Williams by Bachman big game changer-BYOD

WOW!  To think that a bluetooth receiver will fit in an HO engine, and run via iPad.  And you don't have to buy anything else.  You're right.  This could be a game changer.

 

Smart, very smart.

 

Art

 

This is what I've been waiting on all these years (and didn't know it!)

Blue tooth. 1 smart device to one device. How do you control more than 1 train or engine?  If it's only one then that's fine but it's apple and oranges compared to what MTH and Lionel are doing with there WIFi. 

 

More like competition for Lionel Chief. One remote pairing with a variety of engines though. Turn off one engine and now it can be paired with another. Interesting. 

 

Scott says 7 device simultaniousl so I stand corrected. 

That's the only letdown.  You'd need a different controller for each locomotive.

The paramount word here is "FREE"  

Sounds like it could have legs.  

Joe

 

Bluetooth 4 has a range of 300 feet and can connect up to 7 devices. I have several Williams engines and I spent more money on upgrading them than I paid for the engines themselves. In the future I will just download the app and run them with my other trains.

Scott Smith

sounds like time to upgrade form my flip phone ! @#$%^

From a manufacturing standpoint this is the way to go.

Maybe they took the idea from the Lion chief system.

"Lets talk directly to the engine"

 

Although Lionel went with the OEM one controller one engine

approach, Bachman went with established existing technology. 

Just put the receiver in the engine and provide the software,

then let the end user do the rest.

 

Just think, use your existing power source and go. No more TIU,TPC,

Base unit bad track signals. Then of course waiting for the hardware to

arrive from over sea's .

 

How long did we wait for the Legacy hardware ? Then only to have it show

up with a problem. I'm sure a blue tooth device can be interfaced with the

PS3 and TMCC boards. Question is will they do it.

 

 

Very interesting. I wouldn't expect it to compete with Lionel or MTH but it would be cool to run a conventional engine off your phone or tablet. The only extra cost I see is buying a new Williams engine with the blue tooth capability.

Interesting Scott. 7 devices. Did not know that. 

As previously stated this sounds very interesting.

For those that enjoy remote control operation the Bluetooth approach along with a tablet (and software) sounds like a very innovative idea. Lionel with Legacy tried to "reinvent the wheel" while Bachmann Williams took a much simpler approach by adapting easily available pre-developed technology.

Williams should continue on the path as the cost leader

Make it simple stupid.  Good going Bachman.

 

Flip phone?!?!?!  Mine doesn't even flip:

 

 

Legacy is the same approach they've been using since 96 Or so with added features. Nothing reinvented. 

 

Bachman is using available technology. Pretty smart IMO. 

I guess this is for the new Bachmann by Williams in the future and for H.O. most likely in January, as I didn't catch a date for release.

I guess the price for a Williams engine will go up as well because of the new technology.

 

Lee Fritz

Very smart!   Thanks for the post, pics, and discussion.  

 

It should be compatible with my LC+ locos - just power on the rails,   Direct to the loco for control.   Great!   More choices for me, some of the WBB locos are very nice, they certainly have the power and smooth running.   -Ken

I would assume that Williams will maintain the popular conventional engines line and add the Bluetooth remote control engines as a separate line. We'll see!

IMO, both MTH and Lionel missed the boat on this one.  When the new products debut, it will change the cost structure of the O gauge industry. I predict reduced prices will be the effect.

I'm conventional......and my Razor makes phone calls and poor photos.

BUT....I think this may make Lionel and MTH look at alternate methods that are not so costly and complex. Competition is good.......

This is great!  Lionel should sell their Legacy base without the remote.

 

The thing about remote bases being a thing of the past is for the new products.

You will most likely need a base with remote control for TMCC & PS-2 engines.

 

Probably have to get the new engine in order to use the bluetooth technology with it.

Older engines will have to be upgraded in order to work with bluetooth. At least that's the way I understand it.

 

Lee Fritz

I said remotes are a thing of the past. A base will still be required. 

Why spend all the R&D money when software/app development is so much cheaper.  This is the beginning of the end for the remote.  Why I myself don't have a smart phone I do have a Ipad.

This was at iHobby a few weeks back, Fred Hill said I had to see it operate and took me there. It was interesting how in an instant Williams became a Command Control player.

And under everyone's radar.

Remember when MTH and Lionel started command control a smart phone was not even thought of. Natural progression. 

Nothing against Scott or the thread, merely a counterpoint.

 

Its neat but why run "old fashioned trains" from a handheld?

 

At what point do you just go with a trainz simulator then everything, layout, locos, rollingstock....... can be on a handheld device?

 

I still enjoy the engagement of an actual controller.

This is fantastic, I'm hoping their engines will be able to run in conventional (with fewer features) and via bluetooth (with all the bells & whistles).

 

I guess we'll wait and see how this all plays out, but I for one am glad the market might go in this direction.

I can see the death of the command base/TIU as each engine only needs a bluetooth/Wifi module built in.

Wow what a leapfrog approach!  Does anyone know if the will also run conventionally? 

I think it would be wise to have the blue tooth capability and be able to run the traditional  way with a transformer possibly with just a flip of a switch. I think everyone would be happy with that and the end user can run the engine anyway they choose. 

The future is here! There have been a few threads about RC of O gauge trains. We all knew the technology was all ready out there. In this case it seems that Williams_Bachman have leveraged current technology and adapted it to HO and soon to O. This would be speculation on my part, but it would be an assumption that they have also been able to adapt DCC to 3R O gauge. and that is a game changer. MTH nor Lionel would be able to sue to kill competition. The fact that Willams/Bachman sell kits to power dummy units, the new True blast plus kits, they would most likely sell an upgrade kit for current engines with no stings attached. Just think of all the possibilities  to running a Layout. Yes a game changer for the industry.

Why not include a phone and camera with the legacy handheld. Imagine Lionel competing with Verizon and ATT???

As always, to each his own. But the more the technology of this hobby advances, the more I'm drawn to the simplicity of old-fasioned train control and layouts. Everyone experiences relaxation from their hobbies in different ways, some from simplicity and others from gadgetry. It's nice to have options. 

Actually, as far as Bachmann is concerned, I would assume that they would follow what they have done for DCC in HO and N and only offer one version that works in both environments. I can also probably bet that these Bluetooth equipped command engines will be very competitively priced with other command-equipped brands (based on what they've done in the smaller scales).

 

Peter

and I'm just learning to use my cell phone

looks like mr B will sell $400-$500 engines now to some

remember just my opinion

 

 

Rod