Simon G Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 This looks promising as a control system, especially at the Hatton/Ontracks prices. Can anyone tell me if you can save more than one layout onto the Railmaster software, ie use it to control both a layout at home and a club/exhibition layout, should I choose to? Simon Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium stephennicholson Posted July 16, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 16, 2013 This looks promising as a control system, especially at the Hatton/Ontracks prices. Can anyone tell me if you can save more than one layout onto the Railmaster software, ie use it to control both a layout at home and a club/exhibition layout, should I choose to? Simon Based on the assumption you are using a laptop/ transportable PC, you can save as many layouts as you like, although one is the default. Locos can be assigned to groups, so you can have club locos in separate lists to your own. Only complication might be if you had different network and handheld arrangements between the two setups. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon G Posted July 16, 2013 Share Posted July 16, 2013 Based on the assumption you are using a laptop/ transportable PC, you can save as many layouts as you like, although one is the default. Locos can be assigned to groups, so you can have club locos in separate lists to your own. Only complication might be if you had different network and handheld arrangements between the two setups. Thanks for that - that does make it pretty flexible. It will most likely be the same laptop used for both, and as yet I dont have any hand held devices capable of being used here. My kids think I am in the dark ages! I have also downloaded the Railmaster Manual from the Hornby website and everything looks pretty simple to use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
panzerzuge Posted July 18, 2013 Share Posted July 18, 2013 OK, so there's only one folder that you need to worry about There is a button to uninstall the s/w ( can't remember where it is) and then reinstall on another PC. Will look tonight I've not cracked the Ipad as controller yet - will try the YouTube video. If we can backup the loco data, we could set up a library for Dapol / fleischmann/ Arnold/ Trix locos and swap them?? Images might be a problem, but I suspect most people borrow them from the manufacturers web- sites! Do we need a FAQ thread Nick Robinson backing up? If you need to re-install, presumably just copy the backed up folder to the same location as the newly installed one, and over-write it so you get all your previous settings back. As for de-registering, I guess that could be a challenge if your hard drive fails on you! OK, so there's only one folder that you need to worry about backing up? If you need to re-install, presumably just copy the backed up folder to the same location as the newly installed one, and over-write it so you get all your previous settings back. As for de-registering, I guess that could be a challenge if your hard drive fails on you! OK, so there's only one folder that you need to worry about backing up? If you need to re-install, presumably just copy the backed up folder to the same location as the newly installed one, and over-write it so you get all your previous settings back. As for de-registering, I guess that could be a challenge if your hard drive fails on you! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold beejack Posted July 26, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 26, 2013 Well I bit the bullet today and purchased an e-link from Model Railways Direct. I'm lucky as they are only down the road from me, and so I don't have to wait for it to arrive. At the moment it is selling for £64.95 so is a good saving over the RRP and is also cheaper than Hattons. I have an evaluation version of rail master running on my main PC which runs Windows 8. When I plugged the e-link into the computer, the driver automatically installed. I clicked on the installation window and when it finished it told me which com port it was installed on. Made setting up in railmaster a doddle and once the com port was selected in settings, railmaster found e-link and updated the firmware to 1.02 automatically. Just need to install railmaster on the laptop which runs windows 7, so I will see how easy it goes on that one and let you know. This will be the one I will be using to control the layout until I can get my PC repaired! Once thats done it will be time to try it out! I have few different chips in my locos so once set up I will post an update with my findings on CV readings etc. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjrennie Posted July 28, 2013 Share Posted July 28, 2013 First post here, so hello! I post on other forums and have posted about the e-link. I purchased it from Hatton's and returned it the same day. Whilst I am pretty IT literate, I found the interface to be clunky and a bit toy-like. I use the Dynamis and I am looking for something that can read CVs, which the Dynamis can't unless I add the daftly priced pro Box. I am going down the Sprog route for now. For whatever reason, I just find the Dynamis to be excellent and I have even tried and returned the NCE Power Cab, which didn't impress me, despite its legion of support. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveElms Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Here's a possible scenario for a larger or club layout. iPhone, iPod Touch or android phone as throttles. One or more strategically placed tablets (mounted on stands or brackets) located around the layout to provide point, route and signal control (electronic signal boxes). The main PC/laptop running RailMaster located somewhere, maybe in the background or out of sight. Bring your own handheld device and any tablets used and there you have it.... £85 a pop ( that's full price mind). . Hi mate, I have just purchased one and am loving it, however you have to buy a licence for each device connected to it, which annoyed me a bit. You can use the evaluation licence but that only lets you use two trains. Jason Five Elms (Youtube) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveElms Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 Would be grateful if someone can clarify how an ipod/ipad (with the app installed) will communicate with the e-link? HI mate, There is no actual app (this may follow) you connect to the PC which has the railmaster installed via the internet browser of your ipad/tablet and select the IP address of the main PC. This however is not free and requires the purchase of a licence key (£9.99) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adamphillip Posted July 30, 2013 Share Posted July 30, 2013 I'd rather have a z21 (after all the problems I have had with Hornby DCC) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 .....you have to buy a licence for each device connected to it..... ......This however is not free and requires the purchase of a licence key (£9.99) Thanks for that info Jason. No that's a bargain ! ......a wireless DCC handset for £9.99 . