decoder reading issue

[geoffb41]

Have a mix of hornby and aussie locos and can't seem to read CV1 on any of the hornbys but i can read my assie locos ok

i have an elite  with a soundtraxx PTB program booster and dedicated program track also have railmaster

reading hornby CV1 reads XXX. some give a slight jerk when i try to read them.

for the couple i can remember what number they are i can put them on the main track and the elite controls them fine. The program track is reading my other brand locos Austrains,Atlas  without any probs

any ideas why im having trouble with the hornbys

[ColinB]

They probably have stay alive on their decoders, that seems to upset things.

[96RAF]

If you can’t read the existing address, just give it the one you want it to have by writing a new address. By any chance would it have a long address as CV1 would be out of play then, in favour of CVs 17/28. Reading CV29 will tell you if short or long addresses are in use.

I would try read-back without the PTB program booster.

[geoffb41]

don't think thet have a stay alive feature. The one i'm mostly testing with is a hornby steam which is marked hornby dcc in white on the bottom but there's nothing to say what model it is.

tried to read CV1 with the booster disconnected but just get XXX no matter what CV i try and read yet the elite controls it fine on the main track using its number of 75 (have only ever used two digit numbers)

i also have a select and was going to try with it but the Manual doesn't mention reading CV's so assume it can only write

reprogramed the loco number with the select and now the elite can read CV1. have done three now and all the same.Elite will read CV1 after i reprogram the loco number with the select

seems strange the elite will control them but can't read CV1 unless i reprogram them with the select.

they were all originally programed with the elite

[ColinB]

I know after I read your post, I noticed I read it the wrong way round. I just assumed it was the Aussie ones that were giving issues. I normally use the read address feature on the Elite to read the address, although just recently I have been having issues programming a different decoder and was playing with CV1 to see if it worked any better. I use my Elite for testing and the odd cv read and write, generally to reset the decoder, I have a Fleishmann I use on the main layout. I must admit the Elite is generally reliable on Hornby decoders, although it does seem to have the odd occasional "bad day", is your Elite at the right software lever V2.44 or V2.45. Occasionally I get a bad read, but generally it is ok, but doing it on all of them seems unusual. Does it read the Manufacturer's Id  (CV 8) reliably?

You probably know this, so ignore it if you do. You do know that on a Hornby decoder you have to use the programing terminals on a length of track, to read the cv, which you don't have to on a Select, from what I gather (don't have one).

[Chrissaf]

Firmware 1.4x not 2.4x

[96RAF]

Despite what NMRA says you can actually write to CV1 on the main. Awkward decoders sometimes respond to programming in Reg mode.

 

Although you could not read-back the 75 address could you write that or any other address to that loco using the Elite.

 

Select can only program loco addresses in the range 1-59. As it effectively programs on the main you can not read-back values with a Select..

[ColinB]

Sorry Chrissaf, I think we are a bit at cross purposes here, the latest software on the Elite is V2.44 or V2.45, which is what mine shows at power up (V2.45). Now what does the 1.4 x refer to?

[Chrissaf]

The latest version Elite firmware that is currently downloadable is version 1.45 ... see screen capture below:

 

/media/tinymce_upload/e14a5c48cd49ef87a57a14cd228dd271.jpg

 

Now it is documented that Hornby have released a new Elite hardware package. So obviously, your V2.45 display is, I assume, on one of the new latest Elite platforms. In the same way that with the Select, the new latest model Select hardware has version 2.0 firmware, but older Select models are only upgraded by Hornby to version 1.6 firmware.

 

But for anybody wanting to upgrade their older Elites at home, the highest revision firmware that they can download is currently version 1.45.

 

I highlighted the 1.45 not 2.45 firmware versions  ... else there was a risk that forum readers with the older Elite hardware would be 'chasing rainbows' looking for version 2.45 firmware.

[ColinB]

Ok, thank you Chrissaf.