Congratulations on a great technology partnership. I've been following your progress for years. The one thing holding me back has been the need for an iPhone hardware adapter to provide a tactile mechanical throttle (wheel or buttons). You teased the idea with your video using a iPhone bluetooth game controller to control BlueRail. I in-vision a handle with clips at the top to physically hold the phone. The handle would have either a thumb wheel or buttons for throttle control and direction. (very minimal - 2 buttons and a wheel) This device would simply be plugged into the lightning connector on the iPhone. Added bonus if the "handle" held an auxiliary charger to keep the iphone from draining during an op session. Just my thoughts. Congratulations again. Keep up the great work!
Dave, you need to add a demo mode to the ap so folks considering buying into Blunami can actually open the ap and see how it works. Right now it won’t do anything on my iPad unless there is a Bluetooth loco available. Also is the Bluetooth transceiver always on is is there a CV or function in the decoder to turn it on. I have looked in all the Soundtraxx stuff and this is not mentioned anywhere! Matter of fact Soundtraxx has nothing about the Bluetooth operations or requirements. Thanks-Larry Puckett, The DCC Guy
Yea, we had a "demo mode" when the app was in its infancy, but it became more work to maintain as the app complexity increased, so we ultimately decided to park that feature and just focus on developing the app. Hopefully there will be enough Blunamis in the wild soon so you can check it out yourself. As for the bluetooth question, I believe the decoder will operate in standard DCC through-the-rails mode until you launch the app in range. Once you have connected to the loco via bluetooth, the decoder will disregard through-the-rail signals and respond to app commands. To return to standard DCC mode you need to power-cycle the board. Good to hear from you.
The range is slightly diminished in a brass shell (as opposed to a plastic shell). You will get the best results if you install the decoder so the Bluetooth antenna is as far as reasonably possible from the metal or brass in the loco.
Dave, I tried emailing you about using your 5 amp board wired directly to the track. Could I also drive multiple sound decoders with the 5 amp BlueRail? I’d like to be able to switch between diesel and steam. Will I be able to read/write CVs with your app? I want to build a BLE enabled track power “transformer” to run larger vintage locos. Thanks, you are way ahead of DCC with BLE. Nice work. I see lots of possibilities.
Is there a way to get the throttle notch number to show somewhere for 1 - 126. It would be nice if there was a plus minus button for throttle notch control like on NCE controllers, one set for + - 10 and one set for + - 1 throttle control.
I absolutely love this idea! My club's track gets so damn dirty, I get frustrated and give up. The one thing I would love to see is a version that has notches on the software. Rather than a slider with 1 thru 100, how about make it more realistic with a mock-up AAR control stand and notches, but in an app version? Kind of like the ProtoThrottle but on the app. Can't wait for N scale and Android versions!! I will definitely be getting this!!!
@@BlueRailTrains True, but my guess is that the notch you are refferring to is a 1% change. Tap once, up 1%, tap a second time, you are at 2% etc... I meant notch Idle thru 8. Notch one energizes the traction motors at idle, notch 1 increases the rpms by 65, notch 2 etc... up to notch 8, full power. Not a 1 thru 99% deal like JMRI or the potentiometers on a NCE or Digitrax throttle. My idea would be to take a photo of an AAR stand inside of a locomotive, use that as the software background, and superimpose the working controls on that. As you press and hold the throttle and slide it forward and backwards, the image changes and moves the throttle stick thru the notch positions. Maybe an idea here for someone who is good at making apps. Take the workings of your app, or Engine Driver / WiThrottle, but make it look like you are in a locomotive. Thant what I meant.
I just saw the presentation from Soundtraxx and it looks like you are doing the software side. I do not own any Apple stuff, I do have a Galaxy 20. So my question is, how long before there is a Droid version of the app? Thank you.
