WiTcontroller (Physical)

WiTcontroller uses exactly the same hardware as the DccExController, but uses the wiThrottle Protocol instead of the DCC-EX Native command protocol.

From Engine Driver’s very own Peter Akers (flash62au on our Discord server), comes a physical hardware throttle using only 4 parts and a battery:

ESP32 with LiPo charger
Rotary encoder
3x4 keyboard
OLED Display

Optionally you can add:

Up to 8 extra buttons
A battery monitor

Files for a 3D printed case are also available.

For a video on how to do this, click below:

Features 

Provides a list of discovered SSIDs with the ability to choose one. When you select one:
- If it is one in your specified list (in the sketch), it will use that specified password
- If it is a DCC++EX WiFi Command Station in access Point mode, it will guess the password
- Otherwise it will ask to enter the password (Use the rotary encoder to choose each character and the encoder button to select it. * = backspace. # = enter the password.)
Optionally provides a list of SSIDs with the specified passwords (in the sketch) to choose from
Auto-connects to the first found WiThrottle Protocol Server if only one found, otherwise
- Asks which to connect to
- If none found will ask to enter the IP Address and Port
- Guesses the WiThrottle IP address and Port for DCC++EX WiFi Access Point mode Command Stations
- Optionally can add a #define (a preference) to disable this auto connect feature
Rudimentary on-the-fly consists
Assign commands directly to the 1-9 buttons (in the sketch) (see list below)
- This is done in config_button.h
- Latching / non-latching for the function is provided by the roster entry of WiThrottle server
Optionally use a potentiometer (pot) instead of the rotary encoder
Optional ability to assign commands directly to the 1-11 additional buttons (in the sketch) (see list below)
- These are defined config_button.h
Command menu (see below for full list) including:
- Able to select and deselect locos:
  - by their DCC address, via the keypad
    - On NCE systems, a leading zero (0) will force a long address
  - from the first 50 locos in the roster
- Able to select multiple locos to create a consist
  - Able to change the facing of the additional locos in the consists (via the ‘extra’ menu after selection)
- Able to activate any function (0-31)
  - Showing of the roster function labels (from the WiThrottle server if provided)
  - Quick access to the functions by pressing #. Temporarily enabled via the Extras menu (or permanently enabled in config_button.h)
  - Limited ability to configure which functions are sent to the first or all locos in a consist (defined in config_button.h)
- Able to throw/close turnouts/points:
  - from the address
  - from the first 50 turnouts/points in the server list
- Able to activate routes:
  - from their address
  - from the first 50 routes in the server list
- Set/unset a multiplier for the rotary encoder
- Power Track On/Off
- Disconnect / Reconnect
- Put ESP32 in deep sleep and restart it
- Option to switch between Single Loco and Consist/MU (Drop before Acquire)
- Option to save the currently select locos (on multiple throttles) and have them automatically re-acquired on next connection.
Option to have up to 6 command sequences executed on connection
Option to automatically acquire a loco if there is only one loco in the roster
Have up to 6 throttles, each with an unlimited number of locos in consist. Default is 2 throttles, which can be increased or decreased temporarily via the Extras menu (or permanently enabled in config_button.h)
Limited dealing with unexpected disconnects. It will throw you back to the WiThrottle Server selection screen.
Boundary between short and long DCC addresses can be configured in config_buttons.h
The default speed step (per encoder click) can be configured in config_buttons.h
The controller will automatically shut down if no SSID is selected or entered in 4 minutes (to conserve the battery)