QUOTE The ECoS detector seems to be their own S88.
I've taken a close look at this and am pretty certain it's an ECoSLink unit to replace "unreliable S88" detectors. The system diagram on page 7 of the brochure shows a detector hooked up to ECoSLink. I shoved the text about the detector on page 8 through Babel fish which is where I got the unreliable bit from. It is certainly difficult to pick that up as a non-German speaker. All we see is "Detector" and "S88".
I've only done a little translation on the detailed spec for the Detector. The picture looks like a SwitchPilot so I am already thinking - "Expensive". Then I read it will support 16 sections and I'm thinking "seriously expensive". The paragraph labelled "Clever" talks about integration with the ECoS routing module blowing whistles. I guess this is a new feature for the Shuttle programme? There appear to be some counter measures for dirty track messing with the detection. The software in the Detector can be updated. Now I'm wondering if it will "extravagantly expensive"? There's also stuff about how it uses RailCOM but there appears to be a caveat about switching off RailCOM in locomotive decoders.
There's also an extender unit for the Detector. This appears to be for converting Detector information into signals which can be used to drive LEDs on mimic panels.
The new colour screen looks like it's just a pretty "skin" running on top of the underlying software we know and love. It's a bit like running Windows in colour vs Black & White. Very pretty loco pictures but if you can't load your own, why would any UK modeller care?
There's a section on page 10 which assures 50000 owners (that's us B&W early adopters) that software for the two systems will continue in parallel and all new functions will be available for both units always. It goes on to say that it is technically impossible to retrofit a colour screen to the mono units.
The Navigator is Infra Red based so as Neil said it sounds pretty much like the Dynamis pro box. They mention that the Dynamis pro can be hooked up the ECoS. As the wireless units are so expensive, I guess they have to offer an IR option but I don't think it would suit my layout location. They do say it has a line of sight requirement. It seems the Navigator has an adjustable output voltage of 15V to 21V.
There is a question and answer on the radio control which states that although the radio control looks like the Dynamis IR control, the display and underlying functionality are completely different. The radio control can do a lot more.
David
I've taken a close look at this and am pretty certain it's an ECoSLink unit to replace "unreliable S88" detectors. The system diagram on page 7 of the brochure shows a detector hooked up to ECoSLink. I shoved the text about the detector on page 8 through Babel fish which is where I got the unreliable bit from. It is certainly difficult to pick that up as a non-German speaker. All we see is "Detector" and "S88".
I've only done a little translation on the detailed spec for the Detector. The picture looks like a SwitchPilot so I am already thinking - "Expensive". Then I read it will support 16 sections and I'm thinking "seriously expensive". The paragraph labelled "Clever" talks about integration with the ECoS routing module blowing whistles. I guess this is a new feature for the Shuttle programme? There appear to be some counter measures for dirty track messing with the detection. The software in the Detector can be updated. Now I'm wondering if it will "extravagantly expensive"? There's also stuff about how it uses RailCOM but there appears to be a caveat about switching off RailCOM in locomotive decoders.
There's also an extender unit for the Detector. This appears to be for converting Detector information into signals which can be used to drive LEDs on mimic panels.
The new colour screen looks like it's just a pretty "skin" running on top of the underlying software we know and love. It's a bit like running Windows in colour vs Black & White. Very pretty loco pictures but if you can't load your own, why would any UK modeller care?
There's a section on page 10 which assures 50000 owners (that's us B&W early adopters) that software for the two systems will continue in parallel and all new functions will be available for both units always. It goes on to say that it is technically impossible to retrofit a colour screen to the mono units.
The Navigator is Infra Red based so as Neil said it sounds pretty much like the Dynamis pro box. They mention that the Dynamis pro can be hooked up the ECoS. As the wireless units are so expensive, I guess they have to offer an IR option but I don't think it would suit my layout location. They do say it has a line of sight requirement. It seems the Navigator has an adjustable output voltage of 15V to 21V.
There is a question and answer on the radio control which states that although the radio control looks like the Dynamis IR control, the display and underlying functionality are completely different. The radio control can do a lot more.
David
