I need to find a wiring diagram to connect the Digitrax BDL 168 to a Prodigy Advance. I have already found out that I can set the Loco net to master to be able to use my Prodigy'
Thanks in advance as I can not answer tonight.
Harold
hwolf I need to find a wiring diagram to connect the Digitrax BDL 168 to a Prodigy Advance. I have already found out that I can set the Loco net to master to be able to use my Prodigy' Thanks in advance as I can not answer tonight. Harold
Sorry, but you were misinformed.
To set up a stand-alone LocoNet, you need to provide what Digitrax refers to as "termination". A device such as the BDL168 can be configured as a "master" device, effectively taking the place of the command station to provide that termination.
A PR3 or PR4 can also provide termination, as can (I believe) some versions of the LocoBuffer, and various other devices.
However, all that said, LocoNet and your Prodigy's throttle bus speak different languages and cannot talk directly with each other. You need some kind of "man in the middle", such as JMRI, etc.
The diagram to wire the power through is identical to the one already provided to wire a Digitrax booster through the BDL-168. Exactly the same.
You will need a PR3, PR4, or Locobuffer-USB and a computer running JMRI to act on the occupancy info, although if you just want lights you can hook LEDs to the terminals used for the included test unit and have a series of 16 LEDs on you panel that indicate occupancy in each of the 16 zones.
--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 am a little confussed. ( Normal) Here is what I am looking to do. My system at home is a Prodigy Advance which is what I want to keep. Our Club has Digitrax.
1. Create detection blocks with LED's going to my panel
2. Add signals to be controlled at each block (Future)
I also have 5 IRDOT that I can use as well as the BDL 168
I also have JMRI on my computer.
As I use Prodigy. I am not familiar with LocoNet
You are talking about stand alone LocoNet. Why?
The info I got came from a tech at Digitrax. My question to him was can I use the BDL 168 with my prodigy. His answer was to connect the BDL168 to the Digitrax LocoNet and then switch the LocoNet to Master. He said I could connect to any system. As I am writing this it looks as if he is using the digitrax as the main and not the prodigy. Am I correct?
You mentioned that the ( BDL168 can be configured as a "master" device, effectively taking the place of the command station to provide that termination) How and what exactly is that done.
Use the KISS method in your answer.
Thanks
When using the BDL168, the LocoNet is standalone. It is using JMRI Panel Pro or one of several private programs to interface with. It does not need a DCC command station. Panel Pro tells the BDL168 to read a port(like a track sensor) and based on the how you configured Panel Pro, it will instruct the BDL168 to turn on a signal.
As far as termination, the Digitrax manual has instructions for setting termination.
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
Are you saying that panel pro can talk to BDL168 without LocoNet?
What do you mean by ( LocoNet is standalone )
hwolf Are you saying that panel pro can talk to BDL168 without LocoNet? What do you mean by ( LocoNet is standalone ) Harold
Stevert hwolf Are you saying that panel pro can talk to BDL168 without LocoNet? What do you mean by ( LocoNet is standalone ) Harold No, the BDL168 cannot talk to JMRI without LocoNet. I will try to keep to the basics: Your MRC system speaks MRC. The BDL168 speaks LocoNet. Thay can't talk directly to each other because they speak different languages, so you need an interpreter such as JMRI. In order for the BDL168 to speak LocoNet to JMRI, you have to have a LocoNet. Since that LocoNet will not have a command station connected to it, it's considered a stand-alone LocoNet. A stand-alone LocoNet needs "termination", which can be supplied by a number of devices. The BDL168 can be one of those devices, by setting it to "master". You will also need a PR3, PR4, or LocoBuffer to connect that stand-alone LocoNet to the computer running JMRI. The PR3 and PR4 (and possibly the LocoBuffer, depending on the version) can also supply termination, and are the preferred means for doing so.
Another complication is that the Prodigy system uses 8p8c cable connectors and not the 6p6c Loconet connectors.
Robert
LINK to SNSR Blog
STandalone Loconet means a Loconet with no Digitrax command station. You need a Loconet bus to connect the BDL-168 to the computer runnign JMRI, there's no other way. If using a Loconet bus for that, then there's little reason to not also use the Loconet for the signal controller, either Digitrax SE8C or one of the third party ones.
Any JMRI from the past 6-7 years can connect to two system simultaneously. Thus you can connect to the Loconet so that PanelPro can read the block detectors and operate the signals, AND connect to the Prodigy to control the locos via the MRC system. I know of several people doing this with Loconet and NCE, no reason the second system couldn't be MRC.
ROBERT PETRICK Another complication is that the Prodigy system uses 8p8c cable connectors and not the 6p6c Loconet connectors. Robert
Doesn't matter.
Since they are two separate communication systems using different protocols and probably different electrical characteristics, they'll never be physically connected to each other.
That's where JMRI comes into play. You connect each of those separate systems to the computer, and JMRI logically translates between the two.