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Offline danmarklinman  
#1 Posted : 01 December 2013 17:48:22(UTC)
danmarklinman

United Kingdom   
Joined: 18/10/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,377
Just out of interest. How long will it be before marklin and others have a hub connection with your layout and therefore no longer any use for. Cs2 just an iPhone or tablet instead!
I am waiting myself for this as I like tech which is multi use BigGrin
Marklin and Piko era 4 SNCB , Marklin wagons
Wiking model car Fan
Faller fan including car system
Instagram: marklin1978
Wiking fan
Offline H0  
#2 Posted : 01 December 2013 18:57:45(UTC)
H0


Joined: 16/02/2004(UTC)
Posts: 15,254
Location: DE-NW
Hi, Dan,

That's not science fiction, it's already there.

Roco's Z21 (and z21) have no display and no speed knob, instead include a WLAN router and you operate your trains and turnouts with a smartphone (or with a mobile controller with wire).

ESU and Märklin still have touch screens and speed knobs, but you can also control trains and switches with a smartphone. They could make special versions for PC and smartphone operation, but neither of those seems to see enough demand for that.

See: www.z21.eu
Regards
Tom
---
"In all of the gauges, we particularly emphasize a high level of quality, the best possible fidelity to the prototype, and absolute precision. You will see that in all of our products." (from Märklin New Items Brochure 2015, page 1) ROFLBTCUTS
UserPostedImage
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Offline jeehring  
#3 Posted : 01 December 2013 19:17:23(UTC)
jeehring


Joined: 25/09/2003(UTC)
Posts: 2,786
Location: ,
Smartphone as an option : I say OK !
Smartphone as main control: I say NO , thank you ! (I don't like)
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Offline Goofy  
#4 Posted : 01 December 2013 19:55:41(UTC)
Goofy


Joined: 12/08/2006(UTC)
Posts: 8,993
Originally Posted by: jeehring Go to Quoted Post
Smartphone as an option : I say OK !
Smartphone as main control: I say NO , thank you ! (I don't like)


But you use smartphone as main control too or even better with ipad with bigger screen.

H0
DCC = Digital Command Control
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Offline Bigdaddynz  
#5 Posted : 02 December 2013 00:26:56(UTC)
Bigdaddynz

New Zealand   
Joined: 17/09/2006(UTC)
Posts: 18,661
Location: New Zealand
I think using a smartphone as a loco controller has some way to go before it is mature enough to use on a daily basis.

In my experience it is all too easy to accidentally set the loco speed to maximum - can be done unintentionally by bumping the phone (and that's with all motion sensing turned off on the phone)

Applications will often exit for no reason - I have experienced this with both an ipod and S3 android phone.
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Offline Janne75  
#6 Posted : 02 December 2013 05:52:26(UTC)
Janne75

Finland   
Joined: 23/03/2012(UTC)
Posts: 2,550
Location: Finland
Hi,

For me personally CS2 or similar "main" controller is needed also in the future. I use both Mobile Station app for iPhone and Main Station app for iPad also, but only as remote controllers to avoid the need to stay near my CS2 all the time when running my trains.

With touch screen applications everything can happen and I think these apps give some extra to this wonderful hobby, but it would not be good to be without my CS2. Many things are far easier to do with CS2.

CS2 takes some space near layout and the only good thing really from taking it off would be to get more free space + price for controlling trains could be (maybe?) less without it...

Just my thoughts... RollEyes

Regards,
Janne
Märklin H0 digital layout. I have analog and digital H0 Collection. Rolling stock mostly from era I, II, III and IV. Märklin 1 gauge beginner.
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Offline sjlauritsen  
#7 Posted : 02 December 2013 23:19:48(UTC)
sjlauritsen

Denmark   
Joined: 18/08/2007(UTC)
Posts: 1,081
Location: Denmark
Whatever will happen, I personally hope that Märklin will build a Windows Phone and Windows 8 app before ditching the CS2 and MS2. I will not buy an Iphone og an Android device just to be able to run my trains.

My greatest concern about the Z21 is that many people do not necessarily have smartphones or the skills to setup a wifi router etc. I think its a deal breaker when you need an Iphone or an Android device to run trains. They should include some sort of handheld controller with every startset instead of relying solely on smartphones.

