MTH loco

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G'day Irocinblue and Tootnkumin....Thanks....yep...seems not compatible no matter what I do via Roco....same message when I tried to change address and speed steps on my two BLI SD40-2s....Contacted Richard in Western Australia.....He's offered a try at re programming MTH for me and trying to find a way to over ride error messages but as I have issues with BLIs
I've decided to invest in a universally compatible NCE procab...which will at very least fix the Broadway Limited issues.....if not the MTH....$229...sounds pretty good to me..
Nowhere near as complicated as Roco's set of sub menus etc Hope to aquire one soon through Richard in WA....Thanks/Cheers Rod..
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G'day Irocinblue and Tootnkumin....Thanks....yep...seems not compatible no matter what I do via Roco....same message when I tried to change address and speed steps on my two BLI SD40-2s....Contacted Richard in Western Australia.....He's offered a try at re programming MTH for me and trying to find a way to over ride error messages but as I have issues with BLIs
I've decided to invest in a universally compatible NCE procab...which will at very least fix the Broadway Limited issues.....if not the MTH....$229...sounds pretty good to me..
Nowhere near as complicated as Roco's set of sub menus etc Hope to aquire one soon through Richard in WA....Thanks/Cheers Rod..
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irocinblue89 said:
Rodney, I have a lot of experience with MTH loco's. I noticed above you tried to reset the loco. It only works on the main and you need to use address #55. So it goes like this: Loco on the track, call up loco #55, call up CV #55, then enter a value of 55. That resets MTH's. If you get another error message then yes it might not be compatible or it might not program on the main. Try another manufacture to be sure, if you haven't all ready. I have only ran across 1 DCC system that didn't work with MTH. Hope this helps.
Click to expand...

Now that mine is back, a reset is done by setting cv8=8.
I messed up the sound settings, and found that setting cv55 to 55 on address 55 didn't accomplish anything. Setting CV8 to 8 reset everything.
 


G'day again...Forgot to mention.... This MTH..doesn'teven seem to recognise DCC.....So with calling up loco 55 , CV ing 55 and setting 55 I'd need to be able to be able to get loco 3 to activate first or not..wouldn't I.?
because all I get is Not Compatible....otherwise.... To me it's just like the decoder isn't there at all , even though it is...I can see it... dead as a dodo I'm thinking. The other strange thing is that
with DC only or DCC Ready locos....you usually get a high pitched buzz in DCC mode..and lights activate both ends...but not this one.... Cheers Rod
 
rodney mcgiveron said:
G'day again...Forgot to mention.... This MTH..doesn'teven seem to recognise DCC.....So with calling up loco 55 , CV ing 55 and setting 55 I'd need to be able to be able to get loco 3 to activate first or not..wouldn't I.?
because all I get is Not Compatible....otherwise.... To me it's just like the decoder isn't there at all , even though it is...I can see it... dead as a dodo I'm thinking. The other strange thing is that
with DC only or DCC Ready locos....you usually get a high pitched buzz in DCC mode..and lights activate both ends...but not this one.... Cheers Rod
Click to expand...
Since mine reset with cv 8 to 8, you can try that. It will hurt nothing. I also found out a couple of F functions changed. Grade crossing now is F11 instead of F12.
 
rodney mcgiveron said:
G'day again...Forgot to mention.... This MTH..doesn'teven seem to recognise DCC.....So with calling up loco 55 , CV ing 55 and setting 55 I'd need to be able to be able to get loco 3 to activate first or not..wouldn't I.?
because all I get is Not Compatible....otherwise.... To me it's just like the decoder isn't there at all , even though it is...I can see it... dead as a dodo I'm thinking. The other strange thing is that
with DC only or DCC Ready locos....you usually get a high pitched buzz in DCC mode..and lights activate both ends...but not this one.... Cheers Rod
Click to expand...

When using the address 55 to cv 55 to value of 55 it doesn't matter what address the MTH loco's are. It resets them. Now BNSF971 is right on the CV8 to 8 IF, as I recall, the loco has the upgraded software. It depends on the Software version loaded into the board. I have 2 SD70ACe's that use the CV8 to 8 method but they have been upgraded by MTH. The others, including my dozen MTH steamers use Loco 55, CV55 to value 55. I am not familiar with your DCC system. I have not seen that one in the States. Hope you get it going soon.
 
G'day blackz, Curious.........Did it run at all...did it show any signs of life before you did this and what brand of controller do you use..?.............Cheers Rod..
 
G'day all.....Decided to give ROCO Multimaus the flick...As I'm modelling American exclusively....only have two el cheapo Lifelike Aussie locos in AN colours anyway and British stuff
not my thing I reckon a really decent american controller will be the go. I ordereed a brand new NCE Powercab , as did a friend of mine , same issues with ROCO for his BLI stuff
as with my BLIs...even though on old Bachmann DCC controller will let us use and re address.but ROCO would only let BLI's run address 3 but not change anything.Must be the German ROCO is just not universally compatible with ALL american
manufactured or designed companies.....Should be here later this week..Seller very confident it'll resolve my MTH matters too..That'd be a bonus... Cheers Rod..
 
rodney mcgiveron said:
G'day all.....Decided to give ROCO Multimaus the flick...As I'm modelling American exclusively....only have two el cheapo Lifelike Aussie locos in AN colours anyway and British stuff
not my thing I reckon a really decent american controller will be the go. I ordereed a brand new NCE Powercab , as did a friend of mine , same issues with ROCO for his BLI stuff
as with my BLIs...even though on old Bachmann DCC controller will let us use and re address.but ROCO would only let BLI's run address 3 but not change anything.Must be the German ROCO is just not universally compatible with ALL american
manufactured or designed companies.....Should be here later this week..Seller very confident it'll resolve my MTH matters too..That'd be a bonus... Cheers Rod..
Click to expand...


