HM7000 Suggestions box for improvements

[96RAF]

There is a set of how-to guides for HM7K leading folk step by step along the way. They are as simple as it gets.

The decoder manual is comprehensive but as you say if added to would be even more tech than it is now.

Have you noticed that even Microsoft products with all their expertise generate 3rd party dummies guides for its Office Suite - Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc that are many times thicker than the original manuals. That to me says the original manual is too complex for normal folk to understand, but the noddy guides are even more so. Where do you start and where do you draw the line with such guides.

[Ighten 1707822464]

With regard to the custom function profiles.

A) it can get messy if you start moving function numbers about.

B) it is useful though to remove those you have no use for

C) therefore instead of removed ones being replaced by a blank button.. have a tick box to then compress those you do want just to page 1.

[96RAF]

With regard to the custom function profiles.

A) it can get messy if you start moving function numbers about.

B) it is useful though to remove those you have no use for

C) therefore instead of removed ones being replaced by a blank button.. have a tick box to then compress those you do want just to page 1.

 

 

Ref C - as you delete a function populate it with the one you want, then all those will be on the first page and there will be no blanks. Once you have your customs listing export it as a name then you can import it to other like locos later.

[Ighten 1707822464]

Yes I was aware of that .. just wondering if this would streamline it a little instead of backwards and forward through screens.

I'm sure it's been mentioned before but some android phones (pixel 6 and 7 for sure) have an issue where the edge of the screen being swiped acts as next or previous page which can interfere with the speed slider.

[Backafter5]

Suggestion Multiple HM6010 on one Page

I now have four HM6010 boxes and feel it would be easier to control my accessories if they where all on one page rather than individually pages.

Perhaps not suitable for iPhone but there is room on an iPad.

[96RAF]

Suggestion Multiple HM6010 on one Page

I now have four HM6010 boxes and feel it would be easier to control my accessories if they where all on one page rather than individually pages.

Perhaps not suitable for iPhone but there is room on an iPad.

 

 

Already available. I have 5 here accessed by scrolling along, same as for locos.

[Backafter5]

Hi It was more like this :-

[96RAF]

Mine looks like this on iPad

[Backafter5]

I am probably not explaining it right the suggestion was to see all four boxes and controls on one screen which I tried to illustrate with the picture I put up. Anyway it was just an idea.

[96RAF]

I am probably not explaining it right the suggestion was to see all four boxes and controls on one screen which I tried to illustrate with the picture I put up. Anyway it was just an idea.

 

 

Yes I can see what you are trying to illustrate. As you said OK for the bigger screen but maybe unsuitable for phones.

[Loewietje]

Suggestion for a future sound profile: the old TTS Vent Van sounds. A TXS decoder can be used in a coach or wagon, or in a (station)building.

[Chris98]

I do not know if its already planned.

To make the layout/track building part of tha app interactive so that points, signals etc can be controlled by touching the appropriate symbol on the layout screen.

[96RAF]

I do not know if its already planned.

To make the layout/track building part of tha app interactive so that points, signals etc can be controlled by touching the appropriate symbol on the layout screen.

 

 

It is but a long way off.

[Kristian-353752]

I would love to see a build your own sound profile option.

I would see this using existing sounds from existing profiles.

How would this work?

On download a profile there would be an option saying create a custom profile.

The user would choose a base profile (from the existing set).

The user could then choose to replace existing functions with options of functions from other base profile sets.

The user would then save the set and a custom set would be available for them.

The user would then tick a box to say that the accept this is a unique "experimental" profile and that some functions may not work as expected.

The new profile can then be downloaded.

Why do this? This could give the user an option to get a closer fit to a loco that does not have a profile at the moment.

I appreciate that the sounds would not be totally correct but the ability to modify would be great.

[Brew Man]

Sounds like a potential dog's breakfast to me. Can't see it happening, but who knows.

[SteveM6]

And the budget for developing the Frankenstein option comes from where?

