Roco Z21

[pauliebanger]

Hello Z21 users,

 

I'm looking for a little help from a Z21 owner or two who also has ZIMO sound decoders of the types, MX645, MX646, MX648 or MX649 , preferably from Digitrains.

 

If you have the correct hardware and would like to take part in a short experiment, hopefully to our mutual benefit, please drop me a PM (Personal Message).

 

Kind regards

 

Paul

[MikeH_83]

On Sunday I decided to try connecting the supplied TP-Link router from the WAN socket to my home internet router. As expected, I was able to get emails and surf the web. I then turned everything off and removed the link from the WAN socket. On Monday when I turned on my iPhone and iPad, although the wi-fi connected to the Z21 router, the Z21 app showed a red cross on the wi-fi icon and I was unable to effect control. I confirmed that there was no problem with the iPhone and iPad as they still operated my Roco Smartrail without problems.

 

Yesterday I phoned Scograil, who had supplied the Z21 and they (with their neighbour Coastal DCC) couldn't have been more helpful. They established that the IP address of the router had become corrupted and talked me through re-setting it and re-installing the Z21 network name. (Re-setting the router had changed the name to "TP-Link"). Absolutely brilliant service from Scograil and the best price I could find in Europe.

 

Scograil did replicate my own set-up and linking the Z21 router by cable to their own internet provider's router caused them no problems. I suspect, although neither Scograil nor Coastal DCC confirmed this, that my problem was caused by connecting my Z21 router to my Sky hub by Powerline mains adapters, rather than cable.

 

Incidentally, when I feel the need to control my trains with an old-fashioned steel handled lever rather than a phone or tablet, my ZTC 611 works seamlessly through the Z21 sniffer.

 

Interesting to know that the ztc works well with the Z21.  I really like the system but It would be nice to have a physical controller too for the ability to control trains through that

[PaulRhB]

Interesting to know that the ztc works well with the Z21. I really like the system but It would be nice to have a physical controller too for the ability to control trains through that

Or there's this due soon and already pre order prices of £75-85

http://www.roco.cc/cz/product/235722-0-0-0-0-0-0-004001/products.html

 

Edited May 11, 2016 by PaulRhB

[Dogmatix]

The Roco WLAN controller (upon which I also have my beady eyes set) is due out in week 37 (week beginning 12 September). The price in Germany is €99.

 

At the moment I have an ESU Mobile Control base unit (original version) connected to the Roco bus port, and two wireless mobile controllers. I also have a wired Multimaus and some Lokmaus2's available for when my friend comes around with his kids. I hardly ever use my smartphone with my Z21. I did try it, and went through the business of photographing some engines etc, and arranging point icons, but I felt it was more bother than it was worth. At the moment, I don't even have the router connected.

 

I have dabbled with a Piko Smartcontrol (the bigger ESU ECoS base being far too expensive and far too complex for my taste), but I have put it away again. It would be interesting if Piko or Roco or a third party would write a Z21 app for the ESU/Piko mobile controller, but both Piko and Roco say that their part of the software is open so someone can write an app if they like, but they're not about to do it themselves. So no-one is doing it.

Edited May 14, 2016 by Dogmatix

[Judge Dread]

Or there's this due soon and already pre order prices of £75-85

http://www.roco.cc/cz/product/235722-0-0-0-0-0-0-004001/products.html

 

image.jpg

Thanks for this heads up. That's for me, my fingers are too big for sliding across a tablet screen, I would prefer a control wheel. 

I'm due to go to a show in Nuemunster, northern Germany next March, so I will be on the look out.

[Alan Kettlewell]

Or there's this due soon and already pre order prices of £75-85

http://www.roco.cc/cz/product/235722-0-0-0-0-0-0-004001/products.html

 

image.jpg

 

Thanks for the heads up, this looks good.  Just reserved one with my favourite supplier MBL, Germany and found I can get a special price with them at 86 euros. 

Cheers ...Alan   

[NSE Mule]

My Z21 seems to gave developed a fault which I cannot seem to reset. I set everything up and all seems OK, apart from the word stop on the app. As soon as I press stop it turns to go and the blue light on the controller flashes continuously and nothing responds? If you press the go button it reverts to stop and the blue light stops flashing. It can't be an external short circuit as I tried attaching the controller to a single piece of track and it does the same? Any ideas?

[PaulRhB]

The default display is stop, Go and the flashing blue led only displays when it is shorted.

[PaulRhB]

I'm not connected to wifi but apart from that this is the normal screen you'd expect to see. Go is a prompt to press it once the short is found.

[Alan Kettlewell]

To confirm and support what Paul says above,  if it reads 'Stop' then it's OK and on; if it reads 'Go' then it's off or shorted.  Think of Stop or Go as instructions not 'states' - if that makes sense.

Cheers ...Alan

Edited May 21, 2016 by Alan Kettlewell

[TBW Wessels]

Good evening to the z21/Z21 family!!

 

My name is Theuns Wessels from Farraremere, Johannesburg in South Africa - I am a hobbyist almost all my life starting at the age of 6 and started with Roco. I am collecting Roco, Fleischmann, Brawa and Trix with a Lenz and for the last two year z21 and Z21 DCC systems. 

 

And now I need help please?

 

I need to transfer all my locomotive info from one device (cell phone) to my back-up device (tablet)( All Samsung) - do I need to create a layout first before I add locomotives? What is the process to export from the one device and then to import into the other device? Can I download some info somewhere on the web to assist me?

 

Kind regards

 

TBW

[PaulRhB]

Ok this is from memory, 

on the phone go to:-

Settings,

Export,

Choose layout,

Send via Email

 

On tablet open the file attached to the email and:-

Open it, (this may open the Z21 app directly in which case skip to- name the layout)

Save it to file.

