ESU 2013 Catalogue Published

[GoingUnderground]

ESU have now published their 2013 catalogues, so far only in german, but the english language version of the main digital items catalogue should be along in the coming weeks.

 

The new items are:

• A powerpack for the LokPilot V4 XL decoder range.
• New M4 verson of the XL LokPilot
• V4 version of the LokPilot Fx - Function control only LokPilot
• Railcom Sender Module for use with decoders without Railcom, such as the LokSound 3.5 range.
• Smoke generators for O and G gauges.
• A new installation adapter for XL decoders
• 2 new loudspeakers for use with XL decoders

 

Navigator has reappeared i nthe catalogue, but without any reference to being able to use it as additional slave throttle(s) to an ECoS through the ECoSLink port.  Likewise there are no references to connecting the Dynamis Pro Box to the ECoS via the ECoSLink port to use Dynamis as additional slave throttle(s) to an ECoS. Does this mean that ESU have given up on this functionality or that they now recognise that it's not a good idea to say that interconnection is possible when it is not yet available? Your guess is as good as mine. 

 

There are some new liveries for existing locos in their Engineering Edition series of HO locos. 

 

You can download the catalogues from here: http://www.esu.eu/download/kataloge/

 

[two tone green]

Interesting but at the same time a little disappointing.

 

I was hoping they would upgrade the SwitchPilot as I think it is lacking a bit in its flexibility and as its firmware is not upgradeable we are stuck with the anomalies that are in it.

 

The ECoS Radio Control could do with an overhaul on the display side. It really is a bit clunky. May be a nice colour display. Yes it would decrease the battery life but it could be partially compensated for by higher capacity batteries.

 

V4 FX, nice to have.

 

The smoke generators are very nice. I have been playing with them for a while now and they are impressive. Nicely made, very quiet in operation and very configurable via the LokProgrammer. When coupled to the V4 XL the performance is excellent. More smoke than some one on 100 capstan full strength a day.

 

The Railcom sender module may be of use as well for dumb stock such as coaches and wagons. All my O gauge fleet is already kitted out with V4 and V4XL's so fully Railcom Plus enabled but with the sender module the rest of my stock could be Railcom enabled for train reporting via RR&Co which may well add a few things regarding joining and coupling.

 

Speakers, always nice to have more and the 40mm 8 ohm is a welcome addition to go with the V4's rather then the older 8-32 ohm version. Volume matching will be easier via the two outputs on the V4XL.

 

But it is good ESU are still moving forward with their DCC range and I wish them well for 2013.

[GoingUnderground]

Hi TTG,

 

I'm not sure whether I'm disappointed or not, but ESU do have a couple of surprising holes in their product lineup which I thought they might want to fill:

• No corded throtle that can be used with the ECoS now that the old Maerklin Mobile Station 60651 and 60652 handsets are discontinued - Presumably they're looking to the L.Net converter, which is currently under Beta test in Germany, to remove that embarrassment by letting people buy Loconet throttles to use with ECoS..
• No Reverse Loop module - But they have said that the Lenz LK200 works with both the ECoS and the Dynamis, and presumably the Navigator as well.
• No module to allow you to create separate power districts each with its own short circuit protection fed either by the ECoS or the ECoSBoost - They seem to be relying on 3rd party products to do this, whereas I think there is a market for such a product using the ECoSLink system to communicate with the ECoS, like an ECoSBoost but without the boost facility, just, say,4 outputs for separate power districts and the means to tell the ECoS which sub-district has problems.

The Railcom sender was a surprise. The illustration in the catalogue looks remarkably similar to the Lenz LRC100 railcom sender module, a rebadging exercise given their co-operation with Railcom perhaps? 

[two tone green]

Hi Keith,

 

Yes, the hand throttle would have been nice but for me not needed as I have the RR&Co Smarthand handheld controller for that which is in effect a USB powered set up via the computer and the ESU Radio Handheld which I said could do with an upgrade with a colour display. Rechargeable as well would be nice on a base station.

 

Never found the need for the extra protection afforded by extra power district. I find the protection offered by the main base station and any boosters fitted are enough for me. Even on my old OO complex layout I found that the Lenz LZV100 and a LZ102 was enough. Now its ECoS and ECoS boosters that is enough as well.

 

I think you are right anout the Railcom sender units, they are the Lenz ones.

 

Oh well, there is always next year.

[GoingUnderground]

I can't help wondering what the ESU R&D department was doing in 2012. They can't have spent the whole of the last year on Navigator firmeware updates, V4 decoder firmjware updates, ECoS Firmware updates and the L.Net module firmware. That's why I think we may well see an ECoS style Smartphone app as that does seem to be the way that the market is moving. That could be released at any time in the next 12 months as it wouldn't depend on specific ESU hardware, apart from the ECoS itself that is. It also deals with the successor to Control Radio issue.

 

On the subject of Smartphone throttle apps, some folks seem to be getting terribly excited about the idea of a virtual drivers cab as per the Roco Z21. I don't think we'll see that from ESU unless someone goes into Trainsim territory and makes it possible to load a virtual cab for every loco that's been built anywhere in the world since Trevithick's "Catch Me Who Can". That still leaves the totally unprpresentative view of your own layout out of the virtual cab window. It can never look like your layout unless someone somewhere starts to deliver some really clever software that will take your digital photos of your own layout and build virtual views of your layout out of the digital photos. All you then need is a way to sync the virtual movement as seen through the cab window with the actual progress of your loco on your layout. Can't see it happening from any manufacturer. By the time you get to that level of virtual layout, why bother with an actual layout at all, just go straight to Trainsim software.

[two tone green]

Not looked for a while beyond the ESU world. Must look at the Roco one.