This discussion came up among friends. I think I know the answer but i figured i’d ask the experts you guys. 
Does the revo receiver store the programming changes or does the transmitter?
T
Everything’s stored in the transmitter.
Later,
K
Hi Terry, good question. On all the past RCS and current RailLinx systems I have provided the receiver always stored the programming. You can turn off the transmitter at any time without loss of control/programming. Transmitters like the REVO, AirWire need to be always on. So when they crash it is back to reprogramming.
Does anyone know if the NCE Pro Cab needs to be always on?
Don
My Revolution transmitters sits with one AA cell out of them all winter.
I do that so they don’t run the three AA cells down.
But they do not lose their programming.
In the spring I pop the one AA cell back in them and run trains.
Even in the summer, most club members remove a cell after our Saturday train operations.
Thanks that’s what I thought.
T
Don, the Revolution transmitter can be off while trains are running. It’s got a “power save” feature which shuts it down to save batteries if you’re just letting trains run around the back yard. The programming is stored in non-volatile memory, so it’s not lost when power is shut down or batteries removed.
Similarly, the Airwire and NCE Gardenwire cabs can be shut down with the trains still running. The thing is with those two controls, the decoders need to be programmed to keep running when a valid DCC command signal is lost. Otherwise, the locos will stop.
The difference between the two protocols is that with DCC, the decoder itself holds all the programming parameters (start speed, momentum, direction, lighting, etc.). Any Airwire or Gardenwire throttle can be used to run an Airwire-equipped locomotive, as it simply sends commands to the decoder. With the Revolution, since the transmitter holds all the control parameters, it must be paired with the locomotive being controlled, and will control that locomotive based on the parameters set in the transmitter. You can link one locomotive to one transmitter, then link it to another with different parameters, and it will run differently.
Later,
K
Thanks, Kevin, as were are developing the next RailLinx TX, I appreciate your information and reading about “things” that can occur. If I may, I will continue to ask all for their input to help make the “perfect” transmitter. We will probably end up with two styles to fulfill most everyone’s likes. One conventional handheld and the other APP based.
Don
I’m thinking one with 3D glasses and a virtual reality cab, paired with a camera inside the cab of your loco for real-time views of what you’re running. Yeah… That’d be pretty easy to whip up, right?
Later,
K
The camera idea should be a safety request. For those engineers who run into things!!
Don
Kevin Strong said:
Everything’s stored in the transmitter.
Later,
K
Terry Burr said:
Thanks that’s what I thought.
T
Kevin, that is exactly what I want. To be able to see where the train is going (which way the turnout is and stop if I need to). I already have a very small camera, so when do you think someone will come up with this type of control system.
Well, we’ve got real-time video feedback in drone controls, so the core technology is there for the video end of it. Know anyone with a couple of million lying around for R&D?
Later,
K
Colin Criswell said:
Kevin, that is exactly what I want. To be able to see where the train is going (which way the turnout is and stop if I need to). I already have a very small camera, so when do you think someone will come up with this type of control system.
The’re already doing this with drones, same equipment can be utilized with our trains. Google “FPV”.
Michael
ummm… people have been selling wireless camera setups for trains for quite a while.
george schreyer used it back in 2009: http://girr.org/girr/tips/tips10/iptrains_camera_tips.html#iptrains
you can buy compact wi-fi cameras pretty cheap now, small, and with multiple wi-fi access points, wireless coverage is unlimited.
Greg