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I was looking on NCE's web page and saw they offer a computer interface (part number 524-223).
Does anyone have it and what are you experiences with it. What exactlly does this do? Program your DCC decoders and devices via a GUI interface vs doing it on handheld cab or control your railroad via the PC? Says it needs JMRI Decoder Pro and Panel Pro software. User friendlly software? Pro/Cons of one over the other?
I would think that would be a heck of a lot easier and more understandable. Plus, being a computer geek, it would be cool to program via the computer.
I'm not sure I'd ever run my railroad from the PC, but from what I've read others say, I can't wait to be able to program the decoders using the PC. So to answer your questions, YES, YES. Program from the PC instead of entering CV numbers in the handheld cab.
The board was supposed to finally be out in November, it never made it. I'm sure that this guy http://litchfieldstation.com/lobby/index.htm
will have it as soon as it comes out. Tony's train too.
is it alot easier to run the layout via PC and DCC compared to the handheld pro cab? Im thinking about the pro cab but if you can get a computer program to run things i may look at that. Are there programs that will work signals/blocks and such?
I have been using DecoderPro for about 2 years and love it (and its free). It's open source software and is constantly being improved and expanded. The software makes programming a snap by having individual dropdown windows for all the various decoder sections: motor, sound, functions, lights, special, advanced, and etc. Easy to track your CV setting when you are trying to zero in on the best setpoint. A big plus is all your loco's decoder information is on file and can be easily downloaded back into the decoder when needed or just one CV at a time. Need to enter a new decoder...simply read and save its defaults and give it a loco file name.
To run a layout by Computer is a lot more complex than that. First you need a software like Railroad & Co. or the freebee of PanelPro (hich requires a lot of programming skills). The you will need a train detection system so the software can follow where the trains are and how fast they are running. The track also needs to be setup so that there are slowdown, stopping, and run sections and many more. This is where I am at right now, but I am more interested in the automatic signals than running the layout in auto.
Rex You can down load PanelPro some where and write your own code if need be? I've been programming in Turbo Pacsal since 1994 and visual basic before that. Mostly golf programs handicaps, touraments, etc. I like to try my hand at some model railroading type programs.
Yeah George, I have a friend that uses PanelPro with success. However, there are limitations to that software and it requires more programming skills than I want to dig back out of my aging brain. If someone wants the challenge, it would be a good project to have and even better...it's FREE! That's the big downside of Railroad & Co., it cost $348.
I have been using Panelpro and DecoderPro for a couple of years now. Since my laptop is old, I don't have to worry about a USB yet. I have been dispatching my railroad with Panelpro and really like how it works. Programming is at first a little bit on the difficult side, but there are several turorials that can be run to help anyone interested in using it. Obvisously, I love the free part. Here is a picture of the panel and then one of the railroads signals being lit as a result of a thrown switch.
Sounds great I'll download it. If I can find it. I wrote a program for our golf club last year so I haven't forgot how to program. I just hope it's not written in C.
GBob, that's a good looking dispatchers panel. We modelers are fortunate to have JMRI and all the people that contribute to it. DecoderPro is a blessing, particularly with all the CV's in sound decoders (Tsunami).
NYC-George: look under JMRI on google. JMRI is a java based program and it is mostly all graphical interfaces so with all the recent modifications requires little or no programming language knowledge.
RexHea: I have done some testing for some of the releases and now with all the NCE changes they have made some great improvements. I also use and AIU and BD20's to indicate block occupancy for my lower staging level as shown by the red track indication . It has helped me know what tracks are occupied and with the signals prevents rear end collisions where it is too difficult to see. The Bottom of the panel is set up for standard switching where clicking on the knob throws the switch on the railroad and throws the graphic on the panel to indicate to the dispatcher what switch has been moved. Since many of the switches on my railroad are controlled by accessory decoders, each operator can also throw there own switch. What is great is that the panel reflects the movement so the dispatchers knows when that happens. On the right bottom side, is a set of macro's which helps the dispatcher select a route for the train to follow. If the track he selects is occupied, the switches don't throw. At the present moment of the panel all lower level tracks are occupied, which means he will have to have an operator take a train out before he can move one in. Unfortunately, I just realized that my pictures of the screen are on a different computer. I will have to attach them later.
That sounds real good Bob, and that is probably all I really need. I guess I have been mesmerized by all the goodies already in Railroad&Co and will go with it.
I hate to hitch a ride on another's thread, but I have a problem that came up tonight. I am connecting up detection sections to my BDL168 and all have been perfect up until tonight. This one section will only detect the loco when I have the throttle up to at least 28 clicks. I have a decade box that I hooked across the rails and I couldn't get it to detect on any of the resistor settings. Also, since this is a long run of wire following under the layout, I hooked a short 3 foot jumper across from the BDL168 to the rail and it didn't make a difference.
Any Ideas???
Also, are 20k JayBee resistor wheels ok for the BDL168?
Rex and Bob Its so great you guys are attempting settting up your layout in this manner. I've been wanting to do this for some time. At least now I have a little help with the project. I know a little Java, but what your saying is you don't need to have any programing skills. I'm to tired tonight but tomorrow I'll download it and see whats up.
Don't have too much experience with the BDL168 although it has the same characteristics of the BD20 and AIU set up from NCE. I might suggest metering the track to see if you in fact don't have enough power to that section of the rail.
I am using the JayBee resistor wheels on my cars and they seem to be working fine.
I had an email from Litchfield Station that said it was SUPPOSED to start shipping November 2007. Guess they missed that.
Seems more and more, companies put out promise dates and then have difficulty meeting them.
I read in Feb MR that the QSI Revolution (stand alone sound decoder - HO) is due out this month. Much as I'd like to see those too, I don't think I'll be holding my breath.
Don't have too much experience with the BDL168 although it has the same characteristics of the BD20 and AIU set up from NCE. I might suggest metering the track to see if you in fact don't have enough power to that section of the rail.
I am using the JayBee resistor wheels on my cars and they seem to be working fine.
Hey Bob, found the problem. Seems I didn't disconnect one of the drop feeds from the old bus . Gads, it's lucky to find anything in that spaghetti bowl of wires.
I have since found out that the 20K ohm JayBee wheel set is what many have used. Thanks
Rex I plan to order 8 different colored wire for the project and I may go with the DB20 because of the easy hook up. I down loaded PanelPro. I can see it will take some time to learn. I also thought that if I put some white dots on the gear wheel of my Walther $29.00 turn table I would be able to read them with one of those optical white black led readers. I could then write a program to index the track stops. If I'm going to have a computer up and running why not use it for other tasks. Indexing the turn table.
George, using color coded wiring will be a blessing. My layout started that way, but with so many changes and grabbing scrap wire/cable for use it is now a "pull, feel, jerk," to trace out the wiring. Hopefully, this won't be often.
Your idea of using an optical sensor and dots is similar to that of an encoder, only hand made. The trick will be getting the dots at the exact degree on the gear to match the track alignment. It should be a fun and interesting project.
1.) I saw a mention of wireless. Is that on the horizon or a pipe dream? I would imagine with current hardware technology it would certainly be possible.
2.) There was a reference to USB being an issue? What is the issue?
3.) Could someone provide a link to the various computer based tools for running your trains? I would think that using a laptop or similar system would be a very effective way to manage the complexities of a larger layout?
Sorry if any of these questions have been answered already. This is a topic that I have been very interested in since learning about DCC and researching its use in my own layout.
That's the way I'm headed. The layout can handel 6 trains as once. I can run maybe 3 at once. Having the computer run the passenger trains is what I need the most.
. Gads, it's lucky to find anything in that spaghetti bowl of wires.
