RFS

SC1 manual can be downloaded from their website. It's in the downloads section. Don't know whether they are slow-change or not, but that functionality might be in the signal itself.

Have you tried setting up the Back EMF CVs? Detailed article here on the South West Digital website. With early Bachmann decoders it's CVs 54 and 55 you need to adjust.

Indeed the YD8116 is a much more sophisticated product than the Harman SC1. But then I just don't need all that sophistication as I have only simple needs. I'm upgrading my signals, and when I've finished, all will be 3-aspect with or without a single feather. With the SC1 it appears really easy. You just set the base address in the normal way and it allocates 8 consecutive addresses like the YD8116 does. Then all I have to do is set CV38=9 and it sets the following configuration: Two consecutive addresses for the red/yellow/green aspects as per standard practice, plus a third address for the feather if present. So very easy to set up and manage in Traincontroller. But I just couldn't work out from the complexity of the YD8116 how to do that and set them up in TC. In the end the killer was that the YD8116 requires common positive whereas all UK signals I'm using (Eckon, Berko, Absolute Aspects) are common negative. It would therefore require purchasing two pairs of YD6942 converters which adds another £30 to the cost of each YD8116, plus the need for additional wiring. The SC1 allows you to swap individual outputs between positive and negative via CV change, and I'm therefore surprised the YD8116 doesn't have this feature.

The SC1 uses both methods but I will not be using DCCExt. All my signals are either 2-aspect or 3-aspect, some with a single feather. I currently operate these with Lenz LS150s usung self-built latching relay boards. This kit was surplus after I converted to Tortoise point motors many years ago, with the relay boards having been made up to do frog polarity switching. Looking to replace these with something more modern and to add to my signals. For example, a single SC1 will operate two 3-aspect signals with a single feather. The instructions show how to define this to Traincontroller, which is basically identical to how I do it now with the LS150s. The feather has its own address so is easy to assign in TC as the signals are enabled when routes are set. (With the LS150s the feather is always set when the signal is on, but is routed via the spare change-over switch on the Tortoise motor that controls the diverging route). Although the YD8116 will operate 4 such signals it's twice the price. Unlike the YD8116, the SC1 also doesn't need its own power supply, presumably because it's not operating turnouts.

I purchased an Absolute Aspects OO gauge signal and a YD8116 to operate, the start of converting some my ancient Berko/Eckon ones. However, the AA signal is common negative whereas the YD8116 is common positive so I was unable to configure it. I know you can get polarity converters but they are around £15 a pair plus addtional wiring needed. I bought the YD8116 from Coastal DCC. They've agreed to take that back and I am going to order SC1s from them instead. SC1s support both positive and negative via CV change.

Thanks for that - it's what I had begun to suspect was the problem. I can see the YD8116 switching, but the signal heads are blank... So I think I'll stay with my current configuration, namely using LS150s with sefl-built latching relay boards to switch the aspects. These were all left over long ago when I converted to Tortoise motors, and I've used them since for some Eckon signals that are now a bit tired.

I'm trying to set things up with an Absolute Aspects signal that is common negative. Does this mean it will not work with the YD8116?

Has anyone experience of using this to configure UK colour light signals? I have an Absolute Aspects 3-aspect signal with junction indicator that I have had working OK but with latching relays operated by 2 ports of a Lenz LS150. Now looking to use something more sophisticated and also to add addtional signals. The AA signal works OK with my method, but I cannot get it to even light up with the YD8116. I've also bought the YD9100 configurator to connect it to the PC via USB. When I define the signal I get this panel up which leaves me totally at a loss. I've asked YaMoRC but have been referred instead to James at DCC TRain Automation, but I didn't buy the YD8116 from there.

Indeed they do. Eckon offer packs of 5 of their resistors but for £5 + postage! Hence my question....

Can anyone identify the what resistor needed for these is as I need a couple more. Thanks

I understand the root cause of the problem was that the updated definition file automatically sent out to all systems was just full of zeroes, and the software couldn't cope with that. Looks like someone messed up big time!

BBC iPlayer has quite a lot of films. Also Film4 on demand service I think is also free.

We had a referendum in 2011 during the Coalition government to change the first-past-the-post system and was to agree an alternative vote system. It was rejected by a two-thirds majority but that was on a 40% turnout ....

If you're not happy with the Kean units, have a look at the Symoba CCM. I've used them on all my early Bulleids and they work very well. Gave up on the Keen system due to the amount of surgery required and because the couplings kept breaking! Available from quite a few places, such as Peter's Spares for example. There's a good fixing guide for the Bulleids which should give a good idea of how to fit to other stock.