Kinesis control system

[AY Mod]

BACHMANN KINESIS – MODEL RAILWAY CONTROL REDEFINED 

 

Bachmann Europe Plc today unveiled its new Kinesis Digital Command Control (DCC) system during the Warley National Model Railway Exhibition at the NEC, Birmingham. Built from the 
ground up and developed entirely in-house, the new Kinesis DCC system is a flexible wireless digital control system unlike any other. Live demonstrations take place at regular intervals all weekend in the Kinesis Lounge which forms part of the Bachmann Europe stand (A23), and all are welcome to attend the presentations to learn more about Kinesis. 

 

Built around Bachmann’s RailController computer control software, the Kinesis system provides control of your model railway via PC, App or the wireless Kinesis Edge Handset. 

The Kinesis Wireless DCC System Starter Pack will be released in 2024 with a Recommend Retail Price of £399.95. Each Starter Pack includes a Kinesis Hub DCC Base Station, a Kinesis 
Edge Wireless Handset and a full licensed copy of RailController software, allowing users to operate their model railway with DCC via PC, App or with the Edge Handset, with operation 
synchronised across all devices so that multiple devices can be used simultaneously. 

The Hub DCC Base Station is central to the Kinesis system, with 2.4GHz wireless capability and built-in Wi-Fi and USB connectivity, the Hub connects to a PC running RailController and provides outputs to the main track and programming track. The Hub’s backlit LCD Screen 
provides real time information whilst the 2amp power supply will provide enough power to run N, OO, OO9 and O scale models – a high power booster will also be available to provide 
additional power where necessary. With the Hub connected to any layout, locomotives, points and accessories can be controlled using the RailController software on a PC or using 
Android and Apple compatible Apps. 

The Edge Wireless Handset connects to the Hub Base Station via 2.4GHz wireless providing fast, responsive, uninterrupted communication. The OLED screen provides a crisp, clean display whilst the numeric keypad is supplemented by a second, dedicated expandable function keypad with 10 function buttons (operating in up to 6 banks). CVs can be read and written using the Edge, which also allows users to write short, automated programs directly from the 
Edge, or run more sophisticated programs from RailController. Locomotives, points and accessories can also be downloaded from RailController and accessed instantly from the Edge 
handset, showing loco names and function and allowing the easier operation of multi-aspect light signals. With a range of up to 50 Metres, the wireless handset provides up to 12 hours of use and is chargeable via the USB port, with an optional charging dock available separately. 
Up to five Edge handsets can be used with one Hub Base Station and additional handsets will be available to purchase separately.

 

The Hub DCC Base Station unlocks the full potential of RailController allowing CVs to be read and written using the software alone. The new RailController App for Android and Apple devices provides a simplified hand-held version of RailController, with rosters, points and 
accessories all replicated in the app for easy and enjoyable operation. Create a mimic track plan with RailController and switch between the locomotive controller and track plan 
instantly in the app by rotating the device. When using multiple devices, marvel at the synchronicity as changes made on one device are mirrored across all connected devices, allowing seamless transition from one device to another, or one user to another. 

Kinesis users can operate their model railway with confidence thanks to the dedicated technical support service that will be available, alongside a new Community Support Forum allowing users to share their experiences and knowledge of the system with one another. 

Visit the Bachmann stand during the Warley Show to find out all about Kinesis and look out for further details ahead the Kinesis release in 2024.

 

 

[NoggintheNog]

Its nice that now DCC has matured to a place where rather than more gimmicks, designers are now trying to make things more user-friendly. The Guagemaster one follows a similar path.

 

For most people's layouts, 2 amps, one wireless controller is plenty enough for everything they do. 

[E100]

Excited to see this later in action

[spamcan61]

26 minutes ago, NoggintheNog said:

 

For most people's layouts, 2 amps, one wireless controller is plenty enough for everything they do. 

Hmmm. I'm not sure that'll power many sound locos or stay-alives at start-up.

 

Interesting to see they've gone for a bespoke (hence expensive to develop) handset rather than the HM7000 'just use your phone/tablet' approach to wireless control. Purely in terms of wireless loco control then this looks like a tough sell versus HM7000 with its more or less zero initial cost.

 

Plus you need a PC if I'm reading that correctly.

Edited November 25, 2023 by spamcan61

[farren]

41 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

Hmmm. I'm not sure that'll power many sound locos or stay-alives at start-up.

 

Interesting to see they've gone for a bespoke (hence expensive to develop) handset rather than the HM7000 'just use your phone/tablet' approach to wireless control. Purely in terms of wireless loco control then this looks like a tough sell versus HM7000 with its more or less zero initial cost.

 

Plus you need a PC if I'm reading that correctly.

Well it depends where you are coming from, the HM7000 needs you to have a controller, and you need its hm7000 decoders. 
 

this just use the decoders you already have.  ok I admit £400 to buy it too. 

I don’t think you need a PC the way I’ve read it. 

just wondering if it would work on my wireless drawing pad. 

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by farren

[spamcan61]

18 minutes ago, farren said:

Well it depends where you are coming from, the HM needs you to have a controller and you need its hm7000 decoders. 
 

this I can just use the decoders you already, 

You don't need a controller as such with HM7000; just a PSU, 60 quid from Hornby or 20 quid from Amazon/eBay, and a phone or tablet (as opposed to a (Windows 10 /11?) PC with this system.

No mention of CV tweaking on the fly with this system either, it'll be interesting to see the full spec.

 

WiFi handsets for existing DCC systems have been around for a while now 

Edited November 25, 2023 by spamcan61

[farren]

2 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

 

11 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

You don't need a controller as such with HM7000; just a PSU, 60 quid from Hornby or 20 quid from Amazon/eBay, and a phone or tablet (as opposed to a (Windows 10 /11?) PC with this system.

