Hi Dave, First thanks for the pointer to the z21 system. I had not seen that -- it is a great idea.
On the sources for smartphones to be used a cabs, I absolutely agree that family and friends are potentially great sources. In my case, alas I currently belong to the "broke college kid" parents crowd, and he was patiently waiting for my old smartphone when I upgraded. Fortunately, one set of his grandparents gave him an almost brand new Galaxy 2 about a year ago, as both they returned to the iPhone user community. So when I upgraded to the new HTC One a month or so ago, I got to keep my old HTC Sensation 4G to use as a wireless cab. There are a couple of issues with the strategy of waiting for the older devices from my perspective: - older devices are heavy compared to the newer crop of smaller Android devices -- this Kyocera is really light weight. - they run older versions of Android - some carriers/manufacturers now give rebates when you return the old phone (e.g., HTC offered us a minimum $100 credit for "trading in" an old smartphone when you upgraded to the new HTC One. (Fortunately when I recently upgraded I had an excess Blackberry to fill the need.) Michael --- In [email protected], "David Heine" <davesn3@...> wrote: > > Michael, > > > > This might sound like a joke, but if your children are older, they can be a > good source for a second hand smart phone that can be an essentially free > radio throttle. My son just bought the latest Samsung Galaxy Android phone > and Iâm waiting for him to give me his old Android phone to use as a > throttle. (Itâs not that old, but I donât remember which specific > phone.) My sisterâs daily use phone is her daughter-in-lawâs old iPhone. > > > > I agree with you that there advantages (and cost can be a major one) for > using smart phones, tablets, etc. for throttles. Look at Rocoâs new Z21 > system. It is based on using your Android or Apple device as the throttle > choice and includes a built in WLAN router. > > > > http://www.z21.eu/ > > > > Dave Heine > > Easton, PA > > > > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of > Michael Greene > Sent: Monday, June 24, 2013 11:38 AM > To: S Scale List > Subject: {S-Scale List} Smartphone as a Wireless Cab for DCC systems > > > > > > > > > In case it is of interest to anyone... > > > > If you happen to follow my blog (www.s164.com), you already know I'm working > on a white paper about using smartphones/smart devices (iPhone, Android > phones, iPod Touch, etc.) as wireless cabs for DCC. This approach provides an > alternative to using manufacturer specific wireless Cabs. It also enables > users to bring their own wireless Cabs to your DCC-controlled layout when > they come over to operate, which can have a number of advantages. > > > > While the white paper is not quite yet ready, I did happen to notice a sale > in one of the flyers in yesterday's local Sunday paper, I thought I'd mention > in case it is of interest. If you're already a DecoderPro user with your DCC > system you've likely got everything you need to use smartphones as a wireless > Cab -- you just need to start the WiThrottle Server from the DecoderPro > dropdown, and then have either a WiFi enabled Android based smartphone or a > WiFi enabled iPhone (iPhone 3 or later) or iPad Touch (4th or 5th gen). > > Yesterday while looking at the local Target weekly ad in the Sunday paper, I > noticed that Target was selling the Kyocero Hydro Android-based mobile phone > (runs on the Boost Mobile network) for $59.99 (normally $99.99). I thought > this was pretty inexpensive and did some digging. It runs > Android 4.0.3 (the so called Ice Cream Sandwich version, which is a pretty > recent version). And it has WiFi and BlueTooth. Has an IPS display, which is > good technology for color displays -- easy to see from lots of angles. Boost > Mobile, in case you're not familiar with it, is the prepaid phone brand name > on the Sprint Network. > > I noticed it because as part of an article I am working on, I am looking to > see how inexpensive I can get the throttles. > > The Kyocero Hydro has a reasonable but not a huge screen - I think it's 3.5", > 320 x 480. Very light -- plastic case, small, easy for a shirt pocket. > Certified waterproof for IPX5, protection against water jets and IPX7, > protection against water immersion for up to 30 minutes in up to 1 meter > (3.28 feet), in case you want to use outside (likely not for S layouts). > > > > Anyway I hopped over to Target and bought one. I wanted to try it with the > free Engine Driver app that connects to WiThrottle. Charged it up. It is NOT > necessary to activate it on the Boost Mobile Network. So NO prepaid or > monthly plan required. Just use it as a WiFi, non-phone device. You don't > even need to purchase a Boost Mobile re-charge card. > > Just connect it to your WiFi network, download whatever apps you want. I > downloaded Engine Driver from the app store. > > Then started up Decoder Pro and WiThrottle on my PC. Started Engine Driver on > on the Hydro. In less then 5 minutes I was controlling and running trains on > my layout with the Hydro smartphone. For the $59.99 cab price. Not too bad. > Controlling horn, light, bell, etc. on a Lionel SD70ACe and a SHS DCC-decoder > equipped engine. > > Slick and cheap... > > Still targeting the first draft of white paper by end of this month. > > > Regards > > Michael Greene > > PS FWIW I think this will make a good cheap MP3 player as well. It supports > 32GB MicroSD card, comes with a 2GB card. Will try it with my BlueTooth > headphones tonight <x-apple-data-detectors://4> ...Also if the Boost Mobile > network has coverage where you need, it could also be a good beach, lake or > pool phone, in case you don't want to take your expensive smartphone in case > of damage, loss. > > PS to PS I have no financial interest in any of this - Kyocero, Target, Boost > Mobile, etc. > > > Sent from my iPad > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
