[Doug]

We were shown this image at Warley:

And now some further info has come to light at the Toy Fair:

E-Z Command Dynamis DCC System 36-505
Contents:
- Dynamis Wireless Handset with backlit LCD screen
- Dynamis Command Station including wireless signal receiver
- Transformer
Features:
• Entry point for the Dynamis DCC system. Control trains and accessories via simple menus
• 9999 Digital locomotive addresses can be controlled
• Direct control of 20 accessory decoders each capable of controlling up to 4 points each
• Allows main track programming of decoder CV values
• Locomotive database for name or icon assigning

E-Z Command Dynamis Pro DCC System 36-506
Contents:
- Dynamis Wireless Handset with backlit LCD screen
- Dynamis Command Station including wireless signal receiver
- Transformer
- Dynamis Pro box
Features:
• Advanced level Dynamis DCC system
• Control trains and accessories via simple menus
• 9999 Digital locomotive addresses can be controlled
• Direct control of 20 accessory decoders each capable of controlling up to 4 points each
• Allows main track programming of decoder CV values
• Separate programming track is also supported
• Locomotive database for name or icon assigning
• Allows up to 4 wireless Dynamis handsets to be used with a single wireless receiver
• Supports ECoSlink high speed network to allow the use of up to 128 further devices such as additional handsets and power boosters
• Allows a second wireless receiver to be used with the system
• Computer interface

So are we to assume that it is made by ESU and is based on the ECoS?

Initially, this system looked like a big system sitting on the desk like the ECoS. Now it becomes clear that this is a wireless handset. Perhaps smaller - more like a games console controller that connects by wireless to the command station.

To those of you who are ECos users: If this is an ECoS based unit and it uses ECoSlink, will it support XpressNet devices?

If this does what it says on the tin then I'm quite keen to see it in action - on my track! (unless Lenz pulls a rabbit out of the hat at Nürnberg).

 

[Doug]

I haven't seen a photo anywhere else - yet. Well done for getting it up.

We should have some more at the week-end.

It really does look like a kind-of game controller. I wonder how they ended up with a speed controller knob like that?

 

[Doug]

Agree. Lenz & Co and going to have to re-evaluate their position and perhaps drop their pricing to stay competitive. Alternatively, they should redefine their position as a quality brand and produce a set of products to justify their rational.

In any market, there is always cheap products on one end and expensive on the other. Mostly they all do the same thing, its just the way its done that changes. Just look at the car market.

As Oakydoke says, and to clarify: if Lenz wants to remain mid-spec, they are going to have to drop prices and if they want to go hi-spec, they are going to have to add features and improve the interface considerably.

 

[Doug]

QUOTE (Dennis David @ 28 Jan 2007, 00:15) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>When I was there last year it seemed that Lenz was spending more time on their new larger scale train offerings. I wonder if it will be more of the same?

Yes, Lenz have released info on their O-Gauge products. I'm sure they were talking of these last year though:
Check out the rest of the new O-Gauge items for 2007: Lenz O-Gauge 2007 (4.3 MB PDF)

 

[Doug]

Dynamis uses Infra-red, not radio.

-1 point there. I was hoping for radio as infra-red requires uninterrupted line of sight. I've tried IR (Uhlenbrock IR Intellibox) on some large layouts and it is a bit of a pain. You have to mount the IR receiver quit high up to get good reception from the controllers.

Some photos from Gary's Toy Fair report show the guts of the device:

Here we see the base station with IR diodes radiating out:

It looks like it is using the new ECoSBoost booster base shown by Neil here. The booster seems to have a module slot in the top - just for things like this Dynamis IR device.

The device with the IR on the back:

Click here for the rest of Gary's British Toy Fair report.

 

[Doug]

Yes, that was a point that we were worried about earlier.

It's perhaps not suitable for layouts that go around the outside of a room (like mine), unless IR repeaters can be added.

Hopefully we'll test it and see how suitable it is.

 

[Doug]

Apparantly it does work well on layouts around the room. I'll be speaking to a technical developer from Bachmann in a few days to find out more.

Watch this space