I've put togther a programming track, PR3 and hooked them to my computer that has DecoderPro running on it. I do not have the PR3 attached to my layout yet because it isn't at the stage where I can run trains on it yet. I do run trains on my club's layout so I do have a need to be able to program my DCC equiped locomotives.
Everything seems to be working OK but when I tell DecoderPro to save the settings I seem to be getting an error message. It seems to set the CV and then I see: "
"med out oncommunicating with the command station."
I don't know what this message means but I do want to find out because I can't see, to findit in my documentation.
Decoder Pro is set for PR3 Standalone operations.
Help would be greatfuly accepted.
Irv
What sort of decoder is it? Is it a sound decoder? If it's just a regular motor decoder, your track or the wheels might not be completely clean, and as the loco moved slightly with the little jerks from the motor loading in moved to a dirty spot.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
corsair7 Everything seems to be working OK but when I tell DecoderPro to save the settings I seem to be getting an error message. It seems to set the CV and then I see:
Everything seems to be working OK but when I tell DecoderPro to save the settings I seem to be getting an error message. It seems to set the CV and then I see:
Irv,
With DecoderPro, "saving the settings" (to a roster file) and "set the CV" (in the decoder) are two distinctly different operations. It's not clear to me which one you're trying to do.
corsair7 "med out oncommunicating with the command station."
Do you mean "Timed out communicating with the command station"?
That means that JMRI can't talk to the PR3. It could be a logical error, such as the PR3's USB drivers not installed correctly or the wrong COM port specified in DecoderPro's preferences, or it could be a physical error such as a bad connection between the computer and the PR3.
Steve
rrinker What sort of decoder is it? Is it a sound decoder? If it's just a regular motor decoder, your track or the wheels might not be completely clean, and as the loco moved slightly with the little jerks from the motor loading in moved to a dirty spot. --Randy
It's just a programming track. The rails themselves are not powered. This happens with the Digitrax decoders that ar ein a Kato GG-1 and in a Kato SD70MAC. These are N-scale locomotives.
AlienKingThe computer is timing out when trying to write values. I had the same problem. I fixed my issue by replacing the PS-12 (which they recommend) with a 12V 1.25 amp wallwart from an old DSL modem. The PR3 takes a 12-15V AC power supply. If you have a zephyr, try using the power supply from that for the PR3 (15VAC 3A). If that works, contact Digitrax and they should help you out getting a power supply that works.
I haven't used any powersupply for the PR3. could that be the issue?
corsair7 I've put togther a programming track, PR3 and hooked them to my computer that has DecoderPro running on it. I do not have the PR3 attached to my layout yet because it isn't at the stage where I can run trains on it yet. I do run trains on my club's layout so I do have a need to be able to program my DCC equiped locomotives. Everything seems to be working OK but when I tell DecoderPro to save the settings I seem to be getting an error message. It seems to set the CV and then I see: " "med out oncommunicating with the command station." I don't know what this message means but I do want to find out because I can't see, to findit in my documentation. Decoder Pro is set for PR3 Standalone operations. Help would be greatfuly accepted. Irv
I've got a PR3 but have only used the PR3 mode for sound programming. Have you tried MS100 mode with the Loconet termination option enabled ? The message you are getting is typical when decoder pro can't talk to the command station via Loconet. I'd really suggest trying the MS100 mode, which is more typical for what you are trying to do. What are the LED statuses on the PR3 when you get the error message ?
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
corsair7 rrinker What sort of decoder is it? Is it a sound decoder? If it's just a regular motor decoder, your track or the wheels might not be completely clean, and as the loco moved slightly with the little jerks from the motor loading in moved to a dirty spot. --Randy It's just a programming track. The rails themselves are not powered. This happens with the Digitrax decoders that ar ein a Kato GG-1 and in a Kato SD70MAC. These are N-scale locomotives.
But how do you think the data gets fromthe PR-3 to the decoder inside the loco?
It's important for the programmign track rails and the wheels and pickups to be clean. Probably MORE important that for smooth running on the main under actual DCC power, since the program track signal is relatively weak compared to the DCC track signal. The way the system knows the decoder accepts the command is to momentarily put a load on the program track, the most common way is to pulse the motor. Efficient and good quality motors can actually move a decent amount with each pulse. Kato motors are very good. If the PR3 doesn't see the acknowledgement load when sending a CV value, it will time out waiting for this pulse, hence the message you are seeing. Or if the decoder is not correctly installed, it will do this. Were these locos previously running, or have you just installed the decoders? If you've only just installed the decoders, do NOT try them on the main track - if they won't program there's possibly a wiring issue which will possibly damage the decoder if subject to full DCC power. If they were runnign before and you just want to program them differently, then I'm back to the possibly dirty track.
corsair7 I haven't used any powersupply for the PR3. could that be the issue? Irv
Yes, if you're trying to use it in stand-alone programming mode, you need to use a power supply. In MS100 mode you do not, but as you found out it won't work in programming mode without being powered.
davidmbedardNO, do NOT plug a 2.5 amp power supply into the PR3. You will DESTROY it. Use the PS12 as it was designed for that.David B
David B
You will NOT destroy it. You can plug any 12-15V DC voltage source into the system as long as its a minimum of 500milliamps. You don't want to plug a 2.5 amp current source into it, but I've yet to see a wallwart that's a current source and not a voltage source.
