HM7000 Suggestions box for improvements

[Cedric-355449]

Would it not be possible to encapsulate the decoder in some form of insulation, as I am always concerned the use of shrink cover worries me when using heat to shrink it.

[CarolinaHST]

I see more than one throttle on screen for tablets has been requested however even simpler:

Could you please create a way to link two decoders together for power and dummy car operation?

For instance, in the case of the beloved HST, I would like to be able to control sound and direction on both units with just one control screen. I would imagine some sort of link or profile could be made where two decoders respond to one set of commands? Cheers

[SteveM6]

Consisting is already on the list of future developments.

[Bobbynomad]

How about making the app available from the Hornby website to download to your LAPTOP? Most laptops have bluetooth and then it can be controlled from your laptop, (with a mouse if you don't have a touch screen). Google Play don't allow you to dowload it to a laptop at the moment so why not do it yourself?

[96RAF]

@Robert

The app is not designed to work on Windows or MAC computers, just iOS or Android mobile devices.

[Bobbynomad]

@96RAF Accepted, but it is just a suggestion in the suggestion box !

[Stretters8]

I have mixed emotions of trying to set-up and use our first HM7K chip so far.

We have the NRM R2441 flying scotsman, so when we heard that a specific profile was available we ordered a chip.

When the chip arrived we had to wait two weeks for the APP to become available on Ios, but initial thought everything looked good.

I plugged the chip in and set the speaker up in the medium enclosure, to fit where the chassis weight used to be located.

Plugged it all together and it then took 23 attempts to get a sound profile to download and function, as there was no profile on the chip when initially powered up.

Once everything seemed to be working well albeit the speaker sounded a little crackly and distorted, I then tried to tuck the chip into the smoke box and fit the body.

I had motion and sound for a short while, but then the sound went really crackly and finally stopped working but the motion carried on moving.

Off with the body again to investigate and no obvious issue, I tried to test an iPhone speaker on the chip whilst holding the bare wires against the terminals and I had sound again. So we trimmed off the plug from the box speaker and fitted the iPhone speaker to it instead, plugged it all back in and then refitted the body.

The loco then happily went round our layout for a few 14ft x 8ft laps, but then the sound stopped again and the motion would keep stopping and then restarting.

Upon removing the body once more, the small socket for the speaker plug had completed come off the chip board and had dropped down.

Having noted that there were terminals on the other side of the board, I carefully soldered the speaker wire directly onto the board.

Once the loco was rebuilt it was then tested again, with all sound working for a couple of laps and then stopped.

Once the chip was re-set and the profile reloaded as it said there was a fault again, we then re tried it on the layout where it only seems to wamt to move about 3ft before stopping again with no sound Once more.

Just really fed up now and reluctant to try another chip or indeed chip any more loco's if I will keep getting issues.

If hornby would like me to send them the chip back for science purposes then I can do, as it seems no use to me now at all. The loco is now running again using a lais decoder I had laying around from another project.

[96RAF]

Contact George on the dedicated HM DCC helpline. HM.customercare@hornby.com

Crackly speakers are not unknown and usually occur if the driver is not sealed to the enclosure. A smear of silicone helps here.

The speaker socket falling off has been reported several times and is a warranty fault.

[Sebedee]

I'm using a 21pin HM7000-TXS (sound) with HM7070 power bank.

This is my first 21 pin chip installation.

Installation.

1. The instructions could be enhanced to show the socket ON THE TOP once the chip has been installed. For those of us old school electronics people, it is possible to try to install the board upside down if you think the socket should take the pins directly, as opposed to the socket being on the top when installed with the pins passing through the etched board to reach the socket on the other side. Whether it would have worked or blown up is not known as I didn't try, but I will admit that it didn't look right so I came back to the installation after a sleep to reconsider.
2. Both the speaker and the power bank plugs and sockets are also not totally clear in terms of which way up they need to be fitted. Colouring the pictures to show the black and red wires could help here, but also using a plug with more obvious differences in terms of which way up it goes would also be a benefit. Using +2.00 reading glasses with an additional magnifying glass helped here (Please consider the average age of the grandparent trying to help their grandchildren when designing small items).

 

Next instalment - Programming...

[96RAF]

@zebedee

1. The NMRA spec shows there are two ways to install the 21-pin decoder - either compact or rotated, which determines where the sockets for the speaker and PB end up. Apart from listing every loco installation under the sun there is no common illustration to use for example.
2. The shape of the plug and socket are specified by JST and will only fit one way. Unfortunately as we age the senses deteriorate and spotting the difference becomes more difficult.

