its internal program, LuCI, in considerable detail. A suggestion under review would be to build into the DCS App a series of help screens, to provide on-the-fly tips and assistance while the app is being used. Regarding a tutorial or reference manual, I'll abandon false modesty and offer my opinion that The DCS WiFi Companion fills that need completely.

Even if one adds the cost of the eBook to the cost of the Premium version of the DCS App, that combined cost is less than the cost of the major competitor's app, alone.

The plan is to gather feedback regarding the correctness and effectiveness of the eBook, update the eBook (at no charge to previous purchasers) with improvements, and then release a print book, as well. Hopefully, this can be accomplished within 6-8 weeks.

It would help facilitate this plan if those who purchase an eBook could either post here their comments or E-mail them to me directly using the address in my Forum profile. If I had a choice, I'd prefer that the good stuff be posted here and any negative comments be E-mailed to me instead.

Just saying...   

Thanks again for helping Barry, and It's great to have you here as well.

Great success to you again!

Hello Barry,

I am looking forward to reading your electronic book, but I'm encountering a problem with the pdf.  Everything went smoothly until I tried to open the 3.6 MB file on my Mac Book Pro 13,3 with the latest  OS 10.12.4.  I'm getting a null (blank) page.  I went back to my account on the Shopatron site and re downloaded each of your other books and opened each one with my existing password.  They all opened fine.  Any suggestions I should try? 

Hi Barry:

Got the book downloaded last night with no problems on my Mac Book Pro and my $100 Dell with MS Window 7.   My Dell is dedicated for updates and downloading MTH stuff. No problems printing a hard copy also.

Hope to begin reading it tonight. Looks like you have done another great job. Thanks for all your work on both books. Don't know where we would be without your support.

Thanks again;

Billy C

Bill,

I'm getting a null (blank) page.

What program are you using to open the book on your Mac?

My copy that was downloaded after purchase opens fine on my iMac running 10.12.4 Sierra, with Adobe Acrobat Pro and Adobe Acrobat Reader. However, it does what just yours does using Preview.

Try downloading the free Acrobat Reader DC from this URL: https://get.adobe.com/reader/

This one opens the password-protected pdf without any issues.

Got the book and look forward to reading it. I had no difficulty using a PC with Windows 10 and downloading onto a Samsung tablet. The only question in my mind is whether the really hot information in Barry's book will make the tablet explode. You know, Samsung..........

Gerry

Will this book come out in hard copy for those who like a paper book or no computer.

Bob,

From my previous post on this thread:

The plan is to gather feedback regarding the correctness and effectiveness of the eBook, update the eBook (at no charge to previous purchasers) with improvements, and then release a print book, as well. Hopefully, this can be accomplished within 6-8 weeks.

Thanks Barry for your quick reply. I will down load the book but it is nice tomhaveca hard copy when the laptop is not near.

Bob,

You're welcome!

Bill,

Everything went smoothly until I tried to open the 3.6 MB file on my Mac Book Pro 13,3 with the latest  OS 10.12.4.  I'm getting a null (blank) page.

Download the book again. The new copy should now open fine in Preview on your Mac.

I apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for bringing it to our attention so that we could correct it.

Barry,

I just downloaded your new book and it is fabulous! I have one question as when I open the book it keeps asking for the password. Is there a work around for this? Thanks again for another great book.

Bob,

I'm happy that you like the book!

Unfortunately, the password is required every time that the book is opened. That's the only form of copy protection available to protect the book's intellectual property.

However, if you open the book frequently, consider simply not closing the computer program or smart device app that you use to read the book, each time that you access the file.

Barry:

Your WiFi Companion is indispensable. I purchased the previous 3 editions, and have found your books authoritative, informative, practical and fun. Your step-by-step instructions on downloading and upgrading were especially helpful to me.  My major wish is that the loader program was Apple OS compatible.

The Companion is a welcome PDF download to my iPad, and especially a great ebook to have on hand when I am frequently mobile. I find the iPhone 7 Plus larger screen the ideal control platform when running my DCS layout. 

Anyone running DCS, and now the Premium WiFi system is missing a lot of its options and potential if they do not have your books.

Very well done!

Once mastered, how could model railroading ever get more fun?

