philg

21 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

KMS Railtech suggested contacting the people who had supplied my Lenz equipment. They also seemed to think I needed a paired update pcb. It is only paired after,it had updated the controller. 
A and H explained they don’t stock,it but will get one for me which is nice. 
 If you look at the German Lenz Digital website their shop stocks them but only for despatch within Germany. 

Glad you got sorted in the end

7 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

That came up very quickly in my search earlier. It states contact them to check availability. So I did.

And they had none?  I got mine from A&H, but they show no stock either - but they might know why not….

12 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

But I can’t find one to purchase either here or from Germany. 

https://www.kmsrailtech.co.uk/home/14872-lenz-80210-update-stick-for-lzv200-version-40-software-4044955201101.html

31 minutes ago, Tony_S said:

Does the v4 upgrade actually exist for purchase now in the UK? The huge number of functions isn’t of any real interest to me but the ability for further upgrades via computer is of some interest. Though if the next Lenz upgrade is not in anyway imminent I probably won’t bother. 

It’s been available for a while. Mine was upgraded 12 months ago!

4 hours ago, The Fatadder said:

Has anyone fitted a Dapol Ingenium3 chip into one of the AS deltics?  I am trying to work out why despite being an 8fct chip I am only getting 4 functions working.   (I had similar in the 56 it was originally fitted in), the Lais 6fct that was in the loco before had no issues with its 6 functions working.

 

 

Because of the issues around “logic vs full power” outputs on 21 pin decoders, I gave up getting anything other than ESU decoders to work correctly

The wiring in AS models is designed around ESU, so it’s easier to follow suit

My preference is always Zimo, but now I have a mix of Zimo & ESU…….

Can't beleive I'm having issues with something that should be so simple!

Has anyone else used a Zimo MX820E accessory decoder with a RocoLine 42620 analogue point motor?

I have two point motors. One only switches one way, the other doesn't seem to switch at all. (The first one does work on two 9v batteries, but the second may actually be dead, although it's brand new)

I'm definitely getting a healthy 11-12v out of the MX820E, but maybe that's not enough??

Oh, and I know Roco do digital point motors, but I'm not totally happy with them tbh

Thanks

Phil G

1 hour ago, Crosland said:

Picoscopes have DCC decode software, but they can be pricey (mine is an MSO and was a few £hundred). You may need to check if it works on the cheaper models https://www.picotech.com/library/oscilloscopes/digital-command-control-dcc-protocol-decoding

Interesting, but may be overkill for the occasional user…..  Thanks though

23 minutes ago, PaulCheffus said:

 

I replaced my NCE packet analyser with one built using the information here

https://www.opendcc.de/elektronik/dcc_sniffer/dcc_sniffer_e.html
 

 

Don’t really fancy all that SMD soldering…….  Wish I could just buy one from somewhere……

13 minutes ago, WIMorrison said:

Have you looked here?

 

DCC Diagnostic Tools

Yes, but I’d rather buy not build…

OK, question for those of you with LONG DCC memories

Aeons ago I stumbled across "SoftSniff" for DCC. This is an awesomely simple DCC packet sniffer

It connected to the mic input of a pc (remember those?) and had a SIMPLE three component connection to the track. A program then ran on Windows to analyze the DCC packets

SNAG IS, becasue it was so long ago it only runs on Windows XP. My aged Win8 machine is able to run a virtual WinXP so I can get SoftSniff to run fine there, but I don't think this Win8 machine has a long life

I've never been able to get a virtual WInXP to start on my current Win10 laptop - and it doesn't have a mic input anyway (just USB-Cs)

SO

Does anyone know of a cheap DCC packet sniffer that would run either on a Win 10 pc or on a RasPi??

Cheers

1 hour ago, McC said:

 

Absolutely, as with previous models, we'll be offering Sound chips and preprogrammed Lokpilots (silent chips) in time for the models landing. 

Wish you’d got ore-orders for decoders. I’d snap your hand off (in a nice way) for a class 66 one 😉

13 minutes ago, BrakeCoach said:

Preordered the SYE class 30, and maybe I could fit sound later on since there are sound decoders available by legomanbiffo and others. I wonder how accurate the sounds are though--of course it wouldn't be 100% accurate but I am not sure how close they are.

 

If a SYE Class 31 get announced, maybe this would be a good opportunity to have both of them side-by-side too.

Pretty sure Accurascale will have decoders to buy later. If you do go “third party”, I’d still suggest ESU. They’re not my personal favourite, but Accurascale design their electronics around ESU, so always the “safe” choice

48 minutes ago, Gordon A said:

When they come up at Aldi or Liddle the Parkside rechargeable drills are a good buy.