I don't have a date, but we are hopeful this will happen soon. Please read the article linked below. Also please consider you could probably get an iPhone6s plus on eBay for $50 (no phone plan required) and enjoy it while you wait for the Android version to come out. bluerailtrains.com/why-do-developers-release-ios-versions-before-android/
Lello, I bought a second hand ipad V11 or later, for 65$ AUD....AND then bought a case to protect it outdoors. Taken me ages to get used to it. don't really like it, as opposed to Android, but have got used to it. It has nothing else on it except bluerail....cheers. rivergladesgardenrailway
Outdoor layout here. I lose Bluetooth signal as the train passes around the far side of a dirt pile. Android "auto reconnect" works like I expect. I set auto-reconnect on an Apple phone, but it doesn't do it. I have to go back to "home" and hit connect to control my train again.
@@gigasaurus My conclusion at this point is that the old iPhone I was using (iPhone SE from about iPhone 4 days) doesn't have Bluetooth LE - which includes protocols for intermittent communication between the phone and the device. Next time I'm using the iPhone 6s, I'll see if it will reconnect. If that works, then I just need to stick with newer models.
Yea, you want to be using at least an iphone 6 or7 (preferably 8) to have enough processing power to have a positive experience. Remember iOS has stopped supporting 7 and below, so you never know when Apple is going to stop supporting those phones in xcode, which all apps are required to update when they release app updates @@charlieweesner4436
I think the voltage can vary. I've used 11.1volt amps and 20 volt DC power supplies - and they all work. Best thing is to check the specs of the Tsunami2 2200 (as it will be the same). No AC power. 2 amp max in this first board.
Congratulations on a great technology partnership. I've been following your progress for years. The one thing holding me back has been the need for an iPhone hardware adapter to provide a tactile mechanical throttle (wheel or buttons). You teased the idea with your video using a iPhone bluetooth game controller to control BlueRail. I in-vision a handle with clips at the top to physically hold the phone. The handle would have either a thumb wheel or buttons for throttle control and direction. (very minimal - 2 buttons and a wheel) This device would simply be plugged into the lightning connector on the iPhone. Added bonus if the "handle" held an auxiliary charger to keep the iphone from draining during an op session.
Just my thoughts. Congratulations again. Keep up the great work!
Awesome Dave!
This Blunami decoder and app are absolute game-changers. It’s akin to what the invention of the wheel did for transportation.
Dave, you need to add a demo mode to the ap so folks considering buying into Blunami can actually open the ap and see how it works. Right now it won’t do anything on my iPad unless there is a Bluetooth loco available.
Also is the Bluetooth transceiver always on is is there a CV or function in the decoder to turn it on. I have looked in all the Soundtraxx stuff and this is not mentioned anywhere! Matter of fact Soundtraxx has nothing about the Bluetooth operations or requirements.
Thanks-Larry Puckett, The DCC Guy
Yea, we had a "demo mode" when the app was in its infancy, but it became more work to maintain as the app complexity increased, so we ultimately decided to park that feature and just focus on developing the app. Hopefully there will be enough Blunamis in the wild soon so you can check it out yourself. As for the bluetooth question, I believe the decoder will operate in standard DCC through-the-rails mode until you launch the app in range. Once you have connected to the loco via bluetooth, the decoder will disregard through-the-rail signals and respond to app commands. To return to standard DCC mode you need to power-cycle the board. Good to hear from you.
Can’t wait for this to drop, have a couple of Locomotives that I want to convert from DC to command and control. These boards would be perfect.
Will have to test the stall current of my O Scale 44 toner to see if this version will work. Thanks. This is exciting.
We have more board formats in the works, keep an eye out!
great combination of 2 cards into one........what a game changer...will be in the market when the 4amp version comes out....
If I have a brass engine will be Bluetooth signal go through the brass?
The range is slightly diminished in a brass shell (as opposed to a plastic shell). You will get the best results if you install the decoder so the Bluetooth antenna is as far as reasonably possible from the metal or brass in the loco.
Awesome!
Very cool
Dave, I tried emailing you about using your 5 amp board wired directly to the track. Could I also drive multiple sound decoders with the 5 amp BlueRail? I’d like to be able to switch between diesel and steam. Will I be able to read/write CVs with your app? I want to build a BLE enabled track power “transformer” to run larger vintage locos.
Thanks, you are way ahead of DCC with BLE. Nice work. I see lots of possibilities.
