Railmaster DCC / Elink problems

[Mark390]

Good afternoon

I've had RailMaster/E-link for several months, and am still getting connectional issues between the hardware. It's the usual problem of being unable to connect, and requested to power down e-link and restart, etc.

I try changing USB ports, sometimes this works, other times it makes no difference. Drivers and RailMaster itself are currently showing as being up to date.

The system normally works after about 4 or 5 attempts, it's a suprise if it works sooner. Usually, not always, once it starts it keeps going. 

Does anyone else have similar problems? Is there a solution or this the best I can expect?

Building up a nice stock collection, but bit infuriating that eLink is so problematic.

Am even wondering if an alternative controller would be a better answer, e.g. a handheld one rather than laptop. Controlling trains via Railmaster and laptop can be fiddly, to say the least, especially as the number of trains increases. Controlling locos with sounds also seems to be limited, but that's another issue. I am unlikely to use advanced features - e.g. motorised points; not sure about the programming side of things; so am not likely to use many of these features.

Any replies would be appreciated.

 

Mark

[Mark390]

By handheld, I mean likes of Hornby Select. I can't help thinking it looks a lot more easier to use. Whether setting ID's can be done easily with Select, I'm not sure, but I suppose I could use RailMaster for that, when I get it to connect. Setting loco IDs isn't something you do every day so I could live with that.

[Yelrow]

Hi, if you follow the locked thread above your post, you will see my simple guide, developed for exactly the problems and reasons you have. Its all to do with the connection sequence, and the WAIT WAIT WAIT. The hard drive must have stopped flashing, before you go to next step. If you follow sequence, you will achieve 99% success. Moving on to next step. I dont think handheld is the way to go, they are having all sorts of problems with tablets. What i have done, is to invest in Elite, as well as elink. I picked mine up, £100, off , there are plenty on ebay. Connection problems with elite and Rail Master, are non existant. Controlling laptop, with sounds, is not too limited, when you bear in mind, a lot of the sounds, like Firemans Breakfast, you will never use. You can have 6 at ant time, and change from day to day, should you wish. If you want a hand held, a select, cabled to elite as a walkabout, is an option, but it does not work with elink. No doubt, all the tablet boys, will now advance their case. john

[Mark390]

John, thanks for quick reply. I will follow the start up order methodically, just in case there was something I wasn't doing correctly (not waiting long enough probably).

Bit odd however that it can sometimes stop working when it has been working OK, and nothing has been disconnected or otherwise altered in any way. However that doesn't happen too often, but then it shouldn't really happen at all once it is running.

Just to confirm my understanding, a Select controller (should I go down that route), would require an elite in addition. No doubt Railmaster can do a lot of fancy things (once it connects), but for standard train control I'm not sure. I use a laptop with Railmaster (fairly small one for ease of use with the layout), even using the touchscreen (as well as the touchpad) can be slighly cumbersome. Now my fleet is increasing nicely, the problem of selecting the loco I want becomes more difficult as I have to scroll up/down to find it. If there was an option to display all locos as small icons on screen, rather than the track layout which takes up most of the screen), this might make it easier.

Mark

 

 

  

[RB51]

Thats a neat idea Mark - do you want to put it in the "Desireable Features...." thread as well? I think a row of "thumbnails" as I think they are called that open into the full throttle when selected would be a great space saver for those of us with small laptop screens. R-

[Mark390]

Thats a neat idea Mark - do you want to put it in the "Desireable Features...." thread as well? I think a row of "thumbnails" as I think they are called that open into the full throttle when selected would be a great space saver for those of us with small laptop screens. R-

Thanks, I've now done that.

