Aargh. My @pop_os_official saga takes a different turn...
I use a legacy #Java desktop app called #JMRI to control my model railway. It's clunky and the UI is awful but it's the only tool that does the job.
Unfortunately it won't play nice with high density displays and won't display properly on #popos. So I have to revert to #KDE #Plasma 6 because of its fractional scaling abilities. Bye @pop_os , hello #Fedora.
Lightning quick update, I now have JMRI set up enough that it is useful. I can even change points using the touchscreen (keyboard and mouse are out of sight).
Finally started setting up the current railway layout in JMRI. It has some good points, like automatically registering points when they are set, and all the Digitrax block detection sensors when the track is turned on. Had to register the reverse polarity blocks manually.
However even on a Raspberry Pi 5 the UI is terribly unresponsive - laggy, to the point of almost being unusable. Which makes actually creating and labelling the layout a very painful and error-prone process. I can reduce the problem by reducing the size of the panel editor window but it’s not great.
I can see the GPU getting hammered. Wondering how much is having a large display (27” 4k) and how much is the probably quite old Java GUI code. Oh, and I can’t seem to choose a resolution for the Pi to use, it just defaults to the panel’s native resolution.
#GoodNews für alle Freunde der #Modelleisenbahn #Moba
Seit heute klappt der #wiFred vollumfänglich sowohl mit #JMRI als auch mit #RocRail
Ich fahre mit Komponenten von #opendcc die sowohl in Software als auch Hardware #FOSS sind. Konkret kommt ein #IFNet und ein #ReadyBoost zum Einsatz. Damit kann ich nun durchgängig vom Handregler über den Steuer-Rechner (Ubuntu) und der darauf laufenden Software Rocrail bzw. JMRI oder den #BiDiB Wizzard bis zum Interface, Zentrale und Rückmeldebausteinen meine Moba komplett mit FOSS betreiben.
Einzig die Decoder von Zimo sind nicht opensource... aber #irgendwasistjaimmer
Da gibt es #RocRail und #JMRI als FOSS Software zur Steuerung einer Modellbahn.
Mit Rocrail kann ich zwar meine Loks fahren, jedoch kann ich mich mit dem #wiFred nicht verbinden damit.
Mit JMRI verbindet sich der wiFred, jedoch kann ich damit keine Lok steuern.
Und die Doku zu beiden Stücken Software ist unvollständig, überladen und ein Graus.
Und ich les bloß, dass die Leute es zum Laufen gebracht haben... Aber ich krieg nicht raus, wie die das gemacht haben.
Es ist zum Verzweifeln.
Over the last week I’ve been thinking about what to run JMRI on, and after looking at the rather high prices of NUCs I’ve taken a cheaper and more novel approach (and will just have to borrow my partner’s laptop from time to time).
I’ve ordered a 15” touchscreen, a Raspberry Pi 5 and an NVMe daughter board. The touchscreen has a VESA mount so I can 3D print an adapter to hold the Pi and a mount/stand to make it reasonably portable. I’ll put some pics up when I’m done.
I’m trying to decide what I’m going to use to run my railway automation (which will be JMRI). I also need to be able to program Digitrax and other DCC hardware that seem only to have Windows support.
I don’t want to run Windows all the time, only when I need to. Maybe a VM? But I’m guessing I’ll need to pay for a licence too.
Anyone else solved this conundrum? #ModelRailway #JMRI #Windows #VM
Made some new connections today! I received some 20ga wire in the mail and immediately went to work. I believe Kato used 22ga but this works too. Seems to work just fine. I also added a screenshot of the JMRI web interface and my (crappy) webcam solution. I need a better cam with a higher FOV.😅
And before anyone comments; YES, I know I need to clean my 3d printer workspace! 😂
#modeltrain #train #trains #raspberrypi #arduino #JMRI #3dprinting
Got the webcam hooked up to the Pi! I'm able to see my layout anywhere in the house. Still have some tweaking to do because the video is on a 3 - 4 second delay. 
Drew 🇵🇭 ♾️
Phil Haigh
jakob 🇦🇹 ✅
Daniel Morris -✌️🇺🇦