HM7000 Suggestions box for improvements

[96RAF]

Bluetooth points (motors) are on the development list as no doubt will be signals and other trackside features like ambient sound modules (think TTS Vent Van), These could act as track hardware markers but you cannot place a software marker on screen and expect that to become a physical location. Just as the RM track plan is totally ignored by the software, so would it be in HM7K. It is a visual aid for the operator not the operating app. As in RM you could stack all your points in a corner lined up like soldiers and they would still work.

[Simon M]

My thinking was - you plan your layout in track builder, you build your physical layout to your plan - you then sync the plan “into live” which then introduces numerous markers that plot the geography of the layout and loco’s already have addresses so the app knows where the loco at any point in time.

and the addition of future BT accessories further enhances the meshed capability’s.

[96RAF]

Essentially you want to split the mimic plan into numerous phantom blocks then plot those blocks as each loco pass them by way of meshing. Not sure if that is possible.

[Fishmanoz]

I like the idea of BT mesh triangulation. Put the cable companies out of business, fibre optic and wire, although model railway users X layout size not likely to save the planet.

And Canadian interface designers too, unfortunately (sorry, TGG in joke).

[Robert-370275]

Let users create their own sounds for their locomotives and upload them into the app. You could then have a facility to share those sounds in the Hornby cloud. This would increase the available sound sets as users add to the growing catalogue.

[LTSR_NSE]

Unfortunately Robert - an option for creating custom sound profiles is extremely unlikely to be developed (at least for quite a while - if ever.)

Whilst audio editing programs/applications exist (at varying cost from free to expensive) - Hornby would have to be willing to licence/make public the file format that the decoders require.

Hornby would then need to either allow customers to upload files to the profiles server, (with all the extra security & anti-virus implications that would entail - not to mention needing to error/bug-test every submitted profile) or else rewrite the app to enable it to access profiles stored on the customer’s device/WiFi (along with a disclaimer that errors/bugs would be the customer’s responsibility to resolve.)

Although the above would make HM7k more attractive to tinkerers… it wouldn’t align with Hornby’s current strategy, of marketing HM7k as easy-to-use & an everything-provided-at-the-touch-of-a-button system… which they are pursuing in an effort to attract those put-off by DCC’s complexities.

[Cap_Loz-352652]

It would be very useful if there was an indication of the connection status showing on each locomotive tab on the “driving” page of the App.

Yes, on the selected Loco you can see the Bluetooth status but it would be really useful to be able to see the connection status on the other hidden loco tabs.

[SteveM6]

I can’t see what added value you would get from that. The app does tell you how many decoders are detected in total.

[96RAF]

If it’s active and on a live track it should be connected.

[John-357061]

Improvement to ABC braking feature.

Allow up to three different features based on left, right or both rails.

what you have now.

Multiple different stopping settings.

Slow down, for distance signal

Shuttle service.

[Ralf-62]

There's something else going on

Anyone who follows my posts here in the forum will see that I really enjoy running my locomotives with sound on the model railway.

With this article I would first like to try to show what the sound should be improved on.

When it comes to the sounds that can be called up using the function keys, it should be taken into account whether they could be heard while stationary, while driving, or always!

For example, switch and curve squeaks can only be heard when driving!

The direction switch can only be heard when stationary, but also when the direction of travel is changed.

If such properties are taken into account in the AFC button. the illusion becomes even more exemplary!

I don't understand why in AFC mode you can only select up to F-key 20 and none of the AUX connections. At least F1 and F2 should be included here.

There are certainly other points that could be improved, but this can be addressed gradually.

My next suggestion concerns the app’s user interface.

The + and - buttons for speed would have to be a little larger so that you can hit them reliably.

If it were possible to link the speed slider to an external encoder, perhaps even with additional buttons (brakes, stop and change of direction), that would be extremely helpful for operation.

However, it would be even better to have a real hand controller with the ability to assign some of the buttons yourself!

I would be happy if one or two suggestions were implemented at some point.

It sends friendly greetings,

Ralf from Germany

[96RAF]

@Ralph

AFC can certainly be configured to play sounds associated only with running and/or stationary by way of a binary selection of CVs. The app makes this easy in the advanced CV editor if you know the associated F-numbers.

F0 and F1 are automatically included in AFC so there is no need to add them manually. Similarly at start one of the F2 horn or whistles blows to indicate the loco is going to move and as it stops the brake is automatically played.

Adding the aux functions above F20 does not seem to be possible but it would not be wise to add higher functions into AFC like shunt, creep or brake modes.

A Bluetooth auxiliary throttle has been requested several times and Hornby has stated on video that it is possible and may be a future product.

[Too Tall]

I still have poor reliability picking up the speed slider from a 0 position (Tried 2x Tablets) On Android. My workaround is to tap 25% and then slide back to where I need.

[Brew Man]

Yes, the slider control can be a bit hit and miss, but then I find that to be the case with many touch screen interactions, not just the HM7000 App. Not sure if there is an easy cure for it at present.

