DCC-EX + Xpressnet

[fire-bot]

Sent by Jens Nielsen (@ET188-5). Created by fire.

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Hello,

I have a question: Will there be support for Xpressnet? Or is there perhaps another hardware handheld controller for the CommandStation? I would like to use the "Multimaus" from Fleischmann.
I've looked on the Internet and in your forum, but unfortunately I haven't found anything.

Kind regards

-- 
Mit freundlichen Grüßen
Jens Nielsen
D-07407 Rudolstadt

[www.modellbahn-rudolstadt.de](http://www.modellbahn-rudolstadt.de)

[habazut]

If someone writes the software and someone else builds the RS485 adapter, there will. But until that, not likely. But noone of the current persons writing software has the need nor time for that project. So you need to find someone who both wants to do it and ca join the team.

Harald.

[ET188-5]

The adapter wouldn't be the problem, but I wouldn't be able to get any further with the software.
There was already an approach to this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3V7oAkiqJ8

Jens

[habazut]

Well, a youtube video that shows I have duct taped together this does not give the DCC-EX project anything. As you see from the comments who wanted some guidance: It was a show but not tell.

It says in yhe youtube description: Thanks to Philip Gatow for excellent Xpressnet Arduino library. I have looked at the code of Philip Gatow before but so far not able to take anything from there because of

• questionable mix of licenses
• code quality

We have a contributed XpressNet parser so DCC-EX can understand parts of XpressNet over UDP but that is not integrated yet and has been on hold as Roco had the brilliant idea to try to cash in EUR 20 from everyone who wants to use their app with something that is not a Z21. But at the same time not supporting the app to work with anything else but the Z21 (in my opinion, if you take money you should offer something beyond not lobotomized).

Regards,
Harald.

[ET188-5]

I can understand that.

However, my intention was to use the Xpressnet hardware on the CommandStation. I don't need the Z21 app. There's also Rocrail.
It's a shame that there's no movement there.

Thanks for your explanations anyway

Regards,
Jens

[habazut]

There are a lot of multimice in the german speaking part of the world, so I would expect someone who owns at least one to take up the pin and run, but not so far.

RocRail has been using the DCC++ (I don't know if they have come to the DCC-EX versions yet) protocol and that has been working but as that is closed source I can't have a look (so ask there if you feel for it)

Regards,
Harald.

[FrightRisk]

Hello Jens. I did not reply to your support email since you were getting help here. You can also use the EX-DCCInspector to "sniff" DCC packets. So we can take the output of another command station and send those through an EX-CommandStation. It is sort of a "daisy chain" approach, but will let you use the DCC functions of any throttle.

[ET188-5]

Hello Fred,
The idea was to use the Fleischmann Multimaus, which is very popular here, on the DCC-EX CommandStation. I was hoping that XpressNet support was already in the works. Unfortunately, that is not the case.
I always find operating the control center using a hand controller better than an app.

[FrightRisk]

Many people prefer a physical throttle. I did too for a while, but now have gotten used to engine driver. You can use a volume control as a physical speed knob with engine driver as well as different Bluetooth joysticks and controls. That might be an option also. But as I say, you can use a Multimaus controller, you just need to connect the output of their command station to our EX-DCCInspector and have it be the "translator". If someone really wants XpressNet support and is a programmer, I hope they join the team. That is how a lot of our innovations become a product. Thanks again for your interest and suggestion.

[ET188-5]

Hello Fred,

Thanks. Since I am only an advanced user, I cannot contribute anything to the project. Otherwise I would have been happy to help.
Phillip Ghatow has an Xpressnet library that he implemented in his project (https://pgahtow.de/w/Zentrale_Z21PG). He wrote it with Arduino IDE.
I had hoped that the library would be included in the DCC-EX project. Someone has already done something like this and posted it online on YouTube. Contact: fail.
I am not giving up hope that there will still be Xpressnet support in the project.

Best regards, Jens

[habazut]

I had hoped that the library would be included in the DCC-EX project

I wrote above why not the P.Ghatow one.

there will still be Xpressnet support in the project.

If someone who has the right hardware and coding skills steps up and does the part of the job which is more than showing "look it works for me". We could do a lot of showoffs like that and then make ourselves unreachable for "how did you do that" questions. But we don't want to do it that way.

Regards,
Harald.

[ET188-5]

Thank you for your explanation. Unfortunately, I can't contribute anything to the programming.

Just to clarify: I'm not interested in Z21 functionality, but rather control via Xpressnet. That has nothing to do with ROCO.

Stay healthy
Regards
Jens