Rc options fpr Dapol jinty??

[DaleT]

Hi folks

 

I recently got an o gauge jinty for an early birthday gift.. it is dcc sound fitted.  I dont actually own a dcc controller! However, before I splashed out on one for it (and the small railway Ive been planning for years) i wanted to know more about RC options.. 

 

Basically this is what I want.  I wamt to be able to control the loco from my mobile phone via bluetooth.  I also want to be able to have the sounds availiable.  

 

Can this be done? And also, is there people who make it there business to convert these locos? (As i dont dare attempt it myself!)

Many thanks

Dale

[Nigelcliffe]

Simplest option now is a decent DCC system which allows computer or smartphone integration.  There are quite a lot of them.   What's the control budget ? 

 

Longer term, there are options with more direct control from smartphone to loco, without needing much of an intermediate system. 

 

 

- Nigel

[Robin2]

23 hours ago, DaleT said:

  I wamt to be able to control the loco from my mobile phone via bluetooth. 

 

Will your loco be battery powered or track powered?

 

...R

Edited August 4, 2019 by Robin2

[RobjUK]

Basically, if you get any DCC controller that can be connected to from the JMRI software, it can then work with a smartphone or tablet as the throttle, via a PC (or raspberry pi board etc.)

 

There are also direct WiFi interfaces to connect to controllers - eg. this is the one for Digitrax gear such as a Zephyr, that allows you to avoid using a PC and control things directly from a phone/tablet app.

http://www.digitrax.com/products/wireless/lnwi/

 

Example apps are at the bottom of that page - I use WiThrottle with an ipad occasionally, through JMRI on a laptop & a USB interface on a Digitrax Zephyr.

 

That's just one example, there are others but I'm not familiar with those.

 

JMRI, for reference:

http://jmri.org/

 

Note that if you are going to want to add more locos & be able to run more than one at a time, you will need a higher current rated device than the Zephyr I mention; that's just an example of control from a phone or tablet & my control-side gear is all digitrax.

You could equally use that WiFi interface with one of the high power Digitrax command stations like a DCS240.

 

 

Look at other manufacturers gear for price and capability comparisons & wait to see what others on here recommend before making any decisions. 

 

If you are in to building your own gear, it's worth looking at the MERG site - there are DIY designs & kits for pretty much everything you could need on there.

https://www.merg.org.uk/

 

[fallen]

Bluerail may give you what you want, although it is still being developed and I am not sure of its availability just yet.

 

https://www.coastaldcc.co.uk/products/bluerail/

 

Frank

 

 

[DaleT]

Hi guys

 

Thanks for all your comments and advice..

 

Ive decided to stick with a normal dcc system for now and possibly add in the bluetooth control as mentioned above.  

 

Ive spent the last few days reading up on things - control (either dcc or Rc) is a vast subject in itself nowadays! 

 

I guess right now i just wanna play trains so im going to keep things simple (for me) 

 

Thanks again