| Each RailBoss 4 Transmitter now has built-in vibration motor that can be used for tactile feedback. Sometimes at a distance, you may wonder did that command take or not? Our radio system actually consists of transceivers in both the transmitter (remote) and the receiver (loco). So now, when you press a button, the loco will signal back to the transmitter to pulse the vibration motor, telling you the command was received and executed. This feature is optional, and can be turned on/off with User Programming Parameter 13 on the receiver. It can also be useful for checking your radio range. |  |
|
0 Comments
 We been shipping our Standard Transmitters for RailBoss 4 and TrackSide R/C with a single 3 volt CR2032 coin cell battery for years now. They work great in most aspects: long lasting, light weight, easy to find replacments. However, the one nagging problem has been infant mortality. Every once in awhile, we test a transmitter prior to shipment, including measuring the battery voltage, and all is well. But then we get a call from the customer .... dead on arrival or shortly after startup. Not good. We think the source of the problem is the quality of the batteries.
So, all RailBoss 4 transmitters have been redesigned to take two 1.5 volt AAAA Alkaline batteries, the same as our Long Range Transmitters use. This should improve both reliability and batttery life. Since AAAA batteries may be a bit harder to find, we have made them available here on the website if you can't find them locally. AAAA
As we continue to evaluate our product offerings, we are always trying to make improvements. Would you please take a moment to tell how you use your RailBoss 4 Plus?
Take our short survey now. Thanks in advance! Yes you can. All RailBoss 4 transmitters are identical, except for the stick-on label. The buttons will have slightly different functions, but you can easily adapt. And we'd always be glad to send you a new label.
Out 3 and 4 on the transmitter control either Phoenix Remote Un-Couplers or latched high current outputs. The current capability on Rev C boards has been upgraded from 750 ma to 5 amps. These outputs can now be used for smoke units or other high current accessories.
Product Review of Phoenix Remote Couplers - April 2015  The RailBoss 4 battery power R/C product line has been expanded to add 10 amp motor drivers. Both the RailBoss 4 Basic and the RailBoss 4 Plus (shown above) controls are now available with either 5 amp or 10 amp motor drivers.
The main application for the 10 amp motor driver will be for running diesel consists from a single control board; i.e. AB or ABA diesel sets. One RailBoss 4 board in the A unit, with the motor output wired to the rest of the units. Our Standard 5 amp motor driver is more than enough for most locomotives. Typical motor current draw is about 1 amp or less. You really only need to extra amps for long trains or stalled motors. Even those locos with multiple motors will be fine with the 5 amps version. Unfortunately, no. All 2.4GHZ radio systems are different. Each manufacturer, uses their own protocol, often to avoid patent infringement, So just like Spektrum parts won't work with Futaba, the RailBoss 4 radio won't work with any of your hobby style receivers.
So if you have the RailBoss "Hobby" system (one that uses stick transmitters), and you want to upgrade to RailBoss 4, neither your old RailBoss board nor you hobby receiver can be used with RailBoss 4. You will need to purchase both the RailBoss 4 transmitter and a RailBoss 4 integrated receiver/control board. Some of the huge improvements RailBoss 4 offers over the old hobby system ...
New functions ...
A few of our customers have been receiving transmitters with dead CR2032 coin cell batteries. Although this seems to be happening to a very small percentage of users, it has been going on for awhile now. We have changed our assembly and test procedures, have taken extra precautions in packing and shipping, and even made design changes to the hardware. Yet, it still seems to be a problem for some.
The transmitter is normally in a "Sleep mode", and the current draw on the battery is essentially zero. It is only when a key is pressed that it draws current from the battery. Under normal operation, this means the battery life is very long. To the best of our knowledge at this time, this is a case of "infant mortality". Some of these coin cells just won't work under the relatively high momentary current demands being placed on them and they fail very early on. We are making every effort to make sure these "weaklings" fail here and not in your hands. If you do experience this problem, please do report it to us. We have transmitters in use on our test bench, in our garden railroad, and other local garden railroads that have seen near daily use for well over a year now, and we have never had to change a battery yet. So if you are the unlucky sole that gets a bad one, it is highly likely that the replacement battery will be good for a long time. 5/5/2015 Since posting this one year ago, we haven't had any reports of prematurely failing TX batteries. We must have had a bad batch. If your experience is otherwise, please let us know. While we are dedicated to battery power here at G-Scale Graphics, we know there are still some of you that want to enjoy all of the features RailBoss 4 has to offer, and still keep your track power. So we have added a nice little Track Power Adaptor. It is similar in size and function to our Battery Conversion Modules. It provides a power on/off switch that extends through the floor or a bulkhead, has a bridge rectifier to allow you to run off of constant track voltage of any polarity, additional filtering to tame that intermittent track power, and screw terminals for track power in, and two sets of power outputs; one for the RailBoss 4, and one for your sound board. More info click here.
The RailBoss 4 receiver has been updated to include two outputs for Phoenix Sound Remote Un-Couplers. These same outputs can also be used to operate other devices up to 750ma. "Sound 3 and Sound 4" on the transmitter have been relabeled "Out 3 and Out 4". Out 3/4 can now be used for sound triggers (momentary or latching) or Un-couplers. We also found that on occasion we would get inadvertent speed changes when trying to operate Sound 3 and Sound 4 (located under the Faster/Slower keys). So we have made a new user programmable option to use them the old way (as 2nd functions under the Faster/Slower keys), or the new way as 2nd functions under the Whistle/Bell keys.
We realize not everyone wants or needs all of the automation and other options available, so we are now offering the RailBoss 4 Basic at a reduced price, which has all of the basic speed control functions you would expect, and 4 sound triggers. The RailBoss 4 Plus will add the automated station stops, un-couplers, and low battery warning. Please check out the new store pages and the manuals for more details, or ask questions here! Please note the new receivers are backwards compatible with your existing RailBoss 4 transmitters. |
