Connecting Elite Controller and R8247 Decoder?

[num nuts]

Hi folks,

I find the info and instructions for this operation to be pretty ambiguous. For example, according to the Elite documentation it can control "x" amount of components and yet the R8247 Decoder info specifies 4 connections. Would some kind person clarify this for me, please?

I have 20 sets of points in my layout and 6 uncouplers and will be adding signals etc. in the fullness of time. Does this mean that I need 5 or 6 R8247s?

Do I need to be thinking of going to the PC usb option, perhaps?

 

[Howbi]

Hi, num nuts, welcome to the Forum...........I'm having difficulty typing this due to reading your avatar, hahaha.........seriously though, you have answered your own question, that is, the R8247 accessory decoder only controls 4 points/signals (some can be paired for simultaneous operation)..........when you ask PC usb option I assume you mean Railmaster + Elite or Elink..........you will still need the same number of R8247 units...HB

[Chrissaf]

Hi num-nuts....welcome to the forum.....great user name for grabbing one's attention.

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Let's say for example the controller user guide says the controller is capable of addressing 80 accessories. As each R8247 only has four ports, then to actually use 80 accessories you would need 20 x R8247s. My example of 80 is a purely fictitious number plucked out of thin air for the purpose of explanation only. 

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Again purely as an example and assuming an Elite or eLink controller (Hornby Select is different). Then you would address the R8247s sequentially.

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R8247 # 1 = DCC Accessory Decoder Port Addresses 1 to 4

R8247 # 2 = DCC Accessory Decoder Port Addresses 5 to 8

R8247 # 3 = DCC Accessory Decoder Port Addresses 9 to 12

etc

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So for 20 points, if each point had a dedicated R8247 port, you would need 5 x R8247 accessory decoders. Where two points will always act together. A cross-over between two loops for example. Then two points can share the same R8247 port, thus reducing the total R8247 port count required.

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Six uncouplers (using a Solenoid point motor to operate them) will need six R8247 ports (2 x R8247s with 2 ports spare for other things).

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Now signalling is somewhat interesting. If you use R8247s for signalling then you are predominantly limited to dual aspect light based signals. Semaphore signals by Dapol aren't natively supported by the R8247, but can be supported if a relay interface is introduced between the R8247 port and the Dapol signal (there are other posts on here relating to this - search Dapol or Semaphore Signal). If you use dual aspect light signals (Red / Green) with the R8247, then the R8247 has to be reconfigured for always on (the default configuration is a pulse to suit Solenoid points).

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You don't HAVE to use the R8247 decoder, any NMRA compliant decoder should work with Elite and eLink. Some signalling manufacturers (TrainTech for example) sell signals that have an integrated accessory decoder built in for not much more than the cost of the basic signal. These TT signals include multi-aspect signals for example Red Amber Green (3 aspect) and Red Amber Amber Green (4 aspect) etc. Thus a mix and match approach to selecting the type of Accessory Decoder to use is totally functional & compliant. PC based RailMaster has specific support for multi-aspect TT signals built in to the RM ProPack upgrade product. Standard RM only supports 2 aspect signals.

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Do I need to be thinking of going to the PC usb option, perhaps?

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I do not know what you mean by this statement. The R8247s, in fact any DCC Accessory Decoder, connect to the DCC track signal distribution, that is to say the 'TRACK A&B' output of your controller, the same controller terminals that connect to your track. This may be via a DCC BUS arrangement. The R8247s do not have a USB port on them and do not communicate via USB.

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EDIT: It may be that HB has correctly identified what you mean't by the statement. PC RailMaster can be used with Elite as well as eLink (but not Select). The restrictions, limitations and requirements relating to the physical wiring side of the Accessory Decoders is exactly the same. In essence, all RM is doing is providing a Graphical User Interface (GUI) for the controller.

[num nuts]

 Thank you all, folks. That is pretty clear info.

PS. I meant PC / usb connection to the Elite controller by the way, sorry for the confusion.

Best wishes.

[Chrissaf]

Certainly adding the RM interface to your existing Elite is definitely a worthwhile enhancement, particularly when you start to add signalling into the mix. With the Elite, you have to remember (or have a cheat sheet to hand) all the individual DCC addresses and what they do. In RM this can be graphical i.e you just click a point or a signal graphic on the screen and it just works without having to know what the underlying DCC addresses are as they are all programmed in.

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You can also start to introduce some limited automation via RM user generated programs.

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RM works particularly well with the Elite controller as it supports throttle feedback. In other words, you can control a loco speed either by using the software throttle in RM or using the hardware throttle (physical knobs) on the Elite. Using the Elite knobs feedback into RM and synchronise the throttle positions on screen to match.

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You can try before you buy, by downloading RM from the link at the top of the forum RailMaster section. In evaluation mode you are limited to controlling two locos with a limitation on the size of the the track plan. There is enough working functionality to prove whether it works and whether you think you will benefit from it. If you then decide you want to buy the product, you just purchase an activation key online from within RM, enter the key and your installed trial version becomes a full licensed version.