wi fi mode

Because everybody has one and  then istead of paying $200 for a remote you pay $25 for a program that makes your phone the remote. Not to mention the fact that once you make the remote purely software based you can make it however you want and have it do all kinds of things you never thought possible with a remote

Not everyone has a smart phone, I still have a flip phone.   But we do have an iPad.

 

The MTH email I got yesterday with the info for the new DCS wifi and app for smart phones has sparked my interest and I am starting to waffle on the 'never getting (and not needing) a smart phone' idea. I wasn't interested in all this stuff at first as I like the remote, but the tides may be turning? My grandson has a smart device, I think I will try it out on him first, he is an expert with the thing. However, I am still keeping my DCS remote.

When I have 4 or more trains running, I have been known to have a remote in each hand, each toggling back and forth between 2.  And if one slips, it usually survives the collision with the floor.  I doubt that I can switch between trains that fast with a tablet (I'd need to wear bifocals to read the smart phone and watch trains--the remotes work ok by feel), and the glass won'y often survive the collision.  I wouldn't dare let the smaller grandkids use a tablet or my smartphone.

 

Therefore, I ordered a wifi module yesterday.  My curiosity got the better of me.

HI

 

Quick question does anyone know if you run the MTH wifi system will it also allow control you trains that are TMCC? Another quick question can you run the MTH wifi and Wifi Lionel together?

That's where I was two years ago.  Finally broke down with $200 off iPhone offer on Father's Day.  It is quite handy for things that I had not imagined (like Geocaching and Munzee). 

 

The recent MTH email caught my eye too & renewed my interest in DCS. 

 

Anybody interested in 8 year old flip phone?

I've had my flip phone so long Verizon should pay me $200 to upgrade to a smart phone.   The ipad was my wife's idea a few years ago, to keep in touch with kids and grand kids that all have smart devices.

 

There may soon be one more flip phone available. Today I told the owner of my LHS that I wanted one of the MTH wifi units when they became available.

 

Kris,

I have no inside knowledge of this, but it's my understanding that the MTH app will do everything the remote does so I see no reason that would exclude TMCC devices?

 

My next guess is that it will also work along with the Lionel wifi, just like Legacy and DCS work together now, but I really don't know for sure. I am reasonably sure there will be some way of getting them both to work on the same layout. Pretty sure some of the beta testers have both DCS and Legacy systems.

I'm looking forward to this.  That fact I won't have to purchase another remote and the fact my son can run the trains off his Ipad is a win win for me.

Dear rtr12

 

I agree with your state 100% but we are all guess what will and will not do. I have contacted MTH directly about this product and I am waiting for  a reply.  I also understand that Mike Wolf will be at Trainland/Trainworld  in Oct of this year. If I get a chance to me him or ask a question this will be the topic I would like to talk to him about.

 

I think that this product will get most off the fence waiting to get the TIU and the app. I just purchased my first TIU this week and now am waiting for the information about the wifi.

I have one TIU and one remote.  I would like to get a second remote, but maybe I should get the WiFi.  I would use the iPhone, not iPad I think.  I'll look into it a bit.

I just hope it works on android based devices. I have a samsung tab 3 that is just the right size and holds a charge for days.  I just hope the wifi module works with older tiu models that may not have a usb port

My thoughts on this are to pick up a couple of cheap Android 7" tablets, install the software, and use them as remotes for guests. I use my old smart phone (Galaxy S) to control TMCC engines right now and it works well.

This is what I have:

 

MTH TIU version G

Sabrent CB-DB9P

MTH 50-1032 just purchased

ZW-C transformer and MTH Z_4000

Train engines that I have PS1, PS 2, TMCC and Postwar Lionel

 

This what I want it to do:

 

I would like to run the my trains both of the MTH and Lionel via a laptop or smart phone. My  question is can I both systems via the new WIFI MTH DCS system or do I need a separate WIFI for the Lionel part of the system?

 

Since both MTH and Lionel have or are coming out with the WIFI systems I thought this might be the right time to to go from conventional to computer control. I know that Lionel has an APP to control there trains via WIFI.

 

Any suggestions, comment or advise is welcomed.

jhz563, in the other current thread running on this topic, I referenced the on-line Quick Start Guide, which is already available.  Fine print says older TIUs will require a USB-serial conversion cable.

