Loco running fine under App control on DC but not on DCC (eLink)

[eugene_garvin]

My Loco has an 8-pin TXS decoder installed which is configured in the App.

The decoder firmware is at the latest level and all health indicators are green.

On my DC circuit with the power set to max, everything is working fine - loco control, functions and sound.

When placed on my DCC circuit (eLink + Railmaster), the motor on my loco is "pulsing" with a gradual uncontrolled movement over the track. This happens all of the time - except when the decoder is updating it's firmware/profile.

CV12 is set to 2 and control is set to Bluetooth in the App.

Sound function only appears to work once - when you turn off the sound it doesn't come back on.

I have no loco control at all.

I have repeated the same with a different loco and another TXS decoder.

Loco/decoder have been power cycled multiple times - same behaviour

Have changed the DCC address - still the same behaviour

Switching in the App to DCC control, the behaviour is the same and I have no control under DCC.

Switching in the App back to BLE control, no different, the App is unable to control the loco.

So right now the only mode that works is on DC circuit under BLE control. All functions incl. sound appear to be working in this mode.

Just to confirm that The App is branded HM7000 - it's the correct App.

Running out of ideas here.

[LTSR_NSE]

Have you read the manual?

Are you attempting to control the loco(s) with the app on your DCC layout? (you say that the decoders are configured for app control).

If you are attempting to control the decoders with a DCC controller, (and have already controlled them using the app) you need to change them to back to DCC control.

[P-Henny]

Are you sure that you are using the correct APP. That is to say, are you trying to use the HM6000 DC Analogue APP and not the HM7000 DCC APP.

The HM7000 APP for DCC has only just been released for Apple IOS within the last 12 hours [relative to this post date & time] and the Q code in the TXS packaging until recently linked to the HM6000 DC APP in error.

More information is available here:

Linking HM7000 decoders to the wrong app. :: Hornby Hobbies

[96RAF]

There are also very many step by step how-to guides in the manual download area.

[eugene_garvin]

Just to confirm it's the correct App - branded HM7000.

I'm attempting to use Bluetooth control on a DCC circuit and CV12 is set to 2 as per the documentation and as set in the App.

I've used the App to attempt to switch to DCC mode but even in that mode the loco continues to "pulse" forward with no ability to control under DCC either.

[SteveM6]

To help the development team can you tell us what controller you are using?

[P-Henny]

Steve, the OP did say both in his title and in the content text that he is using Railmaster & eLink as his DCC controller.

[Britannia Builder]

That all sounds very odd, I'm running an 8TXS on a DCC track with elink and Railmaster and all works well on either the app or from Railmaster - I can switch to and fro from inside the app. One oddity is that setting up the loco in the app and downloading a new sound file reset the loco address to 3 from the value that I had previously set in Railmaster, which had me foxed for a while.

I can only think that running on DC has somehow upset the decoder?

Regards, John

[LTSR_NSE]

@Britannia Builder - the manual explains that installing a new sound profile will reset loco address (as well as some other profile-related CVs).

So that is entirely expected & no issue or mistake.

[LTSR_NSE]

@eugene_garvin - usually (with most decoders) if you encounter a glitch, the first advice is to try resetting the decoder (with HM7000 decoders write value 8 to CV8) and occasionally resetting controller is also necessary.

Does doing this resolve the issue?

[SteveM6]

Steve, the OP did say both in his title and in the content text that he is using Railmaster & eLink as his DCC controller.

 

 

Yes he did. My mistake.

The test team were asked to find out which controller he was using - I noticed Rob hadn’t asked the question so I did without re-reading the title.

Trying to help and got it wrong!

[eugene_garvin]

Ok, I've just exited Railmaster and power cycled my eLink controller.

Without starting up Railmaster, my loco is running now fine under App control.

I've started up Railmaster and re-tested App control - working fine again.

I've switched to DCC control in the App and yes, I can now control the loco from the Railmaster software including the sound.

So it's all good.

I can only assume that my eLink/Railmaster was in a state that was causing the original problem and the power cycling has cleared that.

Thanks to all who responded and took some time on this.

[Fishmanoz]

Eugene, you’ve fallen for the multiple Post Reply trick. Could you please delete all of the duplicates and, while you are there, edit out all the extra carriage returns between your paras. You only need one return, the forum software (bizarrely) adds the extra for you.

Fishy edit - neatness restored and I can put the OCD to bed.

Further Edit - works for me on iPad and Safari.

Mod edit: I don’t suppose Eugene you will be back to see this but just in case you do just to advise the extra spacing has been removed along with the duplicate posts.

Please wait when submitting a post for the ‘sent’ message to appear.

[96RAF]

Let's get one thing straight in people's heads.

The decoder DCC address is only used under DCC control. Under app control the decoder 7000-ABCD ID is used.

Think of the app and your controller as two completely different systems, which can be switched between at the press of a button which effectively flips the value of CV12 from 0 to 2 and back again.

When you are using the app forget about your DCC controller and when you are using the DCC controller forget about the app.

If your loco goes unresponsive between app and controller, simply reset the controller.

