CI-1 Available for Preorder from PDC.CA

[William Brillinger]

Even though there is no info on what this thing will do, pricing for the CI-1 has been added to Ring's order system for resellers, so with that on hand, I have added the CI-1 to my website and I'm now accepting pre-orders!

MSRP is set at $39.99 US.
PDC will be accepting pre-orders at $34.96 US

Once it is announced officially, our price will be likely be $36.96

You can find it on our RailPro page at: http://pdc.ca/rr/catalog/product/railpro-and-accessories/51

I will post more details on the CI-1's abilities when I have them.

Cheers!

[Josephbw]

I would be happy to pre-order, if I knew exactly what it did.  Any idea when the details will be released?

Joe

[William Brillinger]

I have emailed Tim at Ring Engineering asking for some details about this product and I will post them as soon as they are available.

Currently this is what I know: "nuthin"   

[KPack]

I'll probably buy one for testing purposes regardless of what it does.  If what we've heard is correct then it should be helpful.

-Kevin

[nodcc4me]

Likewise. Sounds interesting, and isn't terribly expensive.

[G8B4Life]

I would be happy to pre-order, if I knew exactly what it did

Well we do know what it's supposed to do initially. From this thread http://rpug.pdc.ca/index.php?topic=176.msg1090#msg1090

"The CI-1 is a USB to Direct Radio dongle.  So with PC code it can do many things including controlling and monitoring a layout.  For the initial release there will be a desktop simulator that basically has the functionality of the HC-2.  Using the CI-1 and PC simulator you will be able to load all the files etc without running your HC batteries down."

Whether we get the controlling and monitoring out of the box on the first release is anybody's guess but loading and setting up modules is what we can expect. As I see it even if it does only do the loading and programming and the other cool ways to use it never get developed the price is more than worth my time lost to having to recharge the batteries after loading oh so few files each time I experiment or test sounds etc.

Hopefully RE will get back to Bill with the final details soon.

As an aside, While looking at the RE Whats new page, I noticed that the HC 1.3 update doubles the capacity for active loco's being controlled from 12 to 24. How good is that. I don't know how I missed that when reading it the first time.

- Tim

[William Brillinger]

The CI-1 is a USB to Direct Radio dongle.  So with PC code it can do many things including controlling and monitoring a layout.  For the initial release there will be a desktop simulator that basically has the functionality of the HC-2.  Using the CI-1 and PC simulator you will be able to load all the files etc without running your HC batteries down.

Hey Tim, Thanks to reminding us about that tidbit from the other thread!  I've been so preoccupied waiting for the new HC to come I had totally forgotten about that post.

[KPack]

As an aside, While looking at the RE Whats new page, I noticed that the HC 1.3 update doubles the capacity for active loco's being controlled from 12 to 24. How good is that. I don't know how I missed that when reading it the first time.

I wasn't aware of that.  We should probably put that info on a thread here.  I don't get over to RE's webpage nearly as often as I check RPUG.

-Kevin

[William Brillinger]

We should probably put that info on a thread here.  I don't get over to RE's webpage nearly as often as I check RPUG.

I created a new Board for Software Updates. Please EVERYONE feel free to post any software updates you see here. That includes new software, software updates, new sounds, updated sounds, etc.

[William Brillinger]

More about the CI-1...

I'm under a gag order on the details regarding the CI-1, but as stated before, it WILL allow you to program and control trains from your PC, basically allowing your PC to act as an HC-2.

There's more big news that comes with this one, but that's "hush hush" right now.

The ETA for it is at least 3 or 4 weeks, likely more.

[KPack]

The suspense is killing me!

-Kevin

[hirailer]

Killing me too, we have been waiting in suspense for quite awhile now. I am sure I will join the eager buyers when  it finally released.

Mel

[Josephbw]

Hi Bill, I just sent you an order for 2 LM-3s and the CI. If you want to wait to ship them together, that is fine.

Thanks, Joe

[G8B4Life]

Gag order? Ring Engineering's gone all Top Secret on us

I do hope the big news is worth all the hush hush. I believe I have worked out what part of that news could be, though I wouldn't say it's directly related to the CI-1. If I'm correct there should be an update to RailPro Assistant at the same time as the CI-1's release, dependent on what's contained in the CI-1 software.

I hope the eta isn't much more than 3-4 weeks, it was announced as ready for production last October and that's only a month and a half away.

- Tim

[William Brillinger]

Tim, you may be onto something. I can't say anything more about the CI-1 currently, but if other people know things, I can't stop you

I think the big delay for the CI-1 was the need to re-design the HC due to parts supply changes.
Hopefully after the CI-1 is released we can get some of the new sounds!