 

 

[Yelrow]

Mark, The select, will basically, only drive the trains, it is very basic. Will not read/change cvs. Will not work with Railmaster/elink, but works fine with Elite, as a walkabout, and you can pick them up for a song. The elite, is the ideal machine, happen you can afford one, as you can tap in your loco nos, and drive your trains. I find RM great for cvs,  track schematic, points etc, but  with disabled hands, turning a knob, is easier than clicking a mouse, and i have asked before for locos on screen to be reduced in size, to show more, but it falls on deaf ears. I also run, large dc layout, with 15 controllers, all use knob control. there are those on here, who use the elink, for points, etc, and the Elite for driving trains. john

[Mark390]

Thanks John

After watching a good YouTube video the buttons/knob on the Select, looks a lot easier than messing about with laptop screen and mouse/touchpad. If I keep the RailMaster/eLink for changing CVs etc and doing any cleverer stuff, the Select could be one option.

I've seen the Elite on eBay at reasonably decent prices.

Am I right in thinking that the Elite or Select connects directly to the track? Or is there something in between?

Mark

[Chrissaf]

Mark,

A recap on Hornby's three DCC controllers:

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1. Hornby Select
2. Hornby RailMaster / e-link
3. Hornby Elite, optionally with RailMaster.

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All three of the above controllers connect directly to the track to control locos and accessories.

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Personally I would avoid the cheaper Select unit. It is not compliant with the DCC standards and has extremely limited features. It can be used as a supplementary walkabout controller when plugged into the Elite i.e gives you a third control knob, but with certain configuration limitations. But I would avoid using the Select as your ONLY controller. There is no USB port on the Select so it can't be used with Railmaster. Note: You CAN NOT connect your RailMaster e-link and a Select to the same track at the same time. As far as loco control is concerned it is one or the other.

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The RailMaster / e-link combination is a reasonable price, but there are NO physical control knobs. All control is done through RailMaster (Windows PC software). This means you will need a Windows PC connected in close proximity to your layout, as you are already aware, as this is the system that you currently have......

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Elite is the most expensive option. But gives you two physical control knobs that can control MORE THAN two locos. You can dynamically switch the two Elite control knobs across a range of locos to control them all individually in real time, as well as your DCC accessories. Elite will also work with Railmaster software as well. The ability to operate stand alone or in conjunction with RailMaster means that the Elite controller is the most flexible controller combination.

[Ajay1]

Chris,  

Your post above is very informative.I'm learning new things every time I open up here to have a read. Having got all three methods of controllers I have been in a bit of a quandary as to which controller would be best to us with RM,not any more.

You mention that the Select cannot be used together with RM being that there is no USB connection,I wonder why then that in the Options/Controller A and B dropdown list  the Select is also listed?

[Mark390]

Chris

That is an excellent answer, which has explained exactly what I need to know.

It would appear that Elite could be my answer. It gives more functionality than the select, will work with RailMaster, and offers an easier (knobs and buttons, rather than mouse) control. And hopefully should reduce (or eliminate) the original problem which was the constant connection issues between RailMaster and eLink. Even connecting and switching on in the correct order did ensure total reliability, but it improved a bit.

There are a few Elite's on eBay, around the £100 mark, so will have a think about that. When we consider the amount spent on stock etc (it's not a cheap hobby!), then something as fundamental as a controller that works reliably and simply, is pretty important!

Many thanks again for your help.

Mark

[Chrissaf]

@Ajay

Antony, How very strange. As a result of your comment I fired up RM to look. You are quite right 'Select' is in the list. The 'Select' definitely does not have a USB port, and there is absolutely no mention of it in the RM manual. The only explanation I can offer is that RailMaster is developed on behalf of Hornby by a completely independent software company. RailMaster has been in development for several years. There MAY have been an intention on Hornby’s part to develop a RM compatible Select that was never put into production. I can think of no other reason why it would be listed in the application drop down box other than being there in error. There are other items in RM (Loco Detection for example) that appear in the application for which there is no currently launched hardware.

