New QSI upgrade chip - 6/30 update

[NZRMac]

Tom is the Power Cab able to read the CV's on the programming track? If so read it, change it, and read it again, then you'll know if your having success or not??

Ken.

[rexhea]

Tom: I would also like to thank you for reporting these finding. I have considered the upgrades, but have been putting it off until they have been in the field awhile.

REX

[tstage]

Chapter 3...Partial good news [:)]

I swapped out the new chip for the old chip last night, as suggested by Tony of Tony's Train Exchange. The BLI MIke responded just like it had previously before installing the new upgrade chip.

I then pulled the old chip and reinstalled the new chip. Happily this time, the low-end speed response actually improved. [tup] Instead of the Mike stuck at a constant low-end speed from speed step 001 through speed step 21, the locomotive actually started to noticeably accelerate at around speed step 12. (Previously it wouldn't increase to it got to "22".) I can live with that.

However, the F10 issue is still there so the Power Cab "locks up" after I try using that function. (It's entirely possible that it's an NCE issue with the upgrade chip.) I'm also still unsure about the CV2 fine tune adjustment and whether I'm successfully changing anything or not. I e-mailed Tony again to report to him my findings this past evening. At least there's been a little progress with things.

I'll keep you all posted when I get word of anything. Thanks again for everyone's input. [:)]

Tom

[tstage]

Thanks, Don. I'm going to tackle the easier things first but I will definitely leave that as a possible option. [:)]

Tom

[DigitalGriffin]

Tom,

I'm taking a real stab at this as I don't have the new operators manual. But try this.

1. Reset your chip. Write 128->CV49, 255->CV50, 113->CV56 (You will get 3 hoots)
2. Reprogram your long address on programming track
3. Reprogram your BEMF drive as specified in the sheet that came with your new chip
4. Read Section 3.15 of QSI programming manual (Page 51/184) to make a > speed curve w/o reprogramming speed tables Set Bit 4 of CV29 to "1", Set values 2 to 7->CV 25. (7 is the highest fast start curve)


If that doesn't work you may have to redo your speed table as specified in 6.2 (page 116/184) in the QSI DCC manual Version 3.0

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

I have heard that a chip can be locked, too. I don't suppose, at the risk of stating something obvious once more, that these chips are shipped locked?

Another viable possibility. Crandell, I'm just thinking this through. If what you suggest were indeed the case, would you then not be able to change ANY CV settings?

Like Dave Kelly, I hoping that there is just going to be a "Well, duh!" solution to all this. I also hope that this thread will somehow be helpful to others down the line. I'll keep you all posted...

Tom

[selector]

I have heard that a chip can be locked, too. I don't suppose, at the risk of stating something obvious once more, that these chips are shipped locked?

[tstage]

Next segment...

Got a quick response from Tony @ Tony's Train Exchange this morning. Tony suggested putting the old chip back in and verifying the findings - an idea that I had considered doing. He also said that he will try and duplicate the issue at the shop.

I'll report back later after I've had a chance to try things out at home tonight. (Oooooo....the tension mounts..)

Tom

[tstage]

Derrick,

F10 on my Power Cab responds exactly how you described. But even when the engine chuff mutes, it's still somewhat difficult to hear the numbers. I had originally reduced the volume for the chuff because it was too loud. There should be a way to increase the volume for the scale speed without having to increase the overall volume to the chuff. Anyone know?

Tom

[sledgehammer]

that is weird tom I can do that with mine and it tells me the scale speed of my loco and keeps going. the other thin you mentioned is that you can barely hear the voice, On mine it muts the loco sounds in half and then the voice says it s thing and then it returns the loco back to it full sound.

on thing I have notice for my 8-40c , is if I change the cv numbers when the train is moving they do nothing until I stop the train. Also the voice only works when the train is not moving when you change the cv numbers.

Im going to look throught the manual tonight to see if youcan make the voice louder.

[davekelly]

Why is it that I get the feeling that the solution will be so simple that all of us will say "duh"?

Thanks for starting this thread Tom, I'm sure there are many more folks out there running into the same thing.

[tstage]

Crandell,

That's entirely possible - and a thought that has crossed my mind. I've tried both the OPS and programming mode. The CV2 Fine Adjustment is supposed to be performed in OPS mode, as suggested by the manufacturer.

The first thing they have you do is to change the locomotive from Regulated Throttle Control (default) to Standard Throttle Control. Then you go in Program on the Main and change CVs 49 and 56. Next you are told to "set your throttle to the 128 speed step range and advance throttle speed to speed step 8". You then increase and decrease CV2 values until the locomotive starts and just stops, respectively. It's at the increase and decreasing part that my locomotive doesn't seem to want to respond. And, as you suggested Crandell, it seems that the inputs are not "taking".