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 30, 2013 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 30, 2013 Thanks for that info Jason. No that's a bargain ! ......a wireless DCC handset for £9.99 . Where do you get your iPod etc for free? Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted July 30, 2013 Author Share Posted July 30, 2013 Where do you get your iPod etc for free? Keith That was assuming you already have a suitable smart device (iPod, smartphone, tablet etc) to hand........which literally millions of people do. Of course if you haven't got one, then you are disenfranchised, unless you are prepared to spend some money. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted July 30, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 30, 2013 Like mjrennie I am IT lierate but I also find the software clunky and toy like with awful colours and graphics, it looks like a vtech toy. It is a pity as I am sure it is quite a powerful piece of software but the toy like look puts me off. When are Hornby going to stop thinking toy and think modeller, I can only presume they are trying to appeal to a younger audience but I don't think they need gimmicks just well designed professional looking software. As to the so called App, as already said it is not a App in the true sense of the word as it works through a browser, I was not impressed when it first came out and more so at the cost of £9.99 per device. I use TouchCab on both Lenz and ECoS and it is a proper App, it costs half the price of the Hornby App at about £5 and you can run it on any iOS device you own. I presume Hornby have decided it is too expensive to produce an App for each device platform or they want to charge you for each device you put it on, which would not be the case if they produced a proper Apple or Android App. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoingUnderground Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 Like mjrennie I am IT lierate but I also find the software clunky and toy like with awful colours and graphics, it looks like a vtech toy. It is a pity as I am sure it is quite a powerful piece of software but the toy like look puts me off. When are Hornby going to stop thinking toy and think modeller, I can only presume they are trying to appeal to a younger audience but I don't think they need gimmicks just well designed professional looking software. As to the so called App, as already said it is not a App in the true sense of the word as it works through a browser, I was not impressed when it first came out and more so at the cost of £9.99 per device. I use TouchCab on both Lenz and ECoS and it is a proper App, it costs half the price of the Hornby App at about £5 and you can run it on any iOS device you own. I presume Hornby have decided it is too expensive to produce an App for each device platform or they want to charge you for each device you put it on, which would not be the case if they produced a proper Apple or Android App. I have only seen Railmaster at shows but I think you might be being a little hard on Hornby. They are, after all, trying to satisfy adult modellers and get new young entrants into the hobby and feel that they need the colours and graphics. It might be better if they provided the option of enabling users to customising the colours to suit their tastes. But I think Hornby should be applauded for their efforts to engage with a younger audience who are, after all, the future of both their business and the hobby. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Savoyard Posted July 31, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 31, 2013 Keith, I did say the software was probably very powerful and at around £70 for the eLink it is a bargain and I would have no hesitation in recommending people to buy it, in fact I did so recently when someone was looking to get into DCC, but for me personally the look lets it down, also I didn't find it that intuitive to use the first time out of the box. I asked Simon Kohler at Hartlepool if you could change the colours and he said you could but it isn't that obvious how to do it, it may help if I looked at the manual ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
5 C Posted July 31, 2013 Share Posted July 31, 2013 According to P.23 of the manual http://www.Hornby.com/filelibrary/download/?FileID=149 , up to five different colour schemes are available which can be set from the "pull-down list in the Loco Detection tab of the Settings window." Andy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveElms Posted August 4, 2013 Share Posted August 4, 2013 Thanks for that info Jason. No that's a bargain ! ......a wireless DCC handset for £9.99 Hi. Not sure if anyone is interested but i have just finished my install of elink and filmed for my youtube channel, and may answer some questions. My layout is called five elms. Its update no8. Cheers. Jason . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
