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Using a tablet as a Wi-Throttle with JMRI Track and electrical/DCC
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Regular poster 268 posts JodyG Regular poster 268 posts
JodyG
Hello folks, I was just wondering if any of you are running a Wi-Throttle/JMRI interface using a tablet over a smartphone. Can anyone that has used both comment on which they like better? I would think one of the smaller tablets out there would be better and less cumbersome, but I have yet to try it. There seem to be a multitude of 7" tablets out there that are retailing for under $100 lately.  Jody
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conrailandrew Active Member 55 posts
conrailandrew

Tablet Throttle

Jody,

I have used a my 10" tablet as a throttle, although it is rather awkward (especially when trying to uncouple, throw manual turnouts, etc). I much prefer to use my smartphone for a throttle. I haven't tried it with a 7" tablet though.

I usually use my tablet as a stationary 'smart' control panel, using it to control remote turnouts and other JMRI-controlled devices on the layout.

Andrew
​Ontario Midland Railroad (and Conrail) in N scale, with Digitrax DCC and Code 55 handlaid track.
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John C H Active Member 38 posts
John C H

Tablets are great

Ops sessions at the BCRR with two iPads and one iPad mini. I use JMRI for my manifest generation and a modified version of the Train and Manifest web pages as provided by JMRI. With WiThrottle on dual throttle mode, you now have the bottom half of the screen linked to any JMRI web based page. So in our case, the top section of the iPad is throttle for two and the bottom section for viewing the web based manifests for the train the operator is controlling. The iPad Mini is plenty large enough for readability of the manifest pages, or any thing else available but it's size and weight make it a lot easier to handle. Eventually I intend to have holders to place the iPad or Mini into so that operators are more hands free at a location. John C H Collingwood, ON Canada

 Canada 
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ctxmf74 Super User 15,931 posts
ctxmf74

"at the BCRR with two iPads and one iPad mini."

  Hi John, My wife has an ipad mini so I might want to try this sometime. What would be required to use the ipad with a digitrax zephyr? What kind of virtual throttle control does the ipad use? Do you have problems with unwanted actions from accidentally touching the screen in the wrong spot? Anyone know of a good site to read more on this subject....DaveB

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JodyG Regular poster 268 posts
JodyG

...

Interesting seeing both sides of this...I guess I need to swipe me wife's iPad mini and see how it works for myself. 
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wrsu18b Regular poster 100 posts
wrsu18b

wifi and Zephyr

DaveB

First you will need Digitrax PR3 or Locobuffer USB to connect a computer to the Zephyr.  If the computer can be used as a wifi connection that will talk with the ipad/ipod touch/iphone, you are in business once you have downloaded the JRMI software on the computer and the app on the idevice.  If the computer does not have a wifi connection, then a wifi hub would have to be added.

The ipad could also be used a throttle, using the "throttle" in Decoder Pro, but you will not be able walk around with this arrangement unless you have a very long loconet cable

Alot of this info is on the JMRI site.

I have not use it, but a few visiting operators set it up on my layout in May.

Doug W

 
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