Alan Kettlewell Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 I've just ordered some of the feedback encoders from Digikeijs - http://www.digikeijs...ack-module.html - as recommended above by M Graff (thanks again for the link). I need enough ports for feedback from around 60 blocks so, as these units can take 16 inputs each, I needed only 4 units and a couple of extra cables. All up around £195. A good deal considering the same using the Roco feedback units would have meant buying 8 at around £70 each. I also managed to sell on my Lenz LR101 feedback encoders which aren't compatible with the Z21, so a win win all round. Looking forward to hooking these up and getting some trains running. Next, hooking up over 50 Tortoise motors through Lenz LS150 decoders - deep joy! Alan 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Kettlewell Posted October 22, 2015 Share Posted October 22, 2015 (edited) Z21, IPad and Train Controller. Having got some track laid on my new layout I spent a bit of time yesterday Experimenting. Although all the droppers to the track power bus aren't in place yet I hooked up the track to the Z21 to do some testing. Put one of my sound locos on and played away with the Ipad - just great - works perfectly. Next I got my laptop running Train Controller set up and hooked up to the Z21. Absolutely marvellous! As the laptop also hooks up wirelessly I can put it anywhere when working on battery power. I made a small 'desk on wheels' for the laptop which can be pushed under the layout when it needs to be out of the way, or it can be rolled around anywhere in the room, fantastic - wireless control of trains on my iPad and a mobile control desk for the laptop. Isn't technology great? What is also great is that when i operate a loco function on the Z21 app, say turn the loco lights on, I also see the symbol light up in the Train Window in TC on the laptop, and vice versa, both systems working in perfect harmony. I'm really looking forward to getting this layout fully operational with all this new tech stuff - great! Alan Edited October 22, 2015 by Alan Kettlewell 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 As suggested in this topic http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/106829-dcc-controllers-any-recommendations/does anyone have information as to whether the wifi controller http://webshop.pijplines.nl/Roco-10813-Wifi-Multimaus-voor-de-Z21 will work with the z21? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted January 10, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 10, 2016 See page 102 here, it's designed for the Z21, also boosters and detectors. http://www.roco.cc/uploads/dportal/doc/downloads/de/Kataloge/20160101_Roco_Neuheitenkatalog_2016.pdf Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted January 10, 2016 Share Posted January 10, 2016 The WiFi MultiMaus is designed to work specifically with the Z21/z21. It looks as if it cannot be used with a "normal" MultiMaus system. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim V Posted January 11, 2016 Share Posted January 11, 2016 Looks like it's referred to in the catalogue, so that's one to purchase then. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wacol Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Roco have an update for the Z21 in the app store. An iphone bugfix and a bunch of new function icons - which still don't make immediate sense plus an extra function so now 29 functions in total. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayDee Posted February 14, 2016 Share Posted February 14, 2016 Roco have an update for the Z21 in the app store. An iphone bugfix and a bunch of new function icons - which still don't make immediate sense plus an extra function so now 29 functions in total. Keith What is the Version number? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted February 14, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 14, 2016 (edited) No it's the 2016 announcements at the toy fair two weeks ago so no release date yet. Edited February 14, 2016 by PaulRhB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
clecklewyke Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Does the Z21 work on an Amazon Fire tablet? Ian Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 15, 2016 Not directly as it's not in the Amazon app store but I read somewhere you can 'sideload' via a PC but no idea how that works. They say there are free tools to do it so I'd search the more reputable PC sites to see what they suggest. I use two of the cheapest Samsung tablets with mine so I can add handsets for £110-140 depending on the screen size. The tablets are most useful for control panels but the 6-7inch ones actually make good hand controllers in a protective case. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeg Posted March 15, 2016 Share Posted March 15, 2016 Ian, I use a Vodafone smart mini £32 from Sainsbury's with my Z21 and it works but there are some problems with android, so I am going to get an ipad if I can find a cheap one. regards mike g Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 15, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 15, 2016 Ian, I use a Vodafone smart mini £32 from Sainsbury's with my Z21 and it works but there are some problems with android, so I am going to get an ipad if I can find a cheap one. regards mike g Mike, what are the issues? I know the Point control part is slower on the Android app but are there any issues with the loco control as that's a nice cheap handset. