Elite V1.44 new features help needed

[ronbram]

First let me introduce myself. My name is Ronald, from Holland. I've been running computer controlled model layouts for a very long time. The current layout is a LGB OTF layout occupying 28 square meters of the house. I haven been involved in the development of the rocrail software (where I met Rob), especially the Elite support (since the Elite's implementation of Xpressnet was let's say imaginative at best). Then I also became member of this forum ( in 2006 I think). Due to health problems model railroading has been on hold for some years, but like Schwarzenegger, I'll be back (and here I am).

Now my problem: I have updatef the Elite to V1.44 ( from 1.3 --> 1.41 --> 1.44). In the release notes I read that by pressing the ACC and then the LOCO button you can select which controller is active by turning the controller knob, without the need for pressing the knob (and change running direction If you pressed the wrong one).

I have been pressing the ACC and LOCO buttons until I weighed an ounce (Dutch expression for a very long time), but I still must push the controller knob to activate it. Do I do something wrong, has my update only changed the version number displayed on start-up? Who has the golden tip for me?

[96RAF]

Hi Ronald, good to see you back.

That will be me again to help...

 

Firstly download the latest Elite manual from the hornby downloads area, then refer to pages 18/19 for 2 loco operations.

 

Use the Loco button to tell Elite you are going to use a loco address, then press the preferred speed knob to lock in where the loco address will be controlled from, then enter the address and press again. Do this again if you want to allocate another loco to the other knob.

 

The way loco control using 2 knobs operates is different in that once you have set up a loco address on each knob you only have to rotate the chosen knob to take control of its allocated loco, whereas before you had to press the knob to regain control. If you do that now the loco will swap direction.

 

There is no need to use the ACC button which is for calling up a point (switch) address.

 

I hope this helps.

Rob

[ronbram]

Hi Rob, much appreciated. Does this also work when selecting a loco by name from the favorites list?

From the changelog included in the update zip file the text that send me in the wrong direction:

 

. If you press the ACC button then the LOCO button you can swap between control knob 1 and2 just byturning them. From there on it is no longer needed to first press the control knob to activate achannel.

[96RAF]

I guess that is a typo in the release notes Ronald.

It should work exactly the same whatever you have in the buffer list (locos numbers or names or favourite), noting that now if you switch points the left button always sends a left command and the right button a right command, so if you get a sticky motor you can hammer it on the same button. Previously you pressed the same button.

Rob 

[96RAF]

@Ronald...

What I said here is wrong...

The way loco control using 2 knobs operates is different in that once you have set up a loco address on each knob you only have to rotate the chosen knob to take control of its allocated loco, whereas before you had to press the knob to regain control. If you do that now the loco will swap direction.

It should say press a knob to take control of that channel, then rotate to change speed, etc. per the manual page 18/19.

 

Apologies for any confusion. I was reading the wrong manual.

Rob

[ronbram]

So if I understand it correctly, it is not possible to change channel by just turning the knob, as suggested in the release notes. Can that be returned to the wish list? Also, I only use the command stations to control loco's, the layout is just 3 ovals with different radii within each other, all points are manually operated. I use it to test drive my sound/hand made loco's or just to sit and wind down after a days work looking and listening how everything runs around and around.

Another question, if i select loco address 31 on channel x of the Elite and I then select address 31 on the Select walkaround, and change speed or turn on/off lights, should I be able to see that changes on the Elite display?

[96RAF]

Short answer to the Select question is yes, depending upon the Select firmware, especially if you want to control all the sound functions from the Select.

 

The Select selections will feed back and show on the Elite screen, including speed arc, direction and functions selected, but only if that loco (#31) is previously selected on the Elite. Obviously it doesn’t show the other way as the Select screen hasn’t got that scope of display.

 

Ref the knob press and twist problem I would have to try it to see if the words in the book match the hardware.

 

Rob

[ronbram]

I just tested the Select and Elite synchronisation, if you could call that way, and it woks. Then I decided to do a self-test on The Elite by holding the loco button when poweringv up until Hornby showsOn the display. I then see a lot of inverted capital P's on the screen and then the text "ERtee ex". Does that have a meaning?

