TTS decoders - programming problem solved.

[SteveM6]

There have been many comments regarding troublesome TTS decoders recently. However, like many of us, I have been waiting for them to be released so I can start upgrading my locos. I bought three last week and fitted the first one yesterday.

But it didn't go well. I couldn't change the loco address. I use a Prodigy Express with a separate programming track so I made sure all the track was clean before I started. I wanted a 'long' address so I tried changing CV29 and eventually cv17/18 as well but I couldn't get any success. But it would happily reset to defaults and run on address 0003.

I fully expected a 'difficult' conversation with Hornby this morning.

Now there is a chance that my controller may have needed an upgrade of some sort so I thought I'd contact Gaugemaster to check. Their reply this morning:

"Try setting CV1 to a simple 3 digit address of 127 or less. Sound decoders are often difficult to read. If it needs more power try it on the main track"

I actually went straight to trying a long address and found that it worked first time!

Maybe, just maybe, this is the answer to some of the other issues that have been noted as well.

Give it a try.

[96RAF]

Good news indeed Steve.

I have see it posted before that some decoders/controllers prefer a 3-figure short address (e.g 003, 015, 111) as opposed to a single/double/triple figure (e.g. 3, 15, 111).

Rob

[Howbi]

It's not quite clear from your post, Steve, but I guess you're saying that you put the loco on the main track and used the Program on Main facility on the Prodigy which would have a slighly better output for the TTS to read?.......HB

[SteveM6]

Yes HB, that's correct. And you are also right in saying I didn't make it clear - I promise to try harder in future.

[Robby_50]

Tried your ideas on my Z21. Hasn't solved problems of loco only working one way round . It's clear that new TTs decoders act differently with different DCC controllers when they should work with all.

[Wizard Trains]

I know this post was a long time ago but it has just fixed a problem I've had with R3600 Maude with its TTS decoder which would not run from my Z21 Roco controller, despite this working OK with earlier TTS decoders and any other makes. Changed the loco address to 126 and now it runs fine?

 

Thank you for the post Steve.

[96RAF]

I know this post was a long time ago but it has just fixed a problem I've had with R3600 Maude with its TTS decoder which would not run from my Z21 Roco controller, despite this working OK with earlier TTS decoders and any other makes. Changed the loco address to 126 and now it runs fine?

 

Z21 compatibility problems were fixed long ago - just after the early posts in fact.

To help to see if this is a new problem Hornby will need your Maude TTS Decoder version ? I.e. CV7 value and also your Z21 revision state if known.

[Phil_Spiegel.]

The 'situation' with  loco addresses between 100 and 127 inclusive has been known for many Years and is not a 'fault' with either decoder or controller ... But the result of several different interpretations of how things should be or were implemented, at different times, by different makers.

'Before DCC as we know it today'  ... For Hornby ... It started with Zero-1 which could control 16 locos and 99 accessories. .... By the time of it's actual release, I had 32 locos! ...and used it to control 130 points and signals ( sharing the 99 addresses )...  Other systems were developed which increased the numbers ... 80  was a well known systems limit.

When Bernd  Lenz developed the system which was offered to,  and then became/evolved as NMRAdcc the loco address range was 127 locos.   The first Lenz controller ( used by LGB Arnold and Roco) could select 8 locos and had 4 buttons,  and years later, the first Hornby decoder could only address 1-127 ( despite claiming more )  ( it claimed 256 addresses !!)

The NMRAdcc specification allowed for 127 addresses. Then was extended to over 10,000, but many controllers use 9999 as an upper limit. ...  So locos addressed 10,000+ may not be usable even  on all 'advanced' systems.  

The NMRA recommendation is 1-127 as short or basic address, and 128 upward as extended. BUT humàns read and use decimal digits= some  controllers displayed 2 digits or 4 digits.

Lenz had an early protocol for handsets, now called Xpressnet.  It is used by ZTC, Roco Hornby and others ... Meaning that the different makes of handset will usually work together.

Lens's Xpressnet recommendation was to use 1-99 for Short and 100-9999 for Long addresses.  Eg Roco Maus 2 could display 1-99 and used only ' 2 digit ' short addresses.

When the Roco Multimaus was released,  allowing 1-9999,  1-99 were short,  and 100+ were ASSUMED to be long/extended or ’4-digit' addresses. .... And this continued into the first releases of the Z21. .... BUT is now a menu option  to match NMRA recommendation.( or not)

ZTC always followed the NMRA spec, and the SELECT only accessed locos 1-60.

Another make gives the user a choice: 1-127 is short/basic but 0001-0127 is long/extended

Although it may not seem important NOW to someone just starting in DCc (NMRAdcc), it is useful to remember that it, along with other digital systems, has evolved over the years.

DCC now has 28/29 functions and Railcom+ 2-way communication options. Mfx has 32 functions ....   MY FIRST electric trainset was LoneStar Trebl-0-lectric ( predating N gauge )

(Dad's Hornby Dublo 3 rail was in the loft)

[Chrissaf]

Phil, I mean this purely as a piece of 'constructive criticism' but you must admit yourself that reading your long posts without any paragraph breaks is not an easy task. I lose the will to live halfway through reading them as there are no breaks where one can take a mental rest before starting to read the next text section. Particularly when they are full of deeply technical prose.

.

May I humbly suggest that you have a read of TIP 4 in my 'How to Get the Best out of this forum TIPs' page.

.

I'm sure many on here would appreciate some para gaps in your future posts.

[Phil_Spiegel.]

(There are actually 12 paragraphs in my posting above ...)

Most of 4 lines or less, as I see them in 'wide' format on a 10"  16 × 9 tablet.

I note what you mean ....my main response is on the other thread 8-)

Perhaps the software writers need to look more at how differently text is displayed on differing platforms?

( NOT that I would want to see replies filled with 95% formatting control like EBay / Paypal messages ) 

[96RAF]

It is one of those forum/browser foibles Phil.

A simple double return sorts it out, as follows...

 

The problem has been highlighted many times but never fixed.

 

Anyhow the more folk that clamour for TTS DMU sounds,  the more chance there is of you getting them, unless someone wants to put a pre-order in for 2000 decoders..