No mention of CV tweaking on the fly with this system either, it'll be interesting to see the full spec.

 

WiFi handsets for existing DCC system have been around for a while now 

 

Sorry you’re correct my fault. I did try a couple hm7000 decoders using my dcc controller but didn’t get on with it. That’s why I got confused. 
 

The CVs is quite an important part for many to make it worthwhile. Which I think will be the deal breaker with this.
 

Oh a question often asked so might as well though not that bothered myself will it have train detection?. 

 

[Oldddudders]

16 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

No mention of CV tweaking on the fly with this system either, it'll be interesting to see the full spec.

I think it has a Prog button, and the spec/price would surely include POM? Although a lot of DCC-users don't seem to trust it as a concept. 

[BachelorBoy]

"marvel at the synchronicity"

 

Oh dear.

 

[spamcan61]

5 minutes ago, Oldddudders said:

I think it has a Prog button, and the spec/price would surely include POM? Although a lot of DCC-users don't seem to trust it as a concept. 

I would certainly expect POM, but I was thinking more of the HM7000 feature where you can tweak CVs as the loco is running.

[Oldddudders]

1 minute ago, spamcan61 said:

I would certainly expect POM, but I was thinking more of the HM7000 feature where you can tweak CVs as the loco is running.

Isn't that what POM does? 

[spamcan61]

1 minute ago, Oldddudders said:

Isn't that what POM does? 

I thought to POM the loco had to be in a 'programming' state rather than underway, but as a DCC dabbler I could well be wrong.

[Erixtar1992]

2 amp is a bit limp, so the £400 price tag already is going to go up from needing a booster for plenty.

 

using your phone to control trains is awful imo, physical buttons mean no need to look at it once you are used to it, so its nice theyve done their own controller

[spamcan61]

46 minutes ago, farren said:

 

I don’t think you need a PC the way I’ve read it. 
 

The blurb states 'the Hub connects to a PC running Railcontroller' but it's not clear if that's mandatory or optional.

[Crosland]

7 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

I thought to POM the loco had to be in a 'programming' state rather than underway, but as a DCC dabbler I could well be wrong.

 

You've got them the wrong wat around. Service mode needs a programming track and the loco is put into service mode to tread or write. POM is Program on the Main, also known as ops mode, works anywhere on the layout, but is write only unless you have something like Railcom.

[Oldddudders]

6 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

I thought to POM the loco had to be in a 'programming' state rather than underway, but as a DCC dabbler I could well be wrong.

The glory of POM or Operations Mode Programming is that the loco is alive and running on the layout, and you can adjust CVs and get instant visual or aural feedback , e.g. sound levels etc. And you cannot adversely affect any other locos on the layout, running or stationary, while doing so. 

[big jim]

21 minutes ago, Erixtar1992 said:

using your phone to control trains is awful

well the handset does give off 1990s Sony Erickson vibes to me!

 

Edited November 25, 2023 by big jim

[spamcan61]

Thanks chaps, so the HM7000 sales pitch in this context is that it can write and read whilst running, I think.

[Oldddudders]

4 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

Thanks chaps, so the HM7000 sales pitch in this context is that it can write and read whilst running, I think.

As Andrew says, read-back in POM is not readily available in most DCC systems, but I have seldom wished it were in 20 years of using POM on my Digitrax system. 

[JSpencer]

Definitely looks interesting to me. You can run from the PC, or the handset or from the phone. Admittedly with the handset, I won't need the phone too much.

[Vecchio]

A bit expensive for a system with numeric control handsets. What about tablet and smart phone use? 

z21 costs much less and Z21 approximately equal. Both 3 Amps and full graphical user surface.  

 

Correction: With the Hub connected to any layout, locomotives, points and accessories can be controlled using the RailController software on a PC or using 
Android and Apple compatible Apps. 

So we need to see these apps? 

Edited November 25, 2023 by Vecchio

[RFS]

30 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

I thought to POM the loco had to be in a 'programming' state rather than underway, but as a DCC dabbler I could well be wrong.

 

As I understand it, a loco just has to be stationary in order to use POM. 

[Oldddudders]

1 minute ago, Vecchio said:

A bit expensive for a system with numeric control handsets. What about tablet and smart phone use? 

z21 costs much less and Z21 approximately equal. Both 3 Amps and full graphical user surface.  

Horses for courses. DCC standards were developed long before touch-screen tech had evolved into smartphones and tablets, but they make a perfectly viable front-end - if that is what you want. Bachmann will have costed all sorts of interface options and now offer what they feel is optimum for the market they see. 

[Vecchio]

1 minute ago, Oldddudders said:

Horses for courses. DCC standards were developed long before touch-screen tech had evolved into smartphones and tablets, but they make a perfectly viable front-end - if that is what you want. Bachmann will have costed all sorts of interface options and now offer what they feel is optimum for the market they see.

Ian,

I do know that as I started using DCC in 2004. I loved my Lenz system I had at this time, but at the moment I purchased (years later) a Z21 I never took the Lenz out of its box. It works well, but with all disadvantages of a numeric input. Remember your function keys or re-map them, or write them down, remember your loco addresses or write them down and so on...

 

[NoggintheNog]

As I understand it, this system comes with the handset, but also has an app too and the USB.

 

So you can use the handset, use a phone/tablet with the app, or use a PC and its software, or any combination of the three, without needing to buy anything extra.

 

WHich seems like a sensible design choice to me. 

Edited November 25, 2023 by NoggintheNog