Elite 1.43 Firmware

[Icurus]

The screen is there to give the user information, so why not use it if possible?  

We cant all be satisfied with just a blank screen and green light, hell, it might have just crashed and be frozen for all us mere mortals to ponder what is going on.

[96RAF]

Thats the whole idea of putting it into update mode, it is frozen, until it comes under control of the installer on the pc.

 

The Elite is a relatively dumb creature so don't expect it to say much when its put into this mode.

 

All the communication you need is going on in the installer screen on the pc.

[RDS]

... taking some time to figure out what Update mode was ...

 

I agree.  I wondered what it was as well because I didn't think I had come across that Mode before.  

 

The picture below is an extract from the 'How to update the Hornby Elite Firmware' section of the Hornby Website and I found the line of Red writing very confusing because it initially gave me the impression that you, Start the Elite in upload mode and then connect it to your PC.  I read it a few times before deciding that the next 3 lines were actually explaining how to do just that.

 

/media/tinymce_upload/40cc32b0e25898bd25d7f4e079bbe74d.jpg

 

I came to the conclusion that the Red words could be removed.

 

The lack of information on the Elite screen did not concern me because it was different to normal and the PC screen was showing progress.

 

[Fishmanoz]

Agree 110% RDS.  

 

It would have been much better if the red had said:

 

Firmware Update is achieved by first starting the Elite in Update Mode by ...

 

Then continuing with the black text.  That directly links the 2 lines.

  th

 

[RDS]

I am enjoying the facility of feedback from RailMaster or the Select Walkabout, on the Elite Screen, introduced by this latest version of Firmware.  It certainly makes it easier to pick up control on the Elite when another controller has been being used.

 

It was well worth the upgrade (John, please note!)

[Percybigun]

I've just upgraded to 1.43 and its even more unstable than the last version, it crashes so there is no way of stopping the loco (except pulling all the power plugs out). This didnt happen before. Why cant hornby get it right. And they think people will go "pro" for an extra £30! It should really be called "Failmaster Ameteur".

[Chrissaf]

Percy, firmware 1.43 is for the Elite. £30 Pro relates to RailMaster. Your posts seems to be mixing the two things up.

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If you have unstable communication between RailMaster and your Elite, then it is likely that your railmaster.ini file may not have the optimum entries in it. See the 'RailMaster: Setting Up & Getting Started' sticky thread topic at the top of the forum RailMaster section for more details than shown below on the 'railmaster.ini' file.

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Assuming you have either Windows 7, 8 or 10 then open the railmaster.ini file in the .INI file editor (COG icon bottom left corner of the 'Help About' window in RailMaster) and make sure these lines are present:

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Alternative comms=1

Check controller=0

Elite feedback=1

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Check controller may be shown as =1 but for me, but not everyone, I find =0 works better for my particular Windows 10 RailMaster set up.

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Even if these lines do appear in your .INI file, I suggest deleting them, then typing them in again at the very bottom of the .INI file. Then saving the modified file. Then exit and restart RailMaster and test again.

[Fishmanoz]

Percy, I'm assuming you mean you have upgraded RM to latest v1.65, as Chris has assumed.  If you were to look at some of the topics on this in the RM forum, you would see little about instability with 1.65 and a lot about the need to get your setup correct, particularly your ini file as Chris has suggested.  It is only on very rare occasions these days that instability can't be fixed when your setup is correct.

[Chrissaf]

Fishy's post got me thinking.

I should add, that if you have an eLink and NOT an Elite (the controller you use is not actually stated in your initial post). Then the correct 'railmaster.ini' lines will then be:

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Alternative comms=1

Check controller=1

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The Elite feedback line is not required for an eLink and Check controller needs to be =1 and not =0.

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EDIT: Percy, I've looked back through your previous posts. They are somewhat confused (as you yourself have said about yourself), but as far as I can tell you have an eLink not an Elite. For the elimination of confusion. An Elite is black & silver in colour with a LCD display and two rotary knobs plus buttons on it. The eLink is plain gloss black finish with NO LCD screen or any knobs and/or buttons on it.

