I used to belong to a club a couple years back,and then programing a decoder was real easy as someone had already set the programming track with a computer through PR-1 and Decoder Pro.Simply deposit the new loco on the track,type in the new adress,select throttle increments then click "write".Simple enough and my locos all did run fine for me as I never felt the need to "fine tune" any particular performance.
Now,I'm on my own and about to have my DCC system (Digitrax) operational and will have to program my decoders by myself from now on.To do so,I've purchased a PR-3 (so that I can have sound) and downloaded Decoder Pro.I have the computer that can handle this too so everything should be fine but I have one important element missing...the knowledge.
Does Decoder Pro already "carry" a pre-programmed "formula" that will automatically supply the necessary datas to the decoder(s) leaving only the adress to be typed in or has every CV to be set manually into Decoder Pro's databank?If so,then what are the datas and where can I find them?I suppose that the PR-3 does come with some litterature (should get it in two weeks) but since I'm no computer expert,I'm a little worried I might have a hard time getting this set up working properly.Are my worries justified ?Thanks for any info.
I'm rusty on the menu selections, and I don't have the system set up at the moment. But as I recall you can select an option that reads all the CVs from the locomotive and puts up a form which allows you to both modify the configuration of your locomotive and save it to disk.
Of course there's always the Digitrax Decoder Manual and the numeric keypad on your cab or Zephyr.
Best!
You will like Decoderpro. Simple checkboxes and/or fill in blocks. Decoderpro does the rest.
There is also the option of programming individual CV's if one is so inclined.
There is a demo mode for JMRI that will let you est drive it without an actual connection to the track. You will have to check the included manual for that option. I's been awhile since I used it.
Thanks for the amazingly quick answers.I'm relieved as I was kind of worried.My problem is that on top of not being a computer genius,I own an older Chief system that I bought a few years back and had never installed yet due to a lack of space for a satisfying layout.Now that I have some spare room (never enough I guess),I'm starting the project and expect to have at least the framing done and some operational trackage by next winter.
Searching the Digitrax site and other Internet sources,I realize that the DCS-100 is quite competent and not at all out of date.However,the DT-100 that came with the Chief system is an atrocity to understand and I don't imagine myself trying to program anything with it.The instruction book is like chineese to me and operating a loco is just about the best I've succeeded doing with it and yet,sometimes I have try a few times just to select the loco properly.
At the club,I've had a taste of the DT-400 wich is much more "user friendly" so I went that route and have ordered one that I should receive with the PR-3 in a near future.It may be a waste of $ but I called for the radio equipped model just in case I might try that option in the future,I appreciated it a lot at the club.