Roco DCC control with the PC, without dedicated hardware

[Anonymous]

May be what I am telling you here is common knowledge, but for me it was a very nice surprise. I am new to the railway modelling hobby. I have started with a digital kit from Roco, and now I added another R3 loop arround the initial R2 loop with turnouts between.

At the begining I was thinking that I will need to buy the special PC interface in order to control my train from the PC. After some searching on the net, I have discovered that this was wrong. Everything that I needed was a cable with a DB-9 interface at one end to be connected to the computer's serial port, and with a RJ11 connector at the other end, to be connected instead of the Locomouse in the digital booster (10761) that controls the circuit. All the required software is free, and now I control my locomotives (and in the future the turnouts when I will buy DCC enabled turnout engines) from the PC.

I am not writing more now, because if everybody already knows this, my message will be boring. But if you are interested to hear how you can do this, tell me and I will write a small howto.

From what I have read, it is easy to do this with Lenz and Conrad also. For the rest, it seems that some electronics are involved.

For the final, sorry for posting here if this is not the right place, but this is the only forum I am reading.

[Anonymous]

I would be very interested in how you did this and what hardware and software is needed. I have the Roco system 10761 with the Locomouse, and I was under the impression I needed to use a Lenz LI101 to connect the computer to the system. I'd like to use DecoderPro but have run into problems with compatibility.

Gary

[Anonymous]

I'd be interested to hear how you did this too - Like Gary I was under the impression I'd need one of the Lenz adaptor dongles to couple my Lenz system to a PC, so I'd be interested to hear about an alternative. My current plan is to buy one of the Roco start sets (for the Lok-Maus throttle and the decoder-fitted loco, which justify the price on their own, the loop of track, DCC equipment and freight cars are a bonus!) to add a handheld throttle to my setup (Lenz Compact).

[Anonymous]

I was myself under the impression that I needed the Roco PC Interface (it is 10785 or something), but after some searching on the net I found some pages (unfortunately all in german) that were saying this is possible only with the 10761. I decided to give it a try, and it worked.

The first step is of course to build the required cable. For this, I used a UTP cable of the required length (for no reason, this was the only type of cable that I had in my house at that moment). You only need two wires of it. The web page http://home.snafu.de/mgrafe/Anleitung_Server.htm describes this cable. On one end of the cable, you need a RJ11 connector that has all 6 pins (pay attention, usually RJ11 connectors are used for phone lines, but they have only pins 2-5, pins 1 and 6 missing, and you need exactly pins 1 and 6). What you have to do is connect pin 1 of this connector (1 is the leftmost pin when you are holding the connector with the pins upside, and with the cable hole towards you) to the TxD pin of a serial female connector - this is pin 3 if you are having DB-9 connectors (with 9 pins) on your computer, or with pin 2 of a DB-25 connector. Second, you connect pin 6 of the RJ11 to the GND pin of the serial interface (pin 5 of DB-9, pin 7 of DB-25).

So the cable is:
RJ11 pin 1 --- Txd DB-9 pin 3 or DB-25 pin 2
RJ11 pin 6 --- GND DB-9 pin 5 or DB-25 pin pin 7

All other wires/pins are not required.

Connect this cable between a COM port of your computer and the Master Locomouse port (where your Locomouse is connected at this moment). I failed to use the Locomouse and the PC simultaneously using Master and Slave ports, so remove the Locomouse and connect this cable instead of it. Remove any slave Locomouse if present.

Now, that you are done with the hardware (yes, that's all, and the hardest part will be to find a 6 pins RJ11 :D), lets go to the software.

You have two options for the software. The first is DDL (for linux), and the second is DDW (for windows). I will skip the linux part because usually a linux user is skilled enough to do this alone. For the DDW, you need to download the following:

1.
DDW-Server V072 - compiled program (Version 17.12.2004)
from http://mitglied.lycos.de/mgrafe/download_en.htm

2.
If you, as myself, are using WinXP or Win2000, download from the same page the software called:
Driver and installer for Windows NT/2000/XP (for operation under Windows NT/2000/XP necessary)

3.
From the same page, download the
Railyplan -program 2.0 (Version 22.12.04)

Now, what you have downloaded are:
- a server program (1) that talks to the serial port via the driver that you have downloaded (2) and waits for orders on a TCP/IP port
- a client program (3) that receives your orders via a graphical interface and sends these orders via TCP/IP to the server (2)

