# What are you using to do control through smart phone



## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

I am looking for folks who are controlling their trains through their smart phone and Ipad and what are they using to do it. I know Greg has said he is doing this and I am looking for him and others to respond on what equipment are they using to do it. I am asking as I have not seen a plethora of info on this ability and since I am still a bit up in the air as to control system I want to use I want to look at this option also. I am assuming that most folks setups are using a smart phone or Ipad that are connectiing to a base station that is providing DCC through track power. I am curious using what method is the mobile device making that connection? Is there anything out there allowing your moblie device to connect directly to your engine controller without having to use a base station? What equpment is everyone using?


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## JPCaputo (Jul 26, 2009)

Hi, I use JMRI with wi throttle on my iPad. The lite version of wi throttle is free and allows for control of 1 engine at a time. 

The DCC setup I use is MERG, it is a DIY setup but was the right price for me. I had to add a computer to can adapter and have a computer connected to the layout. 

Any DCC setup that JMRI can run can be used for smart phone control.


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

JP so I take it you are doing a direct network connection to the coputer you mention from the Ipad? Has anyone developed anything that doesn't require a link to a base station but rather a connection from Ipad directly to a decoder on an engine?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I use WiiThrottle Lite (free) on IOS devices. I use Engine Driver (free) on Android devices. I prefer the Android app, it works better with small pads and high resolution phones, i.e. shows all the functions up to 28 and will do dual throttle. 

I have not used any of the European softwares. 

I have used the web server from JMRI to run from laptops or pads and a browser, but it seems to me the web server software does not like to run at the same time as the wii throttle server on JMRI, so we stopped trying to do it at the same time. 

Most of my usage is at shows, where the proprietary wireless systems can conflict, whereas 802.11 is better at this (although I still "sweep" the channels people are using and move our system appropriately). 

After using the apps on phones and pads, my conclusion is that it's ok for home use, but nothing is as good as a purpose-built handheld with dedicated buttons that can be used without looking at the controller. 

Being able to watch the train and do functions while looking at the train is far more enjoyable than looking at the "soft buttons" on a touch screen. 

So each method has it's place. 

Oh, my implementation varies whether home or at a show. At home I have a serial connection to my DCC system, it is extended from the back yard to one of the home computers (there's about 10 computers) that has JMRI. My home has 2 wireless access points to cover the home and the property (just an ordinary lot size), so the system is available any time I wish to use it.

For shows, I have a laptop running JMRI. The laptop connects to an old wireless router (linksys) and the laptop is plugged into a normal LAN port. There is no WAN (Internet) connection. The computer has a fixed ip address, and the router has a fixed ip address. I have ptouch labels on the components showing the SSID of the wireless, the WEP password (wep is the least common denominator for wireless encryption/access), and the ip address of the PC. (also the wi throttle server port number)

Using fixed IP addresses ensures that if the "discovery process" of the apps fails, you can punch in the JMRI server's ip address and port number.

Greg


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

Sigh. While the technology is there again here it seems that no one has bothered to impliment it properly and everyone is cobbling things together. You would think that someone would create a decoder that uses either blue tooth or a network signal that could be received by a mobile device using an app for control.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Having a system where you have direct communications between yourself and the locomotive is not always the best answer and it has pro's and con's. 

Track power has significant advantages in many areas, and since the power and signal are combined, you basically have no range issues or antenna issues nor interference issues by getting the control signal from the track. 

For wireless communications bluetooth is terrible... 802.11 is cheap enough to put in a decoder, but you are back with antenna and range issues. 

So direct wireless is not a panacea for many reasons. 

Greg


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

yeah but very few folks have a layout so large that an 802.11 signal would not cover it. While direct power is nice for doing control it just seems like more of an expense to have to buy a seperate base controller rather than just have it all contained on the decoder board.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Au contraire! 

You are forgetting issues with antennas, and many people have layouts that wrap around the side of the house, plus if you have direct communication between the controller and the loco, it makes sense to go battery, and thus power consumption is also an issue. 

It's not a simple decision or implementation. 

Now your last sentence really confuses me... part of it I can respond to: 

"just have it all contained on the decoder board" 

The LAST place you want to add cost is the "per loco" cost. 
The LAST place you want to add size is the decoder. 

That statement you made just does not jive... 

On the "expense" side of your comment, you are way off... the lowest per-loco cost is track power and signals via the rails. This has been proven over and over... you lose this one... just add up the costs... I won't repeat the many discussions... 

So what I am saying, if it was simple, it would be done, and the HO market would be doing it (they are the largest drivers of command control systems).

If the best answer was blindingly obvious, then it would already be in use and adopted. The bottom line is there many more issues trying to make a "system".

Greg


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

After using the apps on phones and pads, my conclusion is that it's ok for home use, but nothing is as good as a purpose-built handheld with dedicated buttons that can be used without looking at the controller. 

Being able to watch the train and do functions while looking at the train is far more enjoyable than looking at the "soft buttons" on a touch screen. 



I agree 100% with Greg on this one. A guy in our club is able to use his iphone with his Lenz system, but after trying it for a while he went back to his traditional controllers. Maerklin and ESU have systems designed for use with the iphone/ipad, but again it requires using a central station the same way the others do. 
If Massoth ends up producing their DRC300, that will be the closest thing to achieving what you are asking about, but they would be using their navigator handhelds as the central station, not an iphone. 

I would suggest you check out some of the German forums and fire up the translator--there DCC use is far more common and they have more experience with the various iphone/ipad based systems. As Greg points out, there are many things to consider such as automation that is again better suited to having a central station, track power, but would still allow use of the iphone/ipad. 
You asked what equipment everyone is using: I'm using an LGB MTSIII central station with wireless Massoth Navigators for control. Decoders are LGB, Massoth, Zimo.

Keith


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

Didn't realize this was such a compitition. Ok I give you it can be eating up more power and that it could add more bulk to a board then you want but I disagree on cost. I can see a base station like that at a minimum of $200. Since most people need to add decoders to their engines anway and if you replace the current wireless systems and add a wifi component I only see cost going up slightly. So unless you are someone who is buying a lot of decoders I see this as less costly.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Not a competition. 

You asked a question, and after some explanation made two statements that are, well, wrong. Your statement about 802.11 shows a lack of experience in how wireless signals can have issues with buildings and range, and you did not ASK, you stated as FACT. ("yeah but very few folks have a layout so large that an 802.11 signal would not cover it") 

The fact that there is "signal" present does not mean that you have good communications in ANY wireless system. 

So the idea here is to be helpful and educate, but definitely not propagate incorrect information. 

Bottom line: the size of someone's layout is not the ONLY criteria for how many 802.11 access points would be required. 

Regards, Greg


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## Adikt2LGB (Mar 8, 2013)

I am planning on doing lgb mts, and trufully every time I type in lgb mts into google when I'm researching I get a YouTube popup showing how to put mts to a android with the pc module and an android app, seems to work well.


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## Cougar Rock Rail (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes LGB was way ahead of everyone else at one time with automation via computer control...their MTS software is still my preferred way to program decoders. Stellwerk (the original creator of the LGB software) is still around and offers more updated software you might want to investigate. There may be newer and more trendy ways to control trains, but their system worked (and still works) well. 

Keith


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## JPCaputo (Jul 26, 2009)

I have an old laptop Pentium 2 or 3, barely enough to run windows that was in the junkbox, dedicated to jmri. i have that laptop connected to the DCC controller via usb, and wirelessly to my router. (i even have it closed and remote desktop to it since the screen has long since gone bad) it is just a brick next to the controller with only power and USB cables.


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