Roco Z21

[Benefield]

I am thinking of upgrading from Hornby Railmaster to the Z21. I use Railmaster to control everything on my layout and use a tablet via Teamviewer as a walkabout. Railmaster does all I want but I find it unreliable in a number of ways.

 

My investigations of Z21 suggest it can do most of what I currently do with Railmaster. One thing I am not sure about, however, is it's programming capability. Not talking here about decoder programming but the ability to daisy chain a set of commands together to say turn on a locos lights, turn on sound, set a route and set the loco off at a predetermined speed, something Railmaster does very well. I know the Z21 can set routes but not sure it can do much more. Any advice on this would be gratefully received.

[Benefield]

Thanks Dutch it does. It does however lead to another question and that is can the Z21 be operated with say JMRI via a PC and the native control through tablets/phones at the same time so anything not available in the native software can be done by JMRI. Or am I just being perverse

[Neils WRX]

Just purchased a wifi Multimaus (to work with my Black Z21), and just learning how to set locos up etc. Is there anyway of having different layouts set up on it in the same way you can on the IPad APP? Also when I try to change the language it won't let me for some odd reason and just comes up with something like "v-01"

[ianLMS]

Select the layout in settings if not already active,

Go to Track Control Centre,

Put your finger on the symbol you want to remove for a second or so until it highlights in a red box.

Select delete from the toolbar at the bottom

Question: I know how to delete single points from the Track Control settings page, but how do I delete whole pages? I have ended up with around 4 pages that I don't need and its frustrating scrolling through them to get the correct one.

Thank you

Ian

[PaulRhB]

Ian, I can't see a way to do it for a whole screen and I think even deleting all the symbols leaves a blank screen. May be worth highlighting it via the Roco Z21 site and they might add it eventually.

[Alan Kettlewell]

I had this problem. I think I ended up selecting all the objects, cutting and pasting them to an empty screen. Then repeat for any other screens so all the empty screens end up at the end and you don't have to scroll past them. Tedious but once it's done it's easier.

Cheers ..Alan

Edited May 25, 2017 by Alan Kettlewell

[ianLMS]

Thanks Alan - shame they couldn't put a "delete Page" button in.

 

Also, how do you move loco's t another layout so I don't have to re-programme them all?

 

Ian

[Alan Kettlewell]

Thanks Alan - shame they couldn't put a "delete Page" button in.

 

Also, how do you move loco's t another layout so I don't have to re-programme them all?

 

Ian

 

Import/Export feature possibly, although I've only used this feature to attempt transferring a layout between an Android tablet and an iPad - I wasn't successful!

Cheers ... Alan

[PaulRhB]

Import / export between iPhone and android, (or vice Verda), needs to be done with the email option rather than direct option

Open the emailed file from the email and it should open the Z21 app and transfer. I found trying to open it from the app didn't work.

I don't think you can transfer locos between layouts unless there's something in the maintenance PC software again?

You could always leave a throttle on the other 'layout file' for those locos.

[ianLMS]

Import / export between iPhone and android, (or vice Verda), needs to be done with the email option rather than direct option

Open the emailed file from the email and it should open the Z21 app and transfer. I found trying to open it from the app didn't work.

I don't think you can transfer locos between layouts unless there's something in the maintenance PC software again?

You could always leave a throttle on the other 'layout file' for those locos.

Cheers for that - hope someone from the z21 app design team reads the post, maybe they can add a "delete page" option for the track section, or allow the transfer of loco's between layouts. I'm not a programmer, but for these experts, I'm sure it wouldn't be that difficult.

Ian

[Riddles]

A notice about a bugfix for the new WLAN Multimaus has just appeared on the Z21.eu website.    Unfortunately the English language version of the News section has not been updated since 20th December 2012.  

 

I don't understand German but the Bing Translator shows that there is a link to an update file and mentions that there will be new features in "the fall". The Bing translation is shown below but the original German version is at  http://www.z21.eu/News/Aktuelle-News/WLAN-MULTIMAUS-Problembehebung for those who can understand it.