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@Mark390

Just something extra that may sway your decision to invest in an Elite. In my last reply I wrote "The ability to operate stand alone or in conjunction with RailMaster". The Railmaster / Elite combination has one other nifty feature. Let's say you've got 4 running locos on the layout. Let's call them loco A, B, C & D. Let's say that locos A & B are assigned to the two Elite control knobs. Now in RailMaster you also have 4 x Throttle windows open for locos A to D. Now in that scenario locos C, D can be controlled by the RM Throttles. Locos A & B can be controlled by either the Elite control knobs OR the RM Throttles at the same time. Now here is the nifty bit. When you control loco A or B from the Elite control knobs, the loco A & B Throttles in RM are synchronised and move on screen as the physical Elite knobs are turned. In other words, the Elite controller knobs have a feedback function back into RM. For completeness of information I should also mention that using Elite to change points and switch loco functions DOES NOT have the same feedback feature. It is purely the Throttles only.

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The current Elite firmware is 1.41, the e-bay Elites may be earlier versions. If they are, this Hornby web site has downloadable Elite firmware files for user self installed upgrades.

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PS - I can only comment on my particular set-up, but I do not experience any initial start up handshaking issues between my Elite and laptop. I have one single mains switch that powers up everything. I wait for Elite to complete its start up check (this happens so quick it has usually happened by the time I've walked back to the controller from where the mains plug switch is located). Then I power up my laptop. Wait for Windows to load, then fire up RM. Everything just then works as expected.

[Mark390]

Thanks again Chris

I am going ahead with purchasing Elite. I've also watched a series of tutorial videos on YouTube, by Hornby, showing clearly and concisely how to use most of the features of Elite. Of course with programming CVs/IDs, I will still have the option of using Elite or RM, whichever I feel is the easier. 

[Mark390]

As you will no doubt guess, it was a combination of the start up/connection issues with RM, as well as the apparent simplicity of a physical controller (opposed to PC software), that made me look for alternatives. Hopefully I have found the solution to both issues.

[Chrissaf]

Mark,

You didn't give any details about your laptop and OS. For example Win XP, 7, 8 etc. What type of processor AMD, Pentium, i***series etc.

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My laptop is an i5 touchscreen with Windows 8.1

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I would also mention that I declined to use the Windows plug & play drivers and installed Hornby's drivers included in the installation files. For me, I found the Hornby drivers more robust and less problematic. Before someone contradicts me, all I would say is that was my personal experience for my particular set up.

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Note: The Elite and the e-link use the same driver, so you should in theory be just able to unplug the e-link and plug the Elite in its place. If you still experience handshaking issues then I would look at the driver. Did you use Hornby's?

[Mark390]

Hi Chris

Laptop is HP Pavilion X360. Windows 8.1, Intel Celeron N2830. 

Yes, I too used the Hornby driver as per the set-up instructions.

Mark

[Chrissaf]

Mark,

Based upon your feedback to my question. I am hopeful that the Elite should resolve your handshaking issues. My understanding is that the default configuration of the e-link is to push the communication speed of the USB interface to the limit. Not so with the Elite, the Elite uses a much more leisurely interface communication. The Celeron N2830 is not, to say the least, the 'fastest kid on the block'. I am led to believe that the e-link needs a fast PC to work well. Others may disagree, that is their prerogative.

Chris

[Mark390]

Chris

Didn't really consider the laptop I was using with the layout may have been an issue, so that could explain things, especially as I appeared to be doing everything else correctly.

Following exactly the order in the locked thread, I tried again to start up the system. No luck. Sat for next 20 minutes unplugging, waiting, replugging and restarting RailMaster. Either the unable to connect, or the handshaking error, every single time. 

So I think the Elite is the only option, to avoid increased frustration!

I have a small section of track, with power connector, which I use when programming new IDs in locos etc; then testing they are working fine. I suppose I can connect this track, to my faster desktop PC downstairs using RailMaster/Elink before taking it back up to the main layout. At this stage I'm not looking at running trains on pre-set programs, or using motorised points etc - so RailMaster won't be completely redundant.