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeg Posted March 16, 2016 Share Posted March 16, 2016 Ian, its mainly the point control, can be a bit intermitant, also the direction of locos can vary and if you do not want to change CV29 cannot be changed in to loco settings although it says you can. Generally the locos seem to go in the direction of the photo but some are in reverse for forward on other systems and as I use the prodigy and e-link on other layouts it can be a bit alarming when they go opposite to what you expect. There was a layout using a Z21 at the East of England show last weekend and I asked if they had any problems and the answer was not since we changed to apple from android! regards mike g Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 16, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 16, 2016 Ah yes I've found that with the android app and point control but the loco part hasn't caused any issues. Similarly the iPhone app seems very reliable. Cheers, Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichO Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Hi I have been reading this topic with great interest and hope one of you Z21 experts can give me some answers! At the moment I am using Digitrax DCS200, BDL168's for detection, DS64 and CML for points , PM42's for current overload. Also Traincontroller software. O gauge layout, perhaps 5 train running at once. I would very much like to upgrade to a Z21 and use RailCom for train identification. I would need to continue to use all of the devices on loconet but am unclear as to whether they will work. I gather from previous posts that I can't utilise the DCS200 and use Railcom. Thanks in anticipation! Richard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted March 18, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 18, 2016 Anyone in the market for a Z21 wanting to save quite a few quid, be quick... http://www.hobb-e-mail.com/roco-10820-madness.html Tempted myself but as touchcab looks like it's going to continue I'm going to keep my lenz 100 set or I'd be going for it myself Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Kettlewell Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Good price. Cheapest elsewhere is £240 from Scograil ... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted March 18, 2016 Share Posted March 18, 2016 Hi I have been reading this topic with great interest and hope one of you Z21 experts can give me some answers! At the moment I am using Digitrax DCS200, BDL168's for detection, DS64 and CML for points , PM42's for current overload. Also Traincontroller software. O gauge layout, perhaps 5 train running at once. I would very much like to upgrade to a Z21 and use RailCom for train identification. I would need to continue to use all of the devices on loconet but am unclear as to whether they will work. I gather from previous posts that I can't utilise the DCS200 and use Railcom. Thanks in anticipation! Richard Not sure how well the Z21 has implemented LocoNet, when I looked at it (some time ago) a lot of LocoNet devices didn't play well. But possibly some upgrades to the Z21 have improved things. I'd be fearful for your BDL168's as they can be sensitive to things not being "right" and can be damaged if things are wrong. It *is* possible to do RailCom with Digitrax equipment, but needs third party hardware. I have a DCC4PC RailCom Cutout device (around £60) which will add the RailCom cutout to the output from a Digitrax command station. This produces the "short" RailCom cutout because the pre-amble on Digitrax equipment isn't long enough for a "long" cutout. This is sufficient for single loco identification within a block, but not other RailCom data. You may want to check the current handling with DCC4PC, as my hardware (a Zephyr) is much lower current than you have with the DCS200. For RailCom communication with software, I have built two Hans De Loof designed RailCom reading devices which read the loco address from a block, and transmit the address over LocoNet as a (Digitrax) Transponding message. Thus, a loco with a RailCom decoder (eg. Zimo, ESU, Lenz, etc) appears as if it has Transponding, and software can subsequently deal with it. This works seamlessly into JMRI software, but I don't know if TrainController can handle Transponding messages or not as I don't use TrainController. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold tetsudofan Posted March 19, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 19, 2016 Anyone in the market for a Z21 wanting to save quite a few quid, be quick... http://www.hobb-e-mail.com/roco-10820-madness.html Tempted myself but as touchcab looks like it's going to continue I'm going to keep my lenz 100 set or I'd be going for it myself Looking at the Hobby Shop (my local hobby shop) website somebody has got in quick, its disappeared from the website! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold big jim Posted March 19, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 19, 2016 Noticed that this morning too! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neils WRX Posted March 20, 2016 Share Posted March 20, 2016 Just seen mention of the multimas wifi controller in the Toyfair report elsewhere, looking forward to trying that out. Currently use an iPad and iPhone to control my z21 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayDee Posted March 24, 2016 Share Posted March 24, 2016 Are you using iPad or Android? There seem to be a few quirks and problems with the Android app, but very few problems reported with the Apple app. I have a Samsung Android tablet and suffer from numerous intermittent and vague problems which unfortunately I have just had to learn to live with, but it can be quite frustrating. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 24, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24, 2016 Do you have the latest version? It's not an issue I've had on the iPhone, I've got three running the app. Try double tapping the home button and swiping the Z21 app closed then reopen it to see if that clears it. We have had occasional lock ups on the older versions of the app and this sorted it but the latest hasn't suffered from this at all. Is the wifi signal good as you can usually watch what you're doing on another handset set to the same loco so there's obviously two way info between base and all the handsets. The Android app is more unstable and I find I need to reboot it if it freezes and after using the track control centre plus over a couple of days the routes can start to play up and not change every point. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PaulRhB Posted March 24, 2016 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 24, 2016 I wonder if it's the 6 that's the issue, I'm using two 4's & a 5. It might not yet be optimised with all the bugs ironed out from the new stuff the 6 does with touch. They've already done one fix on that. Report the issues via the Z21 website and they will look into it. Takes a while to get a response and a bug fix in place but they've been very good so far on sorting the glitches. I reported a couple of bugs in the past and they already knew about them and fixed them in the next update. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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