New Forum Section

[Zogbert Splod]

Looking across the forum in recent weeks/months I am observing a trend towards the use of servo control of points and possibly signals, crossing gates/barriers.  There is also a rising interest in using Arduino and other controllers in conjunction with the servo's.
While I am aware that setting up new section in a forum is not always the easiest of tasks, it may well be in everyone's best interest to find a way to pull all of the threads on this subject in to a single place as opposed to how things are right now.  As this is a rising interest, there is not an established way to make sure that such posts are seen or responded to.  Might now be a good time to stop these posts spreading across the forum any further with the possible consequent loss and dilution of valuable information?

I don't presume to suggest how this could be structured, or where in the forum it would fit best, but I do think that it would be a valuable addition to the amazing resource that is the NGF.

I am aware that this is, and will remain, a niche interest, but I believe it will grow.
What do other members think of this?

Regards, Allan.....

ps: Arduino's are easier to understand than DCC (even if they do need more than 2 wires!  )

[zwilnik]

I think it's a great idea! 

[sp1]

Great idea!

[MikeDunn]

Given that there are barely 3 pages of items in the existing Electronics forum, what benefit does this give ?  People are unable to look through 2 pages + 1 post on the 3rd page   It's hardly like trawling through a 20+ page area full of totally unrelated posts ... I think it's only 14 threads per page ?

Things Arduino / PIC / whatever, as long as they are in Electronics, aren't

spreading across the forum any further with the possible consequent loss and dilution of valuable information

- they are already

in to a single place

and if mis-located the Mods can easily route them into Electronics ...

[ScottyStitch]

It gets my vote. I know nothing of Arduino (nor Raspeberry Pi) and would welcome a from the ground up tutorial or explanation of sorts.

I understand it can be used to operate a stepper motor (nice article in the NGS Journal), but beyond that, what can it do. Why should I want one or two or three. How many do I need. 

Sell it to me. But, as you suggest, sell it to me in one dedicated place of the forum.

[zwilnik]

Given that there are barely 3 pages of items in the existing Electronics forum, what benefit does this give ?  People are unable to look through 2 pages + 1 post on the 3rd page   It's hardly like trawling through a 20+ page area full of totally unrelated posts ... I think it's only 14 threads per page ?

Things Arduino / PIC / whatever, as long as they are in Electronics, aren't

spreading across the forum any further with the possible consequent loss and dilution of valuable information

- they are already

in to a single place

and if mis-located the Mods can easily route them into Electronics ...

well, for instance, my Arduino thread is in the DC Wiring section of Your Layouts and models. Mostly because I didn't know there was an electronics section and also because it's less about electronics and more about using an Arduino, servos, stepper motors etc. on my layout. (actually *where is* the electronics forum?)

As I've found, you don't need to know a lot about electronics to use this sort of kit and I wouldn't put Arduino or Raspberry Pi programming in electronics either. It's not specifically DC or DCC either and it's a growing area where there's quite a few of us either experimenting with it or have some knowledge of its various uses to share.

[Griffo]

(actually *where is* the electronics forum?)

What he said! Where?

[ColinH]

The Electronics board is a sub board of Scenery/Landscaping

[ScottyStitch]

The Electronics board is a sub board of Scenery/Landscaping

Ah! Of course................ It's obvious now! 

[Zogbert Splod]

Given that there are barely 3 pages of items in the existing Electronics forum, what benefit does this give ?  People are unable to look through 2 pages + 1 post on the 3rd page   It's hardly like trawling through a 20+ page area full of totally unrelated posts ... I think it's only 14 threads per page ?

Things Arduino / PIC / whatever, as long as they are in Electronics, aren't

spreading across the forum any further with the possible consequent loss and dilution of valuable information

- they are already

in to a single place

and if mis-located the Mods can easily route them into Electronics ...

I'm not sure if this quoted post is a no vote on a new forum section or a put down of the mods!
Let me comment on the reference to the mods first - moving the posts to the Electronics section would not seem the right thing to do - it's headed with 'Electronics for lights etc. Not for DC and DCC related questions (please use the dedicated boards for that).
With that said, let me expand on my case for a separate forum section...
My post is to try to make a case for adding a dedicated board to those for DC and DCC.
Well then, I just did a search of the forum using the single word Arduino.  I got multiple pages of results to a total of over 90 items. I have no intention of analysing that in any sort of depth but here are a few things from the first 20-ish on the first page...

Headings/Posts
General discussion     4
Electronics                 3
DC wiring                   4
N Gauge discussion   3
DCC                           3
Layout Planning          1
Layout Construction   2
N gauge tutorials        1
Sound                         1

While you mention 'Arduino/PIC/what ever', I have restricted my quick search to Arduino and that alone brought up the results mentioned and tabulated above.  So, you see, they are NOT in the 'Electronics area'.

What benefit does it give you ask... Well, perhaps none for you, but I do feel that for those who are interested in the subject, quite a bit! I, for example am not interested in either DCC or Sound and don't look in those sections. It seems then, that using your model of forum use, I should perhaps search the forum each day with Arduino as a search term, just in case I miss something!

[ScottyStitch]

What he said ^^^

(Beat me to it. I did teh same search with -obviously- identical results.)

[scotsoft]

I feel a new thread is a good idea, plus having all things arduino and Raspberry Pi in the one place may well encourage posts with hints and tips.

Tank is the only one who has the authority to set up a new topic, so I will have a word and see what can be done 

Cheers John.

[MikeDunn]

I'm not sure if this quoted post is a no vote on a new forum section or a put down of the mods!

More a "why ?" than a no, or a Mod-slap 

it's headed with 'Electronics for lights etc. Not for DC and DCC related questions (please use the dedicated boards for that).

And stuff like wiring for points doesn't fit under the "etc" because ... ?

It seems then, that using your model of forum use, I should perhaps search the forum each day with Arduino as a search term, just in case I miss something!

What model of forum use ?  Where did I prescribe one ?

What I said was "as long as they are in Electronics" - now, there may be a reason why they are located elsewhere - but I note Bealman's Arduino thread is located in - surprise ! - the Electronics area.  There is an argument to be made about putting things in the right place - having another location won't magically improve things ... it just means another place to have to look ...

[scotsoft]

I'm not sure if this quoted post is a no vote on a new forum section or a put down of the mods!

More a "why ?" than a no, or a Mod-slap 

it's headed with 'Electronics for lights etc. Not for DC and DCC related questions (please use the dedicated boards for that).

And stuff like wiring for points doesn't fit under the "etc" because ... ?

It seems then, that using your model of forum use, I should perhaps search the forum each day with Arduino as a search term, just in case I miss something!

What model of forum use ?  Where did I prescribe one ?

What I said was "as long as they are in Electronics" - now, there may be a reason why they are located elsewhere - but I note Bealman's Arduino thread is located in - surprise ! - the Electronics area.  There is an argument to be made about putting things in the right place - having another location won't magically improve things ... it just means another place to have to look ...

Does all this negativity come naturally, or do you have to practice?

Why can't you see the positive side of things, even when that positivity may be limited.

John.

[MikeDunn]

Were I being negative, I would have said something like "there is no point in doing this at all".  Instead, I asked what the benefit would be, and pointed out we already have an Electronics section.  How is that negative ?

Strangely enough, I was under the impression that in this country we have something known as "free speech", and that debate is welcome.  Evidently not by you.

Now, do you actually have anything to contribute to this thread, or would you prefer to attack me further ?