Dynamis Pro Box

[Piemanlarger]

 

I will have a look on Ebay to see what is around.

 

To be honest I am not sure if it is better to just stick with the Dynamis system and put up with the 40 limit, which although can be limiting and also a pain if a loco not on the roster is required for running rather than looking into an alternative. Especially as I do not want to spend huge amounts of money on it at present.

 

I was planning to get the Pro-box and another handset to allow two of us to drive at the same time. I just don??™t know??¦??¦..

 

 

 

You can use a 2nd handset on the std dynamis. I am sure Hattons were selling off hansets for abut ??45 or complete sets split from trainsets for ??70, that would give you a spare / back up reciever + std box and power pack.

I baught my original dymanis for ??80 and 2nd hand one for ??60.

 

As i said, you can have one set of locos (say the "up" trains or all diesels) on one hand set and another 40 on the other, so 80 locos for little more ??.

[Grimleygrid]

You can use a 2nd handset on the std dynamis. I am sure Hattons were selling off hansets for abut ??45 or complete sets split from trainsets for ??70, that would give you a spare / back up reciever + std box and power pack.

I baught my original dymanis for ??80 and 2nd hand one for ??60.

 

As i said, you can have one set of locos (say the "up" trains or all diesels) on one hand set and another 40 on the other, so 80 locos for little more ??.

 

I didn't know you could use two handsets with the basic system, I thought you needed the Pro-box to allow multiple controllers.

 

Thanks for the info. Piemanlarger.

[Tony_S]

 

...

 

In addition, dare I say that maybe we need a reality check here; this is an ??80 DCC system; ??210 - 230 with the Pro Box.

 

 

 

Was that a rant?

.

 

...

I think it was a rather good statement than a rant. My first DCC experience was with a Dynamis and I still use it on my ON30 layout (with lots of fluorescent lamps, WiFi and DECT phones about without any problems. I then got a SPROG as I was too impatient to wait for the Pro box and a Lenz system for my other layouts (which is fortunate as the club I've joined uses Lenz equipment. Apart from the lack of the PC connection with the Dynamis I'm still very pleased with it.

 

Tony

[Piemanlarger]

I didn't know you could use two handsets with the basic system, I thought you needed the Pro-box to allow multiple controllers.

 

Thanks for the info. Piemanlarger.

 

I am of the opinion Bachmann dont want it well known, so people buy the over priced pro box!

[Ron Ron Ron]

I didn't know you could use two handsets with the basic system, I thought you needed the Pro-box to allow multiple controllers.

I am of the opinion Bachmann dont want it well known, so people buy the over priced pro box!

We've known that you can do this from the early days after the Dynamis was released and I'm aware that some people have used multiple Dynamis handsets this way, but I don't recall seeing much discussion about it on here or elsewhere?

 

Are there any issues regarding conflicts e.g. the Command station getting confused by multiple responses to it's transmissions ?

 

If it works without giving any problems then that may be a solution for those who have an issue with the roster size. Of course you won't benefit from the other facilities that the Pro Box provides, such as the ability to have multi-IR Tx/Rx units.

 

.

[Ed-farms]

We've known that you can do this from the early days after the Dynamis was released and I'm aware that some people have used multiple Dynamis handsets this way, but I don't recall seeing much discussion about it on here or elsewhere?

 

Are there any issues regarding conflicts e.g. the Command station getting confused by multiple responses to it's transmissions ?

 

If it works without giving any problems then that may be a solution for those who have an issue with the roster size. Of course you won't benefit from the other facilities that the Pro Box provides, such as the ability to have multi-IR Tx/Rx units.

 

.

 

I've tried 2 handsets with Dynamis at once and it does work to a certain degree, you can't have both sending commands at once nor can you have 1 too close to the base unit whilst using the other, just need to keep 1 out of the way till you need it.

[trent]

Hi guys

 

Sorry for bring up an old topic but after some searching I can't find out whether adding the pro-box will allow me to find out what type (model) od ESU decoder's are fitted to locos. Can anyone confirm whether it has this capability?

 

Thanks

Martin

[Ron Ron Ron]

The Pro Box allows you to read CV's, so you can see the manufacturer ID (e.g. 151 = ESU) and the software version number.

[trent]

Thanks Ron.

 

Can anyone talk me through or point me in the direction of how this is done? Essentially I'd like to know the procedure for finding out if a loco has a Lok 3.5 or 4 fitted.

 

Thanks

Martin

[Nigelcliffe]

Thanks Ron.

 

Can anyone talk me through or point me in the direction of how this is done? Essentially I'd like to know the procedure for finding out if a loco has a Lok 3.5 or 4 fitted.

 

Thanks

Martin

 

There isn't an easy way to determine whether there is a 3.5 or 4.0 from CV reading.

Unfortunately, ESU don't put version numbers on their decoder CV's which could make the distinction straightforward. Other decoder makers do provide such information, and can be very easy to identify by CV reading.

 

 

Best strategy I know is to adjust the primary volume control. Try values around 60-63 and the LokSound 3.5 will be at its maximum loudness, increasing the value further won't raise the volume. Whereas a LokSound 4.0 reaches maximum volume around 190-192, and a value of around 60-63 will be only a fraction of the possible maximum volume. Decoder read-back is not required for this approach.

 

 

( For what its worth, I think that buying a ProBox purely to read back CV values is very poor financial value for money. A Sprog will do this with a computer interface for about £60 (leaving enough change from the ProBox to buy a sound decoder!). Or, if you want a DCC system keypad rather than computer to do this, an NCE PowerCab or Digitrax Zephyr Xtra purely for the bench costs less than a ProBox. There may be other features of the ProBox which makes it a good value item for some, but I struggle to identify them. ).

 

 

- Nigel

Edited July 16, 2012 by Nigelcliffe

[trent]

Thanks Nigel very helpful, I'd forgotten about the differences in sound CV settings.

 

Martin

[S&DWatty]

Ive recently hit the 40 limit on the roster so was thinking about ways of working around it.  I can use the second handset Ive have and, as long as I remember not to relace the existing roster on start up then I could get 40 more in my "stack".  However, as I operate 2 distinct time periods (late steam/diesel transition in UK and 80's banger blue I thought that I could do something a bit cleverer and share decoder addresses in cases where, in real life, locos would not ben seen together.  Ive gained 9 roster slots by doing this and can see about 5 more if I want to shre more addresses. 

 

Some thought was needed when choosing which 3 chips to share addresses with, but it was relatively straightforward having decided what to do.  On the handset, my loco name/number is shown with a space for the shared name/number.  It should keep me going and able to add to the fleet for quite a while yet I reckon.......

 

[Piemanlarger]

Ok so I've made a mistake and bought a pro box !

 

I've got a query on the extra i.r. receiver and its cable?

@ Least the one that came supplied. 

I think mone  is a re-vanped box?

 

The ir cable has connectors that have a small raised square "notch" that locates it into the ir extension board.

This I presume is to ensure correct connection.

 

However the actual i.r. receiver/transmitter does not have the " notch" so the cable can not connect to it.

 

Given the exposed cables ( which does not seem good for prolonged exhibition use)have I got the wrong connector fitted on one end??

 

If I slice off the raised notch and insert the cable the wrong way, will it blow the ir receiver and or pro box??

I'm presuming the notch is there to ensure correct connection!

 

 

Photo of my connection cable with the square " notch"

 

[Piemanlarger]

Notch in the extension it board.

 

But no notch in the ir receiver  ?