10-29-2014, 08:53 AM
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It looks like DCC on a Smartphone, but its actually even more revolutionary. Its an APP, just a set of drivers.
This drastically reduces the cost of DCC to just the Chip. JUST the Chip. Because your $300-500 DCC device is now FREE. Ist Still a $300-600 device, but you didn't buy it for a decoder, you bought it as a multifunction miniature computer, not a throttle. You already have it (or you can get it free with a phone plan that you're already using). so that is 'Free'. Bachmann is GIVING away the app in trainsets. Its FREE. Its just the cost of the chip in the locomotive. So the device is free and the app is free, and the trains also work as DC without any changes if the bluetooth is not active.
Looks like if you aren't invested in DCC, this will be something to look into.
The Antenna may be too large for N-scale unless some other tricks happen, but even if this new level 4, 100 meter range bluetooth isn't viable for N, the Class 3, 30-meter range is probably good enough for most usage.
thoughts anyone?
It looks like DCC on a Smartphone, but its actually even more revolutionary. Its an APP, just a set of drivers.
This drastically reduces the cost of DCC to just the Chip. JUST the Chip. Because your $300-500 DCC device is now FREE. Ist Still a $300-600 device, but you didn't buy it for a decoder, you bought it as a multifunction miniature computer, not a throttle. You already have it (or you can get it free with a phone plan that you're already using). so that is 'Free'. Bachmann is GIVING away the app in trainsets. Its FREE. Its just the cost of the chip in the locomotive. So the device is free and the app is free, and the trains also work as DC without any changes if the bluetooth is not active.
Looks like if you aren't invested in DCC, this will be something to look into.
The Antenna may be too large for N-scale unless some other tricks happen, but even if this new level 4, 100 meter range bluetooth isn't viable for N, the Class 3, 30-meter range is probably good enough for most usage.
thoughts anyone?
When I hear the iron horse make the hills echo with his snort like thunder, shaking the earth with his feet, and breathing fire and smoke from his nostrils, it seems as if the earth had got a race now worthy to inhabit it.
-- Henry David Thoreau
-- Henry David Thoreau