Suggestions for new IRV2 Sensor Module.

It's a ask and you shale receive.  I'm glad Lionel came up with these.  No need to chop up a sensor track.   I'm also interested in the CSM2 for all my DZ-2500 switches.

superwarp1 posted:

It's a ask and you shale receive.  I'm glad Lionel came up with these.  No need to chop up a sensor track.   I'm also interested in the CSM2 for all my DZ-2500 switches.

 

I hope to get with Dave before York and see if we can get some more information on these to share at the Legacy Users Group meeting.  I agree a little long over due but worth the wait.  Hopefully these can be accessed via the High Rail App or eTrain like the current sensor tracks.

Good job Lionel.

I'll be a little surprised if these new sensor modules don't appear exactly like the existing sensor tracks to the software.  If they don't, that would be a mistake IMO.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

I'll be a little surprised if these new sensor modules don't appear exactly like the existing sensor tracks to the software.  If they don't, that would be a mistake IMO.

I agree but we know how folks like that explained so I will reach out and confirm it's operation...it's what I do.

No argument there Marty, sounds like the most intelligent thing to do in this case.

In general I agree with gunrunnerjohn.  However one should always design for extension and expansion of capabilities.  I think my suggestions could be added with no disruption to existing functionality, and software updates to take advantage of the new capability could be added as the developers see fit.

No argument with more features as long as the basic feature set remains the same so that you wouldn't have to change a lot of other stuff. 

Thank you for this thread. We knew there would be a good reaction to this product, so suggestions and questions are certainly welcome. I will have prototypes to show at April York.

 

I hope to get with Dave before York and see if we can get some more information on these to share at the Legacy Users Group meeting.  I agree a little long over due but worth the wait.  Hopefully these can be accessed via the High Rail App or eTrain like the current sensor tracks.

MartyE... the plan is to have High Rail support the new hardware. High Rail's SensorTrack recording feature is pretty nice. :-)

superwarp1 posted:

It's a ask and you shale receive.  I'm glad Lionel came up with these.  No need to chop up a sensor track.   I'm also interested in the CSM2 for all my DZ-2500 switches.

I've been waiting for this. It's the way Lionel needed to go with the SensorTrack concept to make it more feasible to integrate into a layout. Kudos to Jon Z. and Dave and whoever else worked on this.

My suggestion for the new sensor is to publish the "other end" -- the transmitter -- so folks can build their own transmitters and inject packets onto the LCS bus.

Severn posted:

My suggestion for the new sensor is to publish the "other end" -- the transmitter -- so folks can build their own transmitters and inject packets onto the LCS bus.

 

Like the SER2?  I can only figure the LCS partners are already able to do this.  Maybe I'm not following you correctly.

The ser2 does provide a hook true, although I was thinking optical transmitter with a memory to insert a packet of interest when a thing trips the sensor on the track as it travels over it.

It would be nice to have more storage capacity than the current 200 command limitation.

When I saw these I started thinking about how many I'd need so that my trains would do grade crossings on their own.  And the price point is low enough I might actually get them just for that.

And I just had another thought, if they work like I think I remember the sensor track working (I only played with mine once when I got the VL BB.), you could use them to enforce yard limits, or keep locomotives from running off the end of spurs.  Put one near the end of the spur and when the locomotive goes over, it stops.  At the entrance of a yard it can drop the locomotive speed to a crawl.

I may end up picking at least one of these up to use on my layout. At least for one of my four planned grade crossings. I would love to see Lionel make and Android App for their LCS, I know they opened it up so that partners could write the apps that interface with the LCS system. 

I would also like an Android App that does a least the basic functions.

I notice in the catalog description that the IRV2 comes with two cables to connect the sensors to the blue module (controller), and additional sensors also come with a cable.

I assume the cables are PDI cables, would that be right? If so, would Dave Olson mind chiming in and letting us know how long the included cables will be.

Cheers!

Keith

As a Ross/Gargraves track user, the IRV2 does interest me and may get me excited again about this capability.  Need a kit for the car before I start buying.

However, as a DZ-2500 user the big news for me is the CSM2.  Has me looking at the LCS again.  Lionel, thank you.

The comment about PDI cab;es made think of something -- how 'bout USB connectors!

Looks like a neat new product that I will have to try out. Pretty exciting addition to the product line.

