Hornby Select unit V Hornby Railmaster {Exclusive to the Elite}.

[GerryB]

I am new to Model Trains.  I have purchased a Hornby Select Unit and Hornby Rail Master Control System.   The control system has "EXCLUSIVE TO THE ELITE"  on the front cover.

My question is " Are the two complatable" .  Can you advise me, please.

 

 

[RB51]

Hello Gerry - welcome to the forum.

 

In addition to Chris's linked advice you should be aware that you will be restricted to two posts for the first 24 hours of your time on here. This is an anti-spam measure - you are not doing anything wrong [unless you are spamming].

 

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Again, welcome to the forum. Ask away and we’ll do our best to help.

 

R-

[Chrissaf]

Hello Gerry

Sorry, but no they are not.

.

• RailMaster connects to either the Elite or eLink controller via a USB communications connection.
• The Select does not have a USB interface....so it can't physically connect to a PC running RM.
• Hornby have cancelled the Select-a-link cable, which would have allowed the Select to connect to a PC running RM. This cable if it had been released would have converted the PC USB port to an eXpressnet one which would have connected to a Select.
• In the RM System Settings screen, there is a pull down menu option for choosing the connected controller. The Select is listed in this menu choice along with Elite & eLink (no non Hornby controller options are available in this controller selection list). This is a left over settings artefact from the cancelled cable above and now does not give any suggestion that a Select can be connected to RM.......if you see this setting option....it is a 'red herring'. RM is developed and managed by a third party outsourced company to Hornby...HRMS (Hornby RailMaster Support). I daresay that HRMS have left the Select pull down option in place should Hornby change their mind again regarding Select to RM connectivity.
• The RM packaging says 'Exclusive to Elite' because the eLink controller comes bundled with its own copy of the RM software. Thus the RM R8144 software on its own was always meant as an Elite upgrade product. The use of the term 'Exclusive' is perhaps a bit misleading.
• The RM software is absolutely identical whether it is used with an Elite or an eLink controller interface.
• Hattons of Liverpool were selling second-hand eLink units (without RM software) for about £30, but these seem to now be 'out of stock'. This would have been a significant cost saving on buying an Elite at circa £200 plus.
• You may still be able to buy a second-hand eLink elsewhere, but be cautious as there are a lot of faulty eLinks floating about as they do not seem to be that reliable....based upon fault reports posted on this forum.
• It doesn't matter if an eLink purchased second-hand is loaded with an out of date firmware version. The RM software includes the current eLink firmware as part of the RM software build, and will automatically offer to update any eLink that is attached with an earlier installed firmware version on it. The current version at the time of writing this post is 1.07
• The eLink (and Select) come with a 1 Amp PSU, the Elite comes with the Hornby 4 Amp PSU.
• Note that the P9300 4 Amp PSU is the official Hornby replacement / upgrade PSU for the eLink as well the Select and is totally compatible with them and recommended. Both the 1 Amp and 4 Amp PSUs are 15 VDC, terminated with a 6.3mm / 3.1mm DC coax plug. This DC connector plug size is not very common, so the official Hornby PSU should always be used.
• Just for info. You only need the 'Activation Key' printed on the RM CD. The software version on the CD is more than likely out of date. The printed CD Key will work with a 'downloaded' copy of the RM software......but see next bullet point. There is a 'download link' (currently version 1.71 at time of writing this post) at the top of the RailMaster pages of this forum.
• If you bought the RM CD second-hand, the activation key will not work if the original purchaser has previously activated it. The RM software is not transferable to another person and the activation key is checked against a database to see if it has been used before. There is no 'work-around' to bypass and get round this activation key validity check. Without activation, RM functions as an evaluation copy with restricted capability. However, after the 90 day evaluation period has expired, RM will not start. Re-installing the evaluation copy will not reset the 90 day period. So after 90 days the software cannot be made to function on the same PC unless it is activated with a valid key.

.

TIP: As this is your very first post, just be aware that the 'Blue Button with the White Arrow' is not a 'Reply to this post' button. If you want to reply to any of the posts, scroll down and write your reply in the reply text box at the bottom of the page and click the Green 'Reply' button.

.

See also – further TIPs on how to get the best user experience from this forum.

https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/tips-on-using-the-forum/

[hedley_reynolds]

Hi  

    I have been away from the forum for a couple of years and I was looking through all of the post that I had missed since my last visit.

   I had found this one as I had noticed in the new Railmaster pdf and it mentioned that the Select controller would be able to connect to the computer and Railmaster via a select-a-link cable and I noticed that Chris said that the cable had been withdrawn from the range, however I have been looking through Hattons website tonight and they are advertising it for a pre-order item and I was wondering if Hornby has changed it's mind again for to manufacture it ?

Hedley

[96RAF]

Unfortunately not - Hattons is wrongly listing the device which was chopped from production earlier in the year, despite having been i cluded in the 2020 range catalogue. A great shame as it worked perfectly with RM on test and was competitively priced versus a similar cable Gaugemaster are flogging for one of their basic controllers, which comes bundled with software at much greater cost. 

[Chrissaf]

Re-instate manufacture by Hornby .... NO

 

The Hattons pre-order reference is their original listing from when Hornby did produce a release schedule, and Hattons have just not updated their website to reflect the Hornby decision to cancel the product. It is definitely cancelled.

 

EDIT: Rob posted whilst I was typing.

[hedley_reynolds]

Hi guys       I thought that you were right Cris but when I saw it on their website I was just interested if it was re-listed and it is a shame that Hornby has pulled the plug as I think that it would have been a great seller especially with all of the potential customers who have the Select who probably would have purchased it 

Hedley

[96RAF]

Hi guys    

...... it is a shame that Hornby has pulled the plug as I think that it would have been a great seller especially with all of the potential customers who have the Select who probably would have purchased it 

 

I totally agree. I think the Hornby bean counters made a big mistake binning the SelectaLink. It was only £25 and it worked perfectly, whereas the GM equivalent at last sight was over £60. The GM cable may/may not work with RM, although it is doing the same job, connecting a DCC controller to a PC via the Xpressnet RJ11/12 port, but its a lot of money to shell out and find it won’t handshake with RM.

 

[Chrissaf]

The 'bean counters' probably felt since the Select has been updated to be more effective in the CV writing arena, that to then make the Select RM capable as well would hit sales of the more profitable? Elite.

 

There is also some unsubstantiated rumours that it was pulled due to poor pre-orders from the box shifters.