NCE PowerCab and USB interface with JMRI

[MRH044]

Ok, brand new to DCC here so forgive my question if it has been asked before.

I purchased a NCE PowerCab and USB adapter. I have the PowerCab setup where the panel is connected to the power source and to the track. The hand held PowerCab is connected to the left port (LED down) with the flat cord and the USB is connected to the right port by the coilcord provided with the PowerCab. USB drivers have been installed on my PC that is running windows7 and JMRI downloaded.

I am trying to adjust the settings on a tsunami sound board that was factory installed on an Intermountain ES44DC. I can play around on JMRI but I can't read anything from the decoder - it gives me error 306 - too long to respond. Once I "write sheet" on JMRI, it says OK but nothing on the engine has changed. What am I missing? Do I need to set the PowerCab to something before beginning the process? Neither of the LEDs on the USB panel come on steady - they only flash momentarily when JMRI is trying to send something.

Any help or advice is appreciated!

 

[maxman]

Is this one of those deals where you have to use the programming track mode?

[Guy Papillon]

If I read your post correctly, I see two possible issues:

- To read CVs you sould use Programming track mode;
- After installing the USB interface, you have to download the application from NCE site.

Hope this will help.

[MRH044]

I'm sorry, but I am not familiar with what a FTDI chip is.

I put the trhottle into program mode by hitting PROG/ESC four times and hitting enter. Then I have a screen that asks for options such as 1=STD 2=CV and so on, but I didn't select any options. When I click on "Read Full Sheet" on JMRI, it attempts to read but each box comes back highlighted in red.

Guy, I installed the driver for the USB but what application are you refering to?

[MRH044]

Same thing with PanelPro, when I ty to use a throttle nothing is sent out to the locomotive on the test track

[Marty C]

You do not need to put the hand held throttle into program mode. You select program mode on the JMRI screen bottom right. Did you use the "new loco: tab to select the loco or is it already in the roster? Also make sure the track and wheels are clean. If the loco is receiving JMRI signals the usb led wil momemtarily flash and the loco should move a little. Make your changes on the JMRI page and select write full page. You can check by then selecting read full page to see if the changes took effect.

Alternatively, you can test the loco by selcting the loco address and go to program mode select 2 for cv's. Enter the cv number and it should read what you entered from the JMRI.

 

Marty C

[rrinker]

davidmbedard

FTDI chip needed with windows 7.

 

 He's using the NCE USB interface with a PowerCab, not the serial port on a PowerPro system.

                  --Randy

[kbkchooch]

Can you get JMRI to work with a standard, non sound decoder??

If it does, you may need a signal booster such a PowerPax (from TTX) to communicate with the decoder.

 

[MRH044]

Marty,

When I don't put the handheld throttle into programming mode and click programming mode on JMRI, the sound on the engine stays on. I manually inputted my 2 locos into the roster (since they were not able to be read by JMRI). Both engines have a tsunami sound decoder factory installed by Athearn and Intermountain respectively.

The track and the wheels are clean. When I don't have the test track connected to the computer, the PowerCab works fine and I could program the CV's that way, but I would rather use the JMRI interface.

The LEDs flash on the USB interface but there is absolutely no movement from the engine. Reading and writing page doesn't seem to do anything.

 

[MRH044]

Karl,

I do not have a standard non-sound decoder at this point so I will have to borrow one from some friends.

Just as reference:

PowerCab v1.65

USB Interface v7.x.x

From an article I found on Mr. DCC's University (http://www.mrdccu.com/curriculum/ptb.htm), about asking if I would need a programming track booster:

NCE PowerCab - NO! The PowerCab has this functionality built in! Also, if you connect a PTB to a PowerCab without the NCE AutoSwitch module and ever put the PowerCab in the Programming-on-the-main mode, you will toast the PTB.You may, perhaps, damage the PowerCab, too.

[maxman]

MRH044

When I don't put the handheld throttle into programming mode and click programming mode on JMRI, the sound on the engine stays on.

Seems to me that if the hand set is set for normal operation, you would need to have decoderpro set for ops mode, or on the main, programming, not program track programming.

I don't know how it works with the PowerCab, but with the PowerPro system it is normal for the sound to stay on during programming.  That way you can hear the changes as you make them.  It works the same way if you want to use speed tables.

However, you cannot read back CVs on the main no matter which decoder or DCC system you have.

[Guy Papillon]

MRH044

 

Guy, I installed the driver for the USB but what application are you refering to?

 

i was referring to the driver. Sorry for my inappropriate term.

[Marty C]

MRH044

OK, if the power cab can program the cv's the loco and power cab are fine and the problem lies somewhere in the JMRI installation or the USB, With all due respect to Maxman you only need to have the power cab plugged into the USB. No mode entry is required. At least that is my experience. You might try deleting the JMRI and re-installing it. An error might have occurred in the initial install. You said the USB led flashes and that is normal. Also try dinconnecting the cable between the computer and the USB, shut down JMRI then re plug in the cable at both ends and reload. Sometimes that helps me if I get an anomaly. On my program track if I send a cv change from the JMRI the sound on the engine shuts down telling me the loco is receiving it.

My best guess and it is only a guess is that the install of JMRI screwed up somewhere either the program itself or the driver install. I am using windows vista not windows 7so I am not familiar with that version of windows.

 

Marty C

[maxman]

If you Google JMRI Connection to PowerCab, you will find many results that might be helpful to you.  Including the following link which has a video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2dfjUhpJeU

[Alantrains]

Are you sure that JMRI is talking to your PowerCab? Can you control a train with JMRI? Open a throttle and select a loco that you know works and see if you can move it or make it turn on the headlight or if sound toot horn. This will prove that your PC is talking to your PowerCab. If you can't do that then you need to look into the settings and Jumpers etc . If this works try nreading CVs individually from JMRI.

[MRH044]

After meeting with a fellow modeler who uses the same setup, we think that we determined that the USB board itself is not operating properly. When I plugged his board in to mine, the system worked fine. When he had my board he got the same result. I am going to send it back to NCE to either have it repaired or replaced.

Thanks everyone for your input! Now that I have seen it work properly, the installation and set-up of these USB interfaces is a breeze. I will update this when I get the USB interface back from NCE

[Marty C]

MRH044,

Glad to hear you have it figured out. The mysteries and challenges are part of the fun. I changed to DCC two years ago and am still learning new things. This forum and the NCE/DCC Yahoo group have been and continue to be great sources of knowledge.

 

Marty C

[DigitalGriffin]

uggggghhh never mind.

We had a power cab at the club too and hooked it up via USB.  It worked fine.   But for whatever reason the NCE Powercab would sometimes refuse to program sound decoders.  So we had to use an NCE autoswitch with a Powerpax.

 

BTW: USE THE DEFAULT ADDRESS FOR THE NCE POWER CAB (I think it's 3) or the USB adapter will not work!