Have you looked at Sprog II and the JMRI software?

The Sprog II is a handy little DCC command station that you can use at the workbench.

http://www.sprog-dcc.co.uk/


JMRI produces freeware for DCC. Their decoder pro gives you a windows interface for programing decoders. So much easier.....

http://jmri.sourceforge.net/


I use these two at my club to do all my decoder programming. Highly recommended.


The NCE system you have procured is also the one I use. No complaints about it. Good value for features. I think the Roco DCC controls might lack some features, as does the Bachmann system. Could be they just don't support some control values. But with NCE you should be right as rain from now on.

OH, and this site helps alot:

http://www.wiringfordcc.com/



Hope you get things sorted out now.


Edit: just noticed you have MTH. Their decoders aren't DCC but only DCC compatable.....well sometimes. The MTH locos at my club will run with our NCE controllers but such things as consisting with DCC locos have proven problematic. I'm not sure how the owners went with programming them. I have avoided MTH locos due to the lack of DCC standardisation.
 
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Bit of an additional query

G'day all.....My new NCE powercab finally arrived yesterday...Hey Tootnkumin....I bought it through DCCConcepts in Perth WA... you're right , a great crowd to deal with....Will hook it up on Saturday.....-7 Celcius this morning..even cold by Tassie standards.....THE QUERY.....Didn't get it just because of the MTH...my Broadway limited locos
didn't want to play nice with the ROCO system either...but an old Bachmann Dynamis I tried was fine with them strangely....Any tips with the Powercab anyone when mucking around with MTH in unison....Anything NOT to do.....Looking forward to Saturday...hopefully a tad warmer then too... Cheers Rod
 
G'day all...The NCE Powercab is great.....and it gets the MTH.....the start of this blog to run...(sort of)...She runs on road number 9370....but
no sound or lights in DCC...runs really nicely actually...Does anyone know how to unlock the sounds and lights...Tried it back on Analog and the
engine sounds and directional lights work there still so it must be a programming issue...will be over the moon if I can get it fully operational...
Cheers Rod
 
rodney mcgiveron said:
G'day all...The NCE Powercab is great.....and it gets the MTH.....the start of this blog to run...(sort of)...She runs on road number 9370....but
no sound or lights in DCC...runs really nicely actually...Does anyone know how to unlock the sounds and lights...Tried it back on Analog and the
engine sounds and directional lights work there still so it must be a programming issue...will be over the moon if I can get it fully operational...
Cheers Rod
Click to expand...

Rod, with the throttle at zero and the loco not moving try double tapping function 3.
 
G'day Tootnkumin and Irocinblue....First answer....Toot...Don't think so...buying another MTH Be okay if you were using a MTH dedicated system I reckon but trying to integrate with DCC...a bit too hard and a bit hit and miss....The devil's in the detail for sure... Second answer...Thanks Irocinblue....will try that....but the best thing is that
I'm certain it's just a simple nutting out of the program mapping now..Just to see it move via DCC was a thrill...Cheers all.....Rod...
 
G;day Toot and all..... SHE'S GOING LIKE A BEAUTY.....We planned on spending yesterday afternoon mucking around with CV values , trying to track down more info and so on. to get the sound and lights functioning....
Put it on the programming track , hit the button and she just came to life...full sound functions , full lights , everything operating perfectly...we put it down to discharged memory when removed from track the last time 7 days before...Didn't try it all week...Ran her in on my friend's layout for maybe an hour...On speed step 1 out of 28 it was , get this,
pushing a not operating Athearn Dash 9 up hill...on about a 1% gradient to the tunnel..accidentally... we were talking and looked around to realise that the NCE powercab
throttle was left on 1 not 0...and the MTH had gradually snuck up on the stationary loco and pushed it 3 metres up hill around the bend and toward the portal...Paul was
amazed at the tractive effort to do that...so was I....so MTH problem no longer so....Cheers Rod...
 
Good to here mate. So, MTH is back on the list for the future then? There was someone else asking the exact same Q on the Yahoo NCE group just the other day. (Or was that you?)
 
G'day Toot...No....I'd only inflict my problems on one nice bunch of fellow modellers at a time but I have to say the NCE is amazing...I just find it a positive joy to use and navigate...DCC Concepts as you suggested were awesome to deal with too...Maybe one day a second MTH...possibly....You never know but this one has incredible tractive
effort...nothing else comes close...Cheers Rod...
 
There was a youtube comparison between the MTH and Genesis Ace's. The reviewer commented on the lack of grip of the Genesis compared to the MTH (Genesis is light, which is also my impression of them) Only fault with the MTH is that it shows a fan in the rear top vent whereas the Genesis has grille which is in keeping with the prototype which uses a blower and the fan isn't visible.
 


G'day Toot , On pulling power , there is no comparison , the MTH is simply amazing the weight has a say for sure, but there has to be a trade off somewhere you'd think.
On slow speed , about the same I'd say and detail not much different...sounds...the MTH is default louder but the Genesis overall better I think...Have seen that review
by JWLL2000 I think...If you ever get the chance , have a look at his "One of the biggest train stores in the US" viideos...It's in Dreshler Nebraska...Wow , what a store and you'd go spare wondering where to start in that store...almost cruel unless you had a very big credit card limit or lots of spare cash burning a hole in your pocket..
Suddenly I'm an MTH expert after 3 days...go figure... Cheers Rod..
 
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