I just e-mailed Tony @ TTE. I'm hoping he might have some insight into all this. Crandell, thanks for your willingness to suggest the obvious. [:)]

Tom

[selector]

Could it be, just possibly, that you are not actually getting the inputs to "take" by the decoder, Tom? Maybe you should try a programming track, another mode, whatever. It almost sounds like your controller is not communicating with the decoder properly.

[tstage]

Next installment to the upgrade chip saga...

I attempted to "fine tune" the CV2 setting again last night according to the manufacturer's info sheet but it was all for naught. For the life of me, I just can't seem to make steps 3 and 4 work at all. I've read and reread the directions several times but the locomotive won't respond the way they indicate on the info sheet. I guess I'll just have to live with it the way it is for now until I can either somehow discover a solution or find someone who knows the answer.

As some of you are aware from reading the earlier posts, I e-mailed the parent company of QSI Solutions last night, describing to them the issues that I was experiencing with speed steps 001-021 and the problems I was having with implementing the CV2 adjustment.

The good news was that American Hobby Distributors (AHD) responded back quickly this morning. The bad news was that their answer to the problem...?

"...as stated on your installation instructions Pg-2 , program CV2 to remidy this."
Not exactly what I was looking for but an answer at least. I'm going to bounce the issue off of Tony's, since that's where I bought the upgrade chip from. I'll be curious what he has to say about it.

I also discovered another interesting phenomenon last night. I wanted to hear what the speed feedback sounded like. On my NCE Power Cab, you have to press SHIFT and PROG simultaneously to get F10.

The audible voice for the speed feedback was just barely audible. But the weird thing was, after I depressed the two buttons, none of the speed buttons responded after that. In other words, the locomotive maintained a constant speed - no matter what I did with the speed buttons.

The only way to stop the locomotive was to press the EMERGENCY STOP button. When I pressed the acceleration button to get the locomotive moving again, the speed step would visually change on the LCD display but the actual speed of the locomotive was constantly at speed step 001 and wouldn't budge any higher - whether the screen said 001 or 126. Weird.

If I shut off power to the track and turned it back on again, then everything was hunky dory again - like nothing had ever happened. I tried the whole scenario three or four times and each time the results were the same. I'm going to mention this one to Tony, too.

I'll keep you all up to date on what I find out. Hopefully I can get this resolved soon. Pressing on...

Tom

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by scubaterry

Tom - I would like to clarify your request for clarifiction. Yes your measurement points are correct. I have two 90 ft Walthers TT so I should be good to go. I just ordered a Bowser 2-8-2 and next payday I am ordering the Challenger. So rather than getting new TT's I will have to do a wye or something to turn the Challenger. Tks for your help.
Terry[8D]

Terry,

Measured wheel center to wheel center, as confirmed above: 10-1/4" or 74.4' - plenty of room on a 90' TT.

Tom

[tstage]

Hi Everyone!

Well, I got a response back from American Hobby Distributors, parent company of QSI Solutions. They told me that altering CV2 should take care of the problem.

That's both good and bad news. Good, since the problem didn't seem to surprise AHD at all - unless that's AHD's pat answer when dealing with problems with their new QSI chip. It's also bad, since any subtle changes I've tried to alter CV2 have only resulted in degradation of performance rather than improvement of it. And, I'm not entirely sure that I'm even doing correctly.

Well, I guess I'll try again tonight. Hopefully I can report back with a breakthrough of some sort. Chime in if you've had some success with this.

Tom

[tstage]

Dave,

Generally I like 128 but I'll try it and let you know.

Tom

[davekelly]

Tom,

Quick question. How does the engine run with 28 steps and the new chip? In playing with my BLI Mike, I seem to prefer the 28 over the 128 step.

[scubaterry]

Tom - I would like to clarify your request for clarifiction. Yes your measurement points are correct. I have two 90 ft Walthers TT so I should be good to go. I just ordered a Bowser 2-8-2 and next payday I am ordering the Challenger. So rather than getting new TT's I will have to do a wye or something to turn the Challenger. Tks for your help.
Terry[8D]

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by scubaterry
Tom could you do me a favor? I have most of my rolling stock packed away in prep for Hurricane season. Could you measure your BLI 2-8-2 and tell me the length from the front of the engine wheels to the rear of the tender wheels. I am going to buy a TT and want to know the smallest I can get away with.
Terry[8D]

Terry,

Just to clarify, you want me to measure from the leading truck on the Mike to the rear(est) truck wheel on the tender?

I know that the Mike is slightly under 12" long so a '90 turntable ought to work just fine for you. If you want to run anything larger than that hen you'll probably have to go with either 105' or 120'er.

