wappinghigh

So is the actual model R30225SS "44726" going to be double dommed as it is in the advertising picture? (as it would have been when it was retired around 1966)? It is supposed to be from era 5. I assume that photo is from near retirement? It's colour.... thanks

I am trying to work out right now which "Iconic" Black5 with sound to get.. now all the Eric Treacy's (with sound) seem to be accounted for.. ) 😀

^This "sounds" like it's going to be awesome! Thanks!

That's obvious... Surely?? Bluetooth alteration of CV's (on the fly) negating the need for expensive and awkward to use third party devices that still use serial interfaces into computers (think ESU) An ever increasing array of available sound files that you don't have to get preloaded by a third party Hot swappable DCC chips - then reload the new sound file DIY All the loco's available in one app and controllable via the phone with the computer shut off and no wifi needed (If the dongle syncs with the DCC controller) This would include non bluetooth DCC chips - so you won;t need to swap out every chip - a necessity now as we are finding many of the new bluetooth chips are too big (partic the Next-18s). Get to keep any original sound filed chips (and use and control all within the one app) you have paid big dollars for in past - non redundancy . (Also any future bluetooth controllable points and signals) negating the use of complex wiring Resale of new HM7000 chips should be improved as they can be wiped to generic Easy to DIY fit speakers and stay alives without soldering No need for programming tracks.. There are probably several more advantages but I will let others chime in... ... cheers ... 😀

^Sam and JK are the 2 of the very best to follow on youtube. Sam is more sceptical about HM7000 - Jenny is a bit of a Hornby fan(person) 😀 Sam is great on the locomotives JK more broad reviews They are both awesome reviewers though I follow both channels along with EuviRail (which just did a great review on the decoders (size) Be interesting what these three find when they get their hands on an HM7040 as they all run different DCC setups... I won't be touching this dongle until I see all of them take a look at it. Just MO

JMRI <> Lenz "Full Operating Programming Feedback Lenz LZ100 based systems (software version 3.x) Lenz LZV100 based systems (software version 3.x) Lenz LZV200 based systems (software version 3.x)" Looks like the HM7040 will support Lenz ...via XPressnet (I will wait for the actual confirmation from Hornby) So maybe the best way forward for UK modellers like me (who run a lot of DCC Hornby loco's) ...and wish to keep their older DCC chips in alot of their locos - as well as add a few HM7000 chips into other ones (as well).... is to switch to Lenz DCC control?

Agree But see here is the problem Hornby have by far and away the largest market share of UK locomotives and model railroading.. So what they are doing cannot be ignored Cheers

Nice one I'd switch to Blunami Bluetooth decoders for sure! If 1/ They had a ready library of "as preserved" soundtracks specific to (and recorded from) most of the common classes of British steam and diesel locomotives we see preserved and/or running today (I am led to believe they don;t) 2/ They had a "Dongle" that interfaced with Digitrax Loconet and JMRI which would allow control of non bluetooth decoders from within either the Blunami or Sountraxx app... Are either of these statements false? Thanks!

Sure For the reasons you have pointed out (ability to take back bluetooth control from rouge users) Hornby having proper integration into legacy computer controlled DCC (likely on most club layouts) is entirely why they should have given more thought to proper support across all legacy platforms for "that dongle"

^ Awesome response Bob... It's hard to disagree with any of that.. Yep I saw thru all the HM7000 "hype" straight away And like you I realised it was all going to be about "that dongle"... I know it's not released yet..but it is the key to acceptance of the entire new platform.. So simple question.. Knowing all that..(And Hornby management would also know all this too...) Why then didn't Hornby simply release it as a USB version?

