Rokuhan has even added a completely dedicated section of their website to this controller: http://www.rokuhan.com/e-train/
for those using an android or IOS smart phone, tablet, the E-controller offers two options for connection wired or wireless via Bluetooth. The control app is free in the app store
It's how your commands of throttle/direction/etc and the GUI for making the sounds gets transferred to the unit, if you are using a tablet that does not have bluetooth.
Apparently the “*Operate your car by wireless connection via third-party Bluetooth audio receivers (sold separately)” uses the same direct audio connection as the tablet in the demo video. Bob
I think the "audio connection" you mention is the line that carries control signals from tablet to main controller. The bluetooth audio receivers refers to boards that you plug into a locomotive (N/HO?) that can also be controlled from the main controller board/tablet. Man, Garth, this is pretty confusing now having two threads with the same titles!
At 1:10 in the video of the original post in the other similar thread, there is a unit that appears to be a Bluetooth-audio-receiver plugged into the audio jack of the controller and apparently getting power from a USB connector on the controller. Bob
Blue tooth is only used to communicate from tablet to E- controller the App so far does not have any features fore connecting with a blue tooth decoder, at present in DCC mode the E-controller can control any loco with a mobile decoder installed or without sound. The app on your tablet has two ways of communicating with the E-controller, either with the cable supplied with the E- controller, or via blue tooth, If you are using a sound decoder equipped engine the sound comes from the engine, However the app can send sound files to the E- controller speaker that can be used in either DC or DCC mode for non sound equipped engines.
So to simplify, the cable is an alternative connection to the controller, alternative to Bluetooth. Can you send sound files from the app the the controller via bluetooth? Greg
Again, this Rokuhan device does NOT have a Bluetooth connection of any kind. The tablet/phone connects to the device via an audio cable. As an alternative, you can buy a readily available "Bluetooth-to-mini-jack" converter to send the audio signal from your tablet/phone to the converter, which then coverts it to an audio signal to control the Rokuhan command station. This created a wireless bluetooth connection for your device, but has zero to do with the Rokuhan command station.
If you load the app to you tablet or smart phone with blue tooth capabilities you can control the Rokuhan E-controller via blue tooth connection. You do not need to buy anything, if you do not have blue tooth capabilities on your tablet or smart device then the cable is your alternate.
Garth, Again, what you are stating is incorrect. According to Rokuhan documentation, Bluetooth is NOT a feature of the e-Train Controller. According to Rokuhan documentation, "*Operate your car by wireless connection via third-party Bluetooth audio receivers (sold separately)" . (and also found elsewhere and paraphrased likely due to translation, "By using a commercially available audio receiver, wireless operation is also possible.") Both of those facts point to the conclusion that you do indeed need to buy something (a Bluetooth to audio converter) to use Bluetooth.
Here is an example of the type of device you would need: http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/361298380662?chn=ps&dispItem=1 Please Note: I am not saying this particular brand/model of product will 100% work with the device. But some version of *this class of device* is what is needed.
I received my C005, E controller, this morning by express post from Japan. Now I have unpacked it and gone over the documentation. Blue tooth, the E-controller is set up for the addition of a Blue Tooth receiver with a dedicated USB port to connect a Blue Tooth receiver. Once this device is enabled then you have blue tooth discovery available and you can pair it with you smart phone or other device. Here is the list of receiver that have been tested to work with the e-controller and app from Rokuhan for the E-controller. Elcomm audio receiver LBT-AVWAR500 or LBT-AVWAR700; Aukey wireless receiver BR-C1, ;Collen transmitter and receiver 2 in 1 adapter;Dodocool transmitter and receiver DA88; Kashimura USB BL-51; Princeton music receiver PTM-BTR1 or PTM-BTR2; Toshiba wireless receiver TY_BT10; Century audio receiver BTTR-AV; Tao Tronics wieless sterieo receiver TT-BA01; TROND BT-DUO wireless receiver TT-BA01; MPOW Bluetooth 4 music receiver audio adapter; Ugreen wireless Blue tooth 4.1 receiver audio adapter; Inatech blue tooth transmitter and receiver BR1003; Jetech T2030; this list is curent as of July 2017 operating systems iOS version 8 or later; Android OS version 5 or later; Blue tooth confirmed for operation IOS version 8.4.1; I phone 5C iOS version 9.3.2; Iphone version 6.0; iOS version 10.2.1; iPAD Mini 4; Android 5.1.1; Nexus 10; Android 6.0; Galaxy tab S8.4; Android 7.0 Exeria SO-OG3; Android 7.1; Nexus 9; Please note depending on the models the App may not be compatible the information above is curren as of July 2017 Now to the connections on the E-Controller to track two plug in for Rokuhan track cables one two wire screw terminal conector, Programming track, one Rokuhan plug in one two wire screw terminal . 12v out one two wire screw terminal , 5 v out one two wire screw terminal. external speaker 3.5m jack and when plugged in speaker in E-controller is cut off; Booster DCC output 2.5mm jack.; blue tooth USB socket; socket for 3.5mm plug to tablet or phone ; LED power indicator ; power on /off switch, power jack for wall wart which some with unit. Manual supplied is 28 pages long one for English and One for Japanese They are both pocket book in outline size. At 10 inches from my eyes I can read it, but at approx 6 point text I do better with reading glasses at 12 inches. scanning and printing on 8.5 by 11 sheets it is comfortable read from the table top without glasses.