Can I consist a locomotive that has this decoder with a locmotive with a regular DCC decoder?
yes. The Blunami will function exactly like a TSU2 on a DCC layout
Is there a way to get the throttle notch number to show somewhere for 1 - 126. It would be nice if there was a plus minus button for throttle notch control like on NCE controllers, one set for + - 10 and one set for + - 1 throttle control.
I like the step display idea. Right now if you tap anywhere above the throttle bar it increases the speed, and anywhere below decreases speed.
Can this be consisted with Soundtraxx Tsunami2 locomotives? - Jason
yes. The Blunami will function exactly like a TSU2 on a DCC layout
I absolutely love this idea! My club's track gets so damn dirty, I get frustrated and give up.
The one thing I would love to see is a version that has notches on the software. Rather than a slider with 1 thru 100, how about make it more realistic with a mock-up AAR control stand and notches, but in an app version? Kind of like the ProtoThrottle but on the app.
Can't wait for N scale and Android versions!! I will definitely be getting this!!!
If you tap above or below the throttle ball, it takes you up or down one notch.
@@BlueRailTrains True, but my guess is that the notch you are refferring to is a 1% change. Tap once, up 1%, tap a second time, you are at 2% etc...
I meant notch Idle thru 8. Notch one energizes the traction motors at idle, notch 1 increases the rpms by 65, notch 2 etc... up to notch 8, full power. Not a 1 thru 99% deal like JMRI or the potentiometers on a NCE or Digitrax throttle.
My idea would be to take a photo of an AAR stand inside of a locomotive, use that as the software background, and superimpose the working controls on that. As you press and hold the throttle and slide it forward and backwards, the image changes and moves the throttle stick thru the notch positions.
Maybe an idea here for someone who is good at making apps. Take the workings of your app, or Engine Driver / WiThrottle, but make it look like you are in a locomotive.
Thant what I meant.
Please, I am confused on your website. If I want my loco to be running deadrail. What do I have to order exactly.
I just saw the presentation from Soundtraxx and it looks like you are doing the software side. I do not own any Apple stuff, I do have a Galaxy 20. So my question is, how long before there is a Droid version of the app? Thank you.
I don't have a date, but we are hopeful this will happen soon. Please read the article linked below. Also please consider you could probably get an iPhone6s plus on eBay for $50 (no phone plan required) and enjoy it while you wait for the Android version to come out. bluerailtrains.com/why-do-developers-release-ios-versions-before-android/
@@BlueRailTrains I saw where someone said you need at least an IPhone 8 to run the app, is this true?
@@fire5506 no. The recommended minimum device is a iPhone6 plus.
Lello, I bought a second hand ipad V11 or later, for 65$ AUD....AND then bought a case to protect it outdoors. Taken me ages to get used to it. don't really like it, as opposed to Android, but have got used to it. It has nothing else on it except bluerail....cheers.
rivergladesgardenrailway
@@fire5506 V11 or better for Ipad
Outdoor layout here. I lose Bluetooth signal as the train passes around the far side of a dirt pile. Android "auto reconnect" works like I expect. I set auto-reconnect on an Apple phone, but it doesn't do it. I have to go back to "home" and hit connect to control my train again.
Try toggling the setting off and back on.
@@gigasaurus My conclusion at this point is that the old iPhone I was using (iPhone SE from about iPhone 4 days) doesn't have Bluetooth LE - which includes protocols for intermittent communication between the phone and the device. Next time I'm using the iPhone 6s, I'll see if it will reconnect. If that works, then I just need to stick with newer models.
Yea, you want to be using at least an iphone 6 or7 (preferably 8) to have enough processing power to have a positive experience. Remember iOS has stopped supporting 7 and below, so you never know when Apple is going to stop supporting those phones in xcode, which all apps are required to update when they release app updates @@charlieweesner4436
What track voltage is needed? AC or DC. Amp rating?
I think the voltage can vary. I've used 11.1volt amps and 20 volt DC power supplies - and they all work. Best thing is to check the specs of the Tsunami2 2200 (as it will be the same). No AC power. 2 amp max in this first board.
@@BlueRailTrains Thanks
when will it be scaled down to N?
SoundTraxx has not announced a release date for an 1100 yet. Keep an eye on SoundTraxx announcements for that.
$136 is still too pricy for me.