Subject:
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Re: Thoughts on Battery-powered IR-controlled trains
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Newsgroups:
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lugnet.trains, lugnet.dear-lego
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Date:
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Fri, 13 Jan 2006 10:19:54 GMT
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Viewed:
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397 times
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In lugnet.trains, Ross Crawford wrote:
> In lugnet.trains, Steven Barile wrote:
> > The biggest news to me at BrickFest on this was IR control - the RCX can
> > transmit IR, and we've already got it running things like Manas (that may use a
> > very similar protocol). So multiple, RCX-controled (but not powered) trains
> > become a possibility, with the RCX inputs and outputs dedicated to just
> > controling layout features (points, animation, train sensing).
> >
> > And this requires no modification whatsoever, just careful coding of the RCX for
> > IR control. One RCX, controling multiple trains, switching tracks, and loading &
> > unloading stations. If the train folks don't enjoy this, I assure you there's
> > some mindstorms types that are chomping at the bit.
>
> The problem you're gonna find is that the RCX can only point in 1 direction at
> once. Unless you have many spaced around your layout, you're not gonna be able
> to control the trains at every point on the layout. That may not be a problem -
> if the trains continue running when they lose their IR signal (we don't know
> that yet) you may be able to have significant chunks that don't need coverage,
> but you're still probably gonna end up needing multiple RCXs - and how do they
> communicate with each other if they're using IR to communicate with trains?
>
> ROSCO
Surely the automated sections of the layout can be as complicated and widespread
as you have RCXs? You only have one?, that just controls passing at a second
station with control on the rest of the layout being down by you, manually (for
example).
From the things people have said my guess is that the trains will continue
without signal from the control handset. While a lot of what has been written is
speculation I'm sure I have seen it mentioned that there is an 'All trains
Emergency Stop' function, unnecessary otherwise.
Do multiple RCXs need to communicate to run a layout? Surely if they can sense a
train has come in to their 'section' they just deal with it without reference to
other areas of the layout (planning IS required tho!). The problem actually
comes with the need to:
A: deal with multiple trains simultaneously
B: recognise trains to allow signals to be send using the correct channel (to
avoid interference with other passing trains)
Tim
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