Is R8144 Railmaster Software Dead?

[Chrissaf]

According to Hornby's website the R8144 Railmaster Software is 'no longer available' and they are not expecting to get any more stock.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/hornby-railmaster-pc-model-railway-control-system.html

 

Does this mean the sofeware is dead and there is something new on the horizon to replace it.


I was just thinking back to the time Zero One was about and some thought it was the way to go, I know I did at the time.

Anybody know anything?

[Chrissaf]

R8144 has been shown on the link your stated as 'unavailable' for months maybe even a year or more. This is because Hornby have outsourced ALL aspects of the RM SW to the original developers. This includes 'sales'. The R8144 product code relates specifically to the physical CD version of RM. You can still purchase RM, but not on CD (except for old retailer stocks). It is now an 'online' purchase made from within the RM application (downloaded Evaluation copy).

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The purchase price then goes directly to the developer (not to Hornby) to go towards some of their development and support costs [as does the purchase price of the HandHeld and RM PRO license upgrades]. The Con of this, is that the 'online' purchase is at the full RM product retail price of £69.95 with no discount options.

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Hornby however are still bundling the R8144 CD with the eLink hardware controller. For how long though is another matter. I have no insider information on this, but I would suspect that the bundled RM SW with eLink will only continue as long as stocks last. If and when current stocks of eLink run out, what policy Hornby adopt then ... I have no idea.

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TIP: As a relative newbie poster on the forum, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

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See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

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[Big Alan]

 Thanks Chris for your reply, sorry for originally posting it under DCC, I must have had my specs on inside out.Well your reply fully explains it all, I've found a retailer with stock at £55 so I've just purchased that.I already have an Elite Controller.Hornby's 'Sorry' message doesn't explain the situation like you have, as an old customer coming back, I wouldn't know if that message was put up last week, last month or yesterday. They could have dated it.Or better still, explain the situation like you have.

[96RAF]

If you are buying an RM-eLink bundle then you have the option of using your Elite as controller A to run locos and do programming of decoders and eLink as controller B to run your points on a separate bus, although eLInk or Elite will happilly run both with RM.

[Chrissaf]

When you get the CD, leave the CD in the case and just use the Activation Key printed on the packaging. Download the 1.72 version from the link at the top of the RM forum.

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For the best RM installation experience, connect your Elite and install the Windows Drivers (see link below). Make sure that the driver is being shown correctly in Windows Device Manager and that the Elite is connected and powered up (showing 03 on the display) before you start to install the RM software.

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Installing Win7, 8 & 10 drivers:

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/windows-10-drivers-for-hornby-elite/?p=1

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[96RAF]

Note that Elite and eLink use the same MS drivers In Win10 not the Hornby drivers in very early Win platforms. Dev Mgr will show USB device not Hornby Elite on the port in use.