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IF YOUR CONTROLLER IS AN eLINK...then you need the railmaster settings stated in THIS reply and not the ones in my previous reply.

[Yelrow]

It would be wonderful, if it would update. I have found how to do it, and would do so, except that my computer says it has no driver, and all attempts to update/ find one have met with total failiure. I know the com port, but it refuses to attempt without Elite driver. I have looked on Hornby downloads etc, but despite best efforts i remain driver less. Remember, RM is not on this machine  IT says in Device Manager, CDC RS 232 Emulation demo, and refuses to budge. john

[Yelrow]

The reason i am trying downstairs, apart from it being minus 8, is that there is no Device Manager on the french version of windows. It is a completely different product, unfortunately. john

[Chrissaf]

John,

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Remember, RM is not on this machine  IT says in Device Manager, CDC RS 232 Emulation demo, and refuses to budge. john

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You are only at the half way stage of installing the Hornby Driver. There are more actions to complete for the driver to be installed. The fact that you have CDC RS232 Emulation Demo listed shows you are only half installed. Follow these further steps to complete the driver installation. The first image below is 'Step 3 of 9' where you are at the present moment in the installation process, in that you have CD RS 232 Emulation Demo shown listed in Device Manager.

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/media/tinymce_upload/0dba1d711a6168d20188a26c70171c83.jpg

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/media/tinymce_upload/f332e150a84ee69d64e2f8e5b0364bc8.jpg

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/media/tinymce_upload/e4c657311a9f7fae6cc9489c66831ae0.jpg

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/media/tinymce_upload/3774b508d76f72839c837c8dd787e83e.jpg

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The above images are just extracts taken from the Hornby provided Elite Firmware update instructions.

[Yelrow]

Hi Chris, done all that for i hour, before posting. Nothing happens. john

[Fishmanoz]

Well John, you have started the process by connecting your Elite and finding that entry in Device Manager. But have you downloaded the updater zip file in the site Main Menu top left, Help and Advice, Downloads, Drivers and Firmware?  If not, go there and do so, then having done it, extract all the files to something like your desktop.  One of the files is a PDF called Update Procedures All versions ....  open this file and follow the instructions for installing the driver in Device Manager by right clicking on the CDC RS 232 Emulation Demo and selecting Update Driver and browsing back to where you extracted the files and installing the correct drive.

 

Dont worry that this file talks about v1.41, it works for v1.43 too.

 

And while I was looking this up and typing, Chris has given you the long version with all of the screens from the PDF document I referred you to.  What I've said and what he's given you are exactly the same.  And if the driver hasn't changed from the original name, you haven't done it yet, even if yo unsay you've been trying for an hour.  You've missed a step or more somewhere.

 

Let us know how you are going. 

[Chrissaf]

You are probably going wrong at Step 6.

You need to browse to the folder where you unzipped the Hornby downloaded 1.43 Firmware update zip file. Once unzipped the folder will contain this following file "R8214 Elite Vista W7 Driver.inf" it is this file the driver installer is looking for and that you need to browse (navigate) to in Step 6.

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At Step 6 you need to navigate to the UNZIPPED Firmware update folder. Not the zipped version as originally downloaded. If you haven't UNZIPPED the folder yet, it will not work.

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There is another alternative.

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At Step 5, the instructions suggest choosing the lower option i.e "Browse my computer.....".

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Instead of choosing the lower option, choose the upper option "Search automatically......". Choosing this option should install the Microsoft Windows USB Serial Driver from the Microsoft driver repository. An Internet connection is needed for this action to function. You will still need to unzip the Hornby Firmware download file in order to run the actual updater contained within it once the driver is correctly installed.

[Chrissaf]

PS - Note: If using the alternative "Search automatically...." option in Step 5. The Windows Device Manager in Step 9 will say something like "USB Serial Port (Com....)" and not "R8214 Hornby Elite (Com...)".

