TTS Schools decoder not listing correctly in RM

[96RAF]

I presume you are using Hornby Railmaster (RM) As you state ‘not used’ which is the default in RM loco listing if the database does not pull up the correct list.

If the loco functions do not populate when you list that R number in RM then you need to enter them manually ensuring those that are listed in the TTS user manual toggled functions are suffixed on/off after the description.

Save the loco and restart RM and it should work ok

Rob

[96RAF]

I have purchased an S15 TTS decoder for fitting into R2742 Schools.

Programmimg seemed to go ok and loco runs but no sound. The DCC functions F0 to F22 ( loco window) are all shown as Not Used.

On checking the CV functions against the manual, these CVs are not agreeing:

Manual.                                                     My reading

CV156.  Loco type.                                    Not Used

CV157   Sound version.                             Not Used

CV158  Decoder Sound Version.               Loco type (value 010)

CV159  Decoder Sound ID.                        Sound Mode (value 179)

CV178. F19 volume.                                   Not Used

CV179. F20 volume.                                   Not Used

CV180  F21 volume.                                   Not Used

CV181. F22 volume                                     Not Used

CV182. Quick Set Volume Level.                 Not Used

CV201. Loco Start Delay.                             Not Used

Sorry about long message, but can anyone throw a light on my problem?

[31550]

Thanks for your reply RAF.

I assume that I have to edit the functions in the locomotive list. This I have tried, but get the following error message

’You have specified functions which you have not set to appear on the locomotive controller ‘

and apparently I can only set up to six by this method. Where am I going wrong?

[Chrissaf]

The six is misleading. The six functions you tick are the ones that you select to show on the small throttle. All functions including the six you tick are displayed on the large throttle.

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This previously posted tutorial will explain how to configure the sounds:

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https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/r3459tts-decoder-not-recognized-23469/

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Use the above link tutorial as a guide as it was written for a different loco to yours

[31550]

Thanks for that Chris, really appreciate the step by step guide.

One question, why aren’t the CVs reading as per the manual?

[96RAF]

If the loco is not in the RM database then it will not populate, but if you read the decoder it will recognise the decoder as TTS and populate the CVs then add the values ot reads for them.

 

I presume when you looked for the R number to list it wasn’t there.

 

This is nothing to do with listing functions in the loco list.

 

Rob

[Chrissaf]

One question, why aren’t the CVs reading as per the manual?

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You say the loco that you are fitting the S15 TTS decoder into a Hornby Schools R2742

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The Hornby S15 TTS Decoder is R8116

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Now it strikes me that the reason that your function column buttons are not populating with the sounds is because when you were setting up the loco in the 'Locomotive Settings' screen in RM, you searched the database for your loco using the R2742 stock code number.

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Now the RM database has no knowledge that you have fitted a TTS decoder to this loco. Thus it did not know that it was supposed to populate the Function button labels with the TTS functions. So when you searched for the loco to select, you should have searched for the TTS decoder stock code number R8116T, I have put the T in bold just to emphasise its importance. Do not search for R8116TTS.

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If RM finds R8116T in the database, then the function buttons will then probably miraculously populate with the correct function labels. However it will then probably show you an image of an S15 loco and not your 'Schools' loco. You then have to go back to the image selection box to manually search for and select the correct associated image.

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With the R8116T database option now correctly selected, the database entry for that decoder should then show the appropriate CVs for it in the CV reading / writing screen.

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Alternatively to the above. If you have already manually configured the loco in 'Locomotive Settings' and manually edited the Function button labels to suit. Then in the CV reading / writing screen, use the 'pull down' decoder selection box in CV7 by 'double clicking' CV7 to manually select the TTS** decoder to populate the correct set of CVs from the database.

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Note**: I'm not sure what is exactly displayed in the CV7 pull down selection box. It may be listed as individaul RnnnnT part numbers or just generic TTS Steam or TTS Diesel. Either way, some common sense applied should decide which one to choose.

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It's all doable when you know how. It's just that the Hornby documentation is so dire, that most of this is found out via the 'trial and error' method.

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[96RAF]

There is an increasing selection of TTS decoders in the CV7 pull down and the next revision of RM will conveniently put them in alphabetical order, although there are still Hornby.xxx, R.xxx, and TTS.xxx variant descriptions so you still have to trawl the list.

Rob

[31550]

Thanks for all the help, where would we be without the expertise on this forum.

Could not find R8116T or the R3507TTS (S15) in the database (Hornby need to get on top of updating Railmaster WHENEVER they add a new loco). Manually edited the functions and have now got sound, hooray!

One question though, how do you loop the sounds?

Thanks again.

[Chrissaf]

As Rob said in his earlier reply and I probably documented in my posts I provided links to. Sound functions that need to lock-on (loop) need to have the text "on/off" (without the quotation " " marks) written on the button label at the end of the function description.

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F1 is one example where the "on/off" text is critical to have on the button label.

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Note for the general readership: If you called up the function button labels from the database, then it is not unknown for the database to have the "on/off" text missing.

[31550]

Thanks again Chris, my problem, the short way is not always the quickest!

[96RAF]

You say ‘Hornby should get its act together every time a new decoder is released’. Railmaster is sub contracted out to a third party by Hornby Hobbies and as such Hornby would have to task HRMS every time something happened and then RM would have to be updated. There is a certain amount of lag in such a system and usually such changes are batched.

 

I have just looked in RM and there are four S15s listed, none are sound, many Schools, some of which are sound and the functions list could be used as a starter to amend to match the TTS list.

Rob

[SmarTrains]

You say ‘Hornby should get its act together every time a new decoder is released’. Railmaster is sub contracted out to a third party by Hornby Hobbies and as such Hornby would have to task HRMS every time something happened and then RM would have to be updated. There is a certain amount of lag in such a system and usually such changes are batched.

Railmaster is a Hornby product, their internal processes are of no concern to the customer. It should be maintained regularly, and patched with new locos as and when they are released. Every other software and hardware manufacturer in the world seems to be able to do this.

[96RAF]

Railmaster is a Hornby product, their internal processes are of no concern to the customer. It should be maintained regularly, and patched with new locos as and when they are released. Every other software and hardware manufacturer in the world seems to be able to do this.

 

Got to disagree completely with your statement above.

 

Any hardware update usually has to be paid for as a new product. I have never seen a hardware update where the manufacturer has contacted me to say your kit needs modifying to keep it current unless it was a safety issue. Hornby excepted as I can update the firmware in my Elite f.o.c.

 

The majority of software (not freeware) that I own has paid major updates and if I don’t pay for these they can soon become incompatible with modern OS. RM excepted until the next major update cited in their documentation likely as point v2.0. Rocrail is the only software I know of that has constant updates but this is open source so not in the same category as commercial software.

 

I leave Microsoft out of the equation as their OS software is so flawed as to be liable under the sale of goods act as barely fit for purpose.