GWR88 Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Evening all, After looking through reviews for a bacmann E-Z command dcc controller on this here website, a member had suggested using an app called JMRI and a SPROG 2 device??? to control the layout with. Can anyone please tell me what JMRi is and what a SPROG 2 device is and secondly, how the set-up works/doesn't work, how to wire, how good it is etc... Thanks in advance Lloyd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldgunner Posted August 16, 2014 Share Posted August 16, 2014 Basically you use a PC or laptop, and the SPROG connects via USB. JMRI is the software used on the PC to do the controls and programming. http://www.sprog-dcc.co.uk/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR88 Posted August 16, 2014 Author Share Posted August 16, 2014 Thank you coldgunner, Is this a good system to use for beginner and also, is it very reliable? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phil Brighton Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Hi, I use JMRI and a Sprogg 3 (which has a booster built in to move more locos simultaneously).Combined with an old laptop and a smartphone I already had and I have found it a very good value and easy to use DCC controller. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coldgunner Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 Having a visual console to be able to program loco's with is much easier than doing it via a dedicated DCC controller because of the interface. Its pretty solid to use. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Izzy Posted August 17, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2014 If you are comfortable with using computers, don't mind the waiting time while one boots up and then loads JMRI/connects the sprog, then I would say that this combination is pretty unbeatable in terms of cost and versatility - and especially if you have a smartphone/tablet that can be used as a wi-fi throttle. That the decoder pro part of JMRI is just the easiest way to set up decoders is just a little bonus. Perhaps the biggest advantage is that as JMRI is open source software there are no restrictions on it's use - as there appears to be with say, the Railmaster/e-link app - but it does sometimes take a while to get used to using it. If you have only limited requirements, using N gauge perhaps, or not running sound locos, then the sprog2 may be sufficient for your needs. Coastal DCC ( no connction except as a very satisfied customer) can currently supply the sprog2 with power supply for either N or OO for £55. Doesn't really get much better than that for DCC control. Izzy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR88 Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Thanks izzy, Do i need a computer AND a smartphone or can i just use a smartophone? It seems like a good system to use as a newbie to DCC. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Izzy Posted August 17, 2014 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 17, 2014 Thanks izzy, Do i need a computer AND a smartphone or can i just use a smartophone? It seems like a good system to use as a newbie to DCC. The sprog/JMRI can be run alone on a computer, using an onscreen throttle, the use of a smartphone/tablet to allow a wi-fi throttle is a newer development. JMRI is being constantly developed and improved. You cannot run JMRI on a smartphone/tablet alone, but some are trying to develop the raspberry Pi as the computer to 'drive' JMRI (with some considerable success I believe), but not being really tech savvy on that level I stick with what I know works at present. If you have an older spare windows computer then you can dedicate that to driving JMRI, anything from XP on works well. Windows machines are better in this respect in that the Java can be updated on them when newer JMRI versions arrive that need it. I believe I am correct in saying that this isn't so with Macs, (if you want to update JMRI of course - you don't have to if the current version does all you want). Izzy Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted August 17, 2014 Share Posted August 17, 2014 In relation to some of Izzy's comments.... JMRI requires a computer running one of Windows (XP, Vista, 7, 8 , MacOS (current release) or Linux (most reasonably up to date releases). Some middle-aged Apple Macs cannot be updated to the current versions of MacOS, and those run into difficulties with running the most recent JMRI releases. The JMRI functionality and updates are identical on any of those computer interfaces. Development is done on all interfaces, a fair number of the development team are long term Mac users. Windows XP works, but there is the problem of lack of updates from Microsoft which makes it a hacker's target. So if dedicating an old XP PC to the job, I'd suggest it is wise to try a Linux release on that PC (A "long term support" version of Linux Mint is often recommended as being relatively straightforward for people familiar with XP). Linux is also likely to run a bit quicker. JMRI can run on a Raspberry PI, but it is very slow, particularly if you need the user interface to be visible (which you do for programming locos). The most frequent use of a Raspberry PI is to configure JMRI to run without a user interface, so it only serves throttles to connected smartphones. But, it takes a bit of time and effort to understand and set this up (even with some scripts and documentation provided by those who've been there before). So, only go into the Raspberry PI stuff if you're pretty confident about computer things. GWR88 asked about running on tablets/smartphones. JMRI does not run on tablets (except for the handful of tablets which run the full release of Windows 8 . The situation isn't likely to change in the near future, as the tablet/smartphone operating systems (Android, iOS or cut-down-Windows) lack several key components necessary to run JMRI. The JMRI developers are not likely to re-write vast amounts of core software to get around this. What a tablet or smartphone offers is a secondary control device, either through a "throttle App" or through a web-browser to panels running on the main computer. These offer a wireless handset to control things which the main computer is actually doing. As such, it can be very useful and cost-effective with smartphones now costing less to buy than most dedicated DCC throttles, let alone wireless DCC throttles. - Nigel ( designer of the DP3 part of JMRI ) (edits because the stupid posting software converts " 8 " into some sort of smiley - stupid software ) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWR88 Posted August 17, 2014 Author Share Posted August 17, 2014 Thanks nigel, I might buy a SPROG later on in my layouts life when i want some sound locos. Cheers to everyone who helped me get my head round this! Lloyd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted August 18, 2014 Share Posted August 18, 2014 JMRI can run on a Raspberry PI, but it is very slow, Has this improved at all? I seem to recall there was an issue with the Java run time, or some libraries, being compiled for software emulated floating point in the original Raspberry Pi distribution, but that that got fixed. Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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