Greyed Out options when editing CVs - Android

[David-P]

I'm using a Galaxy S8 phone running Android version 9, connecting to an 8-pin decoder with a recent V2 sound profile. I believe the Android app auto-updates - it claims to be v1.1.1 (B44.1A).

Almost everything is great, except that I've found a couple of CVs with greyed out options, so I can't use them. So far, it's the two lighting options (see example CV53 screenshot below) and the auto-calibration primer CV149 (screenshot below); I haven't done an exhaustive search for others.

As the options are greyed out, they can't be used, which is rather annoying.

Is there anything wrong with my setup/versions ?

I was at GBMRS over the weekend and managed a short chat with George (great to meet some of the Hornby team) who thought everything should be enabled and it wasn't that it was just "in the queue" for a later Android update.

Has anyone else seen this?

Thanks for your help,

Dave

[SteveM6]

This issue was identified shortly after launch and has been fed back to the app developers by the test team for rectification. A solution is proving to be ‘elusive’.

[96RAF]

If the lighting study state option is greyed out, then what are your lights doing. If steady state then that is the selected option.

Ref auto-cal value 2 is the default setting affecting the values of other CVs. It is not usually altered except when arming the auto-cal by setting it to value 0. The only glitch on one platform, can’t recall which, is that the CV does not reset to value 2 after the calibration and must be set manually.

Else I cannot see anything wrong.

[SteveM6]

Rob, you touched on the problem right there.

This issue means autocal won’t arm on android as the value does not write across to the decoder itself. Autocal must be done via a DCC controller.

Its the same problem that I’ve been banging on about since March (when I spotted it during testing) regarding CV29 on Android.

As these are the two main CVS that I need to use, I find it increasingly frustrating as I cannot use the app to the full extent for my purposes and I sometimes feel that the development team have lost sight of this particular issue.

[96RAF]

Note in Steve’s post the Test Team (of which we are part) and the Developers (the HM7K software writers) are two different groups coordinated by a third, Hornby Towers.

[SteveM6]

Good point Rob. There are three separate parties in the relationship - app developers (external software builders), project management (Hornby employees) and the testers (unpaid ground troops).

[David-P]

Just to confirm the answers that Steve gave to Rob's questions: Lights are in steady "on" only and I cannot have any other option if I wanted them. However, for what it's worth, the brightness settings do work. Similarly for auto-cal, it's stuck at 2 and I cannot "arm" it no matter what. Therefore I cannot auto-calibrate the control settings to that loco/motor. That's something I would like to be able to do.

For info, I do not possess any kind of DCC control system and am trying to move directly from DC to Bluetooth.

Thanks for your help.

[SteveM6]

David, we (the testers) have been assured that the app developers are investigating a solution to this issue.

As to when a fix will be made, we are not privy to that information but like you, I want to see it sooner rather than later.

For me, having to do autocal etc. via DCC is merely inconvenient but it’s an absolute showstopper for anyone making the transition to HM7K directly from DC.

[96RAF]

You are basically stuffed then David until an app fettle is introduced and that is likely to be by way of updating each sound profile rather than the preferred individual decoder by decoder as required update. That method being due to the way the various PROMs are managed unfortunately.

[David-P]

Thanks for the info. I guess I will just have to hurry up and wait some more.

I'm also waiting for the non-sound decoders to be made available, but that's likely to be late Q2 next year. At least I can do some multi-tasking and wait for both in parallel.

Cheers.

[LTSR_NSE]

@david - please be aware of the (arduino-based) DCC-Ex controller. The website explaining all about it is:  https://dcc-ex.com/

A video presenting it in a very accessible way is:

I too had no interest in DCC until HM7000 came along & I still have no wish to invest heavily in a controller. However when I happened across the above site & video and discovered this (relatively inexpensive) option would enable maximising the functionality of HM7000, by allowing access to any/all CVs currently beyond app’s reach, it was an ideal solution.

[Brew Man]

Just had a look at that - very impressive. Might have a go at it in due course.

[David-P]

Thanks for the link to DCC-Ex; it's not something I had come across before. I'm not sure if I will go that way as it still seems like a lot of effort to create a sticking plaster for missing HM7k functionality. I suppose my other choice would be to buy an Apple device of some sort, but I don't much fancy that either.

I will certainly investigate DCC-Ex further before making any final decisions.

Thanks again for the links!