mimic display

[rogerdee]

I have ordered a mimic set so we will see how I get on with it. thanks for all the replies

[speleo]

I have just bought one of the DCC alpha mimic panel controllers with red/green LEDs, I have connected it up as directed on the instructions, and programmed it. the only problem is that when I change the points the LEDs do not change on any of the twelve points. does anybody have any thoughts as to why?

[DCCconcepts]

2 hours ago, speleo said:

I have just bought one of the DCC alpha mimic panel controllers with red/green LEDs, I have connected it up as directed on the instructions, and programmed it. the only problem is that when I change the points the LEDs do not change on any of the twelve points. does anybody have any thoughts as to why?

 

How are you operating your points?

What point decoders are you using?

Do they use the same address range as your Alpha Mimic board.

 

Drop us an email (on the website homepage) and we'll see what we can do to get it sorted.

 

Best Regards.

The DCCconcepts Team

[Ron Ron Ron]

16 hours ago, speleo said:

I have just bought one of the DCC alpha mimic panel controllers with red/green LEDs.......

 

Alpha Mimic isn't a "panel controller", it's just a mimic display, hence DCC Concepts questions above. 

[arv]

On 25/05/2019 at 01:48, WIMorrison said:

if you're using Lenz then this is an option also

 

https://www.aandhmodels.co.uk/lenz-lw150-mimic-panel-module-1779-c.asp

 

This looks like a nice option for controlling the points as well as display. Can you wire it so that a touch pencil is used rather than push buttons on the mimic panel. i.e. does the lw150 use a common wire on the buttons and will the momentary touch trigger the device in the same way as a push button?

 

Does the system switch different turnouts if you press the push buttons at the same time? This would enable me to touch "routes" that set multiple turnouts wired via diodes.

 

I am considering re-wiring my current layout that uses Lenz DCC for the loco control, but currently a solenoid setup for the points (60 turnouts), I like the touch pencil control rather than typing in point numbers on the LH100; (which has stopped me from moving the points to DCC so far). I'd like to add the display of turnout positions as well, and of course do away with bundles of CAT 5 cables that go to the points.

 

Regards, Andrew

 

[Nigelcliffe]

38 minutes ago, arv said:

 

This looks like a nice option for controlling the points as well as display. Can you wire it so that a touch pencil is used rather than push buttons on the mimic panel. i.e. does the lw150 use a common wire on the buttons and will the momentary touch trigger the device in the same way as a push button?

 

 

There are two common wires, one for "left", the other for "right" on each turnout button.  So, a simple stud/pencil won't work.  

 

Unless people really like making hardware panels, I wonder why these days.   A computer touch screen option is pretty cheap which means screen buttons can do anything.   

 

 

- Nigel

[arv]

5 hours ago, Nigelcliffe said:

 

There are two common wires, one for "left", the other for "right" on each turnout button.  So, a simple stud/pencil won't work.  

 

Unless people really like making hardware panels, I wonder why these days.   A computer touch screen option is pretty cheap which means screen buttons can do anything.   

 

 

- Nigel

 

Well having worked 30 years developing computer software, I personally, like to keep computer displays away from my model railway! I find the touch pencil fast and intuitive and not restricted to the size of an iPad or whatever. I dont want to drag and drop trains to operate them... Also the cost of DCC tortoise turnouts is a major factor on a medium sized railway. My stud pencil can also throw multiple turnouts, which I am sure you can do in software, but is more tricky with the DCC hardware controllers.

 

I am looking to move to servo operated points, mimic board and lit turnout LEDSs, so Megapoints controllers is a good fit as well but also quite expensive. Both Megapoints and Lenz dont support the pencil - which is a shame. I am also looking at ARCOMORA for the accessory decoder side but have not yet found a hardware mimic board that would work for DCC....

 

Regards Andrew

[ISW]

16 hours ago, arv said:

I am looking to move to servo operated points, mimic board and lit turnout LEDSs, so Megapoints controllers is a good fit as well but also quite expensive

Andrew,

 

Whilst the actual MegaPoints circuit boards are quite expensive, you can keep the costs down by obtaining the rest of the materials elsewhere.

 

I bought my own cables, connectors, LEDs (& resistors), and push-button switches. For the actual turnout operation I bought my own servos (including the microswitch) & made my own aluminium servo brackets (based on the original MegaPoints one).

 

I even made my own mimic panel out of thin plywood, printing the front on an inkjet printer. 

 

Here's the resulting mimic panel (1 of 3 I made for my layout):

Front:

 

Inards:

 

About the only 'limitation' I have is on the size of the panels due to my printer being A4.

 

My 'typical' servo installation looks like this, and is simply screwed to the underside of the baseboard with two No.0 screws. The M3 bolts / nuts through the aluminium U-channel are to 'clamp' the servo into the assembly:

 

Hope this helps.

 

Ian