Shizuoka 2013 show report

App-controlled analogue and digital controllers

Recently the use of the smartphone for control of your model railway will not have to be limited to DCC-controlled layouts. Kato, Rokuhan and recently Hornby have announced controllers that do not have a knob or buttons, but a Bluetooth connection. This enables the controlled to be controlled by an external device. A smartphone is ideal, as you may already have one and is handheld. The Kato and Hornby controlers differ a little, so it's time to compare them.

Kato's offer is already on sale in the USA nad Japan, and the rest of the world is to follow soon. It's just a little tall square box with a power swich on it. A mains power supply is sold seperately, and is the same as used for the 'Standard SX' controller. Powering it on puts it in pairing mode and after a successfull pairing (blue LED lights up) the Smart Controller app can be started. From now on you have control over your loco or MU, just simple speed and direction control, with a large slider and a few control pads on your phone. When a Soundbox is added, the control surface will show more control pads to play the different sounds. The app automatically detects if a Soundbox is connected.

Kato's SmartController (photo: Kato) hookup

And how it's hooked up to your layout with a SounBox (photo: Kato)

app iphone Kato's SmartControl app (leftmost: Android, others iOS) (photo: Kato)

You will see that the controls have good size and are easily found, the app can be downloaded for free at the respective app stores and are easily installed. They will also run on a tablet, but that device may be a little heavy to carry around.

Rokuhan was the first to offer an app-controlled DC controller. Rokuhan's controller, called e-Train controller is not completely wireless straight from the box. You will need a audio connecting able (4-pole, 3.5 mm) which is included in the box. With an extra Bluetooth audio adapter, you can have full wireless control. Rokuhan;s controller can also drive DCC-decoder fitted trains, even more than one at a time, but remember that you only have a limimted amount of power abvailable (enough to drive 2 or 3 N-scale trains). Rokuhan's control app looks a bit clutterd to me, and not as clear as Kato's or Hornby's apps. The e-Train controller also provides constant lighting for DC-powered trans and control for Rokuhan's Z-scle turntable.

e-train hookup app e-Train controller, a complete setup and the app's control surface (photos: Rokuhan)

app2 app tt DCC control, constant lighting, turntable and app control surface (photos: Rokuhan)

Hornby has a little different approach. Instead of sound effects, Hornby chose an optional accessory control. The Hornby loco controller has two outputs to control two power circuits. The HM6010 accessory controller controls up to 4 points or signals and a HM6000 could drive 3 HM6010 controllers, resulting in a total of 12 points or signals could be controlled by a HM6000 loco controller.

hm6000

Hornby HM6000 loco controller and HM6010 accessory controller (photo: Hornby)

app1

Setting up HM6000 and HM6010 controllers (photo: Hornby)

You will notice that the Hornby app is a little more complex to set up, but it can do more than Kato's. As there's the option of controlling accessories, the setup is more complicated but still not very complex. The track layouts included are based on Hornby's TrackMat plans, so ideally suited to beginners; of course you can create your own! An extra feature is that up to 4 HM6000 units can be controlled from a single phone or tablet.Hornby's app will be available for both Apple and Android devices. Sounds can be played through the HM6000's internal speaker, with the choice of 6 different sounds. One HM6000 has two analogue outputs, which can be driven indepentley. These outputs can also be programmed with a max. speed, starting voltage and 'kick' voltage to get that sticky loco moving. 3 extra HM 6000s can be added and controlled from a single hand-held device. A tablet (iPad or Android) would be very welcome when you have 8 sliders on hand!

Hornby HM7000 Bluetooth control system

In 2023 Hortnby announced their HM7000 Bluetoth DCC control system, giving you the option of controlling your loco directly from your smartphone. This saves you the purchase of a command station and optonal booster units. Installation is quite simple, just add a decoder from the HM7000 product range to your loco, download the app on your Android or iOS device and connect your loco like if it's a pair of headphones. And oof you go! The decoders are compatible with NMRA DCC control systems and can be controlled bby a DCC command station as well.
On the plus suide: this system is easy to install and maintain, decoders are only a little more expensive than plain DCC decoders. Modern and clear design of control app. Can conytol a Hornby DCC (or any X-Bsu?) layout with a special dongel, adding loco and accessory control via the DCC X-Bus.
On the minus side: each loco needs a phone or table to control it; you can control only ONE loco per device at any given time, making it less suitable for large layouts. The decoders are larger than plain DCC decoders and they may not fit your loco, they are too large for N scale and may only fit H0 or 00 scale locos. Finally: the HM7000 does not offer control of points, signals and accessories over the Bluetoth connection. However, it can control a DCC layout by meanns of an extra dongle (Bluetooth -> X-Bus). The system may be hard to purchasse outside the UK and other markets where Hornby has a prominent position. At the moemnt the control app is available for iOS only, the Android app will follow soon.

hm7000 app

HM7000 Bluetooth controll app (photos: Hornby) dongel

Hornby Bluetooth -> XBus dongle (photo: Hornby)

hm7000 n18

Small HM7000 Bluetooth decoders, with and without sound, Next18 and NEM651 6 pin connectors (photos: Hornby)

Jenny Kirk did a long review on her YouTube channel and is very enthousiastic about hte HM7000 system

Conclusion

Hornby offers an app-controlled controller at a reasonable price (about € 30- excl. power supply) and both promise a smooth analogue control. Kato's nice touch is the integration with their SoundBox (unfortunately that's not cheap and the sound carttridges add up as well) and the app with a large slider and large control 'buttons' Kato's controller itself is priced at about US$ 125.- ex. power supply. Hornby's HM6000 controller has more options, but is less suited to play back sounds (note that Bluetooth can only connect 2 devices and that it is not possible to build a network). Rokuhan's controller is more expensive (over € 300.-) offers control of both DC and DCC decoder fitted locos, but is IMHO not a replacement for a DCC command station which could be obtained for less. The e-Train controller is also not completely wireless, where Kato and Hornby offer a Bluetooth connection straight froom the box. Hornby's HM6000 is not available yet (expected this Summer) but it can replace several analogue controllers and could take complete control of a smaller layout. At the moment of writing Hornby's HM6000 seems to be the most versatile and the most affordable app-controlled analogue output controller. Watch this space as I will keep an eye on what the modelling press has to say about it. The Hornby HM7000 system may find enthousiastic users soon, as it needs very little hardware and is easy to set up and maintain. All these systems are not aimed at modellers with large layouts.

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