Digikeys DR5000, Yamorc YD7001 users, to name a few, that use the excellent Z21 application to control their layouts will be getting a shock when they open the application today.
Fleischmann/Roco, creators of the application have finally cottoned on that they have a REALLY great application here and it’s being used by folks who aren’t using their corresponding Z21 hardware, so what do they do? Start charging for it.
When you connect to your device to your non Z21 hardware, you’re now greeted with a popup that a ‘Foreign Control Station Detected’ and limitations are now present.
Those limitations limit you to controlling a single locomotive, I was unable to select any other locomotive that I have setup in the application, although turnout control did still seem operational.
UPDATE: Turns out you can select a single locomotive to control, edit your locomotives and mark all but one as “Active” then you can control that single locomotive via the app.
The price to “unlock” the former functionality, in the UK is £17.49. The small print shows that the purchase is via your Devices app store, so if you’re using it across both Android and Apple devices you’re going to have to purchase it twice!
Apple iPad users will see this:
The same limitations apply to the Android versions as well:
Don’t get me wrong, I’m going to pay for it – it’s an excellent way to be controlling a layout!