Modelers,
I am a design engineer for MPLX ELECTRONICS SYSTEMS and we would like to hear from YOU what electronics products you would like to see on the market that would greatly improve your modeling. Since I personally feel that this is a popular place for comments, I decided to take matters into my own hands and see just what you need in electronics products. It is a part of our “Taking It To The Streets” Program on helping the most important aspect of business - the consumer. Feel free to reply to this with your “wants” and we will evaluate them. We will contact you concerning your requests and possibly produce a product(s) that seem most popularly needed for the Model Railroading Market.
Sincerely,
J. Price
From an electronics standpoint, I want fiber optics that are more flexible and don’t break easily, 2mm diameter and smaller. Also small diameter (2mm or less LEDs with resistors built in for 12-16Volt operation. That’s all I can think of, other than the usual decoders, sound decoders, etc. that are readily available already.
A PC interface for Digitrax that goes directly from loconet to USB.
I would like a full ATM machine in my basement that will spit out $100 bills all the time. Please get that for me. Thanks
One area of electronics that I am not aware of being adequately addressed is detection and signaling. There is a great deal of discussion of this from time to time but I have not seen a simple connect power here, run wire to track from here, interconnect to next modules East & West from here, and this is status of this section here, occupied or empty for LED or trackside signaling, crossing protection etc… This is probably as or more complicated than DCC control programing in many ways because of all the variables in track configuration and indication possibilities. If you spend any time reading topics here there is a vast field of experience and capability within even this active sampling of hobbists, not to mention several shades of opinion. So the task is not an easy one from execution to explaination of installation and use of this type of product. Perhaps that explains the lack of this being addressed by a product group.
Will
Constant lighting circuts, Directional lighting circuts, Flashing light citcuts. In kit form or complete. I would like to see these items for the modeler who does not have DCC. I may never have DCC at home but my local club has it.
PC interface for DCC. More affordable DCC decoders. With sound. If these things were more affordable I am sure we would buy a lot more.
A sub-woofer that sits under the track and uses the rails to transmit sound data from the decoders. Low frequency is what is missing from loco sound decoders.
I want a signal driver that will simulate the signalling at an interlocking that doesn’t require me to add a full signalling system. It needs to be inexpensive (I work at an OEM electronics contract manufacturer, so I know EXACTLY how little SMT electronics parts cost!), easy to install, and have both a randomizer circuit and the ability to detect trains.
[#ditto] to JPM335
Road crossing and gate control logic that operates reliably. We have tried several brands on our HO scale club layout and are continually plagued with unreliable operation. Sometimes the signals don’t turn on when the train passes through the first IR detector pair, and sometimes they don’t turn off after the train has cleared the crossing. Having the gates stay down, the lights flashing, and bell ringing two or three minutes after the train has passed is annoying.
One brand we have tried that has only flashing lights and bell at least has a reset switch so the signals can be turned off with the press of a button, but the one that also controls a set of crossing gates doesn’t.
Absolutely! And make sure it is Mac compatable (which as USB interface it should be anyway) for those of us that stay away from the “dark side” of computing. [;)]
I second this one also. The problem with sound equiped locos is that there is no bass due to the size of the speaker and the sound files are weak on bass so as not to be too large and also not to blow the speakers. In real life it is the bass that will travel for miles while the treble dies out quickly. Please do this one!!! [:D]
Cheaper DCC-Computer interfaces that support multiple O/S (Windows, Mac, and Linux) - I’d like to be able to reprogram speed curves but the price and availability of current devices isn’t great.
Build an Genenic sound systeam for steam and deisel,at an afordable price.
And build Genenic decoders, for around $10.00 a peace .,Like Joeyegarner stated,and I agree it will probley in crease DCC use.
[2c]
JIM
Great idea!! Imagine your locos shaking the ground as come out of a tunnel or across the plains. great idea mouse.!!
It might have been a better idea to indicate in your subject that you were looking for ideas re electronics. “What to modelers want?” is pretty generic, and the generic answer is “one of everything!”.
Bob Boudreau
mptrains, you didn’t say what kind of “electronics” you were talking about, so you’ve got everything from chips to woofers. (It was Chip that mentioned the woofers, incidentally.) This is a great wish-list, but probably a bit unfocused in terms of practical applications for your company.
Maybe you can be a little more specific. Can you make decoders, or are you looking more at the circuit-board level? How about putting together well-matched packages for things like crossing gates, everything from the detectors to the flashing LEDs? If we have a better idea of your company’s capabilities and direction, we can bombard you with a better set of ideas.
If you need a beta tester, I’ll volunteer to check out one of those ATM machines.
Mr. Price,
I have to agree with the above. IT is a good idea for you to ask for our opinion, but if you were really interested in developing a product that we can use (and you can make money off of,) it would behoove you to join in the dialog. You have the makings of a superlative master mind group here with experts in all forms of engineering, marketing, etc.) My forte is systems development from an entrepreneurial point of view.
So while asking for ideas is a good first step, if you don’t join the dialog, and I don’t just mean sending private emails, you are probably just blowing butt smoke in the wind.