# Aristo-Craft July-August Insider with Revolution Servo Interface Info



## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

I just received a link to the new Aristo-Craft Insider. There is a lot of stuff in it (I have not even begun to browse through it) but one thing I was expecting to find and did find is information about how the Revolution can be used with a Servo Interface (don't ask me about it - it is over my head).

Aside from that, there is a bunch of other stuff but I decided to put the link here under 

Forums > Power & Sound Forums > Other Proprietary Control Systems
If anyone wants to put the link elsewhere that is OK with me.

http://library.constantcontact.com/...3-2011.pdf

The first thing I intend to read for myself is CRE57002 Onboard Receiver _versus _the CRE57005 Base Station/Super Receiver

Jerry


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks,Jerry!

read the Revo /Servo control briefly, looks like a RCS lean on .I like the revo for batt/control even i bought the switch control to check it out ,but most likely i will not use it ,in and out of the program and in between setting switches and running trains,i think its a hassle!

May be Dave Bodnar develops an auxilliary plug and play press on screen so the switch position and keys are available simultan with the loco controls (here we are in business again)!

manfred 
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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi Manfred,

I believe the Servo Interface is in response to the need for such a device to control Steam Locomotives with the Revolution. This makes sense since Aristo-Craft has been making Live Steamers and it is only natural that they would want to change remote control of them from Aristo Train Engineers to Aristo Revolutions.

For the last few years I had been asked by Dave Roberts to give a seminar on the Revolution for the HAGRS and this year Aristo did not have any of their people available to do it at the NGRC so once again I did it. The truth is that all I did was to borrow Dave Bodnar's Power Point Presentations that he had created for his own use at the ECLSTS. The Servo Interface was too new and I knew/know too little about it for me to have discussed it intelligently.

I believe I am correct in saying that Dave Bodnar is the brains behind the Servo Interface and I like the possibilities such as Lionel type water tower water spout & crossing gate movement etc. 

It should be interesting to see how this and Dave's other projects develop.

I'm not sure what you mean about "looks like a RCS lean on" as I am unfamiliar with the RCS line but I did notice what appears to be a Revolution heat sink offered by RCS (Page 21 August 2011 Garden Railways) so it appears the companies are looking for ways to increase their share of the market.

Regards,

Jerry


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Jerry McColgan on 06 Jul 2011 06:55 AM 
Hi Manfred,

I believe the Servo Interface is in response to the need for such a device to control Steam Locomotives with the Revolution. This makes sense since Aristo-Craft has been making Live Steamers and it is only natural that they would want to change remote control of them from Aristo Train Engineers to Aristo Revolutions.

For the last few years I had been asked by Dave Roberts to give a seminar on the Revolution for the HAGRS and this year Aristo did not have any of their people available to do it at the NGRC so once again I did it. The truth is that all I did was to borrow Dave Bodnar's Power Point Presentations that he had created for his own use at the ECLSTS. The Servo Interface was too new and I knew/know too little about it for me to have discussed it intelligently.

I believe I am correct in saying that Dave Bodnar is the brains behind the Servo Interface and I like the possibilities such as Lionel type water tower water spout & crossing gate movement etc. 

It should be interesting to see how this and Dave's other projects develop.

I'm not sure what you mean about "looks like a RCS lean on" as I am unfamiliar with the RCS line but I did notice what appears to be a Revolution heat sink offered by RCS (Page 21 August 2011 Garden Railways) so it appears the companies are looking for ways to increase their share of the market.

Regards,

Jerry
Jerry - you are correct - the Servo Interface was something that I did completely on my own in response to a question that was posted on the Aristo forum. I explained that in the introduction to the article. When I informed Lewis that I had developed the interface he asked if I would like to put an article about it in the Insider.

The article is also on my web page (with larger photos) here:

Servo Article

dave


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi Dave,

Thanks for stepping in. I get uncomfortable when I start trying to explain what someone else did.

Thanks too for your making your Power Point presentations on the Revolution etc. available to me. I could not have given the seminars without them.

