[ScorpiusWireless]

Today we feature more vapourware for the naysayers. Pretend hardware, fake blurry pictures and non existent firmware. Not tested and pure vapourware.

For real enthusiasts we present with the worlds first aftermarket throttle dongle for Carrera 132/124.
Hardware designed in 4 hours.
Firmware 4 hours
Production files 2 hours.
6 weeks to manufacture.
Completed product from inception to completion in under 2 months. 

Instead of writing new Carrera firmware for the Scorpius controller we decided on this as it suits our Nitrous products too. It converts Scorpius throttle code to Carrera basic code.


100% Carrera compatible, no rubber bands or sticky tape here.

So we just need an enclosure and a nice 3D printed sticker and we have a “product”. 

   

   

   

   


Video of motor being driven by Scorpius controller using Carrera protocols.
https://youtube.com/shorts/x3MbhtqRAY4?s...tiwXVriKGU

[A Gillespie]

Where's member "G34" gone  ..

[ScorpiusWireless]

Ok now turning this into a “product”. 
I had a thought, does the Scorpius dongle housing fit the Nitrous dongle?
Perfectly. 

So development of the Nitrous dongle is 100% complete. Hardware,  firmware, casing, plug and 3D sticker.

For use with the Scorpius controller, with or without the MPD.

Worlds first aftermarket Carrera dongle future party controller.
           

[ScorpiusWireless]

Pre production Nitrous dongles arrived from John today.
This opens the doors for not only a new player for aftermarket Carrera controllers but opens up a new frontier of a revolutionary dual communication protocol called Nitrous.

We have the Scorpius protocols completed. And we have the Carrera protocols 95% completed.
John is currently working on a third type, Nitrous, a marriage if you like of full Scorpius functionality whilst still taking in native Carrera data via the braids. This ensures any Carrera functionality is available if ever required. Example ghost cars on the Carrera side.
The Nitrous dongle captures Scorpius controller data and converts it into Carrera controller code.
 The main benefit is we can achieve proprietary lane changing without rubber bands or sticky tape.
The Carrera CU receives the lane change request as it would from a Carrera controller and sends a global notification to all Carrera lane changers via the rails. Each lane changer is told car 4 is wanting to change lanes. As soon as it sees a cars strobing LED ID or will activate the flipper.
So over the next few weeks we will see Nitrous emerge. 
This dongle makes it all possible.

Just got to snap on the dongle cover as per earlier posts.

Fun times. 

   

[ScorpiusWireless]

Nitrous dongle being tested.  

 https://youtube.com/shorts/6h2uBl06HZo?si=



Why it’s important? 

The Scorpius controller can be used in 4 ways without a firmware change.
1. Scorpius. 
2. Native Carrera using Nitrous dongle.
3. Analogue. Using our WAM (Wireless Analogue Module).
4. Nitrous using Nitrous dongle.  

One controller. One latest firmware update. Saves money. Saves hassle. 
All wireless.
All upgradable.

Carrera controllers output 15 throttle steps and a lane change request yea/no. And no adjustable brakes on the controller, only in the CU, and only ten steps.
Seeing the Scorpius controller has 256 throttle steps and 256 braking steps it would be a backward step to convert to just Carrera controller protocols. All 2 of them. 

Of course if we used Carrera controller protocols then we wouldn’t have direct car comms. So there’s that too.

When I first tried the controller I had to squeeze the trigger 9mm before it started the motor. And 3 top steps 11/12/13 were way too close.
I was able to reduce that 9mm to almost zero. This gives better use of the available 25mm trigger moment, thus better control.
I was also able to seperate 11/12/13 better by steepening the curve.
All this was done on a PC and uploaded to library position 1 on the controller. The only issues are of course no matter how sophisticated Scorpius is Carrera is and always will be limited to 15 steps.
256 Scorpius steps is equivalent to 15 Carrera steps.
Each Carrera step is 17 Scorpius steps. In other words Scorpius has 17 times more resolution.

I do notice a delay like all Carrera controllers. Scorpius is far quicker so I’ll have to adjust. I’ve heard Carrera users talk about this so I’m not surprised. Given there’s only 13 updates per second compared to Scorpius’ 100 our response time is up to 7 times quicker. 

So any mapping I design will be rounded to the nearest number 1-15 for Carrera. This is why Nitrous is required. 

So Scorpius throttle mapping works quite well with Carrera native car chips.
If you’re using native controllers you won’t have any throttle mapping unless I put it in the car decoder instead of the controller. Which I may or may not add.

Worlds first 3rd party dongle for Carrera CU.

[ScorpiusWireless]

Next stage: Manufacture.
A game changer for Carrera users.

https://youtube.com/shorts/U2yh3RrbxtE?s...aVp6PqxPbT

[ScorpiusWireless]

Production drawings.
Here we will manufacture the tacho boards on the same PCB as the Nitrous dongle. The tacho will snap off.
Both units will be factory soldered connections with the JST installed ready to use.  
A specially made grommet to fit the telephone cable into a Scorpius dongle enclosure required a minimum production run of 100,000 units so we’ve decided to simply heat shrink the dongle PCB and add a 3D domed sticker to dress it up.
   

[ScorpiusWireless]

Ready to go to market.
New stickers arrived today. 
I was able to double sided tape the heat shrunk dongle into the casing and it makes for a robust sexy solution. So here it is.
Worlds first aftermarket dongle for Carrera 132.