Intriguing Interface between layout and Windows PC

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi All,

While perusing an electonics mag, I spotted this intriguing device:

http://www.ergodex.com/mainpage.htm

While it’s designed mainly for gamers, if you are running Windows layout control software, you could adapt this device to do a custom interface - controlling turnouts, routes, etc.

A bit pricey, but very interesting hardware.

Mike Tennent

2

Interesting, , but I’ll stick to my DT400.

3

Interesting. You could almost lay out a CTC board on one of those. If your railroad control software allowed assigning a hotkey to each button or lever - that device would work without change.

Think I’ll stick to more traditional methods myself though. What I’d REALLY like to work up is a working (either physical device or on-screen) model of Oley Tower on the Reading. That tower controlled most of the East Penn and was an NX type board, not at all like what most peopel think of when CTC is mentioned. Even the web sites that have actual boards restored and sometimes even operating (with a computer behind it to make it look like the levers are doing things - pretty neat actually) have sparse information on NX boards. There’s a chunk of one at the RR Museum of PA in Strasburg, the various lights on those that indicate routes and occupancy change through a bunch f different colors depending onthe indication - not just an on/off or yellow/red kind of thing.

–Randy

4

You’ll have to excuse me as I think of these and type them out on my Mac…

10 Reasons I Do Not Want Windows to Controll My DCC

  1. Takes 10 minutes for my layout to boot.

  2. Will trigger MTH’s “crash” sound twice an hour.

  3. Can’t my QSI chips reading pop-up audio ads.

  4. Will have to upgrade “plug n play” chips to make them able to, well, plug and play.

  5. Can’t run my friends Linux trains

  6. Windows CE*DCC requires a 2 gig boxcar to hold “extras”

  7. Sound unit can’t beat out CPU fan noise.

  8. Revell firefighters have hard time battling laptop battery blaze.

  9. ESU “talking crew” sounds will now include subliminal messages from Bill Gates.

and the number one Reason I Do Not Want Windows to Controll My DCC

  1. I don’t want “Emergency Stop” to be labled “Emergency Start”
5

Umm, the control software I use runs on Linux and Mac as well as Windows. JMRI.

–Randy

6

Just curious, but why is it that any mention of Windows in a thread causes Mac users to reply in such negative (and irrelevant and illogical) fashion?

(Not meaning your reply, Randy.)

Mike Tennent

7

“Interesting. You could almost lay out a CTC board on one of those. If your railroad control software allowed assigning a hotkey to each button or lever - that device would work without change.”

Yeah, that’s what I was thinking. Or a control panel for a yard not near the computer. You wouldn’t need to be tied to the keyboard to do route selection, etc. The software with it does macros, so one touch would probably work.

Mike T.

8

Mike,
The reason why Mac users reply in a negative fashion about Windows is the same reason why Lenz and NCE owners reply in a negative fashion about Digitrax. I’m not 100% certain what that reason is, but I think it has to do with both Windows and Digitrax being the most popular operating systems…and the others are not.

Put it this way, back when I was in college in the mid-1990’s, I had a chance to read both MacAddict and PC magazines for the same month’s issue. The Mac magazine had anti-Bill Gates cartoons, constant comparisons to Mac vs. Intel chips, and so on. In PC mag, the Mac might as well have not even existed…the Mac got no print what-so-ever.

Paul A. Cutler III

Weather Or No Go New Haven