No Aldi or Lidl on the Isle of Man ☹️

The accessories are overkill, but for holes in wood, I was looking at this - SabreCut CraftMate SCMG002UK Lithium Ion 10.8v Cordless Rotary Tool Multipurpose with 42 Accessories Included https://amzn.eu/d/0tQhpnu

I’m just about to embark on some serious track laying, and as the plan might not be 100% permanent, I’ll be screwing the track down

So, I’ll be drilling a LOT of pilot holes for the screws

Thinking I’d just get a basic rechargeable mini drill to avoid trailing cables

But I can’t seem to find such a thing! Do they exist? I’m really surprised if not

So, any suggestions welcomed

Thanks

Phil G

1 hour ago, jjb1970 said:

 

In all seriousness I think Hornby missed a trick by not developing (which could be done by negotiating a license to use an existing IP) something like Unitrack for their TT line.

I’m not sure Hornby are interested in working with anyone else. They’re much happier trying to be a monopoly. Very short sighted imho 

12 hours ago, britishcolumbian said:

I found this on the German TT forum:

 

 

...with part numbers for the track with concrete sleepers.

 

I agree, though, that this is a strange system - I can't make its logic fit into my brain.

Well, the diagram looks right, but the part numbers are wrong!

Finally, after much head scratching I realised that a Tillig TT point is ALWAYS followed by a "BG5" compensating straight (with a ballast cutout to accomodate the ballast on the diverging let)

SO, a point + a BG5 actually DOES equal a standard BG1 straight (129.5mm + 36.5mm = 166mm). So it actually does make "kind of sense"

Where it gets REALLY hokey is when you try and pair two adjacent points to make a crossover

BG4 + point + BG5(compensated) + BG3 + BG3 + BG3 equals BG3 + BG3 + BG3 + BG5(compensated) + point + BG4

Obviously :)

AND you'd hope this would be a multiple of the standard (166mm) straight - but it's not

Phil G

I’m using Tilligs TT roadbed track (this stuff https://www.tillig.com/eng/Bettungsgleissysteme_Gleise-Seite-2.html ) as simple HOm track - and it works great

But

Their geometry is weird to say the least. Normally a point/turnout is the same length as a “standard straight” - but not here

So I’m trying to work out how to construct a crossover (two like-handed points toe-to-tie) and which straight track sections I need to even up the ends!

Pretty sure someone must have done this, but all the geometry pics I can find in the web are for much more complicated constructions 

Thanks for any insights

Phil G

10 minutes ago, Eddie the dog said:

Thought I was the only one that had a Freightliner set ! 😂

Of course, I really meant Freightmaster. Oops

https://www.excaliburauctions.com/auction/lot/lot-440---a-tri-ang-Hornby-oo-gauge-the-freightmaster/?lot=12973&so=0&st=&sto=0&au=18&ef=&et=&ic=False&sd=1&pp=48&pn=10&g=1

If AccuraScale did an original greed D5572, I wonder how many folks “of a certain age” would buy one to remember their first train set?!  I love my Freightliner set - and a long and slippery slope began 🤣🤣🎉

I’d probably buy one

7 minutes ago, younGGuns7 said:

Blue pre TOPS WR skinhead am I asking toooooooo much. Whilst the new announcement doesn’t float my boat I must say hats off to the guys at AS for being so bold to produce them - so did I see a Warship being announced 🤦‍♂️

I’d certainly go for a TOPS skinhead. Had many a run behind 31 418 from Newcastle to Sunderland 🤪

3 minutes ago, 55020 said:

 

I'm not aware of any other manufacturer of a DCC ready loco that provides comprehensive details, mainly because most of the configuration needed is decoder specific.  Of course I could be wrong.  To list all info needed for any type of decoder fit would simply be an impossible task I suggest.

Whilst feedback allows for improvement, it does need to be couched in the correct manner for the message to be listened to and possibly acted upon.

 

And we're all allowed our opinion, but the same principle applies!

Agreed- I think we’ll have to just disagree and be on

BUT

i wasn’t asking for decoder configuration advice/info - I just needed to know WHICH AUX outputs were used for which lights. Without THAT info, getting the lights to work is pure guesswork

You’re also right that not many other manufacturers provide this information, but that doesn’t make it right. When there were only 2 or 3 lighting outputs, it hardly mattered. Now it does 

8 minutes ago, 55020 said:

 

AS provide a fully programmed drop in decoder, something no other manufacturer does as far as I am aware.  If you choose to go off piste, I suggest you can't really then complain.  If you found it "unnecessarily complicated" did you reach out to AS for any assistance regarding which lights are wired/mapped to which output?  If you did I'm sure the answers would have been forthcoming.

 

 

 

Steve

Yes I did reach out, and the answers were incomplete. imho a DCC-ready loco should be documented such that ANY appropriate decoder can be used. I find Zimos have much better slow speed running than ESU, but in the end, I DID go with an AS ESU decoder for simplicity. For sound decoders, of course I use the AS supplied ones though

47 minutes ago, McC said:

 

Everything is configurable and a complete list of functions, aux outputs and cvv' values to do so will come with the model. HTH!

Glad to see this. This information was lacking on the Deltics which meant adding our own decoders became unnecessarily complicated

15 minutes ago, woodenhead said:

 

IIRC with the class 20 lights some were up in arms because Bachmann chose common sense over cost/complexity and went with cosmetic where they could not fit in the wiring/bulb.  

But the class 20 lights DO work - they’re not cosmetic