Installed a MRC 1611 decoder in a Athern SD 45, with Digitrax DCS 150. Cannot get any CV read back or change CVs, other then the 4 digit engine number. It does run and sounds decent however I need to change bell a lot lower and change other cvs. I'm thinking I may have to get a booster PowerPax or the digitrax equivalent.
Did a search but did not get much
Thanks for your reply in advance, Have a great day. John
As far as I know, there is no such thing as a Digitrax DCS150. If you mean a DB150, well, it doesn't support readback of any decoder. A programming booster such as the Power Pax won't help in this case since the DB150 lacks the circuitry required for readback, and as such, there isn't anything to boost.
And if you have a DCS100 which does support readback, as Dave mentioned many MRC decoders do not. A programming booster may help here, as there have been anecdotal reports of some MRC decoders which otherwise do not support readback, being read when using a booster. However, it's a long shot at best.
But in either case, you can set the bell lower without readback. Just set the bell volume CV to some random value and try the bell. If it's still too loud, set the CV to a lower value. If it's too low, set it to a higher value. Repeat as necessary until you get it where you want it.
jwar41 Installed a MRC 1611 decoder in a Athern SD 45, with Digitrax DCS 150.
Installed a MRC 1611 decoder in a Athern SD 45, with Digitrax DCS 150.
Do you have the instructions which came with the decoder? I could not find instructions for this decoder at the MRC website, but similiar decoders they have list CV 53 as the bell volume control. The range of values is 0 to 3, with the default being 3. I presume that 3 is the highest, or loudest, setting.
If you don't have the instructions, I'd suggest calling MRC and getting a copy.
Personally, I find the concern many have about not being able to read back CVs sometimes unwarranted. I think one needs the instructions to do any decoder CV setting. A read back value does little good if one doesn't know what the range is in the first place.
This is MRC's newest decoder line. It has 16 levels of sound adjustment as opposed to the older ones with 3. There should be a decoder sheet with it listing the CV's for sound etc. DB150 Digitrax does not read CV's. Try the MRC web site for an e mail for customer service if you don't have the instruction sheet. Joe. Let us know what you think of it after you run it for awhile. Joe
ba&prr This is MRC's newest decoder line. It has 16 levels of sound adjustment as opposed to the older ones with 3.
This is MRC's newest decoder line. It has 16 levels of sound adjustment as opposed to the older ones with 3.
Thank you for posting this clarification. Even with 16 levels as opposed to 3, it should still be easy to make an appropriate selection by picking a number, as Stevert said, and then going up or down from that point. I still say it is not necessary to spend extra money for a programming aid.
In fact, even with a system that CAN read back the CV values, this is usually something you'd want to adjust using Ops Mode or programming on the main, where you can't read back anyway - so you can immediately see (hear?) the effect of the change.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Sorry about my typo guys.
Its a DCS50 Zephyr that I can not read back any CVs in PAGE on the program track, being there is no read back "DNR" it also gives a DNR trying to write a CV. also in OPs setting will not write to CVs. Also tried setting back to factory reset to no avail. However it does run and sounds decent, but as with every sound decoder I ever heard from the factory, the bell is much louder then the horn, dynamic brake needs a boost also.
This MRC is 16 bit and supports full read-back, and programming on the main, 16 volume's
I retired working on Locomotives and the sound is good for me. I also have many years experience in mixing sound at a pro level and content with it, considering the capability of the small speaker performance. However the various sounds need to be layered (adjusted) a bit differently
I have other sound decoders and have no problem with them. So far I do not consider MRC to be that bad, and have a few friends with these that perform well, and sound decent. However the tsunami has more mixing features that is a blast to work with. Being My granddaughter's bought this the out of their allowance savings for my birthday for me, I will try to use it the best I can and is hard for me to consider it as junk.
Try putting a1K ohm resiter accross the programming track. This may help the Zypher to "see" the decoder. Joe
Thanks Joe. I tried your suggestion of the 1K resistor across the programming track, It still will not read any CV and gives a dnr (did not read) with my digatrax zephyr, nor in ops on the main.
I ran it on a friends layout with a Power Cab and it worked fine, could read and load any CV and operated fine. Then brought it back to my zephyr and now it will not do anything and give me a dnr (does not read) so it will not accept any input to CVs or functions LOL
Next step is to take it to another friends layout with a Zephyr and see if it will read or work on his programming track then in ops on the main, will do a factory reset and see what happens, at least I will know if its my zephyr or not. It may be that this decoder will need a booster on the programming track or according to MRC I may have to do it with Hex, of which will be very interesting as never to old (71) to learn something new LOL
Anyhow this is a very interesting problem for me and kind of fun to trouble shoot, Again thanks for the great information of those that tried to help me, is appreciated very much.
What address did he program it to? NCE can use 1-127 as short addresses as well as long. Default it to make them long, and that is not operable on other systems. If the number is 127 or less, program CV29 to 6 on the program track. Don't worry about no readback.
There never is any readback in Ops Mode.
Also try the Zephyr in Blast Mode, but remember to remove all other locos fromt he track first, or they will get programmed as well. Blast Mode operates at full track power and cna program anything.