[Pendragon Sailing]

I’ve had a thought !

Been re-programming the CVs of my HMDCC Fleet over the past few days, to tailor them to the different situations that each loco will be operating within, and it occurred to me that it would be very helpful for the App to have a page to jot down notes on the loco, and the assumptions I’ve been making on top speeds, lighting choices, sound set-up etc, etc.

I’ve no idea of the complexity of facilitating such a thing, but if it were feasible, it could certainly be a useful addition to the App’s functionality.

[Brew Man]

Yes, a notes page would be very useful.

[96RAF]

At present exporting a custom profile remembers any function changes set up but does not keep record of any CV changes made. It would be a satisfactory solution if an exported customised profile was made comprehensive. It may be necessary to split the export into functions and CVs so that if a new sound profile was loaded the running CVs for that loco could be resurrected by an re-import.

[Quiet Paul]

So having invested in three HM7000 with sound decoders, I after a few teething issues - yes read the instructions - I think these are an excellent product for someone like me, who is not an electronics wizz and still trying to grasp all the function variables. I'll get there in due course.

What I would like to see is a simplistic guide for the sound profiles that would help me select the most appropriate sound profile for Locomotove types that are not listed.

So for example I have a Fowler Class 4P (R2224) fitted with the HM 7000. Clearly as these were all scrapped many decades ago it is unlikely there is any sound recording that could be used from life. But which HM7000 profile and sounds is best to use?

Likewise my R3833 Chamossaire being a Class A2/2 or A2/3.

I am sure there are others out there that have a similar desire and would appreciate guidance in this manner

[96RAF]

Sound profile choice - simple.

How many cylinders does your loco have. Pick similar profiles.

Which whistles does your loco have. Pick similar.

Does your loco have a particular sound. Pick similar.

Diesels - ditto by engine type and horns and unique noise - eg peculiar fans or turbo scream or whistling.

[Oily old boiler]

Really enjoying the TXS chips but could we please have a sound profile suitable for the Railroad 110 you have just released ? A generic dmu could be used in so many models. Thanks. Chris

[Pete aka Spanner]

I am just getting used to this system as I've only just come back to the hobby after a 45 year lay off... I must say I'm impressed so far, maybe time will throw up some limitations.

I do have a couple of suggestions..

1. The app appears to lock the throttle/speed slider whenever its dropped to zero or the stop button is pushed, the only apparent way to get the slider active again appears to be by using the "+" button a couple of times and then the slider becomes active again. Maybe it's like that for a reason or just a glitch but it's very annoying (for me)
2. The "+", "-" and throttle buttons are way to small for my chubby fingers, especially when using a tablet, there is plenty of real estate can they be made bigger?
3. Again on a tablet, the function buttons "engine start" "horn" etc are huge and spread across three pages, the real estate could quite easily fit all three pages of decently sized buttons on one page
4. I'd like to see the throttle more exponential rather than linear, I'm sure many of us use the lower end of the scale a lot more than the top end. It wouldn't surprise me if this could be achieved by editing the CV's but that's a hole I'd rather not go down and it'd probably need doing separately for every decoder.

Amateur picture edit attached... ;)

Yellow and blue could move to be more central.

Red buttons really need to be bigger.

All 30 function controls would easily fit on one page for tablet format.

Many thanks for reading this... (if anyone actually does)

Pete

[96RAF]

1. the way the slider responds can be altered in slider settings.
2. the 'buttons' are generically optimised for all handheld devices, it would be unrealistic to have separate scaling for individual devices.
3. agreed when the buttons are set to compact rather than full. Abbreviated captions would be necessary.
4. throttle response is set by the simple or complex speed curve values. If you want a different speed curve for your style of operations then it's down to you to set that up. The slider will then reflect your custom curve.

It would appear you have some sort of screen display corruption, so it may be useful to know which handheld device you are using (make and model) on which OS (Android or iOS) and its revision state.

[Pete aka Spanner]

Hi 96RAF, It's not a tablet issue it's the saving of the edited picture that corrupted the file..

Thanks for the tips on the setting of throttle response, the throttle slider still doesn't move from zero unless given a few boots from the "+" key. I've also gone over to compact function keys which on the tablet are lovely but still on three pages, maybe in compact mode they could be all on one page, Just a suggestion.

unedited screen shot attached.

[96RAF]

Agreed about the function buttons, it does seem to be a waste of screen real estate even on a phone, which could be used for something else.

Moving the throttle using the + button takes 2 taps on my iPad to shift it, then its OK. I prefer using the % buttons as they match my loco line speeds.

Have you tried using drag and drop or live swipe options on the slider bar.

[Pete aka Spanner]

Thanks 96RAF

I've got to grips with the CV's, now I have all sorts of custom speed curves, Vhigh's etc.. So really only the button sizes for + and - that seem so small and the three page compact F buttons that could/should be adapted in the next update.

Pete.