PC Control of MTH Engines by Serial Connection to the TIU

I've setup a mailing list for anyone interested in the Remote Train Control [RTC] program.

I'm going to use that mailing list to send updates on the program's status and to have users field and answer questions.

Recently on that list, I announced that v3.17 was released (right on the heels of v3.16) to fix a visual problem with the Engine List.

If you would like to subscribe to that list, send an empty email to
remote-train-control+subscribe@googlegroups.com

To just visit the group to read the messages, click here:
https://groups.google.com/group/remote-train-control

Hello to all, im a newbie in here, and i have been doing a little research  about the tiu connected to the computer and im looking for help how to set up this in my layout, any help will be appreciate, if any one can stir me in the right direction will be great. Ty so much

If you go to my webpage listed below, you can find everything you need to know.

Mark

I can't remember how many times I have read posts asking for the type of control your program provides. Now I am reading that you can swap out or change the sounds inside the sound sets.

 I have to thank you for providing these programs and staying with the newest versions. Great job!!!

Any recent updates on this project?

The Remote Train Control program (RTC) doesn't require a serial connection any more. I've found two different radios that let the PC talk wirelessly to the TIU (or 5 TIUs) where the program can control 99 engines in each TIU or 495 engines.

The Quick Controls window lets you control 10 engines by displaying the buttons and sliders for all 10 on the monitor.

You can easily construct routes/scenes and enable or disable them with one click.

The program has a Hot Buttons feature where you define the function of up to 100 buttons to perform any function on any engine or any AIU channel with a single push.

You can record and playback operational sequences of essentially unlimited length.

All the while still using your remote when you want to.

You can use my other program, ADPCM, to edit sound files to replace or modify sounds, move sounds between sound files and even give older engines newer sounds (for example, SXS). You can also use the program to repair sound files that don't have the soft keys quite right.

Both of these programs are free and can be downloaded from my web pages. Look at the links in my signature. The web pages include many videos showing the RTC program in operation. On the web page, look at the readme.txt file which documents all of the features added along the way.

(I'm hoping to find someone who knows Java and can incorporate the RTC functionality into JMRI.)

I've created a new Playlist on YouTube with a dozen videos demonstrating version 4.0 of the RTC program. This version is a complete rewrite of the radio communications code. V4.0 also has a completely new scripting feature that lets you write a program-like script to control your trains. The scripting feature works both with and without my RFID train detection scheme. Look at my web pages for more details.

Link to version 4.0 of the RTC Program:

http://www.silogic.com/trains/...ng.html#RTC_Download

YouTube Playlist link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?...NRe0k5zf-_b0hl6U_hpO

Video Episodes:
0 - Intro
1 - Layout Tour
2 - Radio Hardware
3 - Program Setup
4 - Operations Popup Menu
  - Scene 1
  - Scene 2
5 - Multiple Operations Windows
6 - Sound Controls
7 - Quick Controls
8 - Hot Buttons
9 - LashUps (Consisting)
10 - AIU Control
11 - Routes & Scenes
12 - DCS Setup
13 - Recording and Playback
14 - Program Scripts

I really like this idea!  I have the program, and have built the cable interface (seemed easier to assemble than the radio control version).  I'm not having any luck getting the software to connect to the TIU.  I can think of a couple of possible reasons, one is I built the cable interface wrong or it has bad connections.  I'll check continuity on that one.  Second, I do use super TIU mode.  I saw in a post some years old that it wouldn't support super TIU.  Is that still the case?  I have it plugged into TIU 1 of 2.

Just a note.  When it is plugged into the TIU, the DCS remote will no longer control the engines.  If I unplug it, all is good again.  I don't think that is intended, and might help troubleshoot.

Thanks for anyone's help on this!

Burl, I don't recommend the wired interface anymore. The radio version works much better. The wired interface, of course because it is wired, is connected to only one TIU and it will communicate with only one TIU so there is no Super TIU mode possible.

I will try to help you out. Contact me at markd@silogic.com and we'll see if we can figure out what is going on.

Mark

Has anyone had any luck with the radio version of Mark's software?  I ordered the components and it took several weeks to receive them.  Now I'm trying to get everything to work, but am having no luck.  There are several steps involved, from assembling the components to updating and install Mark's software.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to in touch with Mark and am wondering if anyone might be able to the help me figure this out.  Thanks!

@Burl posted:

Has anyone had any luck with the radio version of Mark's software?  I ordered the components and it took several weeks to receive them.  Now I'm trying to get everything to work, but am having no luck.  There are several steps involved, from assembling the components to updating and install Mark's software.  Unfortunately, I haven't been able to in touch with Mark and am wondering if anyone might be able to the help me figure this out.  Thanks!

I haven't used Mark's software exactly, since I don't use the RTC program with a PC.  But I've used his sub-routines to control DCS engines over the radio with an Arduino.

For hardware I recommend using the Adafruit Feather or Low Power Lab Moteino setups described on Mark's radio page, since the set-up is much simpler.

Mark recommended I use the radio path version of his software, but I don't see a different "version" on his website.  That's one question.  He recommended I use the "arduino" from Seeduino and a specific transmitter as well.  Those are what I ordered and have.  I think reading his website, depending on which specific hardware, there are some edits that have to be made the code that is then uploaded to the arduino.  I can do a little basic programming, and understand the concepts, but the details of it all are well beyond me and I'm struggling to get it all pulled together.

Burl,

I am sorry but I've been tied up the last few weeks. I will respond to your email right now.

Mark

@Professor Chaos posted:

I haven't used Mark's software exactly, since I don't use the RTC program with a PC.  But I've used his sub-routines to control DCS engines over the radio with an Arduino.

For hardware I recommend using the Adafruit Feather or Low Power Lab Moteino setups described on Mark's radio page, since the set-up is much simpler.

I'm curious, do you have a website or videos that show your set-up and automation?

Anthony

Mark helped me get the radio transmitter assembled, and I have his RTC program up and running.  It was well worth the effort!  It puts all of the functions I routinely use to run an engine on one screen literally at my fingertips.  No clicking buttons to get to sub-menus, then scrolling, etc.  He also added some nice shortcuts for various whistle sequences and other functions.  There is so much functionality, it would take several paragraphs to fully describe it.  I have it running on an old touchscreen laptop.  He's working on adding enhancements like control of TMCC engines and position tracking.  I highly recommend it!

Mark, thanks for all of your work on RTC, and for being so willing to share it with fellow hobbyists!