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ELTEL
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I recently picked up a leaflet printed by YouChoos titled Tweak & Drive 

 

It looks to be a alternative software package to JMRI which can be used with Sprog 2 Sprog 3 and Digikeys DR5000

 

I have to say having just purchased a Sprog 3 I would like to consider a alternative package to JMRI

 

Does anyone have any experience of Tweak & Drive ?
 

One of the options that appeals to me is the easy-map tool for FKey assignment.

 

Also as a very satisfied customer of YouChoos I feel that the back up support to be available should it be needed.

 

Im am not knocking JMRI but I am just looking for a simpler and intuitive package.

 

Terry 

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I'm having a play with it, so far very good. You can get a 30 day trial by emailing John from within the application.

 

I'm right in the target audience, Digikeijs DR5000 and almost elusively Zimo decoders, Decoder Pro offers wider options, but Tweak and Drive is easier to use (or it is so far in my testing).

 

Cheers

Dave

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He is going to add basic Lenz decoder functionality in the next build as I have sent him the Lenz Gold XML file, womt be supported to the same extent as Zimo, but there all the same.

 

I want to see if it is bit more user friendly than DecoderPro which has been my tool for many years, but isn't always the easiet to navigate and find specific CVs

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59 minutes ago, DaveArkley said:

I'm having a play with it, so far very good. You can get a 30 day trial by emailing John from within the application.

 

I'm right in the target audience, Digikeijs DR5000 and almost elusively Zimo decoders, Decoder Pro offers wider options, but Tweak and Drive is easier to use (or it is so far in my testing).

 

Cheers

Dave

Dave

 

Yes saiid I could a 30 day trial which might take bin up on as all steam fleet is Zimo and the 08s

 

As I also have a large fleet of Diesels with Leggibiffoman ESU chips in so I may wait till the update to include ESU chips as indicated by WIMorrison post.

 

I will be using a Sprog 3 / NCE 

 

Terry 

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49 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

He is going to add basic Lenz decoder functionality in the next build as I have sent him the Lenz Gold XML file, womt be supported to the same extent as Zimo, but there all the same.

 

I want to see if it is bit more user friendly than DecoderPro which has been my tool for many years, but isn't always the easiet to navigate and find specific CVs


Note your comment on Lenz Gold 
Is it usable on ESU 3.5 4 & 5 chips 

 

Terry 

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ESU chips have a very complex CV structure, using indexing to access various values (ie. you can't say "CV456" because that can control many different things depending on the values of the associated index variables).    The Lenz Gold information would be useless for setting up an ESU decoder.  

 

It took someone about a year to code the JMRI stuff to handle ESU chips, and the interface for it is just about identical for function mapping to that in the ESU LokProgrammer hardware/software combination.  

 

 

- Nigel

 

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1 hour ago, Nigelcliffe said:

ESU chips have a very complex CV structure, using indexing to access various values (ie. you can't say "CV456" because that can control many different things depending on the values of the associated index variables).    The Lenz Gold information would be useless for setting up an ESU decoder.  

 

It took someone about a year to code the JMRI stuff to handle ESU chips, and the interface for it is just about identical for function mapping to that in the ESU LokProgrammer hardware/software combination.  

 

 

- Nigel

 

Hi Nigel

 

So as I understand your post.

 

1. Not possible at present for Tweak & Drive to be used on ESU chips

2. So if the Lenz Gold is no compatible with ESU 

3. So is it probable that in the future Tweak & Drive could work with Lenz Gold ?

 

Terry 

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I've no idea which decoders Tweak & Drive works with - ask John Gymer at YouChoos, he's a decent chap so I'd expect him to give you a clear answer.

 

The question you asked was about the Lenz Gold structure Iain mentioned, and whether it was any use for an ESU decoder.  The answer is no, it won't be any use for ESU.    

 

 

- Nigel

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The application is designed to work with Zimo decoders only and it was because I mentioned that I mainly have Zimo and asked if it would be e tended to other makers (specifically Lenz as I have some) he said that if he had time he would extend it to Lenz.

 

I then sent the Lenz XML Gold file that Lenz gave me a few years ago to save him writing anything - hence the response from John that he would include in the next release as a basic capability - but not to the same documented extent as Zimo - because he now had the information needed from me ;)

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Nigel & WIMorrision

 

Many thanks for your information.

 

So Tweak & Drive for Zimo and ESULogProgrammer for ESU chips

 

(Don’t have any lenz chips)

 

So silly question does JMRI work with both Zimo & ESU ?

 

Terry 

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3 minutes ago, ELTEL said:

Nigel & WIMorrision

 

Many thanks for your information.

 

So Tweak & Drive for Zimo and ESULogProgrammer for ESU chips

 

(Don’t have any lenz chips)

 

So silly question does JMRI work with both Zimo & ESU ?

 

Terry 

 

Yes, JMRI works for Zimo, ESU, (and just about every other decoder maker).  

 

The ESU decoder interface presentation is very similar to that in the ESU LokProgrammer hardware/software.  So, for CV changes, I'd suggest that a LokProgrammer is an unnecessary luxury.

The Zimo decoder interface is a little messy, though it all works.   This is because it has grown as Zimo have added new features over more than a decade.  It could do with someone to sitting down and re-working it.  

 

 

For Zimo, ESU (and that matter any other maker offering the ability), if you want to load sound files onto a decoder (as opposed to change CVs), then you need the decoder maker's specific hardware to do it.    

 

 

- Nigel

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  • 2 years later...
On 24/11/2022 at 15:56, John Clitsome said:

I'm interested in the Youchoose Tweak&Drive system. I will only be using it for programming purposes and wonder if anybody has any comments that may help me decide.

All my sound stuff has come from John Gymer with Zimos.

 

Thanks folks 

I use it and can heartily recommend it.

 

You can import (from the internet) the parameters which John has used to set up your loco, providing a quick and easy way to create roster entries for your Youchoos fitted locos. Rather than the generic interface provided in JMRI DecoderPro, Tweak and Drive presents a more task centric approach and the software throttles allow you to test changes straight from the program.

 

I use it with a Roco Z21, make sure before you buy that your DCC command station is supported.

 

Cheers

Dave

 

 

Edited by DaveArkley
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