Don't get me wrong, the smartphone is a cool alternative, but I currently do not think it should be a requirement.
Søren from Denmark
Blog: https://railway.zone/ | Danish Model Railway Forum: https://baneforum.dk/
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Offline Webmaster  
#8 Posted : 04 December 2013 21:12:42(UTC)
Webmaster


Joined: 25/07/2001(UTC)
Posts: 11,161
So just like me then - waiting for an app for WP8/RT/Win8....
Juhan - "Webmaster", at your service...
He who asks a question is a fool for five minutes. He who does not ask a question remains a fool forever. [Old Chinese Proverb]
Offline TouchCab  
#9 Posted : 04 December 2013 22:09:01(UTC)
TouchCab

Denmark   
Joined: 04/03/2009(UTC)
Posts: 149
Location: Denmark
Originally Posted by: danmarklinman Go to Quoted Post
Just out of interest. How long will it be before marklin and others have a hub connection with your layout and therefore no longer any use for. Cs2 just an iPhone or tablet instead!


As others have mentioned, the Z21 is the first system we've seen without any other controller than what's on the network. Allegedly the Z21 accepts all kinds of other connections, but I have not seen test reports about how that works, and the system does not come with a hardware based controller out of the box.

Looking at the market, I think other manufacturers are watching how well the Z21 is doing before trying anything similar. The major obstacle is that the IPv4 networking protocol was never built for everyday people to use, and although there are higher layer protocols to overcome some of the problems (PnP and Bonjour/zeroconf/Avahi), compatibility is an issue. My largest support issue by far is networking - especially when users have a setup that is not straight forward.

The next generation network devices using IPv6 should have zero configuration networking built in, but I haven't investigated the matter further than that. Hopefully that will make home networking as plug-and-play as USB is today. By then, you'll probably also be able to operate the layout from a touch screen on the door of your refrigerator ...
BigGrin

Anyway, as I see it, the market must first mature to the point that home routers and the things that people attach to the network at home are all using IPv6. I do think the manufacturers are paying attention, though, because there is a lot of money to be saved if they don't have to make the hardware and mechanical parts for dedicated handhelds.
Best regards,
Jens
---
This account is no longer active
Offline rhfil  
#10 Posted : 10 May 2019 01:08:25(UTC)
rhfil

United States   
Joined: 05/09/2014(UTC)
Posts: 422
Location: NEW HAMPSHIRE, Somersworth
Marklin has a computer app which allows you some access to your layout with a computer, smart phone or tablet. It is limited, for example the tablet allows you to control up to eight locos and all your coded items. However, it does not yet, as far as I can tell, show the actual layout. You need your Central Station to be connected to the internet. It takes some getting used to but might be fun at shows to allow bystanders to control a loco. Unfortunately it does not show the cab of mfx+ locos which would really get bystanders into the layout. Hopefully some day they will have a loco with a camera lens so that the operator will really be in the layout.
Offline MaerklinLife  
#11 Posted : 10 May 2019 04:44:41(UTC)
MaerklinLife


Joined: 03/02/2016(UTC)
Posts: 490
Just FYI, you are reolying to a 6 year old topic.
Offline waorb  
#12 Posted : 10 May 2019 14:23:59(UTC)
waorb

Brazil   
Joined: 31/05/2011(UTC)
Posts: 868
Location: Brazil
Originally Posted by: rhfil Go to Quoted Post
Hopefully some day they will have a loco with a camera lens so that the operator will really be in the layout.

Besides of the age of the original post, the loco with cams was already on the market, and discontinued as well...

RollEyes

Marklin Mobile Vision

Cheers,

Walter
Offline michelvr  
#13 Posted : 10 May 2019 15:09:00(UTC)
michelvr

Canada   
Joined: 06/07/2012(UTC)
Posts: 1,287
Originally Posted by: MaerklinLife Go to Quoted Post
Just FYI, you are replying to a 6 year old topic.


My oh my, time certainly flies by.........Blushing

2013 that was my second year into Märklin model trains and I do recall I was using TouchCab on my iPhone controlling my trains from the ECoS. All that was required was a router. Worked great!

What about today? Not sure as my layout is being rebuilt and I haven't had the pleasure to run my trains. Hoping TouchCab is still active. Anyone know?
Offline dickinsonj  
#14 Posted : 10 May 2019 16:39:45(UTC)
dickinsonj

United States   
Joined: 05/12/2008(UTC)
Posts: 1,676
Location: Crozet, Virginia
Originally Posted by: michelvr Go to Quoted Post

What about today? Not sure as my layout is being rebuilt and I haven't had the pleasure to run my trains. Hoping TouchCab is still active. Anyone know?

TouchCab is still available in Apple's app store.

I still use Märklin's MainStation on a tablet and MobileStation on my phone, both of which work quite well. I use a CS2 and do almost all of my control via the MainStation app. The graphics and response speed are far superior to using the CS2 itself. I'm not sure if these work with the CS3 or not, but Märklin is moving to allow full control via your browser which I hear works great.
Regards,
Jim

I have almost all Märklin and mostly HO, although I do have a small number of Z gauge trains!
So many trains and so little time.
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