Will the Loksound controller used for the 3.5 decoders also work with the newer 4.0 decoders?
What do you mean when you say Loksound Controller? Do you perhaps mean the LokSound Programmer?
A DCC throttle is the controller for a decoder, so any controller should work regardless of the decoder version number.
Controller? Do you mean the DC module that lets you control the sounds when using DC, or do you mean the programmer used to change sounds? Or one of the ESU DCC controllers?
DC control - they state that the soudns are controllable from DC< so I'm guessing they work with the old control box.
Programming - the Programemr will work, but you need newer software for it to program sounds on the V4 and Select decoders. I have a newer Programemr and it works with both tthe new an old software.
From the DCC system, all work just fine.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I wrote the earlier post in a hurry, obviously. I have a Loksound Programmer which I use to install sounds in my various Loksound decoders and am in the process of equipping another engine with a decoder. {Loksound decoders are excellent in terms of speed control and sound options.] I will avoid the 4.0 decoders if I cannot use my existing programmer and will opt for a 3.5 instead. Sorry about the mix-up! SO, can an older programmer, used for 3,0 decoders, be used to program sound and CV's into a 4.0 decoder (not the "select" decoder)?
John in Carolina
John,
It would be better to post this in the original thread rather than creating an entirely new one.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I've merged the two...
Darren (BLHS & CRRM Lifetime Member)
Delaware and Hudson Virtual Museum (DHVM), Railroad Adventures (RRAdventures)
My Blog
If you have the older 50340 model Lokprogrammer, you are stuck with what you have. The new Lokprogrammer can work with the new deocders PLUS the old decoders.
They aren't making 3.5 decoders any more, just 4.0 and Select. Your best bet woudl be to upgrade the Lokprogrammer which can then be used for all teh latest decoders as well as your older ones.
You can download the version 4 software for the old programer from the ESU website. http://www.esu.eu/en/downloads/software/lokprogrammer/
After you download the software you may get some error messages about needing the latest USB cable. I have an older programer and had to remove the driver and reinstall it. I still get the message but X out of error window and the programmer works just fine. You will find that the version 4 software is completely different from the version 2. There is no manual for the version 4 software. I suggest joining the ESU Yahoo group. There are very knowledgeable individuals on that group that have helped me in the past. http://groups.yahoo.com/group/loksound/?yguid=270163699
My advice is to save your projects often and frequently. Once you download the version 4 software you can still use the version 2 software for the 3.5 decoders. It will be like having 2 separate programmers in the same box.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Version 4 software has a manual now. It just doesn't install a link to it in the start menu. It links the German version of the manual, but there is also an English PDF in the program directory.
Randy.
Could you post a link to this manual PDF? I have searched and even written to ESU for the V4.x.x software info.
Thanks.
It doesn;t appear on their site as a seperate download. I installed the latest 4.x, 4.3.2, and then in my C:\Program Files(x86)\Lokprogrammer4 folder there are two PDFs. Once is really detailed and has pictures, however it's in German. Luckily I can read a little bit of it. The other one is smaller and doesn't have all the pictures, but it explains how to create the scripts and assign sounds in English. Funny thing, I just looked on this computer (my desktop), and though I upgraded to 4.3.2 (it prompted me - I originally installed 4.3.1 which was the current oen the day my hardware arrived), neither file is there (I may have delted the German one). On my laptop, which iI just directly downlaoded and installed 4.3.2 as the only version, I have the German and ENglish PDF files in the folder. On my start menu is has an link called Lokprogrammer Manual that opens the German one. So if you've just been updatign when it says tehre is an update available as you open the program, it probably won;t install that file.
There's a new LokProgrammer software version 4.3.3 available for downloading on ESU's website, just found it this morning. It's really new, the date is June 18, 2012. User manuals and quick start guides are also available in English and German.