Product Information

Uhlenbrock IB-Control 65400

Summary of Features

The IB-Control is an additional LocoNet control station for use with the Intellibox. It provides an identical set of user controls and similar functions to those of the Intellibox, as follows:

Two Locomotive Controllers

Accessory Keyboard Controller

Feedback Data Monitor

IRIS Command Monitor

These features allow you to control both trains and accessories directly from the IB-Control, in the same way as the Intellibox. Moreover, the IB-Control accesses the multi-protocol central unit of the Intellibox, which has the ability to simultaneously operate Motorola, DCC, and Selectrix decoders on the same layout.

The user interface of the IB-Control shares the same versatility and ergonomic design as the Intellibox. The actions and status of the current operating mode are clearly displayed on its bright backlit LCD screen along with current locomotive addresses, speeds and data formats. Accessories are controlled directly from the front panel keyboard with the address range selected through a menu. The two locomotive throttles use smooth 360^o rotary encoders, which reverse locomotive direction with a light push inward. Addressing a new locomotive is easy, as its present speed setting is automatically assigned to the current throttle position for seamless transitions between locomotives.

The IB-Control can be connected up to 100m away from the Intellibox, owing to the high transmission quality of LocoNet. This allows the IB-Control to provide precise local control where it is necessary, even at a remote location of the layout such as a station, yard, or staging area. Of course, the IB-Control can also operate alongside the Intellibox at the main control panel, to increase the number of directly controlled locomotives and accessories.

These features make the IB-Control a perfect addition to an Intellibox-based control system. The IB-Control lets you take full advantage of the existing features of the Intellibox, while providing greater ease of control and further operating options.

Please see the sections below for more detailed information on the capabilities of the IB-Control. You can also download and view the online IB-Control manual here.

Locomotive Controllers

The IB-Control has two built-in locomotive controllers, each contains a throttle, function control keys, and a loc assignment key. A terrific feature of the IB-Control is the use of relative, as opposed to absolute, throttles. When addressing a new locomotive with the IB-Control, the current speed setting is automatically recalled from memory and assigned to the present position of the throttle. Subsequent increases or decreases of the throttle occur relative to that point, which makes for easy transitions between locomotives. In addition, the throttles may be configured for either DC (rev-0-fwd, push to stop) or AC (0-fwd, push to rev) style of operation, and may also display the speed setting as an absolute level or percentage of full throttle. The controllers' function keys consist of the direction-dependent "function" & "off" keys as well as the extended function "F1-F4" keys. When operating DCC locomotives, extra functions F5-F8 can also be accessed using the "loc" and "F1-F4" keys together.

Keyboard Mode

The Keyboard Mode provides you with direct access to 8 digital accessory channels (addresses) on the IB-Control panel. Further addresses are available using the Keyboard menu to change the address range, from 1-8 to 9-16 for example. The last valid setting for each accessory address in the selected range is displayed on the IB-Control's LCD screen. Accessory commands issued by other controllers such as another IB-Control, the Intellibox, IB-Switch, Märklin Memory or Keyboard, are also reflected on the IB-Control display. A special Table Keyboard Mode is provided as well, where the 8 key pairs may be freely assigned to any accessories that are used frequently.

Feedback Data Monitor Mode

The Feedback Monitor Mode displays and stores the status of feedback modules connected to the Intellibox's s88 data bus and LocoNet. In contrast to the Märklin Interface unit, the Intellibox constantly monitors the s88 data bus for changes so that status requests from a computer may be instantly fulfilled. Any changes in the s88 or LocoNet feedback data are broadcast to the LocoNet connection of the Intellibox, and displayed on the LCD screen of the IB-Control in this mode. The Feedback Monitor Mode can be used to view the status of any one of 128 feedback modules individually.

IRIS Command Monitor Mode

In the IRIS Mode, the center portion of the IB-Control display can be used to monitor commands sent by IRIS remotes in the control system. The user can select one of the four IRIS communication channels using the IRIS menu. Any locomotive or accessory commands that are issued by a remote operating on that channel will be shown on the IB-Control's LCD display. This feature is well-suited to large layouts with multiple operators. In this case, a local IB-Control operator at a station or yard area would be able to easily view the status and take over control of a locomotive from a remote IRIS operator.

Technical Specifications