Regards,

Jerry


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Jerry McColgan on 06 Jul 2011 12:08 PM 
Hi Dave,

Thanks for stepping in. I get uncomfortable when I start trying to explain what someone else did.

Thanks too for your making your Power Point presentations on the Revolution etc. available to me. I could not have given the seminars without them.

Regards,

Jerry

You are quite welcome, Jerry - I trust that the presentations went well for you?

dave


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Posted By dbodnar on 06 Jul 2011 12:21 PM 
Posted By Jerry McColgan on 06 Jul 2011 12:08 PM 
Hi Dave,

Thanks for stepping in. I get uncomfortable when I start trying to explain what someone else did.

Thanks too for your making your Power Point presentations on the Revolution etc. available to me. I could not have given the seminars without them.

Regards,

Jerry

You are quite welcome, Jerry - I trust that the presentations went well for you?

dave 



Hi Dave,

Yes, they went very well indeed. You had done such a good job preparing them that all the work had been done for me. 

Bubba averted a possible disaster by getting the projector working at the last minute and then he was able to answer some questions that came up about Airwire. Everyone went away happy.

The applause I got was really in appreciation for the work you had done.

Thanks,

Jerry


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## rmcintir (Apr 24, 2009)

While I don't have a Revolution I really enjoyed reading about the servo control. It's fun to see how someone else approaches a problem and I always learn something from their solution. Thanks Dave (and Jerry for posting the link).


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Hi Russ,

Perhaps one of these days you or Dave will be able to walk me through how the system works (preferably with a working model in front of us). My eyes sort of glazed over as I read the info prior to the NGRC. Lewis and Dave said it would be OK for me to discuss it during the seminar but I quickly decided - Nope. Not Me. I would just look like a babbling idiot if I tried to explain it.

Actually I did sort of understand it but that is a loooooooooooooooong way from being able to present and discuss it. 

I learn best from visual inputs and worst from printed documentation. I believe the system would be relatively easy to understand and use AFTER I have a chance to watch someone else do it - just as I did with Dave's Power Point presentation on the Revolution. First I had a chance to watch Dave give his seminar (can't remember when or where) and then I could give his seminar.

No hurry. Maybe in about six months I might be ready to start thinking about it.

Jerry


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## rmcintir (Apr 24, 2009)

Watch the videos in the link Dave posted to his site, it shows how to setup and use the servo control. Videos show much more of the thought process behind the system. I think it could be made to work on about any RC system with accessory buttons.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

I have one of Dave's controllers and it works right nicely.... 

I'll need to put some additional time in practicing with it but there are quite a number of applications that it can be used for.


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

Here is my thought process:

First I let Dave come up with the idea, design the product, and then somehow get the product into production.

Second I wait for Stan to figure out how easy or hard it would be for the rest of us to use it.

Third I wait long enough for Stan and Dave to figure out if necessary how to dumb it down for the rest of us.

Fourth I wait until some other adventurous souls go out and buy it and see if they can figure out how to use it without straining their brains.

Fifth I figure the item has passed its "beta test" and start thinking about whether I actually have any practical use (or am curious enough) and want to buy it myself.

This process worked well enough for me with the Revolution. No beta test for me. By the time I bought them they were easy enough for me to use them right out of the box.

This is a total reversal of the old me. I was the one who had to rush out and buy a Commodore 64 and then an IBM PC and Radio Shack 100 back when no one knew what on earth anyone could possibly want with them.

I may miss out on all the excitement of seeing a new idea evolve into a great product but I guess that means I have evolved from a developer into a consumer.









It also probably explains why I went from track power to MTS, tried DCC but went back to the dumbed down MTS, and then tried and liked the Revolution. It is sufficiently dumbed down to suit me. I no longer seek out the best because that would be like driving a Lamborghini to Wal-Mart to pick up some batteries. I now seek out the simplest thing that meets my minimum standards. Now I drive vehicles with salvage titles with the check engine lights flashing as I go to Wal-Mart to get those batteries. As long as I can go forward and reverse and the horn and turn signals work - thats good enough for me.

Come on Stan and Dave. The rest of us are cheering you on and hoping you will hit a home run.

Jerry


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