DCC++ & JMRI QUESTION

[Tim Pearson]

Pretty familiar with DCC etc, I decided to try and build a small unit, so it could serve as a portable test and programming track…. Research done I purchased an Arduino and Motor shield etc… Downloaded and installed the latest version of DCC++ (I am new to this software). Connected up and launched JMRI Decoder pro…. So , I can get a throttle and run/test, however I am unable to do any programming etc. I tried rolling back the DCC++ software to previous versions, and some would read decoders, but then test/throttle would not work. Have ended up back on the latest version. Think it might be something stupid I have overlooked with either the DCC++ software or a setting/ jumper on the arduino unit as I am completely new to these.

Any ideas from you wonderful fellow modellers would be most welcome please. 

[DaveArkley]

Are you running the DCC++ sketches or the newer DCC++EX?

 

Did you cut the power trace on your motor shield? If you did cut it then you're stuck with using DCC++, if not I suggest you visit this site https://dcc-ex.com and follow the instructions there.

 

DCC++EX is a much more capable system than the older DDC++

 

Cheers

Dave

[DaveArkley]

Actually, thinking about it, you can resolder the DC trace on the motor shield if you did cut it. Then you can use DCC++Ex.

 

Cheers

Dave

[Stevie]

Are you using decoder pro on main or on the program track? ie connection A or B on the motor shield as I had similar problems initially. 

[Nigelcliffe]

DCC-Ex (current production version) works fine.   I have a cut-track on the motor shield, cut following the guidance on the DCC-Ex website.    Official Arduino Motor shield, and an Elegoo Arduino Mega. 

 

That requires two different voltages supplies so the Arduino voltage regulator isn't overloaded, which I get by
a)   16v DC, to the motor shield. 
b)    same 16v DC,  via a DC-DC converter to approx 7 volts, which feeds the volts-in barrel connector of the Arduino.   The power pins on the stack of shields is therefore powered from the Arduino and its on-board regulator.  

 

This works fine with JMRI/DecoderPro,  including programming track,  via USB connection.     

I've also added a Hans Tanner "IoTT stick" to the stack (own home-made shield, with a M5-stick in a header), which gives me WiFi control via LocoNet-over-TCP/IP from a computer running JMRI.   That mostly works, with one very specific bug in the programming track reads, which I've reported to Hans (I think its in his LocoNet code, as the IoTT stick programmes correctly via an Engine Driver App connection,  so the correct data is getting from programming track, through the DCC-EX and into the IoTT stick,  just getting lost when the data exits as LocoNet-over-TCP/IP  ).  

 

 

 

- Nigel