southernelectric Posted August 5, 2013 Share Posted August 5, 2013 Thanks for that info Jason. No that's a bargain ! ......a wireless DCC handset for £9.99 Hi. Not sure if anyone is interested but i have just finished my install of elink and filmed for my youtube channel, and may answer some questions. My layout is called five elms. Its update no8. Cheers. Jason . Good video. Great to see your young son getting into the hobby too. You mention that it's 48 hours before you get a license key emailed to you for the iPad add-on, but you can still run it with 2 locos before the key arrives in your inbox, correct? Is it through the iPad's browser that you connect to the Railmaster app? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveElms Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Good video. Great to see your young son getting into the hobby too. You mention that it's 48 hours before you get a license key emailed to you for the iPad add-on, but you can still run it with 2 locos before the key arrives in your inbox, correct? Is it through the iPad's browser that you connect to the Railmaster app? HI, well wasn't as long as 48 hours in the end, but def 24hrs. Yes you are able to run 2 locos for free. It is through the browser you connect, not the easiest thing to setup as you have to find the IP address of the computer (Easy for some, but not all) also easier if you set your PC to a static IP address too or you will need to keep doing this. I think it would be way better if they constructed a proper app for it as although I was really excited about the control through the iPad feature its actually very limited and most of the screen is taken up on the track plan with only 2 locos being displayed down the side. You have to select from a drop down for other locos. I still love the e-link and think its an amazing piece of software. Jason. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
southernelectric Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 HI, well wasn't as long as 48 hours in the end, but def 24hrs. Yes you are able to run 2 locos for free. It is through the browser you connect, not the easiest thing to setup as you have to find the IP address of the computer (Easy for some, but not all) also easier if you set your PC to a static IP address too or you will need to keep doing this. I think it would be way better if they constructed a proper app for it as although I was really excited about the control through the iPad feature its actually very limited and most of the screen is taken up on the track plan with only 2 locos being displayed down the side. You have to select from a drop down for other locos. I still love the e-link and think its an amazing piece of software. Jason. Yes it does look good. I've been having a play with the eval version on my main PC at home. We bought my father-in-law a Hornby DCC VSOE set for his 70th birthday this last weekend, along with an extension pack of track and a personalised loco courtesy of the good folks at TMC. I added the eLink/Railmaster combination and one day soon I'll go round and help him set it all up. I told him not to use the Select controller in the VSOE set, but keep it as a spare. He wouldn't be without his iPad, so he very much likes the idea of using it to control the layout and of course my train-obsessed 4 year old nephew (his grandson) will love it! My father-in-law has also just bought a new laptop, very high spec, 17" screen, for using mostly with helicopter simulation software. It will now also be used for eLink/Railmaster. For me the cost of this package makes it a total no-brainer. The 2 loco limit on the iPad add-on won't be a problem to get it up and running, as there will only be 2 locos running anyway - at least initially. It will be a while yet before i test mine out as I want to re-build the laptop I will use for it....and initially only to 'play' as I don't have a permanent layout yet. That's probably a way off. Would like to put it in the loft like you've done but will cost a fair bit to make the loft usable for a layout first! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Jason, thank you for the video on Five elms and the Railmaster software. I am considering getting Railmaster and you have answered most of my questions and more. One question I still have is the ipad connection. I currently use JMRI and link my ipad and iphone to my PC through the wifi on my router. Does Railmaster connect the same way (wifi) or is there some other connection? Cheers Sam Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
FiveElms Posted August 7, 2013 Share Posted August 7, 2013 Jason, thank you for the video on Five elms and the Railmaster software. I am considering getting Railmaster and you have answered most of my questions and more. One question I still have is the ipad connection. I currently use JMRI and link my ipad and iphone to my PC through the wifi on my router. Does Railmaster connect the same way (wifi) or is there some other connection? Cheers Sam Hi sam Yes it connects in the same way, however you do need to enter the IP address of hour pc for it to work. Its also best to set your PC to a static IP address if possible so you dont have to keep rentering the new IP. Hope this helps. Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brightspark Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 I am wondering how the system could be used with my preferred method of controlling points. The system looks like it is intended to work and report on point switch position with one motor under each point. My preferred method is to use one tortoise for each pair of points. This halves the cost and ensures that both points throw. Any idea how I would make this work? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 14, 2013 Share Posted August 14, 2013 Thanks Jason. By IP address do you mean the COM port? Cheers Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold JCL Posted August 21, 2013 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 21, 2013 Hi there, this all looks really interesting, and I'm thinking, if it's better than the Digitrax Zephyr, I'll give it a go - especially for the price. My question is, does anyone have the Zephyr and the eLink to compare? Also, is the 1A power output a problem, especially with sound locos? If it is, then maybe I could convert my Zephyr to a booster if this would be compatible. Edited to say also that I live in Canada, so I'm on 110V. Would I be better off getting a transformer locally to go with the eLink?u Cheers (Different) Jason Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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