(final comment): 4.20 and 4.10 compatability question

WALT RAPP...far as I know both the remote and tiu has to be loaded with same version so downgrade the remote to 4.10 and enjoy.

Try it first and see what happens.  fyi I've been using 6.0 for many months and have had no issues.

Sometimes weird things will happen using different versions. I don't think anyone can answer what will happen. If it were me, I'd replace the version with 4.1 because that's what the other's have in them. I have used different versions by accident with no problems. However, when things started going south, they were harder to pinpoint the problem on.

 There are lists that explain what each DCS version's upgrades were. I would guess that if a new feature was triggered, that's where the trouble would begin. The remote would ask the TIU to do something that it knows nothing about!

 Version 6 still has a few bugs that have never been fixed properly. I just built a consist again the other day. The lights were flashing on the lead unit, the third unit back acted like it was also the lead unit, and the clickity clack was on again by default. That's just a few of the problems. I'm going to guess it may have been  reasons like poor signal where the consist is built??? That's just a loose guess by me that I have not confirmed yet.

 I rebuilt it in another area with different results.

Walt.... I like your question 

Joe..... where can I find the upgrade list ?

Clem

maybe here?

http://www.rayman4449.com/DCS_...ions.htm#DCS_Loader_(PC-Computer)-Old-ver

there was a page with them listed (with the upgrades).

Maybe Barry will respond?

Thank you Joe

Click here to see what's been added/fixed in DCS 6.0.

Thanks for the comments.

I went to the link that Joe supplied (thanks Joe) and it listed 2 enhancements and NO fixes for 4.20:

1)  Adds support for larger engine board memory sizes (4MB or larger). The engines that use these new boards are the PS3.0 HO Diesels and the PS3.0 Steam/Diesels

2) When loading either a PS3.0 HO Steam/Diesel or an O gauge/G scale PS3.0 Steam/Diesel engine you MUST have DCS 4.20 software installed in your TIU (and remote)

3) Under the category of "Version 4.20 Fixes" it had 'NONE'.

I now only have 2 MTH engines: both are tin-plate (by Lionel) PS3 steamers.  Comment #1 makes it sound like there are 4.20 features that require a bigger board but I don't know how to interpret that comment since no enhancements are listed.  Comment #2 kind of bothers me, unless by 'loading' they do NOT mean ADDing it.

I took RJR's advice too: Everything is currently stored away but I dug out my TIU and both engines.  I used the 4.2 new remote.  I set up about 5' of track and tied in my TIU to it.  Using the new remote I was able to:

1) Successfully add both engines to the new remote.

2) Successfully alter engine controls such as MAX speed, volume, Smoke Volume, etc.

3)  Successfully START both engines

4) Successfully ran both engines forward and reverse.

5) Successfully ACTIVATE things like Whistle, Horn and Smoke.

6) Successfully do a SHUT DOWN.

Now that I typed that, one thing that I should have done but didn't think of at the time: make sure that both engines still fully functioned with the 2 older, 4.10, remotes.

I don't know what to think at this point.  It SEEMS like leaving the remote with 4.20 is OK.  I wish I understood the comments more fully though, like what does it mean "loading an engine"?????

As Always - thanks - walt

Walt,

what does it mean "loading an engine"?????

It means that you must have DCS 4.20 or higher installed on any TIU that's used to load a sound or chain file into a PS3 engine.

Note also that there are two rather ugly bugs in DCS 4.1 that weren't fixed until DCS 4.3 and later:

• Lashups in the wrong position caused engines to fail to add to a remote and displayed "ENGINE ERROR"
• DCS engines in Super mode failed to move to the Active Engine List if they weren't on a track connected to the TIU to which they were last associated

Further, DCS 6.0 corrected a few more subtle bugs that affected a number of operators intermittently:

• Improved "Quiet Packet" Performance To Help Ensure Locomotives Are In DCS Mode When Track Power Is Applied
• Improved Record/Playback Performance When Switches and Accessories Are Included
• General Performance and Stability Enhancements

Thanks for the clarification of 'loading' Barry.

Having only 1 TIU and 2 tin-plate steamers, lashups and running in Super Mode aren't issues for me. 

I'm going to stick with my 4.10 setup since I'm happy with it and it does what I want and need for it to do.  I'll leave the new remote at 4.20 at least until I get my Christmas layout up and try it out.

Thanks ALL for your helpful comments - Walt

I doubt than anyone besides me cares about this topic, but to wrap things up I  bit the bullet yesterday and dug out, again, my TIU, engines, and my OLD 4.10 remotes, one of which had been reset prior to storing it, so it was empty in a sense.  I was able to add the engines and do all of the regular things with the 4.10.  I then, just to make sure, used the 4.20 remote on the engine and it was fine too.

As always, thanks - walt