Icurus Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Hi all Is the Select able to have its firmware upgraded? I have just tried run 3 older Hornby models that I have fitted with TCS T1 decoders, they have a higher stall amp rating then the Hornby de-coders, and I was advised that as these loco's had older more power hungry motors, it was best to fit something beefier in the de-coder department, hence the TCS T1's. Plus they are way cheaper then the Hornby Sapphire's!! But they do not work, they shunt to and fro with no control from me! :( Supplier says that the Select is not NMRA compliant and its at fault. Anybody else running this combination of de-coder chips and controller? Thanks Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Posted by Hornby Customer Care a while back. You can send your Selects in for an update; this is free of charge. Please attach a covering letter explaining the issue and send to: FAO - Repairs Dept Hornby Hobbies Westwood Margate Kent CT9 4JX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icurus Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 Great! Hopefully this may help my problem. Thanks for your fast response Poliss. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 If your Select is new it might already have the latest updates though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pidder Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 My upgraded (by Hornby) Select starts with 13 - 30 - 03, if yours starts with this sequence then it has the latest firmware. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icurus Posted June 23, 2012 Author Share Posted June 23, 2012 I brought mine 2nd hand from a well know auction site. It has heat stamped into it26/09. I can see no other markings, no serial number etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I think pidder means the number sequence that appears on screen when you first switch it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregd99 Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 there was a new firmware version announced for the select a little while back. Maybe this will help with the issue you face. however.... the select is marketed as a "value" (=low price and limited features) controller. It is not nmra certified which probably means that there are some aspects of the controller (I have heard waveforms to the track) that are not compliant with the specs. before trying a new decoder type with the select it is probably a good idea to enquire on the forum whether others have had success wit the particular type. hopefully this sort of enquiry does not breach forum rules. it is probable that some decoders do not work reliably with the select. as another idea.... perhaps hornby could publish a compatibility list! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icurus Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Indeed, I appreciate that the select is a 'value' item, but I chose it as I did not have the budget or experience of DCC to want to jump in at the deep end and splash out a lot of money at the start, so the select seem to suit my needs. Did not realise that it was not fully NMRA compliant. Which begs the question, why is it not? The supplier of the TCS T1's did mention that the Selects waveform is the possible cause of my trouble. I would loved'd to have used Hornby Sapphire de-coders in my trains, but budget restraints forced me to look for alternatives, the lower priced Hornby de-coder did not have suffcient amps to run my older loco's, so the T1's won out. I was looking to get an Elite in the near future, but if it too is not NMRA compliant I may look for somethng else. I would like to stick with Hornby if I can though :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregd99 Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 do talk to cust care about the decoder that is not operating correctly with the select. they should be able to give you a clear answer. the elite and the 8245/8249 decoders are all nmra warranted. the budget is always an issue. the select gives a lower cost entry but if you get into dcc beyond running simple trains with simple decoders then quite possibly the select will not be enough for you. you have to pay your money and take your chance:-( if sometime in the future you decide to upgrade to an elite the select can be used as a "walkabout"throttle for controlling a train via the elite. hang in there. dcc is fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icurus Posted June 24, 2012 Author Share Posted June 24, 2012 Ok, just powered up the select and it shows 11-30-03, I guess this means it can be updated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poliss Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 This is what Hornby say on the comparison page about the Elite and Select. https://www.hornby.com/hornby-dcc/controllers/ "* Please note certain US manufactured decoders are not suitable for use with the Hornby Select unit due to their inability to conform to EMC requirements." Hornby do not say which US manufactured decoders aren't suitable. If it is in fact a problem with the decoders why don't they give the same warning for the NRMA certified Elite? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icurus Posted June 25, 2012 Author Share Posted June 25, 2012 Does make you wonder...... I do intend to get an Elite, just looks like I shall have to get one sooner rather then later, and use the select as a separate hand held controller linked to the Elite. I guess the kids can go hungry next month, as its all in a good cause! ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howy Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 Is the offer of the free upgrade on the select still available? How do you pay for return postage? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chrissaf Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 With the release of Select firmware version 1.5 (which added new features). Hornby have made a policy decision to charge for an upgrade to version 1.5. The last time the charge was documented, it was £15 (for the UK) and was inclusive of the return postage charge. You still have to pay the sending postage charge on top of the £15 upgrade fee (and make your own sending postal arrangements)..Contact Hornby Customer Care via the website contact page to confirm and arrange an upgrade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 If you want to know what is and what isn't compliant and warranted then look here where the NMRA publishes a list. From that you may be able to work out what could and should work well with each other. Tip all Hornby items are on Page 6 and NMRA appears to have made an error saying it is R8215 v1.3 when it should be R8249 v1.3. Elite has been warranted since v1.2.Rob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
debe45 Posted September 28, 2017 Share Posted September 28, 2017 The latest firmware on select is version 1.5. At switchon it will say 15 10 03. The cost for uprade by Hornby is £15.I had mine done last year.Regards Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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