Hornby TTS decoder/MX600R

[LNERGE]

I have a Hornby 31 that I fitted with a TTS sound decoder. I rather like the noises it makes but it finds much less use now everything else has ABC braking. 
Would it be possible to use an MX600R for drive and lighting and piggyback the TTS decoder in parallel just to make the noise? 

[kev]

Short answer yes have done it on a HST Hornby that i killed on the power side as long as you can solder should be fine did this about a year ago and still going strong

[Izzy]

Yes, I have done exactly that - with the same two decoders (!). Just remember to set the TTS up first with the address - same as the other of course - and any acceleration rates the MX600 will be given so the notch up/downs remain basically in sync with the loco speed. Then just not hook up the motor output wires after setting up the Zimo.

[LNERGE]

My project for this evening. 

[LNERGE]

Works beautifully. Right up to the moment it gets stopped by the asymmetrical brake. It then sits at full thrash at a red signal lol. Oh well. It will probably get more use now though. 

[Michael Hodgson]

Interesting approach.  What happens if you subsequently want to change Zimo's CVs and try to reprogram the decoder ?  Both would presumably pick up the data, and the different speed settings etc wouldn't matter on the sound chip.   But is there any risk that the sound decoder might generate adverse side effects to the Zimo in the process or perhaps cause the reprogramming to hang up ?   Or would you recommend separating them again temporarily?

[LNERGE]

I would probably seperate them. All i have done is poke the red and black wires from the TTS down the right holes on the decoder socket then pushed the plug if the Zimo decoder in as usual. The TTS decoder responded to asymmetric brake section by slowing down. I think that had more to do with a voltage change than anything else.

[WIMorrison]

1 hour ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Interesting approach.  What happens if you subsequently want to change Zimo's CVs and try to reprogram the decoder ?  Both would presumably pick up the data, and the different speed settings etc wouldn't matter on the sound chip.   But is there any risk that the sound decoder might generate adverse side effects to the Zimo in the process or perhaps cause the reprogramming to hang up ?   Or would you recommend separating them again temporarily?

 

I think that challenge is when you try to read anything from the piggy backed set up as the command station wont know which value to display, though there may also be a challenge writing unless you use POM and are not using Railcom as that will also cause an issue.

[Izzy]

I don’t think you can, or should try, writing cv changes to the setup. Each decoder needs to be dealt with separately. But then why would you need to make any cv alterations once it has been done anyway. I can’t see the need but perhaps I’m missing something.

[Michael Hodgson]

1 hour ago, Izzy said:

But then why would you need to make any cv alterations once it has been done anyway. 

Hopefully one wouldn't, but perhaps having gained a better understanding of the technology, some feature might be wanted.

 

One scenario would be a subsequent purchaser might want to change the loco id, and could be unaware that it has two decoders, not having taken the loco apart.

[Nigelcliffe]

11 hours ago, Michael Hodgson said:

Interesting approach.  What happens if you subsequently want to change Zimo's CVs and try to reprogram the decoder ?  Both would presumably pick up the data, and the different speed settings etc wouldn't matter on the sound chip.   But is there any risk that the sound decoder might generate adverse side effects to the Zimo in the process or perhaps cause the reprogramming to hang up ?   Or would you recommend separating them again temporarily?

 

I can think of three solutions: 

 

a)   If the Hornby decoder supports it - decoder locking.   That's how the standards seem to assume one deals with a multi-decoder loco.  Lock both decoders with different lock codes, unlock one of them (by writing the "lock key" value, the other decoder sees the wrong key so stays locked).  Then you have just one at a time to program. 

 

b)  Consisting.  Here the Zimo has an ace up its sleeve.  Set the Hornby to a long or short address.  Set the Zimo to a different address.  Then set the Zimo consist address to match the Hornby address (the ace being Zimo can do long address consists(!) its in the manual).  Programming then only on the main, where the decoder's primary address is used (so each decoder has a different address). 

 

c) Disconnect each decoder in turn.  Only need to disconnect one of the pickup wires to each decoder.   

 

 

- Nigel