Ron

Barry Broskowitz posted:

Bill,

Everything went smoothly until I tried to open the 3.6 MB file on my Mac Book Pro 13,3 with the latest  OS 10.12.4.  I'm getting a null (blank) page.

Download the book again. The new copy should now open fine in Preview on your Mac.

I apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for bringing it to our attention so that we could correct it.

Thank you Barry.  I appreciate your making the book available in Preview.  I keep copies on my IOS devices in iBook and seldom have to enter the password.  As you said, just keep it running.

In a day or so I'm going to contact you offline about some other possibilities for intellectual copy protection.

Also, I'll have some constructive comments about Wi-Fi networking that I'll share here in the near future. 

Bill

In a day or so I'm going to contact you offline about some other possibilities for intellectual copy protection.

My E-mail address is in my profile.

Barry,

I purchased a copy of this E-Book when it became available.

I hope this adds to your retirement fund.

Mike,

Thanks very much for purchasing the new book.

You may be assured that you will find it considerably more profitable from a usefulness standpoint than I will from any revenues derived from the sale, and that's exactly as it should be.  

Barry,

In my infinite stupidity, I accidentally bought another copy of the DCS Companion and not the DCS Wi-Fi Companion. I email Shopatron if I could return the unused digital purchase for a refund, and they  said sorry, but digital purchases are final and they do not allow refunds for  digital content. 

Is there any way I can donate this unused copy to someone or did I just make another donation to the Broskowitz family fortune?

BTW, Excellent job on the Wi-Fi Companion!

H1000,

I accidentally bought another copy of the DCS Companion and not the DCS Wi-Fi Companion. I email Shopatron if I could return the unused digital purchase for a refund, and they  said sorry, but digital purchases are final and they do not allow refunds for  digital content. 

I didn't see an E-mail address in your profile. Please send me an E-mail so that we can discuss a possible solution to your problem.

Print edition is coming soon!

Effective today, MTH's The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition is available as both an eBook and a printed book in MTH's web store. Click here to go to the book's web page.

Additionally, the eBook has been updated with a number of corrections and format changes to increase some image sizes. As with all previous DCS Companion series eBooks, purchasers of the current edition of the eBook can download an updated copy at no additional cost by clicking here and logging in to Kibo/Shopatron. The print book and the eBook have identical content.

I hope you enjoy reading the book as much as I enjoyed writing it!  

Everything that you need to know about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Good stuff, as always, Barry!

Do I have the latest edition of the DCS O Gauge Companion?  It is labeled as 2nd Edition with revision January 2011?

If not how do I get the update?

Do I have the latest edition of the DCS O Gauge Companion?  It is labeled as 2nd Edition with revision January 2011?

If not how do I get the update?

The latest revision of the 2nd edition of The DCS O Gauge Companion is September 2012. If you own the eBook, you can click here, log in and and then re-download your 2nd edition eBook, which will be the September 2012 revision.

If you own the print book or want to update your reference to the latest DCS information, you have the following options:

• If you work primarily with the DCS Remote and don't use the DCS App at all, or use only the free or Standard versions of the app solely to drive DCS engines, you can click here and purchase either the eBook or print book of The DCS Companion 3rd Edition. This book discusses DCS 5.0 and has a section on the Standard version of the DCS App.
• If you work primarily with the DCS App and don't use the DCS Remote at all you can click here and purchase either the eBook or print book of The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition. This book discusses DCS 6.0 (which is required if using the Premium DCS App) and DCS operation using the Premium version of the DCS App. It does not discuss operating your layout at all using the DCS Remote.

Both books contain basically the same DCS introductory material.

I thought long and hard about whether to write a new book or update the original one. Adding the DCS App's Premium features and functions would have made the book more than 300 pages in length, and it would have been ungainly and much more difficult to use. Further, the print edition price would have been $40 or more. 

The new book represents the future of DCS. I don't foresee any additional functionality being added to the DCS Remote, while with the app the possibilities are boundless due to the technology inherent in smart phones and tablets.

The DCS Companion 3rd Edition will be the book's final edition. While I see it fulfilling a vital role in the DCS experience for years to come and will have it available for those who choose to continue to use the DCS Remote, I don't see a real need coming down the road for it to be updated very much, if at all.

When I click the link the only thing coming up is the DCS WiFi Companion, not the DCS O Gauge Companion?

