A Few thoughts on Control to help a Newbie

Discuss your experiences with systems, decoders, installations, wiring, control and any general hints & tips you have found.
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John McAleely
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Re: A Few thoughts on Control to help a Newbie

Postby John McAleely » Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:30 am

Martin Wynne wrote:I want a handheld controller which I never have to look at -- my concentration being on the trains, signals, and levers.

As I understand it, DCC is always controller-centric. In other words you start with a controller and specify which locomotive it will be controlling.

I would much prefer a locomotive-centric system.


I've been given this brief (broadly) for SLAG's new layout, and that's one reason we've selected MERG for our control system. Out of the box, it doesn't do what you want (but perhaps could be used that way) - lacking the notion of a dispatch panel. However, it comes with enough documentation to be able to see how to repurpose the system and add modules that would work as you wish. Together with the current crop of hobbyist microcontrollers (arduino, mbed, etc), I think that custom DCC handsets are starting to look within reach of a layout builder with some knowledge of computers.

billbedford

Re: A Few thoughts on Control to help a Newbie

Postby billbedford » Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:40 am

Martin Wynne wrote:Hi Nigel,

Which if any of these systems allows for a small hand-held preferably wireless controller with only a speed control knob and a reversing switch? All pushing of buttons, entering of codes, etc. to be done on a conventional looking control panel / lever frame? Possibly only the MERG system?

I want a handheld controller which I never have to look at -- my concentration being on the trains, signals, and levers.


The deltang system will do this for you, but it's not DCC. However most of the functions of DCC can programmed into the system.

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James Moorhouse
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Re: A Few thoughts on Control to help a Newbie

Postby James Moorhouse » Sun Feb 22, 2015 12:27 pm

Noel wrote:Are you aware of the series of articles about DCC in S4News 146 onwards [12 in all, available in the archive]? There is also a look at pluses and minuses of DCC in News 168. They are from a few years ago now, but they will hopefully give a lot of the background to DCC.


For ease of access, this series has been reproduced in its entirety in pdf form here:

http://www.mickmoignard.com/MickMoignard/mickmoignard.nsf/dx/MickMoignardsDigitalTopics.pdf/$file/MickMoignardsDigitalTopics.pdf

David Thorpe

Re: A Few thoughts on Control to help a Newbie

Postby David Thorpe » Sun Feb 22, 2015 12:52 pm

As Noel implied, it's already a little bit out of date - NCE's PowerCab, for example, now supports 28 functions, not 13 as shown. I'm sure that there will have been improvements in other systems as well.

DT

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Winander
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Re: A Few thoughts on Control to help a Newbie

Postby Winander » Sat Feb 28, 2015 11:53 am

billbedford wrote:
Martin Wynne wrote:Hi Nigel,

Which if any of these systems allows for a small hand-held preferably wireless controller with only a speed control knob and a reversing switch? All pushing of buttons, entering of codes, etc. to be done on a conventional looking control panel / lever frame? Possibly only the MERG system?

I want a handheld controller which I never have to look at -- my concentration being on the trains, signals, and levers.


The deltang system will do this for you, but it's not DCC. However most of the functions of DCC can programmed into the system.


Or this in DCC, although it could be dated since TMWDCC runs on MS-DOS and TMWDCC2 runs on Win95. Shows it can be done though. http://www.webring.org/l/rd?ring=modelr ... index.html

Hornby have a phone app that links to Railmaster :)

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Martin Wynne
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Re: A Few thoughts on Control to help a Newbie

Postby Martin Wynne » Sat Feb 28, 2015 10:34 pm

Thanks for all the replies to my questions. It seems a customized MERG system may be the way to go.

Martin.
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Alan Turner
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Re: A Few thoughts on Control to help a Newbie

Postby Alan Turner » Sat Feb 28, 2015 10:56 pm

Martin Wynne wrote:Thanks for all the replies to my questions. It seems a customized MERG system may be the way to go.

Martin.


If you go with MERG then the way forward is to only control trains with DCC. Operational control of the infrastructure is done using Cbus.

Cbus lets you control the infrastructure in any way you choose from simple switches, interlpcked lever frames to cpmputer control. The choice is yours and you can also change your mind anytime you wish.

Regards

Alan


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