DCC walk around companion controller

[jward]

Ralph, I am a bit confused as to why you think the Smart Interface would preclude you buying new DCC locomotives, or why you seem to think your DC locomotives can't be converted to DCC. I am thinking you don't have a full understanding of what DCC is. First of all, converting most DCC locomotives to DCC is as simple as adding a decoder. On older locomotives you may have to modify the wiring in such a way that the chassis is not used as a ground, like in a blue box Athearn. The motor must be isolated from the chassis, once this is done it is a simple matter of hardwiring a decoder in locomotives that do not already have a DCC socket. For somebody who has expressed a desire to reverse engineer as much stuff as you have on this board, that should be second nature. As for specific recommendations for decoder installation, many decoder manufacturers offer tutorials on installing decoders into specific locomotives. My experience has been that while these tutorials are gears toward that company's products, decoders are standardized enough, especially the ones you hardwire, that you can install anybody's equivalent decoder using the tutorials. Good decoders can be found online for $20-25, economy ones for around $15.

It should be noted that while the Smart Interface would be a big improvement to the utility of EZ Command, It wouldn't add to the inherent weaknesses of the system, namely the limited slots available for locomotive addresses, the limited current capacity of the system, and the inability to do any decoder programming other than an address change. As I read the documentation, it would, however, allow the use of multiple cell phones as additional controllers. In theory, it would allow the use of up to 9 cell phones as controllers, each one controlling a different address. But by that time, you would have inevitably exceeded the current rating of the EZ Command, especially if you are running sound equipped locomotives.

[Ralph S]

Mr. Ward, I responded to your query in a new topic.  (From:  Re: DCC walk around companion controller  « Reply #15 on: June 27, 2021, 04:14:58 PM »

See New topic: To: Converting DC engines to DCC  « on: 6/28/2021 at 06:17:30 PM »

By the way, you gave me something I hadn't actually thought about.    Later.