It works!!

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Woodie

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Mar 23, 2001
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Have just plugged my NCE Pro System into the pooter and it all worked. First go. :D

I'm using JMRI software, and have only set up a couple of throttles and saved the throttle layout so far.

It's an old Win 98 bomb PC that I had laying around. I want to keep it at Win 98, as it had a video capture card in it, that ain't upgradable to Win XP. that's for the remote (wireless) mini-cam I have that fits inside a loco. (runs off a 9 volt battery).

Anyone else using JMRI and done more than just set up a couple of throttles? Anyone know fo any throttle "skins" available for it?

:thumb: :thumb: :D :D balloon6 bounce7
 
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Woodie

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Mar 23, 2001
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Have just now mucked around with the Decoder Pro bits of JMRI. Much better than doing one CV at a time on the cab controller!! :thumb:

Have no real idea what the "create panel" bit does yet, but I'll work it out. :D


I don't read manuals. :eek:ops:
 
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Woodie

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Northern Rivers NSW Australia
60103 said:
Can we run your trains over the 'net?
Click to expand...


Not yet, David. I need a web server, and appropriate web based software, but there's nothing technical or impossible stopping it happen. :) Plus I'm on dialup, so the frame rate that you'd get would be pretty slow, if I did set it up that way. :)

But there's nothing to say it can't be done. :)

It's not possible with JMRI, but there was some other software that I found (it costs, don't recall it's name at the mo) that has a "server" version that links to the command station. You would run the "client" part, and point it at the IP address of the server. There is no reason why it wouldn't work over the net.

There is a trial version available, so should get around to trying it over the net one day soon. :):) It don't have video, though, so you'd be driving blind. :cool:
 
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Woodie

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Just an update on the JMRI stuff. Have now got into it a bit more, and decoder programming, and I'll probably not use my cab controller for it again. It'll be pooter only from now on. :thumb:

Wack the loco on the programming track and "read" ALL... yep. ALL the CVs at once. Have them ALL presented to you on a pooter window, set what you want, then write them ALL back at once. (or just changes, if you want).

None of this skipping forwards/backwards one at a time on your cab controller,even though the LCD may tell you what the CV is in english (rather than a number).

Then store it in a "profile" on you pooter.

Open a throttle, select the loco from a drop down box, and away you go. :):)

It will also "program on the main" as well, with the added benfit of having the pooter profile, you know what the CV values are before altering them "on the main" as well. :thumb: :D

Rool noice, as they say. noice. :D
 
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Drew Toner

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Computer controlled

Woodie,

that all sounds like a real good way to go, running from the computer. But what about using a PDA and then having cordless operation?

I just keep getting this vision of sitting down, staring at the screen, and 'running trains'??

Drew
 
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Woodie

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Drew,

You can run both. It's not an either/or situation with your pooter. With NCE, it plugs from your serial port on your pooter, into a "serial" plug on the command station. Your cab controllers etc work on the cab bus at the same time.

There is no reason why a PDA would not work (wireless/infra red comms to a pooter, then serial port connection to command station), however software would need to be written to run on the PDA to interact with the pooter.

One real benefit of using the pooter is fine tuning the locos "on the main" You've got a window open, with ALL the CV's labelled in plain english, with their current values displayed. Make adjustment, even to the speed tables, and click "write changes" or "write all" and instantly there are reflected in the running loco. The speed table is a set of 28 sliders (like a stereo graphic equalizer).

Set your loco to, say, "speed step 5", and adjust CVs until you get a nice slow crawl etc, all with just one "click" on your mouse...... adjust, then click again... and so on, till you loco is fine tuned. :):)

With your loco set to a low speed step, it will react imediately to any new setting on a "write CV" click of the mouse, be it a write of a single CV, or a "write all". (including speed tables)

For speed table use, you just need to set the first speed step until your loco moves off slowly. Then there are buttons to click for graduated curve, straight line etc, that will automatically align the rest of the speed steps to where you set speed step 28 to. (usually full steam ahead).
Then click "write all", and your speed steps are set, and recorded on the pooter under the loco ID for later adjustment if you want. All done "on the main".

I'm very impressed with that part of pooterizing my DCC layout. :):) :thumb:
 
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Drew Toner

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Computers on the main

Well Woodie, your right. That does sound like a really neat way to work the magic into those decoders. You could tweek the hell out of them!!

The software you are using, is that written specifically for NCE? Is there a generic software that could be used with any DCC system that can be connected to the computer?

This is starting to sound interesting!
 
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Woodie

Active Member
Mar 23, 2001
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Northern Rivers NSW Australia
Drew Toner said:
The software you are using, is that written specifically for NCE? Is there a generic software that could be used with any DCC system that can be connected to the computer?

This is starting to sound interesting!
Click to expand...

It's written for quite a lot of DCC systems. The main ones anyway. (Bout 10 of them on the list). When you install it, you tell it what sort of DCC system you use. It would have just about every different brand and model of decoders it supports as well.

Just tell it what decoder you have (or put your loco on the programming track, and "ask" it, and it will tell you what decoder make & model it is, and automatically show a window with all the CVs that are used by that decoder, and their defaults, etc, or click "read all" and it will upload to your pooter all the CV settings from the decoder for you.

Settings displayed go right down to "drop down" boxes to select lighting options (mars, stobe, becaon etc), consist directions etc.

And it's free. :) :thumb: (you can send them a "contribution" if you wish).

It makes it quite fun to be able to select "big green steam loco" (not a decoder loco number/address) from a drop down box, click on the "lighting tab", select "strobe" from the drop down box, then click "write changes", and your running loco's headlight changes to a stobe, or beacon. (or any other change you might wish to make at the time, even if your loco is running round the layout). All in plain english. :)
 
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