This one:

The latest revision of the 2nd edition of The DCS O Gauge Companion is September 2012. If you own the eBook, you can click here, log in and and then re-download your 2nd edition eBook, which will be the September 2012 revision.

When the link opens I log in.  I am not entering an order #.  Should I be?  If so, how do I know the order number?  I was probably one of your earliest customers.

When you log in, you should see a page that lists any eBooks that you previously ordered, with a comment "Ready for Download".

In your case, that should be "DCS O Gauge Companion Digital Book - 2nd Edition E-Book". (If you don't see the link, Shopatron/Kibo doesn't think that you purchased the eBook.)

To get an updated copy, click on the "Download Files" link to the right of the title and, on the next page, click on the link "DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition14.pdf"

The downloaded file will show "Revised September 2012".

It's been so long ago but it was probably under a different email address when I was still using earthlink.  Could that be the problem.  If so, any way of getting it updated to the current email address?

Why not log in using the old E-mail address? The download itself disregards your E-mail address.

That worked, thanks.  Purchased in 2009 originally and then updated in 2011.  Cannot believe that I came up with the right password being used that far back.

Barry,

Michael 'Santa Fe Mike' Sudlow here from Long Island, New York. I ordered two of your latest print book of The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition.

I hope that this will continue to add to your retirement fund.

Mike,

Thank you very much very much!!  

me as well Barry

Barry,  I ordered both the Printed Version and the eBook.  It looks like the Printed Version order is OK, but the eBook is somehow fouled up?

I got a Web page with order details, including order number.  It says I will receive an email with download instructions.  I haven't received an email, and it isn't lost in my SPAM folder.  Nor does the order show up at my Kibo (Shoptron) account.  My PayPal was charged.  I filed a support request at Kibo and have received no response.

What is happening?

Thanks, Dave

Dave,

I have no control over, or access into, Shopatron/Kibo. If you don't get a response to your support request in a reasonable time, call Kibo at 877-350-3866. However, you may not get anyone until Monday.

This is for all of the Amazon Kindle owners who would like to use open The DCS WiFi Companion (or any other password-protected eBook pdf) on their Kindle device.

My son, Allan Broskowitz (who gets a shout-out in The DCS WiFi Companion) has come up with a method for getting the password-protected eBook to open on a Kindle. This method has been verified by a forum member (who may come forward if he so chooses). The method is as follows:

• Download The DCS WiFi Companion to the Kindle device.
• Download Acrobat Reader in the Kindle Store (it's free).
• The eBook pdf should show on Kindle as an Acrobat file.
• Try opening the file directly from the Kindle app. It should generate an error.
• Cancel out of the error message and then open Acrobat Reader.
• Now look for the "funny" PDF file in Recent and open from there.
• Enter the eBook's password.
• The eBook should open.

If the eBook doesn't open, Factory Reset the Kindle and try again. The second time should be the charm.  

This tidbit will appear in a future update to The DCS WiFi Companion.

Everything that you need to know about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Barry.  Great Ebook read it cover to cover great guidance to a newbe to wifi DCS.  We have on our layout 9 TIU's, 9 WIU's never seen all nine TIU's listed, only ever see four and not always the same four. We are in super TIU mode. Should I be seeing more than four or is this an app limitation?

BrianR

Brian,

Thanks for purchasing The DCS WiFi Companion!

I except that you have 5 TIUs numbered #5, correct? I expect that's the cause of your not seeing all of the TIUs. DCS only legitimately allows 5 TIUs. What happens when you attempt to circumvent that rule with the DCS App is unknown by me.

Can you access TIU #5 with the remote? I would expect that attempting to do so yields at least a few errors.

1. Barry   Thanks for the speedy response.

when the four TIUs display it's usually 1,2,3,5 cannot remember if I have ever seen 4. As far as numbering the TIUs we have two numbered one (one flash),two numbered two, two numbered three, two numbered four and only one numbered five.

Remote access via TIU # 5 is OK as is all other TIUs.

BrianR

Brian,

Does it work the same with the DCS App and the DCS Remote?

Barry : Wish I could say yes, but at this time I cannot. The upgrade to wifi included some major track work, and the track work has identified some poor track joins in the original track as well as the revised area's.

