RMweb Gold NoggintheNog Posted October 3, 2011 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 3, 2011 Ive been getting the Zimo newsletter for a long time, must be two years they have been talking of the new system, now its finally on display on the website. There is a lot of innovation here, and I'm sure like the previous system it will be expensive, but it does look very nice. http://www.zimo.at/web2010/index.html I think its very much geared towards larger layouts, with up to 12 amp output, but the connectivity , especially being able to use it to update zimo sound chips, is a good idea. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 It's been a long time coming and a little strange that the new handset for this system was made available so early (9 months or so ago?). Oh well, if I win the lottery............... . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliebanger Posted October 4, 2011 Share Posted October 4, 2011 Ive been getting the Zimo newsletter for a long time, must be two years they have been talking of the new system, now its finally on display on the website. There is a lot of innovation here, and I'm sure like the previous system it will be expensive, but it does look very nice. http://www.zimo.at/web2010/index.html I think its very much geared towards larger layouts, with up to 12 amp output, but the connectivity , especially being able to use it to update zimo sound chips, is a good idea. I was at a sound seminar in Leipzig last week and this unit was show as part of the presentation given by Zimo supremo, Dr Zeigler. The MX10 command station shown will be for all scales. There will be a variety of separate power supplies available to match the users needs. The maximum output is,infact, 20A. This is by combining 12A main and 8A subsidiary, just as on the MX1. You will need the correct supply for this, of course. You are correct about the connectivity. About all it lacks is the facility for making tea!! Ha Ha. No prices yet, but it will not be cheap. However, with ZigBee radio for wireless handset connection, decoder update and sound project loading, loconet for third party handsets and computer/ smartphone conection and global railcom detector, it will off-set some of the additional costs that might otherwise be incurred. The MX32 handset was available from just before Christmas last year, but I've been using mine on my MX1 in the meantime. There is to be a stand alone programmer for those not using Zimo control stations - MXULF. This was revealed September 2010. Well, I have a pre-production unit for testing, so the release version should not be too far away now. Kind regards, Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted October 5, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 5, 2011 I'm wondering if the USB socket could be used for a bluetooth adapter to allow smartphones to be used with controller software to talk directly to the base station rather than having to route through a computer via the LAN and so reduce the latency? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Latency isn't an issue with current smart-phone applications running over WiFi provided there is a decent router and decent receiving processor. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted October 5, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 5, 2011 Latency isn't an issue with current smart-phone applications running over WiFi provided there is a decent router and decent receiving processor. - Nigel Agreed the latency is less of an issue that perhaps my post might seem (and it's not impossible that bluetooth as a standard may be slower than a wi-fi/router/lan based arrangement), but another factor in having direct bluetooth is having less equipment to b*gger around with. Also I find wi-fi very unreliable where I live as too many other homes in the near vicinity use it and there are constant conflicts that keep dropping the connection. My network is wired-only. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold NoggintheNog Posted October 5, 2011 Author RMweb Gold Share Posted October 5, 2011 Whilst I see the attraction of software throttles, especially price wise if you already have a suitable phone/tablet or whatever, with this new system I'm not sure its entirely necessary unless you plan on having lots of people running trains at once. Its my understanding it comes with zigbee wireless built in, as do the throttles, which also have an oled screen and such, so for the new zimo system in entirety, that new base plus the previously released handset, you have secure wireless right from the box. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliebanger Posted October 5, 2011 Share Posted October 5, 2011 Whilst I see the attraction of software throttles, especially price wise if you already have a suitable phone/tablet or whatever, with this new system I'm not sure its entirely necessary unless you plan on having lots of people running trains at once. Its my understanding it comes with zigbee wireless built in, as do the throttles, which also have an oled screen and such, so for the new zimo system in entirety, that new base plus the previously released handset, you have secure wireless right from the box. The current plan is to include a zigbee radio base station in all MX10s. The current throttle, MX32 has the touch screen you mention, but does not have the zigbee. It will be be an optional throttle, MX32(FU) which has zigbee fitted. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted October 6, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 6, 2011 The principle reason I would like to see a smartphone capability is that the software is capable of far more than the proprietary handsets. Being able to control accessories with far fewer button presses, being able to do things like program in routes more easily appeals to me. Being able to do those things without being tied to wi-fi/router/lan is important. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 The principle reason I would like to see a smartphone capability is that the software is capable of far more than the proprietary handsets. Being able to control accessories with far fewer button presses, being able to do things like program in routes more easily appeals to me. Being able to do those things without being tied to wi-fi/router/lan is important. I agree on Smartphones having a lot of potential, some of it already available. But, its easier for a maker to not put the WiFi router in their products and leave that to the customer. I have a little Edimax "nano" router which cost well under £30, and is far smaller than an iPhone. That works for portable layout working using smartphones, etc.. That said, both Digitrax and Lenz have announced and demonstrated smartphone interfaces to their systems. We just have to wait for them to convert brochureware demonstrations into real products, and find out to what extent the interface offered ties one into a single supplier of software or allows a multitude of developers to produce different products. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ian J. Posted October 6, 2011 RMweb Premium Share Posted October 6, 2011 Which is why having a bluetooth interface would be better than wi-fi, as that has been a common standard in smartphones for years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndrewC Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Which is why having a bluetooth interface would be better than wi-fi, as that has been a common standard in smartphones for years. Bluetooth is great for burst mode data transfer. Not so much for reliable constant communication like wifi offers. We've experimented with bluetooth control from a laptop to smartphone and gave up due to latency, reliability, and range. From what I understand others have discovered the same thing. The rumour mill around the Digitrax wifi offering was they started down the bluetooth route but abandoned it. This is likely why the whole "control your house from your bluetooth device" which was mooted 6 or 7 years ago died a quiet death. Does anyone actually use bluetooth anymore? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted October 6, 2011 Share Posted October 6, 2011 Does anyone actually use bluetooth anymore? My understanding is that Bluetooth was going to die a death, due to a reduced level of commitment from the standards body and developers. However it appears there is now renewed activity in this sphere. Certainly, hardware manufacturers are paying much less attention to it of late. Is it another case of a technology being overtaken by events in this rapidly changing technological world? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliebanger Posted October 13, 2011 Share Posted October 13, 2011 Ive been getting the Zimo newsletter for a long time, must be two years they have been talking of the new system, now its finally on display on the website. There is a lot of innovation here, and I'm sure like the previous system it will be expensive, but it does look very nice. http://www.zimo.at/web2010/index.html I think its very much geared towards larger layouts, with up to 12 amp output, but the connectivity , especially being able to use it to update zimo sound chips, is a good idea. How would you like a programmer that can load a full sound project to a decoder in 20 seconds rather than 25 minutes? Come to my Zimo sound seminar at LYDCC exhibition for the inside story: http://lydcc.org.uk/exhibition2011.html See you there, I hope. Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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