[Matt-362700]

The recent Cl47 profile release is very welcome, I am little disappointed with the horn sounds however. I figure some of the recordings have come from locomotives approaching at speed, or from a distance. The Doplar effect is quite obvious on F3.

Not sure where the F2 samples came from. I'm getting a sick cuckoo with a party-horn vibe.

I can see that in certain circumstances, the F3 horns would work quite well (large, fast continuous loop layouts). I have a small depot layout so the aggressive, distant or novelty horns do sound rather odd when things don't get much above crawling speed.

My suggestions for consideration:

Properly group horn sounds between the two horn functions.

F2 for bog-standard, short blasts to average length two-tones. (For starting, shunting and slow-speed layouts).

F3 for the novelty, long, distant and fast approaching tones. (For showboating and scale 3,000mph passes).

I think AFC control only use F2 samples? If not, I think that would also be a good idea.

Replace the Cl47 horns with more typical sound samples.

I fully appreciate that this is probably more complicated than I understand. The sound engineers can't possibly know the intricacies or quirks of each loco/unit they recreate. There's also the issues of obtaining quality samples, permissions, editing, deadlines and the other absent profiles which will take priority once a profile is released.

To support my final suggestion, here's a link to a video I recorded which includes what I would consider an average Cl47 high-low tone. Suitable for the F2 suggestion I mention above.

I must mention, I have no idea if the video above is of a suitable quality. I'm not suggesting Hornby use it. It's just a useful comparison to the samples included in the current version of the Cl47 profile.

Other than that, I'm really happy my 47's don't sound like MTU HSTs anymore!

[96RAF]

Ref the famous manual and see that by way of amending associated CVs you can select which horns play on F2 and F3.

[Matt-362700]

Thanks RAF. I will investigate. The Cl66 Darth Vader horn gets a bit much after a while.

I think I'll also disable all but one of the Cl47 horns if possible.

[96RAF]

Thanks RAF. I will investigate. The Cl66 Darth Vader horn gets a bit much after a while.

I think I'll also disable all but one of the Cl47 horns if possible.

 

 

I live close by, within earshot of the MNR at Dereham and they have a 47 and the ‘spoon’ horns are distinctive enough for me to say that’s a 47, whilst getting funny looks from SWMBO.

[Simon M]

2 suggestions/ideas for me.

1. a user configurable GUI (graphical user interface) e.g. change the size/format of buttons, loco picture window (takes too much useable space imo), possibly columns for loco controls/sliders all on front page, as previous suggestions stackable accessory controls (6010)
2. automation capably make the layout in track builder “live” and add “markers” or addresses so you can configure a routine e.g run loco address 10 to marker x, pause for x seconds and repeat - so running a loop and stopping at a platform (x), could also have something like loco 11 fwd out of siding A to marker Y, switch point no. 2, reverse loco 11 to stop at marker Z.

Maybe I’m asking for the moon on a stick but never know where this great technology will take us 😉

[96RAF]

2 . What you are asking for requires an amount of additional in that to stop at point X the app would have to know the train was approaching/at X. Railmaster has been waiting almost a decade for loco detection hardware. Some of that can be done by use ofABC modules.

[Simon M]

My thinking was more around software development as opposed to bolting on more hardware - where you could give section of track an address to act as a marker. And integrate auto switching from HM6010, but appreciate the development costs of something like this would have to be offset by revenue from somewhere ! And after all the App is free and that is a huge positive. Perhaps in app purchases for additional features may be the future ?

[SteveM6]

Perhaps in app purchases for additional features may be the future ?

 

 

Good (banned word beginning with G) I hope not.

 

 

As you acknowledge the development of such features would come at a significant cost to Hornby for, what maybe considered as a niche feature. I can’t see it happening.

[Fishmanoz]

So you’ve given a section of track an address but how do you know where your train is on the layout with respect to that address without hardware?

Where was it at the start, where did it go to and when/where has it arrived?