NanoX DIY DCC Command Station

[CaptOblivious]

I'm thinking of building Paco's NanoX DCC command station/booster. It looks like a nice, compact, and full-featured unit (except for the 10-loco limit). Anyone here built one of these before?

http://www.tinet.cat/~fmco/nanox_en.html

 

Question: I understand about the S88 feedback bus, at least somewhat. The NanoX-S88 incorporates an S88 bus interface. But without an operating manual, I can't tell what exactly this does for the NanoX. How does the NanoX utilize the S88 inputs? It doesn't have serial output for connecting to a PC, so I can't understand how this is supposed to work, exactly.

[Martijn Meerts]

It does seem a bit pointless have an S88 bus if there are no options of automating the layout to some extent. You don't necessarily need a computer to be able to use the S88 bus, but it looks like this command station (at the moment) can't do any sort of automation.

 

I'm guessing it's for future use, maybe he's building some sort of XpressNet device that allows you to set up routes and such, in which case the S88 would make sense.

[CaptOblivious]

So my question isn't a total newb question after all ;) Thanks for validating my concerns.

 

I'm now thinking instead of looking closely at MERG's CBUS and related hardware.

http://www.merg.org.uk/resources/lcb.html