Software installation;
1. Unzip DDW-Treiber.zip
2. Go to the directory where you unzipped the files, and run ddw_ntdriver.exe
3. In the window that will open, choose install driver, then start driver. When you will click Install, it will print an OKAY, but when you click Start, it will print OKAY again, so you will have no visual clue about the fact that you pressed the button. But if you will press the Start button again, you will get an ERROR_SERVICE_RUNNING, so you will know that you have started the service. Now, you can close the window.
4. Unzip Server072_exe.zip. You will get one file, called ddwserver.exe
5. Start ddwserver.exe
6. If you are using WinXP may be the Windows Security Alert will ask you if you want to keep blocking this program. Choose unblock (otherwise this will not work).
7. Probably you will get an error in german. Dismiss it with Ok.
8. You will have a locomotive icon in the tray. Right click on it and choose
"Parameter einstellen"
9. A window wil appear with some settings. The first and most important step is to choose English at the Language pop-down menu and then press beenden. Now everything is in English as it shoud be :-)
10. Right click again on the tray icon and choose Setup
11. Configure these settings:
a) Global Settings
NMRA translation: 3
Protocols: Only NMRA/DCC
SRCP-Protocol: 0.73
b) Connections
Activate COM during start up: Yes
Serial interface: choose whatever COM port you have connected that cable to.
12. Click Store.
13. Right click on the tray icon, choose exit, then start the program again to activate all the new settings.
14. Unzip railyplanv20.zip.
15. Run Setup_RAILYPLAN.exe
16. Click on Setup starten, then on Ja, ich stimme zu
17. After the install is over, click on Setup erfolgreich beendet (google says this means: setup successfully terminates)
18. Start RAILYPLAN from the Start menu.
19. Again choose Unblock if prompted by the Windows Security Alert
20. Select the english flag
21. Select File/New, and enter a name (mytrack would be a good choice)
22. Choose Component/Locomotives
23. In the lower side of the screen, select "New loc"
24. In the window that appeared, choose DCC at the protocol selection, then DCC N1.
25. If your locomotive has lights, click on the light symbol (those 3 yellow dots) then on the F0 blank area (usually lights are controlled by the Function 0, or * button).
26. Repeat step 25 for each function that your loco has, associating the function with the corresponding function button.
27. Set Vmax to 10 (I didn't play with other values yet)
28. Set Address to your loco's address (default is 3 for Roco); this is the address that is displayed on your Locomouse
29. Click on a picture then on the question mark, in order to set a loco picture. You can add your own pictures to the program folder if you like
30. Press OK, then Quit
31. Choose File/Save
32. Repeat steps 23-31 for each loco that you have, and for each other DCC-controlled device
33. When you are ready with that, choose Component/Operation
34. Select Connection / Connect
35. Click on the power on button
36. Click on the loco(s) that you want to control, then controll it using the slider and mouse clicks on the functions.

This is all.

Now, as a final comment, the last part of software (RAILYPROG) is optional. Any software that uses SRCP 0.73 is good. For example, i also had good results with TrackOne from http://www.reukauff.de/TrackONE/TrackONE.htm, but it is in German only. The main difference between RAILYPROG and TrackOne is that with TrackOne the locomotives move as configured by their decoders. With RAILYPROG the decoder settings I think that are ignored, because the loco moves too fast at the maximum slider position. There are also SRCP programs that will allow you to program your decoders. I am happy with the defaults (i feel that this is the most accurate reproduction of the real movement), so thats why I used TrackOne. The only bad thing about TrackOne is that it crashes sometimes and I have to restart it.

Now, if you have a more complex layouts, with feedback systems and automatic turnouts, please tell me how it went, because I only have DCC locomotives, and the layout is manually controlled for the time being.

[Anonymous]

For more SRCP clients instead of RAILYPROG, see http://www.der-moba.de/Digital/ (unfortunately in German again)

On the http://home.snafu.de/mgrafe/Anleitung_Server.htm it seems that Lenz, Conrad and a few other boosters can be used in this setup with no electronics involved. Some other designs on that page seems to be a little more complicated, but may be for somebody with some electronics knowledge, they are also easy.

[Anonymous]

Would this work with the Roco Booster 10764?

[fieryturbo]

This is a great solution.  I am using the latest srcpd on a small linux machine that I got for free, and my regular-use laptop with Rocrail.  I don't even speak German and I was able to get this to work! :) Cost me $125 and a packet of 6P6C connectors for the whole layout, DCC loco and a computerized DCC setup :)

[satsunil]

I am using a Fleischmann 680801 booster,can use the same software to connect my pc to this booster thanks

[fieryturbo]

satsunil

I am using a Fleischmann 680801 booster,can use the same software to connect my pc to this booster thanks

 

What does your command station normally use for a controller?  That would give me more of a clue if it's really the same as the Roco or not.  The box looks VERY similar, and Roco/Fleischmann did merge as one company.

[satsunil]

Thanks for the reply. I am using windows7.I hope this program will run on windows7. I am unable find software DRIVER AND INSTALLER is this necessary for windows7? If necessary can you please send me the link to download.If it is possible please send me all the download links. I am very keen to run this software to control my layout from my PC. I wish to inform you that I am not familiar with this work so your help is greatly appreciated

[satsunil]

my two ROCO multimous hand controllers are connected to Fleischmann 680801

[fieryturbo]

So what you should be looking for is information on Roco 10764

(Roco 10764 = relabeled Fleischmann 680801)

Try the following link.  I am in the USA, but using Rocrail as my automation tool.

The 10764 is a higher power version of ther 10761 that I have.

You need to be able to build a serial cable.  I used an old Cisco console cable.

Your PC needs to have a serial port.

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=http%3A%2F%2Fwiki.rocrail.net%2Fdoku.php%3Fid%3Droco-booster-de%26s%5B%5D%3D10761&edit-text=

 

[satsunil]

Thanks for the information