[96RAF]

It should say EEPROM pass or fail (or similar) after showing all the pixels on screen.

Rob

[ronbram]

Hi Rob, tried again, it does not test all pixels on the screen, it only shows black squares with rounded edges and a capital P in them and then it says ERtee EX, nothing about EEPROM. I reverted to V1.3 (it won't do V1.44 again when it is already at 1.44). With 1.3 the self test is not triggered by powering up with loco button pressed. Put 1.44 back on, same story. For the rest it seems to work, I can control loco's. Well, if it isn't broken, don't fix it seems to apply here. Should Itry another version (I found them on your webpage)? If yes, which one?

[ronbram]

Sometimes I think that smartphones and tablets are bad for your memory, Ihave been quoting the wrong message. This time I made a picture. Not sure if I am allowed to upload it. The message say ExtEE ER, which I would say could mean:

Ext(ended) EE(prom) ER(ror). Is there a firmware developer reading thi who can shed some light on this message and what to do about it/media/tinymce_upload/845fb77733998ac449cabe1209bddab5.jpg

[96RAF]

Hi Ronald

A quick answer before I have to go shopping.

On the forum you will find evidence of an Elite that totally bricked but was recovered using v1.41 which appears to be a silver bullet version. If v1.44 loads ok I would stick with that.

I will talk to you more via email later.

Rob

[96RAF]

What you see is an indication that the external EEPROM check of U1/1A has failed. If you reset the Elite via the menus and try the test again it should correct the error.

 

This is what I see using the LOCO power up method Ronald...

/media/tinymce_upload/07cf9717fa91cf603f29185ed467a795.jpg

 

Then...

 

/media/tinymce_upload/21137d9fd2da9d6022593540e4ebe351.jpg

 

Now for every button pressed I get a value including when turning knobs...

Examples:

Button 3..notice double digit

/media/tinymce_upload/456c53934c39aca2c7f4598eca5d89b9.jpg

 

Speed knob 2

/media/tinymce_upload/287e2876370908ac88dfb25b17e0b4c5.jpg

 

ACC button

/media/tinymce_upload/2198f90bed0e5fd3bb4de94de407fb66.jpg

 

Twist Speed knob 2...etc, etc, etc for other buttons snd knob.

/media/tinymce_upload/3aa953315c9866cd412adc57b61a8c17.jpg

Rob

 

 

[ronbram]

Rob, many thanks for your help, you more then compensated for all the time I invested in the Rocrail-Xpressnet-Elite drama in the past. I will do the reset via the menu when the boss releases me from work and report back. The button numbers do show up after the error message.  When rotating one the speed knobs I  see a range of figures which I asssume correspond to the encoder value. Although for a 128 speed step loc decoder control the range seems limited to me ( lowest value 10, highest I can't remember, but I believe something in the 40-s).

Can you confirm that when you try to update the Elite to V1.44 when it is already at V1.44 you get a comm error from the updater. I could only reflash it after first downgrading to V1.3 (the only other version I had available at that moment) and then reflashing V1.44 again.

[96RAF]

You should be able to update the Elite to any version as they are all completely stand alone updates. I have repeatedly updated to the same or different versions in the past without problems.

 

The comm error can be due to wrong port allocated by device manager or a bad USB (cable or port type usb 3 or 2) or just the sequence of connection, although now it seems Hornby advice is either to wait between steps or not wait at all (see recent thread about it). I have tried them all ways and they seem to work for me with the new installer.

 

The encoder readback goes from P20-29 and back on knob 1 and P10-19 and back on knob 2. I don’t think it has anything to do with speed steps, more likely just the rate of chage of the encoder.

 

I recently tried to manually update my eLink to the same version and it gave me a com error - odd - so I gave up.

Rob

[ronbram]

Hi Rob, the sweet smell of succes. After a reset, the self test reports EE PASS. I'll stick with V1.44 for the timme being. Thanks again or all your expert advice.