 

Riddles

    

WIRELESS multimedia mouse troubleshooting

May 31, 2017

We may contact the wireless multimedia mouse with good news for all users. Our colleagues from the digital Department could resolve some problems:

• The own router often not appeared in the list of found networks (SSID list).
• Router names that are identical except for their total length with a router names longer, were not recognized as different names.
• If you lose the connection between WLANMAUS and Z21, only a restart of the WLANmaus helped to establish the connection again.
• If the network (SSID) has been changed, the WLANMAUS had to be restarted so that a connection was established.
• Some menu items no longer reacted, if previously accidentally made the same choices in a different menu point.
• When adjusting brightness and contrast, the changes were not displayed as you type.
• "No. RESOURCES" was displayed when leaving the menu brightness/contrast/lighting time.
• Enter of a lock code was adopted in pressing the STOP button.
• When entering the device name or the IP mode, the network connection was again built even if nothing has changed.
• When you switch to turnout mode with the locomotive/soft button "New?" instead of a turnout number was released.
• The riding level was submitted during fast movements of the knob sometimes not on the locomotive.
• While driving the same locomotive with multiple input devices, the WLANMAUS took over the control always again independently.

Also, the following languages are available: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Czech, Dutch

Go to the Update v1.01:

Wireless multimedia mouse Update v1.01 (zip - 1.39 MB)

 

ATTENTION: a new up-date with new features will come In the fall!

[Viken]

 

I need your help in setting up 3 way point in my track plan.

 

All points are working perfectly fine in real using roco multimaus and z21 (white) aside from 3 way switch.

 

In z21 app in real this is what happens left/straight/right but when I want to bring point from right to straight this is what happens right/left/straight.

 

I am not sure where I am going wrong.request you to please help me for the same.

 

The address of point motor is 34 (rightside) and 35 (leftside) connected in real.

[ianLMS]

I need your help in setting up 3 way point in my track plan.

 

All points are working perfectly fine in real using roco multimaus and z21 (white) aside from 3 way switch.

 

In z21 app in real this is what happens left/straight/right but when I want to bring point from right to straight this is what happens right/left/straight.

 

I am not sure where I am going wrong.request you to please help me for the same.

 

The address of point motor is 34 (rightside) and 35 (leftside) connected in real.

I will be interested to see the response as I have a 3-way point in my fiddle yard. I had planned to treat them as two separate single points in the z21 app and operate them separately to choose the correct route. Just need to work out which setting for left, straight and right. I believe one of the blades can stay put for two of the settings, so only one point motor needs activating.

[Pete22]

Hi, yes the Z21 app has a 3 way point icon, I use it to control two Peco 3 way points, both are SL-99 insulfrogs, after much trial & error, it now works perfectly.

The trick is to understand which motor is 1 or 2.

I could post a photo of my app / point configuration setting if you like ?

 

P.

[Viken]

Hi, yes the Z21 app has a 3 way point icon, I use it to control two Peco 3 way points, both are SL-99 insulfrogs, after much trial & error, it now works perfectly.

The trick is to understand which motor is 1 or 2.

I could post a photo of my app / point configuration setting if you like ?

 

P.

Hi Pete,

 

Thanks alot your response!!

 

Request you to please post the picture of your app/point configuration it would be very helpful.

 

FYI... in real the address of the point motor is 34 right side and 35 left side both the motors perfectly fine when I use them with multimaus.

 

I am using peco PL-11 as point motor and have 1 peco SL-99 insulfrogs in my layout

 

Awaiting your response 

 

Regards,

Viken

[Pete22]

Hi Viken, here are the correct settings to operate your Peco SL99 3 way points.

Motor 1 is nearest to the 3 exit tracks. Motor 2 is nearest to the single track /entry). This set up works, let us know how you get on..

[Viken]

Hi Viken, here are the correct settings to operate your Peco SL99 3 way points.

Motor 1 is nearest to the 3 exit tracks. Motor 2 is nearest to the single track /entry). This set up works, let us know how you get on..

Hi Pete,

 

Thanks for your response!!!

 

I did the settings as per your config and it still didn't work may be because I am  just doing the dummy test not real.Would it be possible for you to do the same ?

