Use of HM7000 with a laptop

[ellocoloco]

Ok, this may be the dumbest question of the morning, but as my printer is connected via Bluetooth, can I programme HM7000 chips through my laptop? I have been to the google store and tried with this Bluetooth enabled device, but computer says no!

I'm not a fan of smart phones so am still using a Nokia 1208, (and a Lokmaus2) and won't be upgrading anytime soon despite my wife and workmates abuse! (It does mean I can stay off whatsapp groups)

[96RAF]

So far there are no scheduled plans to provide HM DCC app to the native windows platform.

Nor are there any third party apps to do this as they would need sight of the Bluetooth protocol used by Hornby to talk to the HM7K decoders and they will not normally release that type of information to the public domain.

[Brew Man]

However, the App is not restricted to smart phones, it will run on a tablet, (Android or iOS) if that's a bit more palatable to you.

[ColinB]

The trouble with smart phones is you touch them in the wrong place and they jump to another screen. Then there is the keyboard issue, in that they don't have one. I imagine they are the issues the original poster doesn't like. Then of course the screen goes to sleep. Tablets are better although they still don't have a screen but it is more difficult to hit a wrong button.

[ellocoloco]

Thanks guys, I suspected as much.

I have a tablet which will do the job and could use my wife's smartphone - I just pretend not to know how it works! I do much prefer a keyboard and with various devices at work and a laptop and desk top at home, I can't be bothered with a smartphone of my own. On the plus side, layout building should commence in the next six months and then I will have to look at an upgraded DCC system so unfortunately I won't be able to stay in the dark ages for much longer.

[Yelrow]

Good place to be in Dark Ages, spend most of my time there. Have a massive thing about mobile phones. My wife has very old one, where battery lasts 6 months. Just for emergencies. Totally against all these new fangled gadgets.

[Brew Man]

The trouble with smart phones is you touch them in the wrong place and they jump to another screen. Then there is the keyboard issue, in that they don't have one. I imagine they are the issues the original poster doesn't like. Then of course the screen goes to sleep. Tablets are better although they still don't have a screen but it is more difficult to hit a wrong button.

I agree about the keyboard issue. I have a Bluetooth keyboard that I use with my tablet when/if I have a lot of typing to do - emails etc. It works very well and is about the same size as the tablet itself.

 

 

[Brew Man]

@Yelrow

People said that about electricity back in the 'Dark Ages'. We wouldn't want to be without that now though.

[ellocoloco]

Thanks Daedalus. Linux is a bit of a foreign language to me although I did have it installed on a lap top at one point! I have a friend who is much more tech savvy than me so it might be something we can play with alongside a few beers at some point.

[Fishmanoz]

Who mentioned what’s-app?

I am on what’s-app groups for everything from walking the dog (apologies to WTD no longer active on the forum) to comms at a world championship sporting event. In fact two for the world champs - the official comms one and the which pub tonight one.

Why am I not on a model railway group? Will the Hornby Forums Movers and Moaners Group be next?

PS. The properly capitalised and uncapitalised name of the chat group are on the banned word lists? Why on earth? And how did elloco get his uncapitalised through?