[Gary-359000]

Maybe been mentioned elsewhere that whilst I fully support Bluetooth control and all the bells and whistles I simply do not want to spend my hobby time using yet another screen. I just want to switch off from electronic faff and stress!

So an analogue type traditional control for speed and direction but retain the screen for all the luxuries!

The traditional type controller would be linked by hard wire or Bluetooth to the iPad and would simply be a different, simpler user interface for those who want it.

Of course, being new to the modern day world of model trains ( thank you TT120 ) it’s possible that I’m missing something and that my idea is already possible.

[Brew Man]

Well the TXS (HM7000) decoders are all capable of being controlled by conventional DCC controllers. In fact they all come from the factory configured that way by default. So you can use the App for things like downloading and installing sound profiles then switch back to DCC control for day-to-day running.

[96RAF]

@Gary

The requirement for a simple tactile add-on control was discussed on one off the videos as HM7K was being introduced and it was confirmed as being a possible future product but with no timescale for it, nor where it would stand in the queue of things already on the wish list.

[Paul K]

One suggestion from a new user:

When I go to transfer a decoder from one control device to another (aka: unlink from tablet, link to a new device like a phone), I get a warning that the decoder will be reset to factory settings and any installed loco profile/settings currently programmed will be deleted.

It would be much more convenient if decoders were transferable to a new controller while maintaining the current programming, sound files, and CVs on the chip. Since it's a closed ecosystem, is there a way a new controller could simply read the ID of any profile already installed on a decoder upon linking, without a reset?

[96RAF]

@paul

A simpler handover is being looked at but there has to be some security to safeguard against mischief such as unwanted control being wrested from the ‘legal’ controller. Such lapse of security could open up a user’s entire networking system to hacking or could wreak havoc at a show.

[Too Tall]

@96RAF I realise your reply is a couple of weeks old, is this still the case ?

My test setup is a 7 year old tablet which runs the software but is a bit too unresponsive so will be replaced.

Surely the user login and the email passcodes are secure enough ?

Back OT suggestion to enable saving a custom CV profile blush

And one to delay the start chuff a bit longer if you use longer acceleration times.

[96RAF]

@TT

we await an update probably next month to wrap up a good few things.

Secure simply by login is still iffy - however it is better than none at all. OK at home or in your club but at a show, anyone could have registered an account with Hornby, logged in and gone to a show intent on mischief.

[Too Tall]

Good to know, thanks slightly_smiling_face

[Fishmanoz]

We no longer seem to be getting suggestions on this thread, rather various problems discussed when they should be in their own separate threads. What about locking it?

[Moccasin]

@TT

we await an update probably next month to wrap up a good few things.

Secure simply by login is still iffy - however it is better than none at all. OK at home or in your club but at a show, anyone could have registered an account with Hornby, logged in and gone to a show intent on mischief.

How about using the current secure system by default but the user has the option to turn that off at their own risk so that it’s just the account login protection. That seems safer than the other way around.

[Too Tall]

Another (unrelated) suggestion. moving both ends of the power slider bar inboard or making a wider "pick up" point as 2 devices I have tried seem to not reliably grab the extreme ends (on android).

[Fishmanoz]

That sounds like a bug to me TT.

[Postman On The Rails]

Could use a filter on the sound profiles for TT ones saves scrolling :o)

[David-P]

Everyone wants their own custom functions, but it's no feasible for Hornby to create them all; why not provide a "user code function" (or two). The user has to write the code for the function, which is then compiled and linked in to the rest of Hornby's code on the decoder. Obviously, it would need to be fairly restricted and would require some extra words in the manual, but then there would be no more requests for functions, as Hornby would be able to say "write your own".

I'm guessing at least half of the target audience are familiar with either Arduino or Raspberry Pi, so it would sit fairly comfortably with most users...

Just a thought.

[Slats]

as someone who has tried reading everything and now relying upon the kindness of more learned strangers to fill in a lot of gaps in my knowledge, it would be great for Hornby to actually look at the questions being asked and via the frequency of them, perhaps expand the manual.

Simon K - stated there would be newcomers to TT120 and with that HM7000, so why is the bulk of the documentation written for the learned and experienced DCC operator?! - It would seem that Hornby could and should with it's stated goals spend a little more time on inking the detail of reasonable questions for the newbee