 

Request you to please send the actual picture of your 3-way point So i can reconfigure my point motor's accordingly

 

I will send you picture of my 3-way point request you to please tell me which should be motor 1 (i.e 34)  and motor 2 (i.e 35). and on which side of the lug it should be connected.

 

Regards,

Viken

[Pete22]

Hi Viken,

I advise that you attach the 2 motors to the point, otherwise you will problems trying to decide which motor momentarily moved which way !

Once you have attached the motors, connect them up to your accessory decoder, give them addresses, and try it out. If you have problems, try swapping the motor wires from one port to the other port, this should give the same result as changing the addresses of the 2 motors. I will try to post a pic of my points tomorrow - showing which motor is which !

 

Cheers,

P.

[Viken]

Hi Viken,

I advise that you attach the 2 motors to the point, otherwise you will problems trying to decide which motor momentarily moved which way !

Once you have attached the motors, connect them up to your accessory decoder, give them addresses, and try it out. If you have problems, try swapping the motor wires from one port to the other port, this should give the same result as changing the addresses of the 2 motors. I will try to post a pic of my points tomorrow - showing which motor is which !

 

Cheers,

P.

Hi Pete,

 

Thanks for your response!!!

 

I will wait for you to post the picture of the your points.

 

Regards,

Viken

[Alan Kettlewell]

Hello Viken,

 

They're certainly a bit of a struggle these 3-ways aren't they?  I've done a few now and find there's no standard way to record it because on the Peco motors there's no way of knowing which terminal is positive or which is negative.  You only have to fit them the other way round and while the polarities don't change the turnout will throw the opposite way.  For this reason it's hard to get it from someone else's pictures.  Each time I set one up I have to start from scratch - a lot of experimentation is involved!

 

Anyway I thought I'd get involved and try to help (ha - I might well make things worse!)  This is the sort of thing that you could probably show someone in a few minutes but can take a lot to explain in writing.  Anyway I'll have a go and support it with some pictures I've made up.

 

Two things first though, I'll apologise up front if I insult your intelligence, it's not at all intended.  Also apologies to Pete22 for nicking your photo to use in my explanation!

 

Please note this is just the way I tackle it - there'll be other ways.  For me the key to getting this is to understand what happens to the polarity of each motor which sets the road to either left, straight or to the right.   Then working it through step by step.  I'll post up my pictures now which have explanatory notes on them.  I hope this works:

 

Picture 1 is Pete22's photo.  

 

 

So this is how I tackle this:

 

 

..and then:

 

 

 

I hope all that is not too much gobbledygook!  It's about the best way I can come up with to try to help - it really is a tedious task but hopefully this might help you out. 

 

Pete22 - hope I haven't butted in too much as I can see you're helping out.

 

Cheers ..Alan

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Pete22]

Hi, Viken,

Hopefully you will be able to take advantage of the information Alan has provided above.

However, I promIsed to show you my point set up, which does work with Z21. If you set up your configuration like mine, it absolutely should work !

[Viken]

Hi Alan and Pete,

 

I will test the same and post my findings.

 

Regards,

Viken

[Viken]

Hi Alan and Pete,

 

I will test the same and post my findings.

 

Regards,

Viken

Hi Alan & Pete,

 

I have tried all the options suggested by you but failed to achieve the correct setup for 3-way point.

 

Pete,

 

Would it be possible for you to post the connection picture of red and black wires. so I can swap my wires according to your setup.

 

Regards,

Viken

[Tim V]

Can anyone tell me what type of plug the green power connector is please? I need to get a spare.

[Riddles]

Can anyone tell me what type of plug the green power connector is please? I need to get a spare.

The official Z21 importer, Gaugemaster, does not appear to stock this part.  I did ask at their premises at Arundel. I tried ebay and although they can be found from a German supplier at a fair price, the carriage charge is over £10.

DCC Supplies have them for £2.16 plus postage although they are listed as being for CT Electronik, or Zimo.

See  http://www.dccsupplies.com/search/results/?search=101186

Regards,

Riddles