That would be like telling someone not to plug a 100watt lamp (100 watt light bulbs use ~.8 amps) into a 20 amp household circuit because it will blow the lamp. 20 amps is the maximum rating for it, but the output can be less than that depending on how much the device wants to use.
V = I * R. So in this case, the voltage is a fixed source, 12V, and the resistance is fixed (the design of the circuit), so the current can't change. As long as the wallwart is capable of 0.5 amps, you should be good to go.
corsair7 AlienKingThe computer is timing out when trying to write values. I had the same problem. I fixed my issue by replacing the PS-12 (which they recommend) with a 12V 1.25 amp wallwart from an old DSL modem. The PR3 takes a 12-15V AC power supply. If you have a zephyr, try using the power supply from that for the PR3 (15VAC 3A). If that works, contact Digitrax and they should help you out getting a power supply that works. I haven't used any powersupply for the PR3. could that be the issue? Irv
You can irgnore most of my previous post. As I reread the thread, your additional comment above and the PR3 manual, you are not wanting to use MS100 mode because you aren't connected to Loconet and a command station. I have a Locobuffer II that I use for this type of programming track setup. Yes, for PR3 mode a power supply is needed. In PR3 mode the PR3 has to provide the power to the decoder to program it since there is no booster with a programming track output involved in this mode. In this mode the PR3 gets the necessary the power from the external power supply. I use a 12V 1A walwart type of transfomer for this when I've used my PR3 for Sound programming and some CV checking. Note that this is 12VDC with a center pin positive, not 12VAC power. It sounds like Digitrax skipped on an internal rectifier in the PR3 to allow AC or DC power inputs.
.
davidmbedard corsair7 AlienKingThe computer is timing out when trying to write values. I had the same problem. I fixed my issue by replacing the PS-12 (which they recommend) with a 12V 1.25 amp wallwart from an old DSL modem. The PR3 takes a 12-15V AC power supply. If you have a zephyr, try using the power supply from that for the PR3 (15VAC 3A). If that works, contact Digitrax and they should help you out getting a power supply that works. I haven't used any powersupply for the PR3. could that be the issue? Irv NO, do NOT plug a 2.5 amp power supply into the PR3. You will DESTROY it. Use the PS12 as it was designed for that. David B
NO, do NOT plug a 2.5 amp power supply into the PR3. You will DESTROY it. Use the PS12 as it was designed for that.
I pluged in the PS12 after I hooked hooked it up to the PR3. Noiw the lights on the PR3 are behaving differently than they did before. Now the USB light is flashing green, the ERR light is off and the STAT light is flashing red. The manual tells me the STAT light should be alternating between red and green tro show that two way communication is taking place. DecoderPro isn't running at the moment so there is no two way communication and hence i think it is doing what it should.
I am going to put a locomotive on the track later and see what happens.
jbinkley60 You can irgnore most of my previous post. As I reread the thread, your additional comment above and the PR3 manual, you are not wanting to use MS100 mode because you aren't connected to Loconet and a command station. I have a Locobuffer II that I use for this type of programming track setup. Yes, for PR3 mode a power supply is needed. In PR3 mode the PR3 has to provide the power to the decoder to program it since there is no booster with a programming track output involved in this mode. In this mode the PR3 gets the necessary the power from the external power supply. I use a 12V 1A walwart type of transfomer for this when I've used my PR3 for Sound programming and some CV checking. Note that this is 12VDC with a center pin positive, not 12VAC power. It sounds like Digitrax skipped on an internal rectifier in the PR3 to allow AC or DC power inputs. .
Other way around - if it accepts AC or DC input power then it must have a rectifier in it. Downside of the universal input method is that when you use a DC source it still goes through the rectifier, adding 2 diode drop's worth of loss to the DC (about 1.2-1.4 volts). Usually such a device will call out a slightly higher voltage is DC is used vs AC. Use only what is recommended, don't take this like I'm saying you HAVE to use a higher voltage DC - if the device says max of 12 volts DC then don't use any higher.