 

Kris, no one other than the beta testers really has any knowledge at this time, and they are sworn to secrecy (proper so).  So any advice you might now receive is a wild rumination at best

Getting the info right from the horse's mouth (so to speak) is definitely the best idea. I can't see them making an app with less functionality than currently available with the remote? That would be a step backwards in my opinion, but who knows?

 

I don't want to move, but it sure would be nice to be in the East where all the train manufacturer's visit the train stores every now and then. Hope you get to ask Mike Wolf, I would go if I wasn't 1,300 miles away.

 

 

 

I have the same setup as you, but I am getting excited about the wifi and smart phone app. Not sure what happened, but something came over me while reading the MTH email the other day that lit the fuse that sparked my interest all of a sudden? All along I thought I wasn't interested in all this stuff and now excitement is growing...even got me thinking about trading in my flip phone.

 

I just looked up the remote and wifi MSRP pricing. The wifi is $10 more than the additional remote, but I think the wifi might be more flexible in the long run. Especially if you have more than one smart phone in you household or guests come with their own smart phones and want to run trains.

Dear RTR12

 

Sorry that's the New Yorker is scream in me, by pass the whole process and ask the Alpha Male or Alpha female. When is the announcement date for the wifi system?

Email said mid November for the wifi unit (or WIU) and the week of October 18th for the apps. DCS upgrades and new loader program are supposed to be ready when the apps are released.

 

Since it was a public announcement in a distributed news letter, I guess it's ok to post it here? Here's the complete text from MTH's email that was sent out earlier in the week. I didn't see this on their website, but I could have missed it?

 

 

"October 7, 2015 – M.T.H. Electric Trains is on target to release it's first smartphone and tablet app for controlling a DCS layout wirelessly this October. First announced in 2014, the app will be available in three versions, the first two of which (a FREE version with control of 3 locomotives and limited features and a $4.99 STANDARD version with full locomotive control) are expected to be available the week of October 18th. The $24.99 PREMIUM version, which provides the user with full DCS control and more, will follow shortly thereafter.

 

The apps, which will communicate with a separately sold DCS WiFi Interface Unit or WIU. The WIU is slated for release in mid-November. Any Android tablet or phone and Apple iPhone or iPad will bring the DCS Digital Command System to life in a way never thought possible when first paired with a DCS remote control. Any of these smart devices can run the new apps.

 

The DCS app will allow operators to control an entire layout in command or conventional modes without using a DCS handheld remote. A TIU (Track Interface Unit) along with the separately sold DCS WIU is required for app control over the layout. Simply plug the module into the TIU, search for its WiFi signal on the phone or tablet, and begin running a DCS layout in command mode in no time.

 

App control also requires an update to the DCS Track Interface Unit (TIU) software. The new DCS software, version 5.00, should be released the same week as the app. The DCS software release is a free download and will include a new DCS Loader program (required to install DCS Version 5.0 into the TIU) and will be posted on the M.T.H. Website when published. The apps will be available for download via the Apple iTunes and Google Play online stores."

 

 

 

       
        Not to be mean, but you don't truly think the manufacturers care about saving us money, do you? When they charge these crazy, way out of line prices for these trains. Of which I refuse to pay. They are NOT interested in saving us $200.

Matt

Dear Mattr

 

I agree with your point about saving money it is all about purchasing their product.  The point is to get the people like myself that run conventional into the DCS camp of running trains.  I have been sitting on the fence waiting for a product like this finally come out. Between Legacy, TMCC and Bluetooth folks there is a reason now why to purchase the MTH wifi system.  I just purchased my first MTH TIU last week

Stop the press, here is the official response from MTH in regards to wifi.

 

"Thank you for contacting MTH Electric Trains. We appreciate your interest in our products. While the initial app will not allow you to run the TMCC engines another version that will be coming out in the first quarter of next year will have this capability. Please let me know if you have any questions or if there is anything else I can help you with.

Thank you,

         

Kirstin Martinez

MTH Electric Trains"

...except for the fact that the command codes are secret and there is only one programmer that is "allowed" to write DCS software!

 

Maybe some day....

 

Ed

I-Phone here so I will jump in once it gets out in the market for 6 months or so.   No interest in being a guinea pig here...............  we pay too much for us to also debug things for the manufacturers.

 

Mark