Thanks Garth! So you can add a bluetooth receiver... I assume your paragraph that starts off "operating systems" is describing the app? Looks like you missed a few words at the beginning of the sentence. Just being sure. I'm still unclear if you can run the controller without any cable between it and the smart phone running the app... usually those bluetooth receivers are music only... but they can often pass commands like an ipod would send... Can you post a scan of the manual? Thanks, Greg
I received my C005, E controller, this morning by express post from Japan. Now I have unpacked it and gone over the documentation. Blue tooth, the E-controller is set up for the addition of a Blue Tooth receiver with a dedicated USB port to connect a Blue Tooth receiver. Once this device is enabled then you have blue tooth discovery available and you can pair it with you smart phone or other device. Here is the list of receiver that have been tested to work with the e-controller and app from Rokuhan for the E-controller. Elcomm audio receiver LBT-AVWAR500 or LBT-AVWAR700; Aukey wireless receiver BR-C1, ;Collen transmitter and receiver 2 in 1 adapter;Dodocool transmitter and receiver DA88; Kashimura USB BL-51; Princeton music receiver PTM-BTR1 or PTM-BTR2; Toshiba wireless receiver TY_BT10; Century audio receiver BTTR-AV; Tao Tronics wieless sterieo receiver TT-BA01; TROND BT-DUO wireless receiver TT-BA01; MPOW Bluetooth 4 music receiver audio adapter; Ugreen wireless Blue tooth 4.1 receiver audio adapter; Inatech blue tooth transmitter and receiver BR1003; Jetech T2030; this list is curent as of July 2017 operating systems iOS version 8 or later; Android OS version 5 or later; Blue tooth confirmed for operation IOS version 8.4.1; I phone 5C iOS version 9.3.2; Iphone version 6.0; iOS version 10.2.1; iPAD Mini 4; Android 5.1.1; Nexus 10; Android 6.0; Galaxy tab S8.4; Android 7.0 Exeria SO-OG3; Android 7.1; Nexus 9; Please note depending on the models the App may not be compatible the information above is curren as of July 2017 Now to the connections on the E-Controller to track two plug in for Rokuhan track cables one two wire screw terminal conector, Programming track, one Rokuhan plug in one two wire screw terminal . 12v out one two wire screw terminal , 5 v out one two wire screw terminal. external speaker 3.5m jack and when plugged in speaker in E-controller is cut off; Booster DCC output 2.5mm jack.; blue tooth USB socket; socket for 3.5mm plug to tablet or phone ; LED power indicator ; power on /off switch, power jack for wall wart which some with unit. Manual supplied is 28 pages long one for English and One for Japanese They are both pocket book in outline size. At 10 inches from my eyes I can read it, but at approx 6 point text I do better with reading glasses at 12 inches. scanning and printing on 8.5 by 11 sheets it is comfortable read from the table top without glasses. regards Garth Hamilton, VE3HO
Blue tooth I have been wrong on what I wrote about this connection. and The Rokuhan E-controller, it requires a blue tooth receiver or Dongle, to create a blue tooth connection to your smart device. I have an Mpow unit and I plugged the double male adapter into the dongle and then into the input socket for the tablet on the E-train controller. This dongle is a receiver only and is battery powered , the USB cable is for charging the battery in the dongle, press the button on the dongle and when in paring mode search on your tablet and select pair, if asked for a password on my unit it was 0000. Once paired operation on the e-controller was the same as it was when the audio cable was used, except I could move around the basement with the tablet and still control the train. Just remember to turn the volume up on your tablet, android or smart phone. Range question, how far can you get and still maintain control. In the basement I can get up to 20 feet away with no problems, I connected the dongle to my sound system up stairs and could send music from the basement to the sound system on the floor above. Not sure how that would work in a show environment.So for me my vision range is more limiting than the bluetooth range. regards Garth
so the receiver receives on bluetooth, and sends out on the audio cable... the USB connector only supplies 5 volts for the receiver, there's no data moving there, I'm pretty darn sure of this. So the app sends sounds and commands via the audio channel, just like an ipod does. Greg
In looking for a bluetooth receiver there seem to be a few that are not battery powered like the one I choose and then the USB connection can be used to power the device or in my case to recharge it, but I prefer to use a multiport USB charger plugged into the wall for that. So Yes the communications from tablet to E-controller are a digital audio stream delivered either by cable or via Bluetooth, in either case you are connected to same tablet input 3.5 mm jack on the E-controller. In the Rokuhan documentation the USB socket is marked for BLuetooth audio receiver(for power supply)
