Product Description
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Pi-Sprog - Full Package - Complete DCC System with integrated booster, 2 power supplies, Raspberry Pi and MicroSD card.
PI-SPROG FULL PACKAGE IS A COMPLETE DCC SYSTEM BUILT ON A RASPBERRY PI COMPUTER.
THIS PACKAGE INCLUDES THE PI-SPROG 3 DCC INTERFACE WITH AN INTEGRATED 2.5 AMP BOOSTER, RASPBERRY PI 4B, 5V AND 15V POWER SUPPLIES AND A PRE-CONFIGURED MICRO-SD CARD WITH THE CURRENT RASPBIAN STRETCH SYSTEM, JMRI DECODERPRO AND PANELPRO AND PRESET WIFI NETWORK.
THIS IS A COMPLETE AND FULLY CONFIGURED AND TESTED SYSTEM THAT WILL WORK "OUT OF THE BOX" (ACTUALLY, IN THE INCLUDED 3D-PRINTED CUSTOM BOX!) FOR THOSE USERS WHO DO NOT ALREADY HAVE A RASPBERRY PI OR DO NOT FEEL SO CONFIDENT IN THE SETUP PROCESS.
SETTING UP THE PI-SPROG AND RASPBERRY PI
AS SUPPLIED, THERE IS NOTHING MORE TO DO THAN PLUG IN THE POWER, CONNECT YOUR PHONE OR TABLET TO THE WIFI AND SELECT YOUR LOCO(S) TO RUN.
THE DEFAULT CONFIGURATION STARTS UP THE PI AS A WIFI BASE STATION BROADCASTING ITS OWN WIFI NETWORK, LAUNCHES PANELPRO, STARTS THE WITHROTTLE AND ADVERTISES THE SERVICE ON THE WIFI.
CONNECT TO THE WIFI, LAUNCH THE THROTTLE APP FOR YOUR TYPE OF DEVICE (PHONE, TABLET, ETC.) AND SELECT A LOCO, LOCOS OR TRAINS TO RUN.
IF YOU WANT TO USE DECODERPRO AND SET UP OR PROGRAM DCC SETTINGS, THEN CONNECT TO THE WIFI AND LAUNCH A VNC VIRTUAL DESKTOP TO CONNECT TO THE PI. CLOSE THE DEFAULT PANELPRO SESSION, AND LAUNCH DECODERPRO FROM THE DESKTOP ICON PROVIDED. WITH THE NEW PI-SPROG 3, BOTH PROGRAM AND COMMAND STATION MODES ARE ACCESSIBLE SIMULTANEOUSLY, AND SO THE ONLY SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PANELPRO AND DECODERPRO IS THE INITIAL SET OF WINDOWS SHOWN.
POWER SUPPLIES
THE PI-SPROG 3 REQUIRES A REGULATED DC POWER SUPPLY OF 12 - 19V. A CURRENT CAPACITY OF AT LEAST 2.5 AMP IS RECOMMENDED.
BOTH OUR PI-SPROG 3 AND PI-SPROG FULL PACKAGES INCLUDE AN APPROPRIATE 15V 3A REGULATED SUPPLY.
USE OF A LOWER CAPACITY SUPPLY (E.G. FOR A LOW POWER DEDICATED PROGRAMMING SETUP) WILL REQUIRE MANUAL CONFIGURATION OF THE PI-SPROG 3'S CURRENT LIMIT.
A SMALL AMOUNT OF POWER IS TAKEN FROM THE RASPBERRY PI'S INTERNAL 3.3V SUPPLY, THROUGH THE GPIO CONNECTOR. USING SEPARATE POWER SUPPLIES IN THIS WAY GUARANTEES THAT A PROBLEM WITH THE DCC TRACK POWER SUPPLY WILL NOT AFFECT THE NORMAL OPERATION OF THE RASPBERRY PI.
IN ANY CASE THE STANDARD RASPBERRY PI POWER SUPPLY SHOULD BE SUFFICIENT, DEPENDING ON WHAT OTHER PERIPHERALS YOU HAVE CONNECTED TO YOUR RASPBERRY PI.
SOFTWARE
THE PI-SPROG 3 AND PI-SPROG FULL PACKAGES ARE SUPPORTED BY THE POPULAR JMRI DECODERPRO SOFTWARE FOR DECODER PROGRAMMING AND LAYOUT CONTROL.
THE 3D-PRINTED CUSTOM BOX
STANDARD BOXES FOR THE RASPBERRY PI MODELS ALLOW ADDITION OF EXTENSION BOARDS PLUGGED IN TO THE TOP, BUT DON'T ENCLOSE THEM EFFECTIVELY. SO SPROG DECIDED TO BUILD THEIR OWN CUSTOM BOX EXPLICITLY DESIGNED TO FIT THE RASPBERRY PI WITH THE PI-SPROG MOUNTED ONTO IT.
THE STANDARD PACKAGE INCLUDES THE APPROPRIATE CONNECTOR AND FOUR STAND-OFFS TO MOUNT THE PI-SPROG AT A GOOD CLEARANCE ABOVE THE PI, AND SECURELY ATTACHED.
THE BOX CUSTOM FITS THIS COMBINATION AND SECURES IT FIRMLY, WHILE PROVIDING PLENTY OF VENTILATION FOR THE NORMAL OPERATION.
THEY KEEP UPDATING THE BOX DESIGN TO AFFORD THE MOST USABLE PACKAGE FOR YOUR LAYOUT CONTROLLER, BUT PLEASE NOTE THAT COLOURS MAY VARY.
