My Modified DCC++ Base Station - Notes

Travis Farmer Jul 26, 2019

  1. Keith Ledbetter

    Keith Ledbetter TrainBoard Member

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    We are attempting to do that believe it or not. This thread https://www.trainboard.com/highball...date-project-2020.130071/page-16#post-1126853 It is the curse of open source largely. It's so powerful and flexible that complexity rises quickly! There will and should be honestly always be tweaks and improvements.

    But again if you want true 100% plug and play you need to do a commercial supported system. So you do actually have to make call at some point. Do you want something with a warranty, support, full time employees, etc you'll pay more for it. Open source won't be that but it is cheaper,more flexible, and often better, if you are willing to put in some time and effort.

    As for Travis frustration and deletion. Best of luck but if you are ever doing open source and need gratification/others caring, etc good luck with that. I hardly see how deleting it all rather then leaving up helps anything but hey your prerogative and if you are uninterested you should absolutely quit.
     
    Last edited: Mar 12, 2020
  2. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I have 2 complete NCE procab wireless systems, one burnt out, and one mounted to my Z-Bend Track modules. I also have a SPROG3 to use as a programming track. I found I like using my phone over the wireless procabs, because I can have 2 throttles open at the same time, and control 2 trains at once.

    I am now building a set of T-Trak Z modules, and I want a DCC system for them that runs off my phone. I also want it all to fit under one of the modules, and to NOT require a laptop to run. That is my interest in DCC++. I usually take all my electronics out of their bulky cases anyways, mount under my modules, then cut and solder cables to length, pretty much reducing the electronics space requirements by 1/4.

    I dream big. I imagine an Arduino Uno with Motor Shield for my command station, Raspberry Pi running JMRI, VNC, and WiThrottle as my headless box PC, all mounted under my tiny TTZ modules. I imagine I could use an Android tablet VNC'ing into the Pi to bring up Panel Pro for turnout and Signal control, and have Engine Driver displaying 2 throttles, one for eastbound, and one for westbound trains, and I take this impressive setup to a train show and the kids will think I am modern and cool, and that trains are cool!

    So I have read enough to know all this is possible, and I know I can follow ANY how to, as long as it is not constantly appended by people saying, naw, don't do it like that, do it like this.
     
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  3. Keith Ledbetter

    Keith Ledbetter TrainBoard Member

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    Yep get it and 100% possible so not that big a dream :) Hardest thing about the portable part will be making sure the wireless info is setup right in the PI and then the VNC viewer stuff. But I have right now running in my basement a DCC++ on a pi3 setup exactly like that. I have my tablet VNC in and then can run things all day long.
     
  4. Travis Farmer

    Travis Farmer TrainBoard Member

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    nothing to do with trains, but all mental health, and constantly excruciating hemorrhoids. i am just so sick and tired of being sick an tired, that i am giving up the fight. i already canceled all my doctor appointments, and when my meds run out, i will likely wither away and die. so far, my doctors couldn't care less, so i can only assume i am making the correct decision.
     
  5. Travis Farmer

    Travis Farmer TrainBoard Member

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    sorry about that, personal mental issue... better now.
    working on getting my code back up, from a off-site backup.
    again, sorry

    ~Travis
     
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  6. vasilis

    vasilis TrainBoard Member

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    welcome back
     
  7. Travis Farmer

    Travis Farmer TrainBoard Member

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    thanks :)
    what with some medication changes, it wasn't good. called the suicide crisis center, and got some help.
    may take a while to get back into the swing of things, though.

    only copy of my copy of the code that i had was my personal copy. hasn't been made generic yet, but i will work on that at some point.

    ~Travis
     
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  8. Travis Farmer

    Travis Farmer TrainBoard Member

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    Personal update: Still kicking around, though with motorcycle season in full flow, i have been spending my free time riding my 88 Honda GL1500. sadly, trains are not high on my list of mental priorities at this point. i have not given up, just stuck it on the back burner.

    I still intend to build a layout in my "Man Cave", when i get the demo work done, but with no air-conditioner, it is much too hot right now to safely work much out there. looks like things here on the forum are progressing far beyond when i was last active... lot's of changes to catch up on.

    ~Travis
     
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  9. FlightRisk

    FlightRisk TrainBoard Member

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    Hi Travis, Happy to have you join us. You have seen the 2020 Update threads, you can also find our website here: https:dcc-ex.github.io. The "about us" section has a link to our Discord
     
  10. Travis Farmer

    Travis Farmer TrainBoard Member

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    I would be happy to join in, seeing as how some of the features are possibly based on work and ideas i did way back. currently, my test setup is rather homeless, until i make room for it. can't say as i have ever used Discord, but i will check it out, after work. and also browse the code.

    ~Travis
     
  11. FlightRisk

    FlightRisk TrainBoard Member

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    I just want to make a note that the IBT_2 board already has 1K resistors in the current sense (IS) pins. If you connect the IS pins together and connect them to an Arduino directly, it will read current because those resistors are there. You may want to put a different resistor in parallel with the 1k to change the range.
     

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