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If you are using your Z21 (or z21) system on an exhibition layout do not make the password for the Wi-Fi the same as the layouts name. A certain group did (no names, no pack drill) and found a person on one of the trader's stands hacked in and caused a run-away.

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Hi you all.

  I am a very new member since now. I am not yet used to your rules. So please, be kind witm me.

  Anyway, here is my first question about Z21. How to connect Z21 to my PC ? I tried almost everything but the good one.

  She works fine from my mobile under Android but not yet from my PC. 

  Help me if you can and I'll feel glad !!!!!!!

Bonsoir  (In french into the text)

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I have now got all my loco's except one working, the loco is No 107 and has a coreless motor, works OK with the prodigy but no response to the Z21 anybody any Ideas, I did not have to change any CV's before, it's got a TCS T1 in it.

 

regards

 

mike g

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  • RMweb Gold

One thing to try, Go into the individual loco settings  and check what the app speed steps is set to? it might be 14 which seems to not work with some chips, if it is just tap 28-128.

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I have now got all my loco's except one working, the loco is No 107 and has a coreless motor, works OK with the prodigy but no response to the Z21 anybody any Ideas, I did not have to change any CV's before, it's got a TCS T1 in it.

If you mean the loco has address number 107, then I'd make a guess that this is the problem. Different makers interpret short and long address ranges differently.

 

On the whole, European command station makers interpret short addresses as 1-99, and long addresses as 100-9999. On the whole, US makers interpret short addresses as 1-127, and long addresses take a variety of ranges depending on command station maker. The net effect of these diverse interpretations of address ranges, is that addresses 100-127 and above 9984 may give problems when locos are moved from one maker's system to another. So, for maximum compatibility, don't use addresses 100-127 and anything from 9984 and above.

 

Solution to the problem, try reprogramming the loco address to a different value.

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  • 3 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...

Hi all, just an update and another question, I have now got all my points and locos working after having to reset the points (cobalts) using the set button and reprogramming the locos with numbers between 99 & 127. The question is: is it possible to change the loco direction of the Z21 for all locos as all mine go the wrong way to the original programming which is right for our club layout and if using the prodigy unit, I know I can change CV 29 but as I have got all the locos set as I wanted them I don't really want to change the locos. In the loco settings on the Z21 there is a direction change 'switch' but it does not seem to work, any ideas!

 

regards

 

mike g

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all.

Has anyone else problems with the latest Android app update?

I updated a few days ago, and since installing it on my Android units I have had some issues.

The green speed staple is gone, and so is the lit up function icons.

Sure, the ability to get occupancy detection on the screen rocks, but the glitch is annoying.....

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I found the problem!!!

After the update the app can't handle extended adresses!

I realized it when trying the demo loco. Then the green throttle bar and the lit icons worked.

After changing CV29 to short adresses on my locos, all was back to normal!

 

Thanks for the link to the manual, but I can't open it.... It is a bin file?!?

Edited by M Graff
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  • RMweb Gold

Have you reported the bug via the website? They are pretty good at sorting the fixes raised on there and this is an important one to fix. I'd be steaming having to re address all mine to short versions.

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Where do I get some of the green track power plugs?

I found some on ebay, but paying €18 shipping is way to steep for an item that can't weigh more than 2 grams.....

Edited by M Graff
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Hi all.

Has anyone else problems with the latest Android app update?

I updated a few days ago, and since installing it on my Android units I have had some issues.

The green speed staple is gone, and so is the lit up function icons.

 

I am having the same problem.  Locos set with long addresses do not respond.  But I have only just got my z21 and the first thing I did was to update the tablet to the latest Android firmware.....  before even starting to set up the z21 !  Talk about bad timing.    Found the problem when I was configuring it for my existing locos which all have long addresses.

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My existing track layout is quite large with 42 points that need controlling. I cannot fit all these points on one track control screen, and if you could it would be too small to operate.  It says on Roco’s FAQ’s  “In the app you can take pictures of several track layout sections and they can then be built accordingly. You can then use the control elements to position the switches and signals above the pictures.”

 

I can’t seem to find out how to have more than one diagram picture accessible for control of points etc, on any single Railroad Layout.  The picture has a “1” at the bottom of the screen which suggests you can have several pages of control screens,  but how?  If I take a second photo it overrides/deletes the first.

