Hornby 2023 - Bluetooth decoders and control system

[Roddy Angus]

I wonder if Hornby would consider bringing out a basic DCC 28 function "controller" which doesn't have any controls or function buttons but which could sit between the dongle and the track to allow the user to control DCC fitted models.  This would suit people, like myself, who have DCC sound fitted models but have not yet got a DCC controller.

 

Having seen how the Hornby system works at Glasgow, it seems so much more user friendly than other DCC control systems.

 

Roddy

[The Meerkat]

36 minutes ago, miles73128 said:

Yep. All mine are working fine, up to F29. Really impressed you can customise the F maps, it’s so much easier than trying to remember all the different maps for each loco-but like going from DOS to windows lol 

 

are they set to  push button?? 

[Tony Walker]

1 hour ago, miles73128 said:

Yep. All mine are working fine, up to F29. Really impressed you can customise the F maps, it’s so much easier than trying to remember all the different maps for each loco-but like going from DOS to windows lol 

 

Are you using the Hornby Elite or another system please?

[miles73128]

1 hour ago, The Meerkat said:

 

are they set to  push button?? 

Good point. I’ve yet to check all those settings. (I’m still learning the full capabilities) having said that, I put Rails Heljan 18000, KR GT3 and a Road and Rails Loksound V5 fitted Kernow D600 full their full F sequences. Everything worked as per the F map. So I don’t see any conflicts at present. 

Edited February 25 by miles73128

[miles73128]

9 minutes ago, Tony Walker said:

 

Are you using the Hornby Elite or another system please?

Hornby Elite. Regards 

[miles73128]

3 minutes ago, miles73128 said:

Hornby Elite. Regards 

Doing the TTS Vent vans now! Phew 

[RAF96]

3 hours ago, The Meerkat said:

yes but on the elite after function 9,  you got press function key again to get to functions 11 to 19,  again using 0 to 9 numbers to play the sound, is that same when entering the function number then give it any icon you wish?

There are 3 pages of functions - see image above this post. Click the page 2 and 3 tabs in the app. 

Edited February 25 by RAF96

[RAF96]

For anyone wondering what the Elite - Select option is in the app.

Select function button is on then again for off.

Elite function button can be short pressed for on then off or if held down it reacts as momentary, i.e. on until released.

 

[The Meerkat]

1 hour ago, RAF96 said:

There are 3 pages of functions - see image above this post. Click the page 2 and 3 tabs in the app. 

yes but what im asking as function number on page 2 in the settings were you name it and say what number the function key is,  do i put 0, 1,2,3 or do i put 10,11,12,13 etc in

[Tony Walker]

14 hours ago, The Meerkat said:

yes but what im asking as function number on page 2 in the settings were you name it and say what number the function key is,  do i put 0, 1,2,3 or do i put 10,11,12,13 etc in

 

Put whatever you want to put or whatever icon you choose.

[The Meerkat]

5 hours ago, Tony Walker said:

 

Put whatever you want to put or whatever icon you choose.

hi

icons not issue i done them,  wish i had photo to show you,  its in the set up, you press the spanner were you want to put your function,  then you give it a name and key in the function number?  on the elite controller,  function list is 0 to 9 for example 3 is the horn 0 is lights,  to get to functions 10 to 19 you must press the function key again and use numbers 0 to 9, what i want to know is, is that same when in set up or can you use numbers 10 11 12,  or on page 2 do you have to use 0 to 9 numbers just like the elite functions?

 

hope this helps LOL

[Kaput]

Unless its a very weird setup you'd just put the numbers in and completely ignore how the Elite does it.

[The Meerkat]

5 hours ago, Kaput said:

Unless its a very weird setup you'd just put the numbers in and completely ignore how the Elite does it.

 

thank you will give it ago, hopefully the dongle comes tomorrow

[meatloaf]

It seems the power bank is now almost impossible to get hold of. 

 

Hopefully more are due soon as my local shop is telling me Q3 2024 at the earliest!

[jonnyuk]

i received my dongle yesterday and on the first setup worked wonderfully with my select.

I added it to App, added a new loco (set to default 3 address), added the loco to the dongle decoder (that's how its presented) and i controlled the loco, happy days. now the issues start,

 

I first re-programmed the decoder to a 4 number address (using my gaugemaster dcc controller), i changed the loco address in the engine shed to match, put the loco on the track and nothing happened.  my first assumption was the select only uses 2 digit address's, so i reset the decoder address to 70 via the select. Changed the loco address in the engine shed, the loco still would not respond.

 

at this point i powered off everything, disconnected the dongle, re-started the select and tried to just control the loco via the select, the loco would not respond, put the loco on my gaugemaster system and it worked. 

 

i tried this with a couple of loco's and got the same outcome, i'm now really confused as to why

1: the dongle now appears not to be working

2: why the select no longer seems able to control the loco's

 

I can see the select does something when i reset the decoder address as the lights flash on the loco.

[spamcan61]

3 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

i received my dongle yesterday and on the first setup worked wonderfully with my select.

I added it to App, added a new loco (set to default 3 address), added the loco to the dongle decoder (that's how its presented) and i controlled the loco, happy days. now the issues start,

 

I first re-programmed the decoder to a 4 number address (using my gaugemaster dcc controller), i changed the loco address in the engine shed to match, put the loco on the track and nothing happened.  my first assumption was the select only uses 2 digit address's, so i reset the decoder address to 70 via the select. Changed the loco address in the engine shed, the loco still would not respond.