[96RAF]

Just put your coat, hat and scarf on John and take the update files upstairs on a USB stick and use the same com port as RM uses.

Forget about doing it downstairs in the warm.

Rob

[Yelrow]

OK, still in warm.  Unzipped  file, and copied    com 3 now shows  R 8214, hornby elite, but, when i press run for update, it says X Error in comm. Before i am divorced, anyone know why, and what next. Who said this was faulltless, idiot proof. john

[RDS]

... Forget about doing it downstairs in the warm ...

 

Says Rob, in possibly a 17 degree warmer climate!

[Chrissaf]

it says X Error in comm

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Now that Device Manager shows "R8214 Hornby Elite" listed, there is nothing more to do WITHIN Windows Device Manager. You can now close Device Manager down.

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Go back to your unzipped Firmware update folder and run the file "Elite_Updater_V1.43.exe" the following window should open.

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/media/tinymce_upload/64b80a0909692f5dcb69248cccd7547f.jpg

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Make sure that the pull down Com port box has "Com3" selected as indicated in your comment above "that Com 3 now shows". I would also suggest choosing "PC Type 2" in the box below Com3 and not PC Type 1 as shown in the image above.

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If all is well, the progress bar should take about 2 or 3 minutes to complete. If successful check the Elite start up display to ensure that 'Standard Mode' and not 'Classic Mode' is displayed. If 'Classic Mode' is shown, change the Elite mode as per the instructions in the Elite manual.

[Yelrow]

IT started to update, then said boot failiure, now my elite just flashes, and wont come on, so have NO trains, Great. john

[Yelrow]

Hi Chris, did all as you indicated, then it said BOOT fail. Now elite just flashes green. I wish to god i had left it alone. john

[Chrissaf]

When you got the "X error in comm" you got that error message because you hadn't put the Elite in update mode. This also probably accounts for why you have now got this error instead. This is recoverable.

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I assumed you knew you had to put the Elite into update mode first before running the updater file as it is documented in the instructions included in the update folder.

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Start again, but this time start with putting your Elite into update mode first using the instructions below.

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1. Now follow these instructions to the letter (these instruction are based on ones included in one of the additional files in the ZIP, but replicated and enhanced below for your convenience):
2. Unplug the power and the USB lead from your Elite.
3. Press and Hold the RED STOP button and keep it held whilst you connect just the power lead.
4. Keep holding the red stop button for 15 seconds (there will be no activity showing on the Elite LCD display - this is quite normal).
5. After 15 secs release the red stop button and wait a further 15 secs without doing anything at all to the Elite.
6. Plug your Elite USB lead into the PC and wait a further 15 secs.
7. Now you can run the Elite_Updater_V1.43.exe updater.
8. In the pull down ComPort dialogue box select the Com Port number identified previously i.e Com 3.
9. In the 'PC Type' box, this setting is a variable depending upon your PC hardware, but most users seem to find that 'PC Type 2' works for them, so I would advise trying that one first.
10. Click the 'Download' button. If the download takes about 2 to 4 minutes to complete, then it will be successful. If unsuccessful, try the other PC Type options (i.e PC Type 1 or 2) till you find the one that works for you. Note: If you need to try one of the other PC Type options you MUST go back to step 1 of these instructions and start all over again from the very beginning.

When the installer is finished the Elite will reboot.

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Recycle the Elite power and watch the display to see if it starts in 'Standard' or 'Classic' operating mode. If it starts in 'Standard' mode then you are good to go. If it starts in 'Classic' mode, change the operation mode back to 'Standard' as instructed in the Elite user guide manual Page 67.

[Yelrow]

Chriss, hi, thanks very much. When  i have eaten, and my blood sugar, topped up, will try again. Sorry to have  taken up so much of your time, but i know, you like a challenge. john

[Chrissaf]

I'm sure if you take care to follow the instructions it will be successful. There have been no reported update failures as yet on the forum.

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I assume it was my previous guidance that got your Elite driver finally installed.