AM-1 vs AM-1b

[faithie999]

what is the difference between the AM-1 and -1b?

thanks

ken

[G8B4Life]

Essentially nothing, unless your going to buy second hand.

The AM-1b is a revision of the AM-1 (just like the HC-2b is a revision of the HC-2) and while Ring, retailers etc just call it the AM-1 you can't buy the old AM-1 new anymore, except perhaps if a retailer has some exceptionally old stock you'd be getting an AM-1b.

The difference was that the old AM-1 was basically just a turnout controller whereas the newer AM-1b can be a turnout controller or a proper accessory module that you can write programs for.

- Tim

[faithie999]

thanks!

[ON28]

Is it possible to write a program for the AM that will control and index a turntable? If so, how?

[G8B4Life]

Is it possible to write a program for the AM that will control and index a turntable? If so, how?

Partial yes. There is program already available to control a turntable with the AM-1; All you need to do is download it in RPA and put the program onto the AM-1. The program is just clockwise and counter clockwise movement though, no indexing.

I don't know how hard indexing would be to implement, I guess one of the inputs could be a trigger to stop rotating by using a hall effect sensor or something but that all requires experimentation.

How to write accessory programs is all in the RPA manual however I'd suggest downloading a couple of the ready made programs and studying them along with reading the manual to see how the programs work.

- Tim

[ON28]

Thanks for that! Maybe contacts or IR sensor on the stall track and turntable to light a light when properly aligned?

[G8B4Life]

That could be done rather simply I imagine and could probably be done without having to use the AM to do the indexing part, just the drive part.

Unfortunately at this time of the year I don't have the time to experiment with things like this (and don't own an AM-1) so probably can't help a whole lot with it.

- Tim