The end of the dcs hand held controller?

Obsidian posted:

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Cons:

• Occasionally my phone will switch from the MTH WiFi to my house wifi thus disabling control.   I've resolved this by dedicating an old iPad than only has the MTH WiFi channel configured.

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I think you missed one in the Cons department:

You need a WIU to go with each TIU, so if you have a layout that grows, you need to buy another WIU with each TIU you add.

That (in my mind) sort of negates the "cost of WIU + app ~= cost of new remote" benefit.

-Dave

Dave45681 posted:

Obsidian posted:

...............

Cons:

• Occasionally my phone will switch from the MTH WiFi to my house wifi thus disabling control.   I've resolved this by dedicating an old iPad than only has the MTH WiFi channel configured.

......................- 

I think you missed one in the Cons department:

You need a WIU to go with each TIU, so if you have a layout that grows, you need to buy another WIU with each TIU you add.

That (in my mind) sort of negates the "cost of WIU + app ~= cost of new remote" benefit.

-Dave

This works both ways. For each user, you need to have a DCS remote. So if you have one TIU and three people who want to run trains, you need three DCS remotes that are similar in price to a WIU.

One of the club layouts that I participate in has 4 TIUs all with WIUs as well. We have had up to 12 users on the layout operating at one time using bargain tablets that cost much less than a DCS remote.

If you've blown enough money on a layout that has expanded to the point of needed two or more TIUs, I don't think the additional WIU's will break your train budget.

Right on. $500 and up engines, or anything else that goes on the layout or track is no problem. But $20  shipping or , my favorite , the Paypal fee on a $30 car, are "outrageous".

Wifi is nice but it takes two hands to operate, the remote only needs one hand and I don't have to look at it. I watch my trains not the screen.  I like to operate my trains with a lot of switching and spotting of cars. If I was just letting the trains run in loops then I could get by with the app. And the remote is easier to operate all my switches (25).

Sold my wifi

Clem

Seacoast posted:

Technology is always changing. Remember when TMCC came out, similar responses.  Embrace it, WIFI is fun in my opinion. 

In your opinion.  In my opinion, it's a PITA.  Embracing it is like embracing a porcupine. 

The weather is always changing, too, but that doesn't make tornados fun.

palallin posted:

Seacoast posted:

Technology is always changing. Remember when TMCC came out, similar responses.  Embrace it, WIFI is fun in my opinion. 

In your opinion.  In my opinion, it's a PITA.  Embracing it is like embracing a porcupine. 

The weather is always changing, too, but that doesn't make tornados fun.

YEP = Unless your a Tornado Storm Chaser its all a matter of opinion and regarding opinions I guess we all gotta em. 

DCS came out 20 years ago  it was the same " I cant figure it out" but it works.  To each his own.

I found out how to keep your iPhone/iPad from automatically locking the screen.   The auto lock feature is good for saving power and securing your phone but is bad for running trains via the DCS WiFi app.  My solution is to either temporarily shut off auto lock during operating session OR turn off on iPad/phone dedicated for operating trains.

Obsidian posted:

I found out how to keep your iPhone/iPad from automatically locking the screen.   The auto lock feature is good for saving power and securing your phone but is bad for running trains via the DCS WiFi app.  My solution is to either temporarily shut off auto lock during operating session OR turn off on iPad/phone dedicated for operating trains.

Here is how to keep your iPhone screen from turning off –

1. Open the Settings menu.
2. Open the General menu.
3. Select the Auto-Lock option.
4. Select the Never option.

I think this tip should be repeated! Thanks for posting.

While on the wifi subject-has snyone figured out why "inactive" engines can't be brought up to "active" list? This problem was found back in 2015 by @Mrmacher! I purchased my app January 8th 2020 and have that problem! I find it hard to digest,this belch still exsists in five year old new MTH tech.

Has anyone investigated the use of a Wi-Fi enabled Raspbery Pi or Adriano to reverse engineer the physical interface of a DCS remote onto the app software?  Not sure that we could get production costs on the physical unit low enough to be able to compete with cheap Android tablets, but maybe a kit could be assembled.   Is MTH open enough to allow someone to see the code on the Android App?

Folks

Since we are talking about toys, let me frame my example in the context of toys. Please stay with me past the next sentence. Let’s compare trains to video games that aren’t resident on a handheld device (it works. your trains aren’t on your handheld). 
In a video game you stare at the screen. Finger poised over a tactile button. Your eye sees THE GAME. Your finger is just a tool. It’s the same with model trains. You (I assume) want to enjoy what the train is doing. Your thumb is on the thumb wheel or hovered over the horn, or or or. You enjoy the train. Your thumb is a tool. In either situation, if you have to stare at the controller to do the thing, you miss the thing. Plain and simple. This isn’t a change from touching a throttle to being overwhelmed by 30 buttons. It’s the change from enjoying the train to being sucked into the screen. 

Well stated, MartyR.