Sure with off the shelf free software. But you are going battery, and you do not have any centralized train control like a DCC system.
We’re derailing the thread, if you have interest in discussing, this would make an excellent new topic.
Regards, Greg
I apologize, yes we are derailing the thread. I have no interest in this I was just being a smart a** at first then the idea intrigued me. But please proceed to put the train back on the rails.
Here’s a BlueRail page. Looks to be an official Bachmann partner.
http://www.bluerailtrains.com/
The video is interesting. 'Cept the diesel has steam loco sounds coming out of it, haha!
Well, teaming up would add fuel to the fire about concerns about patents. Sadly, it won’t work well at outdoor ranges, especially with the newer higher power multichannel Wi-Fi people are using in their houses.
Greg
The farthest distance they show controlling it outdoors is 150 ft
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmAQ0P9IfIk
Indoors I read the signal can travel through 3-4 walls before it cuts out.
Brass loco was less distance (100 ft)
I’m pretty darn aware of the REAL capabilities of Bluetooth 4.0, the claims of extended range are under ideal conditions, with nothing else around. I work for a company that designs wireless communications methods. GPSK is never going to give you long range communications, and it was never designed as such. OFDM is the way to go, which is used by Wi-Fi, your cable modem, etc.
With Wi-Fi, cordless phones, and microwave ovens all around, there’s plenty of interferers. Bottom line is it won’t be reliable outdoors for large scale unless you are always close or you are standing out in the desert. I live on a canyon, and and still pick up Wi-Fi from houses all the way across it (there’s a golf course in the canyon).
Eventually Wi-Fi Direct will kill all this “long range” bluetooth nonsense, with longer range and better interoperability, but I digress.
I’ll be interested to see the results of people who try to use it outdoors.
Greg
Yea, WiFi is weird as to the range. My Laptop can loose signal from my router, even though I can see my router from where I have my laptop sitting. But, I can get on Bruggers WiFi in my parking garage, downtown, And Bruggers is across the street from the garage, in a building with very thick stone walls. And the parking garage is reinforced concrete.
Get a “scanner app” for your smart phone or computer… most likely you have someone else on the same channel… that’s the typical reason for your situation…
it’s also a possibility that the encryption you are using on your home router is less stable with the driver on your computer than the bruggers.
lastly, your ap part of your router could be flakey
Greg
Drifting off topic here, but I have WiFi range issues in my house too, and couldnt figure it out until we went and remodeled the kitchen, and found out the lath-and-plaster walls in the house have metal lathing. So each room is its own little Faraday cage. sadpanda
Bob, yes I have that in the corners of my house. So its not the whole wall that is lined with mesh, but the corners to about 10 to 12 inches out. But, in my mind, if I can see the router, then the signal should be able to travel along that same path uninterrupted.
Greg, you could be right. I think everyone on my street has a wireless router. But, since I only use the thing to update the (company issue) laptop, every week or so, it doesn’t bother me much. When I can’t download the service manual updates on my WiFi, I just download the updates in my van, using Bruggers’s WiFi.
I found that all my neighbors were on channel 6, so I moved my 2 AP’s to 1 and 11 (these 3 frequencies are the only non-overlapping bands in 2.4 GHz).
If you have an android phone, download free app WiFi Analyzer (icon looks like a windshield wiper)… you will be amazed.
Greg
Greg Elmassian said:
I found that all my neighbors were on channel 6, so I moved my 2 AP’s to 1 and 11 (these 3 frequencies are the only non-overlapping bands in 2.4 GHz).
If you have an android phone, download free app WiFi Analyzer (icon looks like a windshield wiper)… you will be amazed.
Greg
Thanks Greg for the suggestion to download WiFi Analyzer. Interesting information around our area.
Did I read right about Mikey not initiating litigation?
Revisionist history?
I remember the back-emf, the threats to manufacturers to cease and desist (and the non-refundable $10K to the patent office to “appeal” and stupid decision).
The applicant show research to prove there is no existing use…but guess what? Seen that before…you just let out as much information as you need.
Seems Mikey tried to patent remote control of trains (radio) at one point.
His claim to fame seems to be finding something useful already in existence and patenting it.
Like Monsanto and Corn. Nobody had patented it, so they did, along with a bunch of other stuff.
What was the deal on patenting downloadable sounds a while back?
And of course there is Mikey’s latest with Hikel.
TOC
Yes…
Yes, Stan, technically Mike has not sued everyone… but he sure as hell threatened MANY people in the industry.
He kept many companies from being able to use BEMF in their products… by threats and an idiotic patent submitted by a greedy individual and approved by idiots in the patent office.
But ask me how I really feel ha ha!
Greg
What is that they put in the bottom of google search pages about “chilling effect”…you threaten, small potatoes folks can’t afford to have lawyers on retainer paid for by all the profits gleaned from the poor slobs who bought PS1, 2 and 3…
Indeed extremely troubling and a violation of the AIA (America Invents Act)… Greg was right in every response. The patent was awarded with no due respect to the several Smartphone controlled prior art that existed. My colleagues at Turret Labs who meticulously detailed every minute of their research and posted their artwork online at MLS were shocked that a patent was awarded with no due respect to the unique wireless control system they have detailed since 2011. And there are several others. This also invalidates the fine wireless model train control work done by CVP and QSI and of course TouchCab, ESU …others. Did the PTO fall asleep ??? As usual - we pay for government nonsensical arm-chair and clerical thinking that we (taxpayers) are paying for. All they had to do was google " Smartphone Next Gen - model trains".
Several others that I have to talked to intend to vigorously defend their persistent research and meticulous efforts in documenting the Open Smartphone controlled railway systems since 2011. Just look at the hits in total - over 100,000+ for Next Gen interfaces on MLS that signifies Prior Art existed. And they claim no prior art existed. Huh ?? Justice will not be blind in this case. If you can control a garage door opener on rails, you can control anything.
This time the story will be different. I understand that the challenge will be from several manufacturers, in Court. Bachmann - Hong Kong (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bachmann_Industries) - be advised - we are challenging. You cannot hold an entire nation hostage to frivolous claims from pirates you engage with no due respect to the work of others.
Vic
I think you should listen to interviews of the developers of this product on Model Rail Radio. They made it pretty clear they have no interest in stifling innovation. They said they just wanted confidence to develop without getting the rug pulled out from under them.
The R/C plane guys have cameras in their planes and some have written protocols for the smart phone - though I doubt it is bluetooth.