Digikeijs DCC controller

[skinner75]

Hi all,

This popped up as a suggestion for me on Facebook. Had a quick look, and thought it may be of interest to people here!

 

 

http://www.digikeijs.de/catalogsearch/result/?q=Dr5000

[Noel]

Hi all,

This popped up as a suggestion for me on Facebook. Had a quick look, and thought it may be of interest to people here!

 

 

http://www.digikeijs.de/catalogsearch/result/?q=Dr5000

 

Interesting. The ergonomic styling reminds me of the Sinclair Spectrum from the 80s. Aside from the appearance technically it looks a well spec'd system.

 

 

 

The industry is crying out for a new wireless or IP based digital control standard to replace current NMRA DCC specs which was great in its day but technically decades behind current electronics technology. DCC protocols are too slow for real time instant decoder programming and jurassically cumbersome for users. This is 2016 after all, the concept of a CV seems as daft as a smartphone user needing to know hex register addresses to put phone numbers in their phone. Things have changed in micro electronics since the 1980s. The USA market seems very conservative and content with such dated and expensive technology. It should be possible to reprogram all the settings including sound files in a decoder in a second anywhere on the track using either a wireless protocol or IP network over the track. Try writing 500 CVs to a DCC decoder and it could take 10 minutes!

 

ESU have made great inroads to the user interface, but behind the colour LCD panel lurks a dated, slow and very expensive NMRA DCC protocol. RailCom if it became a widely supplied standard would be an improvement, but it two is based on 1999 technology. A lot has happened and changed since then - iPods, digital cameras, smart phones, tablets, SSD, VOIP, broadband TV, etc, but not model train control systems which lurk in the dark ages. I use NCE solely because of the ergonomics of the dog bone cabs which personally suit our layout, but I have to say they have never bothered to release software updates to improve the user interface of the cabs. An improvement in their day, but in the ditch compared to smart phone or even smart watch user interface simplicity and quality. Apologies for the drift.

Edited August 18, 2016 by Noel

[Mayner]

I just don't understand why a manufacturer is introducing a train set style of control counsel controller in an age most serious users use hand helds. The major DCC manufacturers like Digitrax, Lenz and NCC work on an entirely different business model to the Apples & Micrsofts of this world. Based on product support and customer loyalty as opposed to planned obsolescence which forces a customer to replace their hardware and learn to understand a new user interface every 3-5 years as the IT industry ceases to provide support for existing products and upgrades software.

 

Personally programming CVs does not bother me, the only one I ever change is a locomotive address, I have had 16 years excellent service from my Digitrax system while we count ourselves lucky to get 3-5 years out of a laptop and even less from an I Phone or Galaxy.

 

Its possible to interface DCC with a WiFi system, but I prefer a throttle with physical controls that click when I am running a locomotive than looking at a screen

[Noel]

. . .

 

Its possible to interface DCC with a WiFi system, but I prefer a throttle with physical controls that click when I am running a locomotive than looking at a screen

 

Agree, I have used JMRI with smartphone cabs, but like you a find touch screen for throttle control pretty useless as there is no tactile feedback. Great for named sound function keys, but touch is poor as a power regulator. I suppose it is a way of having a wireless cab for free. Agree also about the 'train set' style twin cab base station systems, thats why I didn't buy ESU.

[Dave]

If your looking for the best of both worlds this is an excellent addition to the Ecos or available as a stand alone under the Piko brand

 

http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/mobile-control-ii/

 

That Digikeijs controller is only a throttle, the full DCC controller is as good as the Ecos and Roco Z21, it has wifi built in and only costs €150! Great value for money.

It will work with any handheld throttle as well.

[Noel]

If your looking for the best of both worlds this is an excellent addition to the Ecos or available as a stand alone under the Piko brand

 

http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/mobile-control-ii/

 

. . .

 

Yea, but look at the massive cost. That cab was more expensive than most mid to top end entire DCC systems!!! The cost of 'Mobile Control II' cab was the reason I choose NCE and JMRI with iPhone for wireless touch cabs, over ESU. Also didn't like their 'playstation' twin controller more suited to train set layouts.

[Dave]

Yea, but look at the massive cost. That cab was more expensive than most mid to top end entire DCC systems!!! The cost of 'Mobile Control II' cab was the reason I choose NCE and JMRI with iPhone for wireless touch cabs, over ESU. Also didn't like their 'playstation' twin controller more suited to train set layouts.

 

I agree it's very expensive, I really like the Z21 and linked to the Roco multimaus as a throttle is a great combination that quite a few of my customers use. The Z21 app makes programming simple and the multimaus is easy to use.

But as you say it's an antiquated technology and really needs to be brought into the 21st century.