You can get the cable in 100 foot rolls and connectors in boxes of 35 from RRcirkits cheaper than buying the cable kits from Digitrax. http://www.rr-cirkits.com/
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
I am using the TSMK, which works out to be $6 per board of 4 signal head, and the ribbon cable / connector kit is $16 for 4 cable sets which is another $4 per 4 signal heads. That worked out to be $2.50 per head, which I was ok with. The SMBK is $12 for 3 bases ie $4 per head. Plus I need a lot more connectors (5 per set of 4 heads) so that's another $2+ per head. That's $6 per head plus a larger hole required/mounting method.
And this is why I decided to to TSMK. I think the next TSMK I will install will be way better, I learned a little bit.
I actually found $8 per signal (single, 3 light common anode head on one mast) on eBay, so my total cost per signal is like $10.50. I foiling this attractive, because if I get to everything, I will have about 64 heads and I did not want to spend $1,000+ on just to get the light to the SE8C.
Its pretty exciting though to have come this far!
NP.
NP01 Wow signals are hard! The most painful thing for me is wiring them. Breaking out from the 10-wire connector digitrax gives you to 4 sets of 4 wires under the bench work is the toughest wiring job so far. NP.
Wow signals are hard! The most painful thing for me is wiring them. Breaking out from the 10-wire connector digitrax gives you to 4 sets of 4 wires under the bench work is the toughest wiring job so far.
How come you are not using the SMBK's? They make the signal wiring easy.
Ok I got it. Seems like if I save and hide a panel, then it is still loaded in the background. So when I re-opened the file to check if I had saved correctly, it opened two panels one hidden and one from file and found two panels with the same name and it was all messed up.
I was able to properly set up Logix for two of the three signals I have. The one on the throat of a three way split (two turnouts) is the tough one ...
I am glad the computer part is turning out to be easy with no bug and weirdness so far.
It did!
Now my problem is some kind of an issue SAVING the panels to my hard drive. It told me to use the Store command on the tables Window and when I did and opened up the panel file again, it opened two panels and the Logix was not working, probably because the same logix was opened twice.
Once I draw a panel and logix, what is the correct way to save, any help there?
Neeraj.
That should do it.
And ... None of this would be possible in SSL right I will need to set up a Logix? If I do that ... Basically I put down a signal on my panel with nothing populated in logic field. I set up a Logix, and I set se8c preferences to do "4th aspect dark". Then I am in business?
Now I know whn I asked for flashing red I was getting alternet Red and Yellow!
Aha so thats the hardware way to do any kind of blinking. Cool, and I don't know if bandwidth is a large issue for meor not ... I am running a maximum of three throttles (iPhone, Zephyr and PC), two engines, 1 SE8C, 1BDL168. I wonder what is the speed of the Loconet bus? How any bytes are the typical turnout commands?
I remember seeing that flash by in a message on the JMRI Group too - set the SE8C for 'dark' to let JMRI handle the flashing.
Downside to JMRI handling the flashing is that it sends on and off commands rapidly on Loconet. May not be an issue in a mixed system since this won;t in any way interfere with the cab bus, but in a pure Digitrax environment it's a REALLY bad idea. Our club layout has two Loconets, one for running trains and one for singlas, because all the signals follow modern NORAC rules and there are LOTS fo flashing aspects, with flashing greens, flashing yellows, etc. More than the SE8C can handle, so it's all done in JMRI and with all those constant on/off sequences it was causing response issues. There are other signal boards that can do more witht he flashing stuff right ont he board and keep that off the Loconet. It's kind of like having a strobe light flash by flicking the wall switch on and off, horribly inefficient.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Hardware can not be 'messed up' by software other than maybe it got reprogrammed some how. The board may be receiving the wrong commands from the program because the logix is not correct or it is trying to over ride some of the SSL.
You should be able to see all of your efforts work on the JMRI panel even if you don't have the signals physically connected yet.
Blinking an aspect can be done one of two ways. You can do it through the SE8C programming, - OR - you can let the JMRI program handle it. If you let JMRI handle it, the 4th aspect on the SE8C should be set for 'dark'. (- I think -. I don't remember where I found that bit of information, but it does affect how it works.)
I read your web page on signalling very carefully before plunging and splurging over the last three months on this. I believe this is what influenced my design where I went with electrical block detection rather than optical.
I really like flashing yellow. I tried to set up my first logix, but it seemed to have messed up the SE8C somehow. I will need to really wait for my next batch of signals and then play with this once I have a set of 4/5 installed.
Not sure how to answer your question specifically, but . . . . you need to program the 4th aspect of the SE8C before you can use it. Then you may have to set up the 4th aspect through Logix in JMRI.. I have done it and it does work, but it has been a long time and don't remember the details.
Ok, I have a BDL168 sensored main now leading from a station with three tracks. On one of the diverging tracks, looking toward the main, I placed a signal. This is a common anode 3-light led. I found the signal (on DRV 5) ended up being at address 295/296. Great, I can throw that turnout and display all four aspects.
Then I set up the SSL:
- diverging leg of turnout
-protect "Maron-Brendam Mainline"
- Red when Brendam E PF1 turnout is closed
- is limited speed
- has flashing yellow
It shows yello and red aspect only ... I am wondering at what condition I should expect a flashing yellow in this situation?
Thanks!