R8216 Programing issue

[geoffb41]

I have an issue with a R8216 decoder in that port one didn't seem to be working so did a reset in REG mode to CV8 and this stopped all the ports working.

Tried reprogramming multiple times with the elite and also tried thru Railmaster but no luck. Did the precharge first and also have a program track booster

Then tried programming it with my select and this got some of the ports working but when I connect the R8216 back to the elite I can't get any ports to work. Connect it back to the select and it works

The select shows number 10 then 30 on startup and I programmed the decoder at 60 as per manual

So should the elite recognize the addresses I have programmed in with the select.

[Chrissaf]

Personally, I would bin the R8216 and replace it with the more capable R8247 for all the reasons described below.

Address 60 should be avoided when using the Elite. Address 60 was used with very early Selects such as your version 1.0 Select firmware and hence why it is mentioned in the manuals you are reading. When using the Elite, the addresses would require you to use 61 to 64 as the four ports on the decoder. Albeit, with the Elite [more so if using the later R8247 decoder] you can start numbering Accessory decoders from port address 1.

If you use address 60 on the decoder with an Elite, only the first port will work, this is actually mentioned in one of the manuals, but off hand I can't remember which one it is documented in.

EDIT: Address 60 comment tracked down to version 1.5 Select manual ... see extract below:

Addresses programmed using a Select with version 1.0 firmware are known to have incompatibilities with the later firmwares or the firmware used on the Elite. You should get your Select upgraded to version 1.6 if you intend to keep using it. Version 1.1 Selects also had a BUG which will damage a R8247 decoder. So all of the early versions Selects should be upgraded.

At the time of writing, the latest version is 1.6 [16] or 2.0 [20] - both the same. These latest versions completely transform the user experience of the Select controller and add the ability to write (not read) all CVs up to CV255. As well as access to the full F0 - F28 range of functions.

The upgrade charge is typically £15 plus your sending postage costs. You need to get a 'returns number' from Hornby Customer Services - see 'Contact Us' link at the very bottom of the page.

If you do arrange to get your Select firmware upgraded, then you will need both the Select version 1.5 full manual and the version 1.6 addendum manual. As the operation of your Select (how to use it) will be completely different in certain areas of operation compared to your current firmware version.

You can download these two manual PDFs from here:

R8213 Select DCC Controller – Hornby Support

and here

R8213 Select DCC Controller - Version 1.6 and 2.0 addendum – Hornby Support

If nothing appears to happen, check your nominated browser download folder for the files as they can download silently in the background.

[Fishmanoz]

Chris, isn’t the address incompatibility between Select 1.0 and later Select firmware or Elite just an address off-set of 2?

[96RAF]

Without referring to my files I am talking off the top of my head, but try putting the Elite into Classic mode and operating your points.

Standard and Classic modes were introduced to cater for the Select addressing anomaly twixt versions.

Addressing from 60 was out of kilter with NMRA group addressing hence why it was changed to 61-99 as obviously part of the range at each end was lost as explained previously and why only one port was working on address 60.

The address offset Fishy is talking to is a value of 3 as the 60 group range is from 57-60.

You will note in the RM manual it requires the Elite to be set in Standard mode to ensure RM points addressing fire the correct points.

[geoffb41]

Thanks guys for the help. Never bothered updating the select as this is only the 2nd time I've used it in the more than 10 years I've had it and also I'm in Australia so didn't know what the postage costs would be back to the UK.

Only fired it up because I have a mix of about 20 R8216 & R8247 and 10 of these are now spares but each of them seems to have some sort of problem and as I wasn't having any luck reprogramming them with the Elite thought I'd try the Select. Will give it another go using address 61 Want to sort them out as they were over $100 each so it's a lot of $ just sitting there

Sent an email to customer service re upgrading the Select and repairing the bad decoders and asking if there's anyone in Australia who may be able to do it

[Fishmanoz]

Pretty sure you’ll find the answer is no upgrade available in Oz but would be interested to know if they say otherwise.

You’ll only need to pay postage to UK plus the £15, they return it. And you need a returns number from them first.