The PR3 does need to be powered to be set as a stand alone programmer. The PR3 also has to be set up as a stand alone programmer by setting it up as per the Digitrax manual. Decoder Pro must be set in the preferances to know what it is talking to as well as what comm port it is being run on, which is the biggest pain but if it doesn't work then change the comm and try again until it does. It's really not that hard just a little bit of playing with the settings.
jbinkley60 Note that this is 12VDC with a center pin positive, not 12VAC power. It sounds like Digitrax skipped on an internal rectifier in the PR3 to allow AC or DC power inputs.
Note that this is 12VDC with a center pin positive, not 12VAC power. It sounds like Digitrax skipped on an internal rectifier in the PR3 to allow AC or DC power inputs.
Double checked my stuff and Jeff is right. You should use a 12-15V DC voltage supply, not an AC votlagte supply.
I'll edit my previous posts to fix that error.
rrinker jbinkley60 You can irgnore most of my previous post. As I reread the thread, your additional comment above and the PR3 manual, you are not wanting to use MS100 mode because you aren't connected to Loconet and a command station. I have a Locobuffer II that I use for this type of programming track setup. Yes, for PR3 mode a power supply is needed. In PR3 mode the PR3 has to provide the power to the decoder to program it since there is no booster with a programming track output involved in this mode. In this mode the PR3 gets the necessary the power from the external power supply. I use a 12V 1A walwart type of transfomer for this when I've used my PR3 for Sound programming and some CV checking. Note that this is 12VDC with a center pin positive, not 12VAC power. It sounds like Digitrax skipped on an internal rectifier in the PR3 to allow AC or DC power inputs. . Other way around - if it accepts AC or DC input power then it must have a rectifier in it. Downside of the universal input method is that when you use a DC source it still goes through the rectifier, adding 2 diode drop's worth of loss to the DC (about 1.2-1.4 volts). Usually such a device will call out a slightly higher voltage is DC is used vs AC. Use only what is recommended, don't take this like I'm saying you HAVE to use a higher voltage DC - if the device says max of 12 volts DC then don't use any higher. --Randy
We're saying the same thing. I just didn't word my comment quite as well as you did with regards to accepting both AC/DC vs. DC only.
mavrick0 The PR3 does need to be powered to be set as a stand alone programmer. The PR3 also has to be set up as a stand alone programmer by setting it up as per the Digitrax manual. Decoder Pro must be set in the preferances to know what it is talking to as well as what comm port it is being run on, which is the biggest pain but if it doesn't work then change the comm and try again until it does. It's really not that hard just a little bit of playing with the settings.
Says it does right in the manual. It does not need a power supply to function in MS100 mode. But to be a standalone programmer, it definitely needs the power supply connected.
<Do you mean "Timed out communicating with the command station"?
That means that JMRI can't talk to the PR3. It could be a logical error, such as the PR3's USB drivers not installed correctly or the wrong COM port specified in DecoderPro's preferences, or it could be a physical error such as a bad connection between the computer and the PR3. >
It turned out to be a combination of things which I discovered by playing around with my setup and DecoderPro settigs. It works now and here is what I had to do to get it working.
1. I needed to connect the PR3 to a PS12 power supply. Other wise you'll get ERR will hsow a red light.
2. You need the ERR light to be off and the USB light to flash green. just hit the buttons below these lights to reset the lights.
3. I then checked out my settings. You want to find the correct COM port which original showed COM3 in preferences in DecoderPro. Since it didn't work with this one I tried COM4. It worked on that one but I realized that I need to solder my track sections together to improve reliability.
4. You need create a roster entry for each locomotive so that they can be recognized by the system.
There are still some questions such as what does setting transponding to on on Digitrax decoders give you?
corsair7 <Do you mean "Timed out communicating with the command station"? That means that JMRI can't talk to the PR3. It could be a logical error, such as the PR3's USB drivers not installed correctly or the wrong COM port specified in DecoderPro's preferences, or it could be a physical error such as a bad connection between the computer and the PR3. > It turned out to be a combination of things which I discovered by playing around with my setup and DecoderPro settigs. It works now and here is what I had to do to get it working. 1. I needed to connect the PR3 to a PS12 power supply. Other wise you'll get ERR will hsow a red light. 2. You need the ERR light to be off and the USB light to flash green. just hit the buttons below these lights to reset the lights. 3. I then checked out my settings. You want to find the correct COM port which original showed COM3 in preferences in DecoderPro. Since it didn't work with this one I tried COM4. It worked on that one but I realized that I need to solder my track sections together to improve reliability. 4. You need create a roster entry for each locomotive so that they can be recognized by the system. There are still some questions such as what does setting transponding to on on Digitrax decoders give you? Irv
Transpoding is a Digitrax technology to allow you to know where your locomotives are on the layout. Your layout has to be built (i.e. occupancy detectors, transpoding receivers etc..) to support transponding. Here's an FAQ from Digitrax which may help:
http://www.digitrax.com/faqtransponding.php