Thanks for all the help I am not on a rant BTW- I am just tired of Hornby not supporting even it's own legacy systems... And thinking they and only they have all the answers to train and layout control.. That is what they have been implying with the new HM7000 release.. I've watched all the marketing vids.. I mean not supporting Railmaster? Not supporting JMRI (properly)? Come on.. Just because it's bluetooth... Do they seriously think without doing this the HM7000 system is going to be the future platform? (just MO)

^Thanks for the help Neal I'll order a DCC sound version And swap out the chip for bluetooth (if and when? a suitable one ever arrives) It will still run on DC right?... I get that magnificent Black5 original soundtrack.. Just not the direct whistle control etc.. Cheers

https://www.jmri.org/help/en/html/hardware/XPressNet/index.shtml JMRI - Hornby Elite is "partially" supported via it's USB XpressNet protocol What does "partially" mean? Has anyone here tried this? Apparently (we are led to believe by Hornby) the HM7040 dongle also communicates via Xpressnet thru it's R45 socket So do I ditch the Digitrax (sell it on ebay) and put in a Hornby Elite?

And further... E-link never worked with JMRI.. nobody could get it synced... (it was never open source) So we have Hornby never supporting communication between E-link and JMRI Now we have them not supporting (ie interfacing HM7000) with it's legacy Railmaster/E-link We have Hornby not supporting (ie interfacing HM7000) with JMRI And we have Hornby not supporting (ie interfacing) with LocoNet (one of the major NRMA standards) In other words they want to "lock it down".. Therefore - it will never "take hold"...It will fail as a control system Just MO.

Exactly! Hornby can;t even get HM7000 to interface with their previous legacy software control platform (Railmaster/E-link) ...Which I notice you use. I mean come on! (What are they saying?.. they couldn't be "bothered"?) Do they think their customers are stupid? That they don't realise the support has been dropped?.. That for me is one big Hornby fail Zero support for their customers running their very own Hornby legacy platform...

"What is the difference between Blunami and JMRI?" Quoted from the website. The exact same reasoning could be said of HM7000. "JMRI is open-source computer based software for controlling DCC. JMRI includes a PC interface used in conjunction with a command station to provide through-the-rails DCC and functionality. "Decoder Pro" is a PC interface in JMRI for editing decoder settings. The Android app “Engine Driver” (WiThrottle on iOS) is a model railroad throttle app for use with JMRI. These apps connect wirelessly to the WiThrottle server (part of JMRI). JMRI then uses through-the-rails DCC to send signals to locos, which involves the conversion of packets into electrical pulses. CVs can be read in JMRI using a programming track. Blunami creates a direct wireless connection to your decoder, allowing for train control and settings customization without the need for any hardware, software or drivers. App communication with the Blunami is wireless and bidirectional. Your phone becomes a a direct high-speed interface to the decoder. The signal is never converted to analog or subject to signal degradation associated with through-the-rails transmission. The Blunami app is custom designed for the features in the SoundTraxx decoder. The app is full-featured and easy to use. Blunami and the associated Blunami app give you all the benefits of Decoder Pro and Engine Driver (or WiThrottle) without the need for additional hardware or software. Blunami has the added benefit of bi-directional wireless communication, and a control app designed specifically for the decoder's features." Reading this marketing blurb you would think do we even need JMRI anymore? Do we need an interface between these bluetooth based app control and JMRI (and or our DCC controllers)? Many of us have multiple DCC locos. Some of us have DCC control of other things built into JMRI (points, lighting, signals etc) So The answer of course is is yes. Of course we need an interface Are these companies (Soundtraxx and Hornby) seriously proposing we change every single DCC chip (and control) into their bluetooth app "environment" Well that would be absurd.. right? I mean we are finding out some locos are to small to take the chips. There are a myriad of other reasons... cost ...(is a big one) and lack of chip supply would be another! See that is why Hornby released their HM7040 dongle... for this very reason... Yet it's now found it is not 1/USB (so doesn't plug into a laptop for interface into JMRI and 2/ The communication protocol is not "open".. it's XpressNet so it won't work with Digitrax loconet... This is my point.. That dongle is useless (unless it's open source and interfaces with other control software that is non phone app based) And without out that dongle..the whole bluetooth app based "idea", ie control ecosystem - comes crashing down.. As end users will always be flip flopping between applications and end up ditching the app control of their trains and layouts and going back to their physical throttles or computers.. Just MO