[eugene_garvin]

Per the last post, all three of the locos I have configured so far have the same DCC ID of 3 which is not an issue under App control where all 3 can still be controlled independently.

[ColinB]

Fishmanoz on a lot of machines the delete and the edit option don't work, definitely on my machine it doesn't. Mine is an Dell desktop I7 running Chrome. So I imagine it is the same for a lot of people. As a matter of interest, it obviously works on your machine, so what browser and device are you using to view these posts, so I can do a bit on investigation.

[P-Henny]

For me it works fine on Windows 10 Pro using Firefox. My PC is not branded and is a custom build around an ASUS motherboard.

It also works on my Samsung Galaxy S2 Tablet, using the Android version of Firefox.

As you can see, I have a preference for Firefox.

Although not asked, my setups also support 'spell checking' on the Hornby forum as well. I mention this, because many members say Hornby forum 'spell check' doesn't work for them.

EDIT: Delete & Edit buttons also work on my Android using Chrome and on my Android using the inbuilt 'Samsung Internet' browser. It works on 'edge' in my PC as well. In fact I can't find a browser in my setup it doesn't work on. I haven't got Chrome installed on my PC to test.

[LTSR_NSE]

Further to Paul’s post the buttons work perfectly on both safari & chrome on both my iPad Air & iPhone 7.

[RB51]

…… on a lot of machines the delete and the edit option don't work, definitely on my machine it doesn't.

 

 

Not heard that happening before but let’s not divert the intent of the post. R-

[96RAF]

Per the last post, all three of the locos I have configured so far have the same DCC ID of 3 which is not an issue under App control where all 3 can still be controlled independently.

 

 

When you add a decoder it generates a default loco with default name and address. It is up to you if you want to use that loco and amend the name and DCC address to match a loco you already have or if you have already added such a loco to the engine shed and want to assign that decoder to it. You can then bin the default generated one.

[ColinB]

The reason I asked was because Fishmanoz frequently puts up posts asking the user that raised the post to delete the extra ones. I know I have had it on a couple of occasions, and I have seen it happen when a new member accidentally does it multiple times. So yes it may not be relevant to this but on the other hand the person that raised the post needs to know that it is not that easy for a great deal of us so that they understand that it is not an easy matter.

I actually wanted to know so I could do a deep dive into my browser to make it work and then tell the others.

So yes not relevant to this particular subject, but important none the less.

It has been happening for ages, I have even seen other people complain about it. It is a bit like the menus on the main Hornby website don't work for looking at orders. I know in that case I put a post on the forum so that people could eventually see them, in response to a members request.

[LTSR_NSE]

@Colin be careful about assuming how many are affected - those whose buttons work will imagine they are majority, & those whose don’t likewise - no actual evidence either way.

I don’t believe a thread exists specifically about non-functional buttons (but happy to be corrected) obviously if there were it would be in ‘Forum & Website feedback’ section - which is the appropriate place for this discussion.

[ColinB]

Whilst we are deviating off the subject, LT&SR_NSR it is not really an issue for me because I am used to the fact that the submit function causes issues I just press the button and I generally wait, I think on Sunday it was about 2 minutes. What I do take offence at is the fact that a certain member tells members to delete their multiple posts when they obviously cannot. It not only puts off new members and really is not necessary. As i said I only wanted to understand the issue so I could try to fix it. So basically stop the member issuing the posts as we know that certain users probably cannot delete them. So yes it works for you congratulations, but I know it doesn't work for me and many others.

Perhaps we should close this thread before I get yet more warning messages.

The thread about orders does exist, user couldn't find their orders, I remember posting to it you need to dig a bit deeper. Not my problem.

[Philip-350582]

Hello! I have encountered a similar problem using an elink as the power source for HM7000. It appears to me that the elink is "tripping" when I use the new HM7000-DCC app to ask the loco (s) to move. I get a 1cm movement then the bluetooth connection to the loco is lost.

I have installed the PowerBanks to each loco but I guess they are not charging as the loco hasn't actually run for a period (? Is that correct ?)

I have used the elink wall supply to directly DC power the track and the locos move fine. So by process of elimination, I think the problem is the elink. Has anyone else successfully used an elink as the power source for HM7000 Bluetooth DCC???

I only have the 2 above mentioned power source options - and I would like to have the sound audible, so would prefer the non DC supply from the elink itself (I understand from this forum and elsewhere that DC supply means that the sound doesn't work on the new bluetooth decoders - is that correct?) As an aside, I started with audible sound but now have none :-( Thanks for your advice in advance.

[96RAF]

The sound has nothing to do with the power source if it is DCC or direct DC. If the decoder is showing a clean health check in settings, then it should work when a sound is selected by a function button. If not then try recycling the power to reboot the decoder.

If using RM have you listed this loco and its DCC address in the roster. Are you using a 1-amp or 4-amp power supply and how many locos do you have on track.

The concern about power sources and sound (as now stated in the decoder manual) is that some analogue controllers if set to max speed per the original HM7K guidance can interfere with the sound quality and in addition possible voltage spikes can destroy the decoder.