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  • RMweb Gold

I'd noticed that and to be honest thought ok I'd need another tablet if the layout got that big. Well worth emailling Roco via the Z21 site as they may be able to fix it to have multiple screens. They usually reply within a month direct too.

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I'm using a 10 inch Tablet, and I've just realised that if I rotate it "end on" then I do get a full screen of track layout picture instead of half track and half throttle/functions.  There is a tab on the screen that then lets you revert to full screen throttle/functions, so you can switch back and forth. At a squeeze I may be able to fit the full layout in, if I use the Tablet end on.

 

So, is it correct that i can only have one track control screen, per selected Railroad layout?

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My existing track layout is quite large with 42 points that need controlling. I cannot fit all these points on one track control screen, and if you could it would be too small to operate.  It says on Roco’s FAQ’s  “In the app you can take pictures of several track layout sections and they can then be built accordingly. You can then use the control elements to position the switches and signals above the pictures.”

 

I can’t seem to find out how to have more than one diagram picture accessible for control of points etc, on any single Railroad Layout.  The picture has a “1” at the bottom of the screen which suggests you can have several pages of control screens,  but how?  If I take a second photo it overrides/deletes the first.

It definitely works, as I recall doing it on an iPad for the demonstration area at Warley show last year. I cannot remember how, but it was simple once you found out how to do it. May be "wipe" the screen to one side during editing of the track (rather than when operating).

 

I'm afraid the Warley work was on iPads rather than Android.

 

 

- Nigel

 

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It definitely works, as I recall doing it on an iPad for the demonstration area at Warley show last year. I cannot remember how, but it was simple once you found out how to do it. May be "wipe" the screen to one side during editing of the track (rather than when operating).

 

Nigel,

 

Got it.....!   Wiping the screen during editing was the answer.  This got me to a second "blank" page where I could add a second photo or drawing. And then in operating mode, same thing.....wipe the screen to get to the next page.

 

Many thanks.

 

Now just got to sort out the loco addressing /Android problem !

 

Cheers,

 

Jay

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Having same problems as M Graff with my Z21 and android tablet, the speed steps only lighting on short addresses, locos still respond too longer addresses, but no speed steps are shown,  I am a little puzzled how this has occurred as my layout is in a outhouse with no broadband fitted, plus due to M Graff's problem I did e-mail Roco about the Firmwave issue so still waiting to hear from them on that, also I have had a couple of problems with a couple of Trix locos, Mallet with sound would not respond but ran on DC, however I think I have sorted this out as I had ten other locos on the layout some roco and others brawa they all ran well some sound, when I took the other 10 off the Mallet worked well, so I presume a voltage problem with the Trix loco. My brand new Trix  Krocodile however still will not move, tried the programming track but it does not get any readings other than the decoder does not respond again this operates on DC, I obviously have emailed the German Shop I purchased off but this takes time, I was wondering if anybody on the forum might have a solution or know if Trix locos are a little  "eccentric" too put it politely.

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Hi brittania,

 

Sorry can't offer any comments/suggestions on the Trix issues you are having.

 

Besides my Samsung Tab 4 tablet, I also cannot get my Samsung Galaxy 3 smartphone z21 App  to respond to loco long addresses set in the Control Panel.  I also did an Android firmware update to this about a week ago, within a few days of the Tablet.

 

Certainly looks like an issue there with the latest Android update, but I have only just got my z21 up and running (since the Android updates occurred ) so I am unfortunately unable to state that all "all was working well with long addresses, beforehand".  I originally thought the problem must be me, but after reading M Graff posts it would appear that there is a compatibility issue with the z21 app and the latest Android update. 

 

Be good to hear from others on this subject, who have also done the android update that was released  a week or so ago.

 

Just want to make one important note.  This  problem has nothing whatsoever to do with loco decoders or their addressing or setting up etc.. The problem/issue is clearly (in my opinion) with the App and/or Android update , and is evident before you even get as far as connecting up any track or putting a loco on it.

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Another twist to my Trix Mallet story, it failed yet again on my Z21, I took the loco back to the model shop I purchased it from on Saturday 18th July   put on his Gaugemaster DCC set up and it immediately worked sound and all, tried it back onto my Z21 and it performed well, so I am scratching my head with the peculiarities of all, this , presuming maybe the Z21 has a problem with Trix locos although the 2-10-0 Trix tank engine has performed faultlessly.

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