Mark

[Yelrow]

Mark, Chrissaf, sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but i think the fast pc bit, is a red herring. Railmaster works best of all on an old laptop, with XP, and they, certainly, were not fast. I have an Acer, aspire, on windows 7, 4 years old, not fast. If you are following my guide to the letter, with no joy, you must email HRMS, support, preferably from RM. They will then remotely take over your laptop, and bring it up to speed. I have never known them to fail. There is a confliction problem somewhere. This being the case, it may well be the the same, could occur, with an Elite. Therefore, before you do anything else, contact HRMS, support. If you cannot get a connection, i will advise you another way to contact them. john

[Chrissaf]

In a previous post I wrote: "I would also mention that I declined to use the Windows plug & play drivers and installed Hornby's drivers included in the installation files." this is a sentence that I may need to retract. I installed two years ago so it is difficult to remember exactly the installation process I followed. I certainly thought I was installing the Hornby drivers.

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But I have just found the text below posted by Hornby RailMaster Support on another thread. This would seem to indicate that as I am not having any issues whatever with Win 8.1 that I must have installed the Windows generic drivers without realising it.

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"RailMaster has been tested and works on Windows 8.1 as it does on Windows 8, 7, Vista and XP all in 32-bit and 64-bit variants. On Windows 7/8 you need to ensure you have allowed Windows to download and install its own "Serial Port" driver.  Do not use the Hornby-supplied one as that is only for Windows Vista or XP."

[Yelrow]

Chrissaf, i think you knowledge of computers, would have helped, as windows 8 has been somewhat notorious for these problems. I dont in this case, think that windows 8, is the cause. In my view, once HRMS, have sorted marks machine, he will be fine. I dont think he should abandon his elink, without first sorting this out. john

[Chrissaf]

John,

Two years is a long time to remember back to exactly what I did or didn't do at the time. What I do remember though, was that following the Hornby driver installation guide blindly got me into all sorts of driver installation problems. On the second day of the installation I engaged HRMS who could not help. They said the error messages I was seeing meant nothing to them. On the third day I put the installation guide back in the box and used my "knowledge of computers" as you put it, and did my own thing following things I had learnt about serial driver installations from other previous experiences. Once I ignored Hornby's printed instructions and did my 'own thing' the drivers were installed and working within 10 minutes. To this day I still can't remember exactly what I did differently to Hornby's driver installation instructions to get them working. All I do remember is that what I was seeing on my screen did not match in any way the screen captures printed in the driver installation guide manual.

[Yelrow]

Chris, hi, thats the point i am making, exactly, those who are computer literate, can/will manage, without HRMS, as their machines, will be set up to their exacting standards. Normal mortals, like me, needed HRMS, to sort my machine, and install correctly. once mark has let them do that, and got used to elink, eg, enjoyed his trains, as opposed to frustration, then is the time to think about, if he needs an Elite, particularly bearing in mind the arrival of windows 10. Should he decide to upgrade, and many will, just to get away from windows 8, the assistance of HRMS, will be invaluable. john

[Mark390]

Just to add to the "confusion" regarding PCs. I installed RailMaster on my main desktop computer downstairs, better spec than the laptop. Connected up eLink and couple of sections of track and it works OK. That does possibly look like a laptop issue, but that is just really a possibility.

It would be good to have RailMaster running on the main layout, for some of the advance features it offers, so will contact support to see if their tech guys can offer some direct help.

Meanwhile I think I'll still go for the Elite controller, seems to have pretty good reviews generally. Until RM is fully working on the laptop, it will still have some purpose on the "test track" and especially for setting up IDs etc. 

 

Mark

[Yelrow]

Mark, tech guys will fix it, never beaten. Look on ebay for elite, also gumtree. I live in france and bought mine here, on gumtree equivilent, also select, very cheaply. If i see one, i will let you know. dont rush in, as prices vary, terribly. john