Kelly Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Having recently gotten inspired to want to do railway modelling again, my thoughts turned to control, DCC being the natural choice from when I last looked into such stuff. My main expertise and interest lies with computers, so mixing the two (especially if it able to be used with Linux, which I use primarily (although I do use Macs too)) would be good. Anyone got any suggestions on resources for such things? Being able to use my android phone to control it would be even better from a pure geek view kelly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Dagworth Posted March 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2011 Hi Kelly and welcome aboard, long time no see. What do you want the computer to do? For programming of decoders the you canot get better than JMRI http://jmri.sourceforge.net/ These guys are doing some very interesting stuff http://www.gamesontrack.com/ their voice control software is a lot of fun. Also worth a look is Railroad and Co for computer control of a layout. http://www.freiwald.com/pages/index.html Andi Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 Hi Andi, I'm not 100% at this point, but certainly control by the computer. Being able to move to a point where a tablet (maybe running android) could control it wirelessly would be rather neat. I've plenty of computers so experimenting with using them for the control and maybe programming would be interesting too, and cheap (as i have the kit mostly already). Thanks for the links, I'll bookmark and have a look at them later. kelly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adrian Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 The MERG CBUS system includes a computer interface module, offers various control modules and is "open source". http://www.merg.org.uk/resources/lcb.html Most of the utilities so far seem to be windows centric, so plenty of opportunities to develop something cross platform. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 Hope you're fluent in German DDL: http://www.vogt-it.com/OpenSource/DDL/ Alas I'm not fluent in German but thanks for the link. The MERG CBUS system includes a computer interface module, offers various control modules and is "open source". I remember seeing the MERG stuff for DCC and half-deciding it was possibly what I was going to go with when funds/time permitted. Then moving house got in the way, and then health did. Will take a look at their site and see about possibly joining at a later date. Thanks for the reminder about them Adrian Kelly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 20, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 20, 2011 Hi Kelly Another system not mentioned above is Rocrail. This is also a free program and also available for Linux systems. I have been playing around with Freiwald's Railroad & Co (Windows, Expensive) JMRI (Windows & Linux, Free) and Rocrail (Windows & Linux, Free) and as far as usability my personal opinion is that Freiwald is the easiest, most user friendly of the three. Rocrail is next and JMRI is the most complex. However both JMRI & Rocrail are ongoing projects and enhancements and improvements are regularly added. It depends on how much 'hands on' you are prepared to do which would be the most suitable for you. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 Hi Kelly Another system not mentioned above is Rocrail. This is also a free program and also available for Linux systems. Keith Thanks for that, sounds interesting. I don't mind getting hands on with computers really, but I'll check out the options and see where it leads. kelly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Jonboy Posted March 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2011 CTI offer a range of hardware for DC and DCC computer control - IBM compatible though. Not used it yet but seriously considering it. Jon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2011 Well, there's DDL (no, nothing to do with libraries, at least not the dynamic kind of a certain vendor ) They are DLLs - Dynamic Link Libraries Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beast66606 Posted March 20, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 20, 2011 I use RailRoad and Co - I develop software for a living but can't be bothered spending time reinventing the wheel, especially when there are some very good round ones available but each to their own Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil S Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 It might be worth mentioning that RR+Co from Freiwald is available to try FREE - spend as much time as you need designing the system - but then with limited duration connected to the railway to test it. Then when happy with it; buy it, and future upgrades.... Also there is their 'bundled'/ free CUT DOWN version 'Rocomotion' that comes with roco's computer Serial interface called 'Rocomotion' -but that is now only available as the 'complete set' of Rocomotion PRO with remote handset (2-way link) central controller and USB HID computer interface BUT has the advantage that 'updates are free' - courtesy of Roco - HOWEVER the payback is that ONLY Roco's Feedback units can be used on the system: For a basic VDU display, and Computer on-screen control of the layout, no extras are required - but automation requires feedback of position - at which point you start paying with modules (and detectors of your own choice). When I started with it, the Feedback modules were only about 30GBP each ... now they are about 70GBP ! At any time, you can buy the RR+Co version and simply import your existing Rocomotion layout. PS: Earlier posts remain legible in the thread - no need to quote in their entirety each time 8-) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 20, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 20, 2011 Another thing about Railroad & Co is that is available in three versions: Bronze - very basic, limited functional ability. Silver - fairly comprehensive although some more complex functions are omitted. Gold - does pretty well anything one could expect from computer control. If you download the manuals which are available in PDF format and the programs you can browse and find out what functions you require and try out which version you fancy/need (see link): http://www.freiwald.com/pages/download.htm Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RAF96 Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Rocrail is my choice. Support for every kind of command station including phones and all pc systems and its free and the forum is very supportive. Robbie Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 Just as an aside and from a self confessed computer know-nothing-but-it-works practitioner, did I not read somewhere that ESU ECoS actually uses a version of Linux as it's operating system? