ESU ECoS Firmware 3.7.0 Released

[GoingUnderground]

The changes from the previous version 3.6.1 are: 

 

Release Notes for Software 3.7.0 for ECoS 50200 / ECoS 50000 / Central Station Reloaded
=======================================================================================

New features

• Support for L.Net converter. You can find the user's manual under  http://www.esu.eu/download/betriebsanleitungen/zubehoer/ (german language only at this time).
• New decoder profile for LokPilot V4.0 M4 decoder for usage under DCC. If you use this decoder under M4, the automatic profile will be used.

 

Bugfixes and smaller changes:

• Optimized screen redraw to make the GUI a little faster
• Improved address assignement (matching) for all applications such as ECoSniffer, RailCom Address Display, Locomotive categories in routes or L.Net converter: Thew new rules is as follows: First, a locomotive having a sniffer address will be searched for. If no such locomotive exists, a locomotive having the real address will be tried to find. This means that in future, you don't need to have Sniffer addresses; you can use the real locomotive addresses instead (if you set all sniffer addresses to "0"). Of course, for M4 locomotives, you still need a sniffer address occasionally.
• ECoSDetectors will be showed with their names
• Fixed display of RailCom-enabled ports on ECoSDetector devices (before, even a ECoSDetector Standard was shown as "RailCom" enabled).
• In the locomotive select screen, you can no longer create a locomotive with invalid addresses.
• Locomotive categories are initialized now.
• Locomotive categories removed from ECoSDetector Extension now.
• If you try to edit a consist and cancel the operation, ECoS should no longer crash.
• Fixed a display problem on the turntables
• When using a Märklin turntable, you can no longer select non-existing tracks
• The programming for a Märklin turntable works correctly again now.
• Fixed a display problem when using more than 32 s88 modules
• User defined locomotive pictures (icons) with embedded colour profile ( like used by Gimp 8.2) do work correctly now.
• Fixed some errors on automatic detection on ECoSLink devices

As usual, there are separate versions for the ECoS 2 and for the ECoS 1 & Maerklin Central Station 1 Reloaded, but the functionality is identical within the limits of the different screen resolutions of the two/three models.

[Dagworth]

What is the L.Net Converter please Keith? And does "Fixed some errors on automatic detection on ECoSLink devices" mean it might now talk to probox?

 

Andi

[GoingUnderground]

What is the L.Net Converter please Keith? And does "Fixed some errors on automatic detection on ECoSLink devices" mean it might now talk to probox?

 

Andi

 

Hi Andi,

 

I put a quick description of what L.Net does in this topic http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/72353-esu-lnet-converter/. There is a more detailed description on the ESU web site http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/lnet-converter/. Allowing you to use loconet throttles means that when L.Net is launched you can have additional corded throttles with ECoS again, a facility that was lost when Maerklin discontinued their Mobile Station 60651 and 60652 models. I don't know how well L.Net works, but I do know that ESU did ask for ECoS users in the Neu Ulm area to volunteer as Beta testers back in February and they did say at one stage that Beta testing was going well. 

 

On your second question, I don't know what sort of errors ESU are talking about on automatic detection of ECoSLink devices, there are only 4 such devices ( the two ECoSDetector models and the two ECoSBoost models ), soon to be joined by a fifth, L.Net. There is also ProBox and Navigator which only work as additional boosters when connected to an ECoS through their ECoSlink ports. But I doubt that it means that it now talks to ProBox. The reason I say that is that ESU are normally very precise with their descriptions, and if they had finally sorted out using the ProBox or Navigator as slave throttles with ECoS then I think they would have said so. However there's nothing to stop you trying it out and letting us know the results. I don't have ProBox or Navigator so I can't try it myself. I'm still waiting for them to allow a second ECoS to be used as a slave and booster to another ECoS ( like the promised ProBox functionality ) rather than just via the sniffer port. I think I'm going to be waiting a very long time for that. 

