Bamboozled!??!? Kind of!
Lionel Builds trains, not apps, not cameras, not WiFi equipment. The App itself is nothing special. It is a label slapped clone app that has been used 100's if not 1000's of times before by tons of other budget camera makers and literally 100's of other developers use this exact same app for cheap WiFi cameras available on amazon and ebay.
Lionel did a good job on the iTunes store of showing off the camera pictures and added a nice description. However, on the Google Play side, they dropped the ball big time. We have generic looking pictures (a fish tank?) with a description that is identical to the other 100's of apps that are identical. The app looks to be developed by a company named FTY. FTY makes only two apps, the Lionel WiFi Camera app and DREYCAM. These app are identical, check em out on Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/apps/developer?id=FTY
I discoverer another app developer that offers this exact app (actually a newer version than Lionel) that looks and functions identically. it even features the same description and preview pictures of the fish tank from a different angle: https://play.google.com/store/...eloper?id=gang.zhang
This leaves the camera hardware:
Now this is where bamboozling occurs (sorry everyone). No this is not the camera used used by Lionel. This camera much like the millions of others out there are compatible with the Lionel Camera app (and the 100"s of other clones). I did use a postwar Lionel caboose from 1947 that fit the camera perfectly (Lionel was planning this 70 years ago!)
I bought a $25 camera on Amazon (i Picked the $25 range for a reason) that uses the BVCAM app: https://www.amazon.com/gp/prod...01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
I picked this range to show that Lionel's $25 charge for their camera system is great value compared to other system out there. I could have bought a 1080p camera for $40 to $50 that would probable be on par with what Lionel will offer.
I would however implore Dave to upload videos of camera with a prototype that is of the same or nearly the same specs that will be sold. Everyone is seeing 1080p advertised and thinking this will play with the same quality & clarity of a 1080p BlueRay movie. A $50 WiFi camera will never perform to that standard, it may be able to record on board to an SD card with great quality but the live image will not even be close (as would if the app was recording directly to your smart device). A few still images in no way demonstrate how well this thing will perform. I would like to see videos of the Lionel camera going through tunnels (transition from light to dark and back again), different speeds and rough tracks to truly judge the performance of this device. If a picture is worth a thousand words, the video would be worth a million.
The Pros of buying the Lionel Caboose cam:
1) better QC as they deal directly with their camera vendor
2) The camera runs from track power (mine is running on a 3.6v lipo battery)
3) No assembly, it arrives ready to operate
4) VALUE!!! - A 1080p camera for $25, Amazon and eBay offer a similar camera for $40 to $50 and the quality may still be questionable.
The Cons (if you can call them that):
1) limited road names available (for now)
2) I have wait for it
3) Lack of on board SD Card for local recording allowing for excellent HD video.
The Amazon and eBay camera are great for DIYers who don't want to wait and are considering putting a camera in cabooses with a different road name or something else entirely (RAILSCOPE!).
BTW, I have already per-ordered my caboose cam in SF.
