New QSI upgrade chip - 6/30 update

[sledgehammer]

Thanks fellas on the input.
I looked for the page for the updates but i still havent found it yet I must be looking in the wrong place. I will probably invest in the new chip just to be able to dowlaod new updates on the net .

Tom thanks we think she is pretty cute too and loves trains as well

[scubaterry]

Tom - I am not using a preset speed table with my Hudson?? Maybe I will get a chance to play with it this week. Preparing for Hurricane season is time consuming and eating up lots of RR time.

Sledgehammer - I have a LL GP-9 with most of the updates all ready however the chip that is in it now is not programable. To get the slow speed ops and the ability to download new sounds, version updates etc requires the new upgrade chip. just the low speed operation with this new upgrade makes it worth thrity bucks to me anyway.
Terry[8D]

[tstage]

Derrick,

The upgrade was just released so yours should be the older chip. The big thing is that there are over 53 additional "improvements" added to the new QSI upgrade chip. They should list them on either Tony's or QSI Solutions web site.

Tom

P.S. Derrick, you're KILLIN' me with that picture of your daughter. She's just adorable.

[selector]

Tom, I had to return the Niagara tender two months ago when it kept shorting the track. They returned it this week with a new chip, new pickups, and undid the inadvertent scamble on the axles that I made when taking it apart to see if I could find the fault.

They stand behind their product, I am pleased to say.

I think these decoder upgrades will need a more "educated" user, Tom, users who get into the manual considerably longer to get the most out of the chip. I, too, suspect mid -range voltage and/or speed step matters.

-Crandell

[sledgehammer]

I know you guys a talking about steam engines. but I do have a question.
My atlas 8-40c does everything that you guys said was an improvement to your locos after you put the chip. I look through the list and it shows a chip for mine. I checked the number and they are different from the one in my loco.

Im beging to think that I have a upgraded chip in mine already. from the lists of improvements my loco does all the features now. I,m not dhure i can download any of the sounds when they get that part of it done.

when you change your cv values do you have to stop the train for them to take effect. I have to stop mine for them to work. the voice only talks when it is stoped to tell me the cv change. But it will tell me how fast im going when i pu***he F10 button in movement.
Im not 100% shure Imgoing to get the chip at this time I need to do some more reaserch.

[tstage]

Terry,

I got mine from Tony's Train Exchange. Yes, I initially noticed a couple of changes:

1. The headlight powers down much quicker - i.e. 1-2 seconds vs. 15-20
2. When you make CV changes, the "dispatcher" informs you verbally which CV you changed and what value you changed it to. Kinda' cool.

Terry, I'm sure there's others but I haven't had the chance to see them yet.


Simon and Don,

I was wonderin' the same thing myself so you may be right about the speed curve and Mid Voltage. I will try and fiddle with it again this evening to see if I can't make some improvements to it. In either case, I think it's still worth the extra few $$$ for the low end response and the additional features. [:)]

And, I also just noticed that QSI has a one-year guarantee on the chip from the original date of purchase and will replace it FREE if it is defective for any reason. [:)][tup]

Tom

P.S. Simon, I sent you a copy of the document you requested late last night. I should be sitting in your mailbox. Let me know if you have any problems with it.

[DigitalGriffin]

Tom,

I don't know if they changed the CVs or not, but if adjusting the speed curves doesn't help, try checking to see if there is a Mid Voltage CV.

Let us know how it goes. I have two on order for my BLI T1 2-10-4, and LL 2-8-8-2

[simon1966]

Is this a speed curve issue? I don't yet have my upgrade chip, so I can't look at it myself. But it reads as if the first several steps of a speed curve are set at close to zero?

[scubaterry]

Tom - I noticed the same thing wiith my Hudson upgrade It creeps right along but it needs lots of throttle to start accellerating. I haven't had the chance to play with the CV's yet. Did you notice any change in the sound as far as quality? Where did you purchase your 2-8-2 upgrade?
Terry[8D]

[tstage]

Ken,

Nope. it's set at 128.

Tom

[NZRMac]

Tom, are you using 128 steps on your throttle? maybe the loco is set to 28? Just a thought.

Ken.

Edit That can't be it cause the loco won't move if the speed steps aren't the same.

[tstage]

Has anyone put in the QSI upgrade chip into their BLI 2-8-2 Mike yet and successfully fine tuned the start voltage?

First off, the entire chip replacement was very straightforward and took me less than 10 minutes to accomplish. QSI Solutions was kind enough to include an handy installation info sheet along with the new chip.

Secondly, the low end response of the new QSI chip is definitely an improvement over the older one. I can start right out at speed step 001; whereas, it took me till 007 or 008 on the older chip before my Mike would start out.

However, I have run into a couple of issues:

1. The difference in speed between speed step 001 and speed step 021 using the new chip is nil. In other words, the Mike starts right out at speed step 001 but maintains that same exact speed up to speed step 021. It's only when I get past 021 that I begin to see the speed actually increase. I guess this might be a CV adjustment issue but it's still pretty odd.

2. I've followed the directions on the info sheet for adjusting or fine tuning the Start Voltage (CV2) but it's not going exactly like they describe it.

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone else has had any troubles initially.

Tom