Thanks for the replies.. yes.. I am tending to agree that Hornby HM7000 is not all it's cracked up to be.. Ok for toy circuits but doesn't really cut it with big layouts Just MO

Thanks for the replies everyone - well I guess that's what I expected... so much fanfare and build up about the HM7000 then you look beneath the hood and it's Hornby just being Hornby.. not really "open API"...(even though the bluetooth protocol is supposed to be open) ... they are sort of hinting they can become the "new way of doing DCC"...yet once you dig a bit deeper you realise they aren't being "open standard" at all.. so I think as a consequence this is going to go the way of every other Hornby "attempt" to computer (in this case an app) control our trains and layouts. Ist it was "Zero-1", then E-Link/Railmaster, then a HC6000 (a kind of analog to bluetooth) now this, the HM7000 If this is to take on for serious layouts - it;s got to be OPEN source... and the fact it doesn't sync with Loconet, heck not even their very first attempt at Computer control (E-link).. well there are giant red flags there is all I'm saying.. (for this to really "take a foot hold" on peoples layouts).... So I won't be swapping out all my DCC chips and I certainly won't be ditching my Digitrax ... well not until the dust settles (and I see where this goes within JMRI) Just MO

Ok, so what are we to make of Hornby's new HM7000 Bluetooth compatible control/range? As the title suggests, over the years on my layout I have moved from DC to DCC (Railmaster/E-Link) to a Digitrax DCS52 controller which I manually use/throttle at the same time I am using JMRI running on my macbook pro So what are we to make of where Hornby wishes the HM7000 to "take us"? What I have discovered so far 1/ The E-link is not compatible with the HM7040 "Dongle". There is no plug in the unit to connect the dongle to it... So Hornby?.. basically am I supposed to ditch this and throw it in the bin? 2/ I love My Digitrax DCS52. It's been problem free and the throttle is fun to use.. I think I have a connection point for the new Hornby dongle.. but wait.. best to check the communication protocol you might ask! Yep not compatible!!! (It's loconet not XpressNet!) So Hornby am I now supposed to ditch my DCS52?!!! 3/ I like using JMRI. So how does Hornby's HM7000 interface with that? Will it ever? Is there a way? So Hornby am I supposed to ditch all the time and effort setting up JMRI (just to control yr new bluetooth DCC chips .just because you think it's the best thing since sliced bread and is going to "revolutionise DCC control"? ) Is it only me who thinks this is yet another attempt by Hornby to "wrestle control" of our layouts (think their railmaster/e-link marketing spin).. only that yet again this will fail because it tries to lock us down to their ecosystem (it;s not open source)? Why am I starting to think the HM7000 is just for glorified train sets or to entice people back into the hobby with cool marketing spin like "Bluetooth control".. and that it will all end in tears?? Comments welcome (and any help with interfacing HM7000 into my setup) Cheers!

I would like a counter proposal put to me why investing in one of these now isn't a giant mistake (now Hornby HM7000 has arrived) ..so will there ever be the ability to control bluetooth equipped decoders via the ESU CabControl? IS ESU looking at adding their own bluetooth DCC chips? Thanks

Where is this "TV program"? Youtube?

All the different valves etc aside, Clearly Hornby are going to need to cover two basic chasis/tender combos... Single/double domed (Boiler) and welded/rivetted (Tender).. so far it seems it's just early era.. Just MO

^Sure.. that's all the models shown so far with the new tooling on the Hornby website.. they all have single domes (Era 4-5).. yet the flagship release (with the smoke) R30225SS has a giant marketing picture showing the later (current) modified double domed Black5.. so it seems it's buyer beware?!

^Wait R20226 on Hornby's original site has the single dome...

Ok. Sure.. (great photo of the original) So Hornby marketing this new model as "Era 5"(...57-66.).. I guess these dome changes were done before then? Or maybe not! ?? 😅