 

at this point i powered off everything, disconnected the dongle, re-started the select and tried to just control the loco via the select, the loco would not respond, put the loco on my gaugemaster system and it worked. 

 

i tried this with a couple of loco's and got the same outcome, i'm now really confused as to why

1: the dongle now appears not to be working

2: why the select no longer seems able to control the loco's

 

I can see the select does something when i reset the decoder address as the lights flash on the loco.

I think the select only supports addresses up to 59 so 70 is out of range 

[jonnyuk]

50 minutes ago, spamcan61 said:

I think the select only supports addresses up to 59 so 70 is out of range 

that would explain allot then, although i did try resetting to 3, will give it another go tonight.

[RAF96]

On 26/02/2024 at 14:34, The Meerkat said:

hi

icons not issue i done them,  wish i had photo to show you,  its in the set up, you press the spanner were you want to put your function,  then you give it a name and key in the function number?  on the elite controller,  function list is 0 to 9 for example 3 is the horn 0 is lights,  to get to functions 10 to 19 you must press the function key again and use numbers 0 to 9, what i want to know is, is that same when in set up or can you use numbers 10 11 12,  or on page 2 do you have to use 0 to 9 numbers just like the elite functions?

 

hope this helps LOL

You put in the function number give it a name and select icon if required. You can of course put any function on any page as they are just pointers. If say you want your aux function (f18/f25) on page 1 then you can.

@jonnyuk - the dongle is not magic and although it sends commands to the Select to pass on the Select is limited to what it can do dependant upon its revision state, i.e. a very early version will only control F0-F4, later F0-F8 then at v1.5 and up it will control F0-F28. Ditto addressing - locos 1-59. Accessories later 61-99. 

Edited February 27 by RAF96

[daltonparva]

8 hours ago, jonnyuk said:

i received my dongle yesterday and on the first setup worked wonderfully with my select.

I added it to App, added a new loco (set to default 3 address), added the loco to the dongle decoder (that's how its presented) and i controlled the loco, happy days. now the issues start,

 

I first re-programmed the decoder to a 4 number address (using my gaugemaster dcc controller), i changed the loco address in the engine shed to match, put the loco on the track and nothing happened.  my first assumption was the select only uses 2 digit address's, so i reset the decoder address to 70 via the select. Changed the loco address in the engine shed, the loco still would not respond.

 

at this point i powered off everything, disconnected the dongle, re-started the select and tried to just control the loco via the select, the loco would not respond, put the loco on my gaugemaster system and it worked. 

 

i tried this with a couple of loco's and got the same outcome, i'm now really confused as to why

1: the dongle now appears not to be working

2: why the select no longer seems able to control the loco's

 

I can see the select does something when i reset the decoder address as the lights flash on the loco.

Have you got the app set to bluetooth or dcc?

[jonnyuk]

15 minutes ago, RAF96 said:

You put in the function number give it a name and select icon if required. You can of course put any function on any page as they are just pointers. If say you want your aux function (f18/f25) on page 1 then you can.

@jonnyuk - the dongle is not magic and although it sends commands to the Select to pass on the Select is limited to what it can do dependant upon its revision state, i.e. a very early version will only control F0-F4, later F0-F8 then at v1.5 and up it will control F0-F28. Ditto addressing - locos 1-59. Accessories later 61-99. 

You are correct, I changed the addresses to lower numbers and it’s all working, I do  need to look at how I can upgrade the firmware though.

in terms of the dongle, it’s a brilliant bit of kit and is a game changer for me for controlling locomotives, only down side is still having to have a DCC system to amend non hm7000 decoders

[RAF96]

3 minutes ago, daltonparva said:

Have you got the app set to bluetooth or dcc?

The dongle does not support being switched from app to dcc. It is a bluetooth interface that sends dcc signals.

The only option switching it has is Elite or Select and this alters the way Functions F13-28 are handled. Default is Elite so if your Select is v1.5 up but these functions are not working check the switch . . .

 

 

[RAF96]

11 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

You are correct, I changed the addresses to lower numbers and it’s all working, I do  need to look at how I can upgrade the firmware though.

in terms of the dongle, it’s a brilliant bit of kit and is a game changer for me for controlling locomotives, only down side is still having to have a DCC system to amend non hm7000 decoders

Contact Hornby customer services to pay your £15 and get a returns number. Turn round time is about a week.

[The Meerkat]

7 hours ago, jonnyuk said:

You are correct, I changed the addresses to lower numbers and it’s all working, I do  need to look at how I can upgrade the firmware though.

in terms of the dongle, it’s a brilliant bit of kit and is a game changer for me for controlling locomotives, only down side is still having to have a DCC system to amend non hm7000 decoders

 

it is easy,  or i found it easy, tho i got he elite controller,  if you have spare printer lead,  plug it into the select and PC, laptop,  download the select update firmware and follow the onscreen instructions,  again i only used an elite,  if im wrong please correct me

[Pmorgancym]

So has anyone used the dongle with a non Hornby base unit?

Edited February 28 by Pmorgancym

[RedgateModels]

2 hours ago, Pmorgancym said:

So has anyone used the robgke with a non Hornby base unit?

I've successfully tested it with a Z21 snd will be running Summat Colliery (locos only) at the Mansfield Show this weekend 😁🚂🚂🚂🚂🚂