I would like you to introduce my original wi-fi command station for marklin and DCC locos and turnouts.

Desktop Station Air
https://desktopstation.n....php/desktop_station_air

Features

- Internal wifi access point and web server powered by Tohshiba's Flash Air W-04. You don't need PC and wifi routers. You only prepare your smartphone!
- 80x58x25mm, the world smallest & very compact DCC command station. Arduino UNO size.
- Supporting 12V to 18V
- You don't need to install mobile app in your smartphone. DSair uses the internet browser(Chrome, Safari etc.) as controller interface.
- 1.5A continuous, peak 4.5A DCC power booster inside.
- Support DCC and marklin(MM2) locomotives and turnouts.
- Arduino UNO based software. Software is an open source.

Please check youtube videos!

https://www.youtube.com/...fUFYi4YT35VhkDLNGtFCtuge

It was indicated in the post to be DCC and MM2 only - so no MFX.

The form factor is really impressive for the features it has. What I don't like is that it would be trading one proprietary system for another. And then there's the price. For a fraction of it I've put together the JMRI-based WiFi station below from which the most expensive component was the Micro SD for the RPi Zero W :) A "bit" larger but with a built-in programming / testing track.

Now, if it would talk mfx ... that's a game changer. The difference in price would be just one or two of the decoders I've changed to get all locos to talk DCC. On the other hand JMRI is so powerful in configuring any decoder that I'm really happy to have paid for the upgrade. Unfortunately that's the way things seem to be in this area, no solution is both universal and cheap...

Cheers,

.costin

JMRI has available an SD card image for the Raspberry Pi that will auto-identify many of the DCC command stations that are commonly available in the USA. The image has been set up by the same guy that developed the Engine Driver app for Android devices, and is set up so that an RPi with a WiFi adaptor will become an access point to use with Engine Driver.

See this link for details on what is required to set this up. Note also there is a second page for tweaking the settings if desired.

The automatic identification of command station doesn't extend to Marklin ones that I am aware of. However if it is desired to make a DCC command station like illustrated earlier then it is possible to get a Pi-SPROG to plug straight onto a RPi to make a very compact DCC command station. This would make an ideal way of programming CVs when that is a desirable operation.

@DaleSchultz : Nothing, just the price of getting rid of it :)

@kiwiAlan : The Zero W has built-in WiFi and I indeed use it as an access point. Actually it's in dual mode, it connects to the home network but it also presents its own SSID. That way one can take it anywhere while at home the mobile devices would also have internet all the time.

@ShannonN : Here are a couple of pictures of the inside (not very clear) and the schematics of it. I've reused what I had around so it's not optimal (you could for example directly connect an Arduino Uno motor shield instead of the intermediate Nano IO shield + Nano motor shield). Otherwise it's the regular DCC++ BaseStation setup that has many examples online. Just remember to disconnect the power input from the shield to Arduino and use a separate step down voltage regulator to go to 5V in an efficient way (the box itself consumes ~50mA @ 18V).

Cheers,

.costin