You can also buy a Digitrax PR3 or an SPROG and connect it to the computer to have a standlone program track, independent of the actual DCC system in use. ANd then take advantage of all the decoder reading and programming features in JMRI. This will work with any DCC system, because JMRI is talking tot he PR3 or SPROG, NOT the layout DCC system.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
mreagant What I meant by "interface directly" was that I could not load the JMRI tables into a computer linked to the MRC system
Actually, you can do that too. It's just that JMRI can't "talk" to your MRC system, so instead of JMRI having your DCC system do the reads and writes, you'll have to do them manually..
For example, without a connection to any DCC system you can certainly still pull up a decoder in JMRI, select some options, and note the values that JMRI calculates for the CV's involved. Then just use your DCC system to manually set those CV's to the values JMRI has calculated.
Edit: Don't think of JMRI as merely "tables" that your DCC system can or can't access. It's a full-fledged suite of layout tools that can perform a number of functions with or without a DCC system, other control hardware, a combination of two or more different brands/types of hardware, or even no layout at all!
Thanks for clearing that point up. It's what I thought. What I meant by "interface directly" was that I could not load the JMRI tables into a computer linked to the MRC system. I still plan to acces the list and then set about to read the data from my decoders that are readable.
Mike
mreagantClearly the JMRI downloadable information will not interface directly with my system and that's fine.
Actually, it will. That's why I suggested it.
The CV's will be the same no matter which DCC system you use to read them. For example, CV8=153 will always be a TCS decoder, no matter who's DCC system you use to read CV8.
So even though MRC won't let JMRI communicate with your Prodigy (yes, it's MRC's restriction), you can still use the Prodigy to read CV's 7 and 8 and cross-reference those values to the decoder reference material JMRI graciously provides.
Thanks for the ideas. I do use an MRC Prodigy Wireless system, and it does read back CVs with sound control information. Clearly the JMRI downloadable information will not interface directly with my system and that's fine. I'll do a little experimentation and see what I find. Appreciate the help.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I guess I missed that.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Stevert Phoebe Vet: To expand on that just a little, JMRI Decoder Pro will actually read out the manufacturer and model or list of models it might be on your computer screen. I believe the OP is using an MRC Prodigy DCC system, in which case any JMRI usage would have to be "offline".
Phoebe Vet: To expand on that just a little, JMRI Decoder Pro will actually read out the manufacturer and model or list of models it might be on your computer screen.
To expand on that just a little, JMRI Decoder Pro will actually read out the manufacturer and model or list of models it might be on your computer screen.
I believe the OP is using an MRC Prodigy DCC system, in which case any JMRI usage would have to be "offline".
The OP implied that he had sound decoders. Will he even be able to read back sound decoder CVs with the MRC system to do anything offline?
Phoebe Vet To expand on that just a little, JMRI Decoder Pro will actually read out the manufacturer and model or list of models it might be on your computer screen.
Stevert Read CV's 7 and 8. Then go to the JMRI Decoder Information Web page and look it up. Note that some decoder manufacturers use the same firmware version across multiple decoder versions/form factors, and others (TCS, I think) sometimes change firmware features without changing the version number. In other words, there is no spec for firmware revision number vs. the actual decoder it's used with, so although you can positively identify the manufacturer, you may not be able to positively identify the particular decoder model. That's why the JMRI pager refers to decoder "families".
Read CV's 7 and 8. Then go to the JMRI Decoder Information Web page and look it up.
Note that some decoder manufacturers use the same firmware version across multiple decoder versions/form factors, and others (TCS, I think) sometimes change firmware features without changing the version number.
In other words, there is no spec for firmware revision number vs. the actual decoder it's used with, so although you can positively identify the manufacturer, you may not be able to positively identify the particular decoder model. That's why the JMRI pager refers to decoder "families".
Mike,
I don't know which DCC system you use but my NCE Power Cab shows that info during initial address programming. It first displays the 3-digit manufacturer ID number then the 3-digit decoder ID number. maxman has supplied the link to the former.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Well, you have to be able to read the ID number with your DCC system. Some systems will read back the ID CV, others require a programming track booster. However, here is a list: http://www.nmra.org/standards/DCC/mfgnumbers.html
I have several locomotives with decoders that work fine, but I don't have information on the decoder manufacturer or model. Is there a chart/source listing for the CV(s) identifying manufacturer and model? One, for example, needs the sound volume lowered, so it would help to know what model I'm working with in order to find a CV to adjust. That is, of course, unless all decoders use the same CV for sound volume and other functions. What I've read here in the past seemed to suggest that specific function CVs vary among the decoders from different manufacturers. Am I off base here? Suggestions?