 

Go to Z21 App:-

Settings,

Import,

open the saved file,

Name the layout and confirm.

 

You can use that email configuration file as many times as you like on different devices, Only the iphones/pads will transfer via the Z21 base unit. I have different layouts for different stock themes so if I run diesels I use Lulworth Modern and for steam days I called that file Lulworth Steam, I also use it for different scales so I have G scale and On30 'layouts' in the file too, etc etc

I keep a master file on one device which I update then share out to all the other devices I use deleting the other devices old layout first just to save confusion later.

Edited June 12, 2016 by PaulRhB

[TBW Wessels]

Ok this is from memory, 

on the phone go to:-

Settings,

Export,

Choose layout,

Send via Email

 

On tablet open the file attached to the email and:-

Open it, (this may open the Z21 app directly in which case skip to- name the layout)

Save it to file.

 

Go to Z21 App:-

Settings,

Import,

open the saved file,

Name the layout and confirm.

 

You can use that email configuration file as many times as you like on different devices, Only the iphones/pads will transfer via the Z21 base unit. I have different layouts for different stock themes so if I run diesels I use Lulworth Modern and for steam days I called that file Lulworth Steam, I also use it for different scales so I have G scale and On30 'layouts' in the file too, etc etc

I keep a master file on one device which I update then share out to all the other devices I use deleting the other devices old layout first just to save confusion later.

 

Thank you so much!!!!

[yelrow]

Now then, i live in france, and am commited to SFR router.   My layout is out of wifi range, and upstairs laptop , internet fed by 50 foot ethernet cable from downstairs router. So, if i buy a Z21, can i carry router upstairs, and attach it to ethernet cable, linking to house router. All sounds too simple and  fraught with disaster. advice please. john 

[Tim V]

If you use the Z21 router, yes.

[yelrow]

So, i just plug it in, connect ethernet cable, and it will plug and play with my Ipad ?. john

[yelrow]

thanks, been worried that there would be a conflict. If i dont want anything fancy, other than to run trains, presume white model, is good enough. john

[yelrow]

Thanks john

[jpendle]

You dont need to connect to your home wifi. If you follow the Roco instructions it will setup a new wifi network, then you just select the Z21 network from your tablet or phone.

 

John P

[NSE Mule]

To confirm and support what Paul says above,  if it reads 'Stop' then it's OK and on; if it reads 'Go' then it's off or shorted.  Think of Stop or Go as instructions not 'states' - if that makes sense.

Cheers ...Alan

First of all, thanks for all your responses. Been stacked since posting the above. You are all indeed right. Mine seemed to have an app software issue as I rang a Gauge Master technician and he had the same fault on their unit. This was near the beginning of June.

 

I have only managed to get back into the loft now and check everything. Firstly the stop/go/lightning bolt issues seems to be fine. But I have another issue which I cannot seem to work out.

 

The blue light is constantly on and all seems fine, except as soon as I place a chipped loco on the track it moves straight away with all lights on an an an usual buzzing sound. I still cannot control the loco on the on selecting it on the iPad. To add to this, the loco won't stop when you press the stop button, but will if you stop the power to the track. I have checked there are no shorts and taken all other locos off the track. I have also just wired up two 1 meter lengths and tried it on there on both main track and programming mode, but it's still the same, the loco starts moving straight away with no control at all. I have tried different chipped locos and also non chipped (very briefly, and they do exactly the same.

 

I have also done the infamous 'turn it of and on again' on the app, the router and the Z21.

Press send with out asking if anyone had any ideas .

[PaulRhB]

One loco buzzing would suggest an analogue loco with no chip, or problem with chip installation, but If this happens with all locos have you tried a reset of the base station as per the manual?

I'd also check the iPad is actually connecting to the Z21 in the settings menu on the iPad itself, not the app, if no apparent control over anything.

[NSE Mule]

Hi Paul,

 

The iPad is connected to the router and will stop the trains when you stop power. Like I mentioned, I attached the Z21 to a couple pieces of track to isolate the chance of anything else playing about. Chipped locos and non chip locos move the same direction and make the same buzzing noise. The only way to stop them is to lift them off, stop power or turn off Z21? I have reset the Z21 by holding the power button for 6 seconds and it went through its range of coloured lights before settling on a constant blue.

 

I think I am going to have to give Gaugemaster a call again later in the week as there is nothing else I can think of doing.

[NSE Mule]

To be honest it was a makeshift set up in the loft which was running on DC just to check some new non chipped locos worked. On plugging in the Z21 I unintentionally left a non chipped loco on. Soon as I realised I whipped it off pronto. But that's how I know it reacted the same as my few chipped locos.

 

Just checked, Railcom is off. Which address am I setting? Loco or controller? (Sorry little experience with DCC and very little with Z21)

It's happening to all 5 chipped locos I have.

[Riddles]

Analogue loco is address 0 (zero). Set it to zero to be sure. If the app doesn't allow you to use address 0, reset the unit to factory standards. (but then I'm curious how address 0 got a speed setting in the first place ) If that doesn't help, see if setting CV29 in each loco to disable DC operations will stop the chipped loco's from running off. Next step would be emailing Roco with your problem and see what they come up with (you can write in English, no prob)

I have seen nothing to suggest that Z21 is able to use "zero-stretching" to operate analogue locomotives. In fact the User Manual specifically states:- "Warning: Locomotives and components without decoder cannot be used on the Z21 Digital System."

 

It would appear possible to create a "Steering Board" for a loco with an address of "0" but there is no way I would risk trying it.

[Tim V]

I have found that plugging the z21 router into my main system corrupts the DHCP within it, it has the same range as my main router. I had to do a factory reset to correct the DHCP range.