Dave,I watched the show yesterday and you stated the cable length on these would 2 to 3 feet long,this is from the sensor to the module? If that's the case you really will not be able to spread these out very far on a layout. Could you explain this a little more,please.

Doug

trnluvr posted:

Dave,I watched the show yesterday and you stated the cable length on these would 2 to 3 feet long,this is from the sensor to the module? If that's the case you really will not be able to spread these out very far on a layout. Could you explain this a little more,please.

Doug

Well if you have a double main line and wanted these for a crossing grade, the wire length should cover all 4 tracks 2 in each direction.

Yes, the maximum length from the sensor sled to the LCS blue box is 3 feet. We found this in testing. When the cables are longer, the data signal becomes unreliable and the info is lost I.E. the sensor track won't work. This is why we're choosing to only include 2 sensors with the module instead of 4. The add-on sensor is available for instances like Marty described above where you can use more than 2 in a relatively small area.

Dave Olson posted:

Yes, the maximum length from the sensor sled to the LCS blue box is 3 feet. We found this in testing. When the cables are longer, the data signal becomes unreliable and the info is lost I.E. the sensor track won't work. This is why we're choosing to only include 2 sensors with the module instead of 4. The add-on sensor is available for instances like Marty described above where you can use more than 2 in a relatively small area.

Now that we know that the sensors will need to be within 3 feet of the blue box...

• Will there be any limit to how far the blue box can be from the next blue box in the LCS bus?
• With the sensors operating through the blue box, will we be able to program the sensors directly from the CAB-2 or the iPad app?

Cheers!

Keith

One would have to assume that the blue box will have the same characteristics as other LCS bus devices.  It would be odd for it to have special requirements.

One imagines a repeater is possible... to address the length issue.

So four sensors per box no more than three feet from the box.  I’m thinking two boxes with six to eight sensors for my layout.  

It would be interesting if any other "satellite" items based on the sensor platform could be made to plug into the box. 

Keith L posted:

•  be any limit to how far the blue box can be from the next blue box in the LCS bus? No
• With the sensors operating through the blue box, will we be able to program the sensors directly from the CAB-2 or the iPad app? Same operation as current sensor track.

 

Severn posted:

One imagines a repeater is possible... to address the length issue. I'll mention this to the engineers working on it.

MartyE posted:

It would be interesting if any other "satellite" items based on the sensor platform could be made to plug into the box. Such as?

Dave Olson posted:

MartyE posted:

It would be interesting if any other "satellite" items based on the sensor platform could be made to plug into the box. Such as?

 

IDK yet but I'm thinking.  LOL!  Seems like there is potential to utilize the platform beyond what the engine sensor can do.  Let me ponder this.  Could a different detection type device be utilized?  Like an RF ID?

Could a device that includes multiple user recordings be added so that a larger and longer selection of recordings be accessed?  Sort of a LCS storage device?

@Keith L posted:

I notice in the catalog description that the IRV2 comes with two cables to connect the sensors to the blue module (controller), and additional sensors also come with a cable.

I assume the cables are PDI cables, would that be right? If so, would Dave Olson mind chiming in and letting us know how long the included cables will be.

Cheers!

Keith

Sadly, the "IRV2 -> Sensor sled" cable is NOT the standard 4 pin cable.  Its a 5 pin and only available from Lionel in one length, 3 ft. 

You can probably make the cable as well if you want a shorter length.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

You can probably make the cable as well if you want a shorter length.

which I did. 

Are these even out yet? 

@Dave Olson posted:

Yes, the maximum length from the sensor sled to the LCS blue box is 3 feet. We found this in testing. When the cables are longer, the data signal becomes unreliable and the info is lost I.E. the sensor track won't work. This is why we're choosing to only include 2 sensors with the module instead of 4. The add-on sensor is available for instances like Marty described above where you can use more than 2 in a relatively small area.

Dave, I just saw your statement about length limitations.  I actually have spliced some long runs together on 2 of the 4 sleds coming off my IRV2 with no problem.  The lengths were probably 10ft or so.  No problems to report.  Is this a function of the 12VDC/1A power supply?  Curious as to the root problem. 

@superwarp1 posted:

Are these even out yet? 

Yes.  Mine shipped about a month ago from Charles Ro.

So I have not been following this topic til now; just wondering what these guys could or should be used for? 

Rod