[Nigelcliffe]

 

... Allowing you to use loconet throttles means that when L.Net is launched you can have additional corded throttles with ECoS again, a facility that was lost when Maerklin discontinued their Mobile Station 60651 and 60652 models.......

 

Uhlenbrock list versions of the Fred wired throttle for the ECoS (grey with red knob, cost around 40Euro).   This is different to the older LocoNet based Fred (black with grey knob, cost nearer 80Euro).    I've not used the "ECoS Fred", but the instructions indicate its a wired throttle. 

 

 

The L.Net connection could be very useful for larger layouts; allowing a corded back-up to the ESU Radio throttles (I've seen the wireless system fail over an entire layout for 15-20 mins whilst devices were rebooted).  

 

- Nigel

[GoingUnderground]

Uhlenbrock list versions of the Fred wired throttle for the ECoS (grey with red knob, cost around 40Euro).   This is different to the older LocoNet based Fred (black with grey knob, cost nearer 80Euro).    I've not used the "ECoS Fred", but the instructions indicate its a wired throttle. 

 

 

The L.Net connection could be very useful for larger layouts; allowing a corded back-up to the ESU Radio throttles (I've seen the wireless system fail over an entire layout for 15-20 mins whilst devices were rebooted).  

 

- Nigel

 

Nigel,

 

Thank you for mentioning the FRED-CS. I've not seen any reference to it before, and it is apparently a direct substitute for the now discontinued Maerklin Mobile Station 60651 and 60652. From reading the FRED-CS manual it just plugs straight in to a free ECoSLink port on any ECoS or CS1, and becomes integrated into the system and gives you an additional corded throttle. You do not need L.Net if you have a FRED-CS, Uhlenbrock Part No. 66010, as it is designed to work with, and will only work with, either model of ECoS or the Maerklin CS1.

 

You will need an L.Net if you have the true loconet FRED, Uhlenbrock Part No. 66000 as it is a true loconet throttle and want to use that with an ECoS or Maerklin CS1 Reloaded.

 

I'm surprised that it took 15-20 minutes to reboot an ECoS and any radio throttles, it normally takes 2-3 minutes, but I suppose you're talking about fully getting up and running again. If it was just for a backup, then FRED-CS throttles would be the cheaper option than an L.Net and loconet throttles.

[Nigelcliffe]

It took 15-20 minutes because the layout owners/operators didn't know what was going wrong, what needed changing to correct it, etc..  Its a large layout, with around four radio throttles in use at any one time, with more spare throttles available.  Operators just suddenly found their handsets were not working (they would be watching a train, try to change its speed and find nothing happens).    Lots of time wasted pulling batteries out of radio throttles to force them to re-start, scratching heads, asking if they had spares, etc..  Restarting the master ECoS, finding that had no impact.  As in any unexpected sudden failure, a fair bit of time spent doing things which were not really directly related to identifying the issue.   Once the underlying problem was identified, the re-boot was a few minutes to sort out all the loco allocations to radio throttles.   

The underlying issue turned out to be a second radio-equipped ECoS had been started up to be used on the maintenance table.  Turning this ECoS off allowed the radio handsets to begin sorting themselves out, reloading their loco allocations, etc..   (I also guess this ECoS may have had identical radio settings to the first as it may also been intended as a spare unit).

 

 

- Nigel

[GoingUnderground]

If a second ECoS with a Control Radio card installed had been turned on and it was set to use the same channel, then it would have had that effect. So the time taken was to identify the cause, not just to restart and get up and running again as I understood your post.

 

I have heard of something similar happening at a show where there were lots of other radio controlled devices in close proximity. Control Radio worked fine at set up when there were very few other radio devices in operation nearby, but when the show started problems arose when a lot more people started using their radio remote controls for cars, helicopters, planes etc. nearby and swamped the Control Radios.

 

ECoSControl Radio is intended for use in a domestic environment where radio interference will be minimal. At shows, iPhones, a wireless router and TouchCab may provide a more reliable solution as those are designed for use where there are potentially many more radio devices in operation close by.