Tuesday, September 9, 2014

DigiTrains - Loconet compatibility development

I had the possibility to make test with an Intellibox recently. This command station uses Loconet protocol. As you may know DigiWifi uses XPressNet protocol, so for long time I was thinking how we can be compatible with Loconet. In the last two weeks I worked on this solution.

I decided to solve this issue with an Uhlebrock 63840 Maus-Adapter, which actually converts XPressNet siganals to Loconet.


I realized that this adapter has some differencies in the usual XPressNet protocol, so I needed to change the software in DigiWifi and also in DigiTrains. The now Loconet compatibility feautre will be available soon in DigiTrains 1.9 and in DigiWifi 2.1. With this you can use the dispatcher game even with a Loconet command station. See this short video made during my tests this weekend.



To use this feature you need to enable Loconet Maus-Adapter feautre in DigiTrains. DigiTrains will tell to DigiWifi to use Uhlenbrock 63840 Maus-Adapter compatible communication. This adapter can be used with Uhlenbrock command stations: DAISY, Intellibox, Twincenter and other Loconet command stations.
Despite the fact that this adapter supports only 3 MultiMauses, since DigiWifi behaves like only one MultiMuas you can use as many android device as many you like.




I plan to test it also on a  Fremo event in the near feature, with an addon which makes DigiTrains similar to a FRED. That means you will be only able to control one locomotive. This locomotive can be only changed with a DigiWifi adminstrator password.

Differences in DigiTrains when use it in Loconet compatibility mode:
·        -No locomotive information queries
·        -No accessory information queries
·        -CV programming not available (CV can be programmed only on Command Station)

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