Subject:
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Re: LEGO 9V Train Communication II
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains
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Date:
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Wed, 19 Dec 2007 13:19:47 GMT
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Viewed:
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15090 times
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In lugnet.trains, Dave Curtis wrote:
> In lugnet.trains, Brian Davis wrote:
> > In lugnet.trains, Remko Stift wrote:
> >
> > > wrote on the Dutch Lego forum the following:
> > >
> > > - infrared control;
> >
> > One interesting possibility is an IR remote that does not have to have a
> > constant signal to work. In other words, have the remote send commands that
> > change the state of the train, but not need to continuously send a "go forward"
> > command or similar. That would solve the "long dark tunnel" problem as well.
>
> Ummm.... except that you lose control when the train goes into a tunnel, or you
> have areas of unreliable control on your layout. Losing control in a tunnel
> would be a big deal for "serious" model railroaders that like off-stage
> "staging" yards. Not such a big deal for any but the most ambitious Lego
> layout, I suppose.
>
> Personally, its the "unreliable control" aspect of IR that concerns me.
>
> One thought that comes to mind is that if we can reverse engineer the IR
> protocol, there is no reason we can't build repeaters or our own controllers.
> You could sprinkle IR transmitters throughout the layout and wire them all in
> parallel. With that, the loco should never be out of reliable communication
> range.
>
> An IR controlled turn-out motor would also be on my wish list.
>
> -dave
HiTechnic / LEGO now offer an "Infrared Link" for the NXT that seems to be
exactly the sort of thing you're describing here - and it is advertised as being
compatible with the Power Functions and train IR protocol. This would mean that
no reverse engineering is necessary - just hook it up to the NXT and go.
It will be interesting to see what people come up with when they combine this
with trains. I foresee a sort of primitive DCC - sensors on a layout would be
coupled with the IR links to send signals to a train in response to movements of
a train. You know, one train pulls into a yard, signaling another to pull out
of the station. I think all of that will be within reach with the new IR link.
Here's the link to the, um... "link":
<http://shop.lego.com/Product/?p=MS1046>
-Jordan
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: LEGO 9V Train Communication II
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| (...) Hi Jordan, while this sounds like an interesting solution, it also sounds like a very expensive one as opposed to going for RF in the first place (yep, I know that RF remote controls have their own issues, power consumption being a significant (...) (16 years ago, 19-Dec-07, to lugnet.trains)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: LEGO 9V Train Communication II
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| (...) Ummm.... except that you lose control when the train goes into a tunnel, or you have areas of unreliable control on your layout. Losing control in a tunnel would be a big deal for "serious" model railroaders that like off-stage "staging" (...) (16 years ago, 19-Dec-07, to lugnet.trains)
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