At any rate, Terry, I'll measure it for sure when I get home tonight from work and get back to you.

Tom

[scubaterry]

Tom - I have also noted that with the upgrade my rear tender light flickers ever so slightly on my Hudson when in fwd, something it did not do prior. Have you noticed the same in your Mike? Tom could you do me a favor? I have most of my rolling stock packed away in prep for Hurricane season. Could you measure your BLI 2-8-2 and tell me the length from the front of the engine wheels to the rear of the tender wheels. I am going to buy a TT and want to know the smallest I can get away with. It will save me the hastle of digging thru my boxes. Tks.
Terry[8D]

[tstage]

Hi Everyone!

I was home this morning for a little while so I decided to go ahead and try and alter V-Mid (CV6). I used both the programming track option and the Mainline OPS to accompli***his.

As I mentioned previously, according to the QSI 3.0 Manual (Feb 2005), V-Mid (or CV6) is NOT supported by QSI. When my command station tries to read it, the LCD display on my Power Cab says, "CAN NOT READ CV". If you press ENTER the CV6 screen does comes up. Even so, my suspicion is that CV6 still isn't accessible because, even after supposedly modifying the default, you do not get a "verbal" acknowledgment from the chip.

I attempted to change CV6 from the default of "2" to another number. I arbitrarily chose 70, 120, and 150 and noticed very little to no change in performance. My guess is that my attempts to change CV6 didn't happen.

Do any of you DCC gurus know that if a manual states that a particular CV is not "supported", this is another way of saying you don't have access to it and/or you can't alter the default? Unless someone has a better suggestion, I think I'm going to present my issue before the QSI Solutions help desk to see what they have to say about the matter. I'll let you know what I hear from them.

Tom

[tstage]

Dave,

Yea, I sorta expected it but I didn't think I was going to be doing as much troubleshooting as I have been. (Not that DCC is trouble-shooting intensive. Merely, that I had - and still have - some things to learn about DCC.) Still, the journey has been fun. [:)]

I agree with you on the PC interface. I'm looking forward to when NCE finally brings out the USB port so that I can hook up my Power Cab to my old 300 MHz PC to it and use JMRI DecoderPro software to document and program my decoders.

Tom

[davekelly]

This is a very interesting thread. Fiddling with things like this is a good example of the advantages one can get by having a PC interface with a DCC system.

Tom,

Did you ever in your wildest dreams think you'd get this into DCC/sound when you got the Bachmann system? I know I put off the DCC thing for quite awhile - but the minute I put my first BLI on the track I was hooked!

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rolleiman

Maybe I missed it, Tom, but have you figured out why your loco speed doesn't change from step 1 to step 21? I have the light mike and the hudson and am waiting to hear a great report before upgrading.

Jeff,

No, not yet. If you read a couple of posts up, I shared what I learned "poking around the manual" last night. I'm going to play with V-Mid (CV6) tonight to see what difference that makes. It's set a "2" so I can easily switch it back if that doesn't help out matters.

Jeff, I'd still have to say - even though I'm only scratching the surface...AND still have a number of things yet to learn about CVs and adjusting them - that the low-end response has been worth the amount paid for the upgrade.

Tom

[rolleiman]

Maybe I missed it, Tom, but have you figured out why your loco speed doesn't change from step 1 to step 21? I have the light mike and the hudson and am waiting to hear a great report before upgrading.

[sledgehammer]

thanks tom
Im my manual for my dash 8 there is no cv6 so Id say go for it to see what happends

[tstage]

This has been interesting. I decided to check the speed table settings of my new QSI chip this evening to make sure nothing was out of the ordinary. I double-checked the first five data points (CV 67-71) and each one of them was set to the factory default. (I didn't even bother to check the rest; assuming that they were correctly set, as well.)

I also found out perusing through the QSI 3.0 manual that V-Start (CV2) and V-High (CV5) are supported by QSI but V-Mid (CV6) isn't. Why is that? CV6 doesn't even have a page listed in the manual.

In Programming Mode, CV6 isn't accessible. (All you get is a message stating that the throttle is "unable to read CV.") However, in OPS mode it IS accessible - and set to the value of "2". That would flatten things out, wouldn't it?

So...should I try and increase CV6 to see what happens? Or, do you think that will make much of a difference?

Thanks for the input. [:)]

Tom

[tstage]

Derrick,

Try these links:

http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/qsi-upgrade-chip.htm

http://www.qsisolutions.com/products/q-chip-upgrade.html


BigBlueConrail,

These links my answer some of your questions:

http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/qsi-upgrade-chip-r1.htm

http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/qsi-upgrade-chip-r2.htm

Tom

[BigBlueConrail]

Anyone put a QSI upgrade chip in a diesel?