Potrail2378 Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 Hi, continuing the Hornby HST 125 conversion to DCC and 'Can' installation - all is well so far, with the Hornby sound decoders now installed. I have set up the motor and dummy cars with the Hornby Select in the workshop.So far, so good. When I take the units up into the loft and put them on the layout, which is powered by the Hornby Elite, the Elite is only giving me 0-12 functions. I had set up F25 for cab lights on the Select.The Elite is a new addition, I'm thinking that it's a setting that I have overlooked? Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 What firmware version is the Elite? Appears briefly on screen as the Elite is powered up. My Elite is 1.44 and gives access to all functions to F28 You say the Elite is a new addition, but was it purchased new or pre-owned. It seems from your issue description that it might have a very early firmware, probably version 1.3. The Elites prior to version 1.41 can only access F0 to F12 [see the following extract from a pre-version 1.41 Elite user guide manual]. /media/tinymce_upload/3ba382059bd1e4530297eeed21ed1d8b.jpg Fortunately, you can upgrade the Elite firmware yourself at home DIY. This previous thread will explain how. https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/forum/updating-firmware-on-the-elite Follow my reply.... 3rd post down on the page. Notes: The current Elite firmware at time of writing is version 1.45 The guidance was written for version 1.43 but still stands as written for version 1.45 After clicking the link above, follow the path of subsequent links in MY posts to get to the actual 'step by step' instructions. Remember, if you are not using RailMaster, you will need to install the Elite driver first. The 'step by step' guidance for doing that is also included in my linked posts. If you are using a RailMaster PC for the Elite firmware upgrade, then you can skip the 'Install Driver' tasks as the driver is already installed, as it is required for RailMaster. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 21, 2020 Share Posted October 21, 2020 You must have older Elite software, mine is 1.45 and it does functions up to F25 and above. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potrail2378 Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 Just had a quick look at the Elite, and it's a 1.3 version. I bought it second hand off eBay. Apparently I need to connect it to my laptop, but there wasn't a lead in the box. What lead will I need to connect to the laptop?Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
37lover Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Potbus2378,I know some folk find the Forum search facility difficult but if you type in "Connecting the Elite to a Computer" it will bring up an old thread with links to suitable cables. Same as searching on Google, an instant answer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 You need a standard printer cable with a USB A at one end and a USB B at the other. Then you need to follow the advised steps to update very carefully.V1.4 introduced support for all 29 functions, previously it was F0-F9. Momentary and toggled support was added at the same time, as well as dummy car programming.After update - When you press Function you will first see F0-F9. Press it again and the display enables F10-F19, press again F20-28. press again for off and so on round the cycle again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 "After update - When you press Function you will first see F0-F9. Press it again and the display enables F10-F19, press again F20-28. press again for off and so on round the cycle again." As an Elite user of many years (almost since it was first released), I find this a very clunky way of doing things. IMHO it would be much simpler, if after pressing 'Function', you simply typed in the function number, e.g. 01, 15 or 28, on the keypad. There shouldn't even be a need to press any other key after entering the function number. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 That is essentially how the Select operates functions Rog. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rog RJ Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 That is essentially how the Select operates functions Rog.And it's much more usable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Don't forget that after you perform the update to the current firmware version, you will need to download the current Elite manual PDF and read it. As certain operations of the Elite i.e How to use it' will change with the new firmware. You can download the current Elite manual from here: https://www.hornby.com/uk-en/downloads/view/index/cat/11/ One metre USB A to USB B Printer cable to suit Elite[My bookmarked seller for USB & other types of cables - highly reliable] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Unusually, I do like the way the Elite does functions but Rog has a very valid point. The biggest issue though with doing anything that involves entering numbers, is that there is no enter key, it uses the press button on the controller. Unlike the Fleishmann software they don't turn off the ability of the controller to increment or decrement the number so quite often pressing the press button increments the value. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Potrail2378 Posted October 22, 2020 Author Share Posted October 22, 2020 Well gentlemen, thanks for all your information. Today I have spent an hour or so with my laptop and Elite (connected with an old printer cable) and updated the Elite from 1.3 to 1.44 Now all I have to do is download the new instruction manual. Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Thanks for letting us know. I hope it works for you now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 This has happened before v1.44 instead of v1.45, there must be something wrong which what is loaded on the website. I know when I did the upgrade I spent a while searching the Hornby website for the right files. I did mention it to Hornby at the time, but got no reply. Obviously, they didn't do anything about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Yes Colin, but how do you explain the ZIP file I downloaded at 20:10 tonight for which I list the contents of in my image. Everything about the file screams 1.45 Granted I have not actually installed this firmware update yet on my own 1.44 Elite, hence my question to PotBus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Are you really sure that the Elite is reporting version 1.44. The firmware download file currently available from the Hornby site 'download page' is reporting 1.45 in the folder contents [see image below]. Not that it really matters as the only difference between 1.44 and 1.45 is that 1.45 has a bug fix for the Hornby Sapphire decoder fuel simulation. If you don't use the Sapphire then you don't need 1.45. I'm just curious because you are the second person to say that their recent Elite upgrade was version 1.44 The image below show the reported contents of the Elite firmware update ZIP file I have just this minute downloaded from Hornby.com ... and they show 1.45 I'm just wondering if the 1.45 update still shows 1.44 on the Elite LCD when it is powered up? Or did you perhaps, download the 1.44 firmware update file some time ago and store it, but never got round to installing it until now. /media/tinymce_upload/77a173962a5935bccc755e1c753c3c06.jpg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 Reported ChrisThanks for finding the bogie link. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted October 22, 2020 Share Posted October 22, 2020 I did mine over a year ago. At the time I think most of the links gave an error. Anyway sounds like it is sorted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Support tells me those links are fixed now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Just checked and can confirm they are both now linked to version 1.45 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted October 23, 2020 Share Posted October 23, 2020 Well done Hornby forum support team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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