We are aware of the 5 TIU limit (Ops man p 72),  hence the original question, somewhat revised:  With more than 5 TIUs  how should they be addressed? In super TIU Mode is 5 TIU per remote still max, if so how should extra 4 addressed in a second remote? With the wifi app what should be displayed about TIUs?  Have we exceeded MTHs design goals?

We are not using Bonjour equipment yet, we can wait for replies. (Big smile).

Brian,

With more than 5 TIUs  how should they be addressed?

Most who are in that situation address all TIUs over #4 as #5. You cannot attach any AIUs to any TIU that has the same number as another TIU.

In super TIU Mode is 5 TIU per remote still max

Yes.

if so how should extra 4 addressed in a second remote?

The TIU ID"s must be identical in all remotes.

With the wifi app what should be displayed about TIUs?

See image below from The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition..

Have we exceeded MTHs design goals?

Yes.

This and a whole lot more about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Hopefully, coming soon - a free eGift for past and future purchasers of The DCS WiFi Companion.

Still need to do a bit of work so stay tuned!  

So I just purchased the e-book from the MTH website, expecting to be able to download it to my iPad in some form.    However I do not get my accustomed open options after the PDF is loaded into Safari.  Any advice?

Rob,

It's a pdf and should not be opened in Safari.

However, you can open it on an iPad or iPhone with Apple Books, Adobe Acrobat or Goodreader.

Thanks for the reply.

Safari will open a PDF on download automatically.  On the iPad, I typically tap on the upper left hand corner of the screen and get an option to open the PDF in other apps.  This is the behavior that I was looking for and the workflow I use for importing downloaded PDFs into the Apple Library for later reading.  In this case, I used my desktop to get it where I wanted - so problem resolved.

Rob,

Safari will open a PDF on download automatically.

That's correct, however, Safari doesn't open the pdf in Safari. Rather, it opens the pdf in whatever pdf reader is the default on the Mac. Unless you've changed the default, this is typically Preview. That was my point.

In order for the iPad or iPhone to open a pdf, there must be a pdf application available. Such apps are Books, Acrobat, and Goodreader.

Barry,

With all due respect, on the iPad Safari has a native PDF reader:

from: https://www.wikihow.com/Read-PDFs-on-an-iPhone

I have not installed a third party PDF reader on any of my iDevices.

Barry Broskowitz posted:

 

I hope that you find The DCS WiFi Companion 1st Edition to be an effective resource for getting the most out of the Premium version of The DCS Application!  

Purchased this evening. Looks terrific!

Yes indeed it is worth the price.

1. Can you download this to an iPad?

2. I had a difficult time locating the book, can I get a specific link to / in the store? Couldn't find it even when I selected the link above.

Thanks

Rob,

Yes, you can open it after a fashion. However, when I do so on my iPad, the open file lacks any real navigation ability other than one-page swipe forward or back, or slide down the side scroll bar.

1. Can you download this to an iPad?

Yes, you can.

2. I had a difficult time locating the book, can I get a specific link to / in the store? Couldn't find it even when I selected the link above.

The links are as follows:

• The DCS Companion 3rd Edition print book.
• The DCS Companion 3rd Edition eBook.
• The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition print book.
• The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition eBook.

Barry Broskowitz posted:

1. Can you download this to an iPad?

Yes, you can.

2. I had a difficult time locating the book, can I get a specific link to / in the store? Couldn't find it even when I selected the link above.

The links are as follows:

• The DCS Companion 3rd Edition print book.
• The DCS Companion 3rd Edition eBook.
• The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition print book.
• The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition eBook.

Barry, I just purchased this and I can't seem to find anything relating to setting up MTH DCS 50-1036 with the MTH HO Scale loco's.  I can't seem to find a clear answer to how to hookup the TIU with DC power?  What DC power can I connect to the Fixed 1 channel and Can I use a?  I have the completed DCS setup for my MTH O Scale, but wanted to try my hand with the MTH Ho Scale.  Any ideas how to setup DCS for HO Scale?

Sorry my questions are all over the place.  Spent the last few days trying to figure it out.

Thanks in advance.

Scott

Barry passed away last March.  Hopefully someone else can help you.

Oh no.  I'm so sorry.  Apologies for that.

-S