Garden Railway Forum

Well I think it's great Rik. The engine idle and running is far better than some. The horn maybe needs tweaking a bit and the start timing may just need altering, but a man of your skills will no doubt overcome such things.

This is the same comment I have put on your Youtube channel. It's not because I can't be bothered to write anything. It's, I can't think of anything else to say about how fabulous it sounds, oh I just have....

I think I've improved the sound files - though maybe you should be the judge.

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I've blogged what I've done here just in case anyone ever wants to have a try themselves:
https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2019/0 ... art-4.html
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I think I've more or less finished my experimentations with Bluetooth and phone apps. It might be because I am not an avid user of a mobile phone, but I do find using a phone to be a nuisance compared with a handheld transmitter. Not only is it hard to see the screen but I find it all too easy to press one of the buttons on the side of the phone and switch the darn thing off - usually at a critical moment. I'm sure it would be possible to pair more than one loco with the app and switch from controlling one to the other, but my Deltang Tx22 does that quite easily, so I can't see it is much of an advantage. I suppose the real advantage is that it's possible to equip a loco with Bluetooth control and sound for just under £20 (plus the cost of the batteries - another £5) - even cheaper if you get your gear directly from China.

Anyway - my dabblings (ie circuitry and programming codes) are there for anyone to play around with if you're more tech-savvy than me.

Rik

Thats superb Rik. A vast improvement on your last version. The start up and moving off is fantastic and the horn even sounds better as well. Thanks for giving us an in-site into Bluetooth control. If somebody with your talents think it's better with traditional remote control, who am I to disagree....

But if you what to move the loco or even the electronics with the SD Card, I will gladly take it off your hands........

I believe you should be right chuffed with what you have achieved Rik given you were born in a generation where computers and coding were not mainstream.

Bluetooth (or Wi-Fi, I don't see the benefit or using Bluetooth over Wi-Fi) for controlling indoor layout operation with an app would appeal to me, however, outside in the outdoors l prefer to keep loco running as low tech as possible.

FWLR wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2019 1:10 pm But if you what to move the loco or even the electronics with the SD Card, I will gladly take it off your hands........

Thanks Rod. Although it looks very toylike, it's actually quite useful as a test-bed loco. The three components of the body just clip together, so it's dead easy to take apart to tinker and then put together again.

I'm planning on experimenting with more traditional RC with the Arduino next - so I can make a Tx with a knob, push buttons and a reversing switch - back to more familiar territory.

Rik

tom_tom_go wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2019 6:11 pm I believe you should be right chuffed with what you have achieved Rik given you were born in a generation where computers and coding were not mainstream.

Thanks Tom .... not quite over the hill (yet) .....
I've always tinkered with programming, ever since I got my first Commodore Vic 20 and then moved on to a Sinclair Spectrum and eventually on the the heady heights of a BBC B Micro. But I'm very much a self-taught dabbler with coding. I learn only as much as I need to know. I suppose I skate about on top of the iceberg knowing there's a girt big block of something or other beneath me, but enjoying the view from the top.

Not sure if the metaphor quite works, but hopefully you get my drift.

Rik

Looks and sounds great Rik, a grand job. Think I still prefer TX22 / TX24 for ease of use for me, but for someone it will be a hoot

The first computer I used in school was BBC Micro!

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC_Micro

ge_rik wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2019 6:38 pm

FWLR wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2019 1:10 pm But if you what to move the loco or even the electronics with the SD Card, I will gladly take it off your hands........

Thanks Rod. Although it looks very toylike, it's actually quite useful as a test-bed loco. The three components of the body just clip together, so it's dead easy to take apart to tinker and then put together again.

I'm planning on experimenting with more traditional RC with the Arduino next - so I can make a Tx with a knob, push buttons and a reversing switch - back to more familiar territory.

Rik

And I am sure it will be a success Rik....