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 I think your right Dave. Seem to remember seeing a post say its Linux. TTG Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 Thanks for all the replies. Seems there are at least some options, if not perhaps with Linux. At a push I can dual boot an old laptop with a stripped down Windows install... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Harris Posted March 20, 2011 Share Posted March 20, 2011 JMRI supports Linux (it uses Java) - see http://jmri.org/install/Linux.html for Linux installation details. Also, there is a free application available that allows you to use your Android phone as a throttle - again, see http://jmri.org/help...dThrottle.shtml and http://jmri.org/help...Interface.shtml Hope this helps, Matt H Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted March 20, 2011 Author Share Posted March 20, 2011 So I saw Matt, that and Rocrail seem to be the more interesting ones software wise I think that might meet my wishes/needs/budget. Of course I may still give the MERG system a look when I have funds to join them, as thats an area I'd like to get more aquatinted with anyhow. Kelly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevindickerson Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 JMRI also supports MAC which hasn't yet been mentioned. The main person driving JMRI is a big MAC user. JMRI also uses Jython (which is python for java) to allow users to create their own scripts to cover aspects that JMRI doesn't yet support. The other bit is if you develop some interesting tool for use with JMRI then you can get it added into the main program for everyone else to benefit from. Regards Kevin Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon H Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Of course I may still give the MERG system a look when I have funds to join them, as thats an area I'd like to get more aquatinted with anyhow. If you can get along to the Alexandra Palace exhibition this weekend you might see a MERG CBUS system working wirelessly from an IPod Touch. I think it was the same show last year where this capability was first demonstrated. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted March 21, 2011 Author Share Posted March 21, 2011 If you can get along to the Alexandra Palace exhibition this weekend you might see a MERG CBUS system working wirelessly from an IPod Touch. I think it was the same show last year where this capability was first demonstrated. Sadly not Gordon. Cannot afford it sadly. Went last year as I was down in London at the same time, and enjoyed it and have been many times in the past. Kelly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon H Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Sadly not Gordon. Cannot afford it sadly. I see from the Album that you visited the Nottingham show last weekend. I was there too, manning a demo stand showing automatic train shuttling, but I did also have some computer interfacing hardware with me in case anyone asked about the subject. Pity this conversation didn't take place last week... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kelly Posted March 21, 2011 Author Share Posted March 21, 2011 I see from the Album that you visited the Nottingham show last weekend. I was there too, manning a demo stand showing automatic train shuttling, but I did also have some computer interfacing hardware with me in case anyone asked about the subject. Pity this conversation didn't take place last week... Gordon, yes was there, was almost a late planned thing and didn't know of existance of rmweb till was there. Was really that show that reinvigorated my desire to get back into doing some model making, after several years break (moving, health, depression, etc etc). Now I've cleared a lot of clutter etc out of my flat I have a work area I can use for model making/jewellery/electronics/computer repair, so hopefully with a few kits to work on I can get back to it. All I've got to do is figure out where the heck to put stuff once it is made (less problematic with a few wagons etc, but much more problematic with my other model making interests!). kelly Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 If you can get along to the Alexandra Palace exhibition this weekend you might see a MERG CBUS system working wirelessly from an IPod Touch. I think it was the same show last year where this capability was first demonstrated. Yes, Merg CBUS will work from an iPod, but its not a unique feature only available to users of the MERG system. Almost any DCC system can do exactly the same(*); the software is JMRI and the iPod/iPhone application is WiThrottle; neither of which come from MERG. (* major exceptions in the UK being Bachmann's systems (no computer interface) and Gaugemaster (bizarre refusal by maker to allow other software to interwork with their hardware)). - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
two tone green Posted March 21, 2011 Share Posted March 21, 2011 Quite right Nigel. I have used my Itouch with Lenz and ESU ECoS with not one MERG item in my house. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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