trainsBuddyNope, I just use Zephyr for all my DCC needs, I look into the QSI tool. Yep, Proto 2000 has Q1a chip. I'm curious, how Revolution improves upon Q1? The one thing I like about built in sound is that typically it's much cheaper than an buying add on chip, speakers etc...
You can go to the QSI Solutions website and under Products/Revolution you can see all that is included. http://www.qsisolutions.com/products/q-revolution.html
Some of the features that I especially like are:
1. The decoder can be continuously upgraded as new sounds and features are developed without having to replace any chips. Everything is downloadable free from their website using their Quantum Progammer (about $80). Theoretically, the decoder will never become obsolete, and has excellent resale value.
2. You can download complete new or different sound sets, either steam or diesel, and you can cut and paste individual sounds like horns, bells, motor sounds, etc. For example, if you like the motor sound but want a different horn you can just download a different horn. You can't do this with the Q1a chip, where you can only download complete sound sets, although some of them have alternate horn sounds.
3. They have adjustable grade crossing horns where you can alter the length of time for each horn blast and the time interval between blasts.
4. The motor control is excellent and better than the Q1a.
5. The Quantum Progammer has both Service Mode and OPS mode programming and you can toggle back and forth between the two with one mouse click. Adjusting QSI progamming is really easy to understand and follow, and for non-QSI decoders you can simply program individual CVs just like you can with your Zephyr, only it's probably easier and faster.
Jerry
Rio Grande vs. Santa Fe.....the battle is over but the glory remains!
trainsBuddy By the way, I'm amazed at how low level DCC programming is. It feels like I'm programming in the 70s on the punch cards - basically we are working almost at the assembly level with all the bit map settings - I wonder if there could be a easier way to enable DCC programming. Also, I think QSI can improve their manual to make things a bit easier to understand after a first pass But overall I'm happy, and think QSI made a good chip with flexible functionality. My hats off to Walthers in putting QSI chips in their locos. Now I need to see what Tsunami has to offer.
Are you using either Decoder Pro or the QSI Quantum Programmer to program your locos? Either one makes it so much easier. Of course the Quantum Programmer is primarily best for QSI decoders.
Also, it's my understanding that Walthers will only use the QSI Version 7 Q1a chips. If, like Atlas, they would use the newer Revolution decoders they would be so much better. From now on I'm only going to buy Atlas sound, or other brand non-sound locos, and install my own Revolutions.
I guess noone has messed with these settings yet. I did figure it out, didn't even realize it was 3am when I was done - I guess time flies when you have fun.
Anyway.
1) I got the number board lighting correct - I turned the initial state for the automatic board lights to OFF - so that they are off when locomotive starts up. The reason they were turning on momentarily at the start up is that they were still on when I shut off power to the track. When I turned the power back on, I suspect, QSI resets all functions to their last state, which for the number boards was ON. Then, QSI goes and applies initial states to all automatic functions, and my initial state for number boards is OFF, so QSI shuts off number boards. Hence the intermittent flashing of number boards on start up. If I properly shut off locomotive, or turn of number boards before turning off power, number boards don't flash and stay off next time I turn the power on! Nice.
2) I got the Mars light working as well. In my confusion I set the initial state to OFF for the headlights, not Mars light. That's why I though my setting didn't work. After I realized my mistake, I set the Mars lights initial state also to OFF - and it's all good now.
Now I have it perfect. All lights are off when locomotive first starts up. I can turn on and off number boards as needed via dedicated F key. I can also turn automatic directional lights via F0 (dedicated light button on Digitrax Zephyr) whenever I please. This let me play with locomotive functions or have it sit there and listen to idle sound without worrying about wearing LED needlessly while still retaining automatic mode functionality for the lights - i.e. Mars light flashing when loco is moving, headlights off when in neutral etc. This might seem like a lot of programming when you can just shut off number boards and directional lights manually once locomotive starts, but I have an ABA consist which means I don't have to shut off lights manually for each loco each time they start.
Hopefully this will save some time to another noob working his way around DCC.
By the way, I'm amazed at how low level DCC programming is. It feels like I'm programming in the 70s on the punch cards - basically we are working almost at the assembly level with all the bit map settings - I wonder if there could be a easier way to enable DCC programming. Also, I think QSI can improve their manual to make things a bit easier to understand after a first pass But overall I'm happy, and think QSI made a good chip with flexible functionality. My hats off to Walthers in putting QSI chips in their locos. Now I need to see what Tsunami has to offer.
So I got the Proto 2000 F7 unit - the latest model and I want to configure all lights so that they are off by default. Don't want to waste bulbs when I don't need/want the lights. On these F units there are basically 3 lights - the Headlight, Board Lights, and Mars light. By default they all come on at start up.
I reconfigured the automatic board light option to be off. It almost works - almost, because when power first applied to locomotive, the board lights come on momentarily and then go off. I suspect another setting turns them on, before my setting for automatic initial state shuts them off. I did the same thing for headlight, but that one has no effect. Headlights stays on from start up. I can shut headlight, mars via Light button on DCC - but my goal is set them up so that all lights are off when locomotive first starts.
Everything else I left on default, so that Automatic Multiple Lights #1 and #2 still have all these lights in their command.
Hopefully someone else messed with these features. Thanks.