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Hornby Replies

2K views 7 replies 8 participants last post by  SPROGman 
#1 ·
Simon Kohler has emailed a reply concerning TCS decoders and comments on NMRA compatible ......See MME mag for details
 
#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
Simon Kohler said exactly that to me over the weekend when speaking to him at Warley about Hornby Digital. This is the email Simon sent to MREmag and it is probably better to use Simon's own words rather than my own:-

QUOTE Concerning your e-mail, I suspect, although I would need to check to be absolutely certain, that the reason why the TCS decoders do not appear to function correctly is the fact that they may require to be programmed using a different format than the Select uses. There are, in principal, 4 specific programming modes - Direct, Operation, Paged and Register. The Select uses the most recent format, which is Direct, but without receiving the technical spec of the decoders in question I cannot be more specific.

Incidentally, the Elite can accommodate all 4 programming modes.

Finally, both the Elite and Select are NMRA compatible.

I hope the above is of help.

Simon Kohler

The Select console has been designed to act as a cab for the Elite as well as being a stand alone budget console in its own right.

Happy modelling
Gary
 
#4 ·
QUOTE (dbclass50 @ 4 Dec 2006, 19:39) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Nice to have something factual from Hornby at last.

If Hornby had made these facts known earlier (they would have had this imformations for some time) it would have saved a hell of a lot of flamming - but then it may have been a marketing ploy - "there's no such thing as bad publicity".
There can't be anyone who's looked at an internet model rail forum in the last two months who hasn't heard of the hornby select.
 
#5 · (Edited by Moderator)
I overheard Simon Kohler explaining to another visitor that he had been 'out of circulation' for the past couple of weeks, which explains his delay in clarifying the situation.

I'm in the process of testing the Hornby decoders with my ZTC 505 and also non-Hornby decoders with the Select, and I will report back when I have some results.

It all sounds plausible enough to me, I've had plenty of issues with other decoders not working with certain command stations in the past.
 
#6 · (Edited by Moderator)
Direct Mode programming (NMRA prefered Service mode) is not yet supported by all decoders. It allows full access to CVs and allows simplified access to the main settings of the decoder. For example, the simple setting of 'Address', if it is an extended 4-digit address, will set CV17, CV18 and CV29 accordingly in one go, all required to be set when using an extended address.

Register programming is a basic method for accessing the eight most basic decoder CVs. R1 to R8.
R1 is decoder address
R2 is start up voltage
R3 is start up delay (acceleration)
R4 is brake delay (deceleration)
R5 is general settings (CV 29)
R6 is the page register. Must be 0 for register mode.
R7 is the version number.
R8 is the manufacturer ID

Paged Mode programming follows on from Register mode and it allows full access to all decoder CVs. It is a method of accessing the configuration variables, four variables at a time. Each set of four variables is called a page.

Ops or Operation programming, known as programming on the main (PoM) is a method where programming information is sent to a specific decoder on the layout instead of on the programming track. This method of programming decoders does not interfere with the operation or settings of other decoders on the same track. A programming track is not used except for assigning the main loco address. Once that is set, other CV information can be sent to a specific address anywhere on the layout. This is the same as Direct Mode except for the loco address.

Another is Bit Manipulation programming. I suppose that is where you toggle bits directly instead of working with CV's (bytes) and pages.

A solution to problems programming a decoder is to use PC based programming. With this, often you can choose which programming mode to use for a decoder.
 
#8 ·
QUOTE (the LMS man @ 4 Dec 2006, 07:50) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Simon Kohler has emailed a reply concerning TCS decoders and comments on NMRA compatible ......See MME mag for details

I have now tested the Hornby decoder with SPROG.

Writes are OK in direct and paged mode.

Reads do not work correctly in any mode - confirmed by more than just a rumour that this decoder does not support readback in order to save money (apparently DCC supplies are exchanging them for Lenz decoders). Strangely, direct bit verifies are ACKed for every bit regardless of the value of the bit in the CV. This makes it appear that something is happening as the motor pulses but the results are meaningless.

The functions work OK. Directional outputs switch correctly with zero speed packets so you can change directional lighting with the loco stationary.

Motor control seemed a bit rough but I was using a VERY cheap motor.

Andrew Crosland
 
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