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This has come up from time to time regarding HO and O gauge engines that don't seem to run with the DCS Remote Commander (The IR remote and receiver that allow you to run an engine with limited DCS commands that is included in Ready-To-Run sets in HO and O). The reason is the engine is NOT on its default, out-of-the-box address. This occurs ANY time you add it to a DCS system and do not Factory Reset the engine.

There are two ways to reset an engine. One requires newer software in the engine that understands a button sequence, the other is through a full DCS system. Let's start with the DCS Remote Commander button sequence:

  1. Set the engine on the rails
  2. Connect the DCS Remote Commander
  3. Press the following buttons in the order listed below (remember - you are pointing the remote at the IR base, not the engine)
    • SND
    • DIR
    • - (this the minus symbol indicated when you press on the bottom half of the center, gray rocker)
  4. You will get a two toot response from the engine and it will now be alive with lights, sound smoke, etc

You now have control of your DCS engine at its Factory Address and you are now able to run it with the DCS Remote Commander

Factory Reset via DCS:

  1. Set the engine on the rails
  2. Connect DCS to the track
  3. Apply power and add the engine if it's not already in the remote
  4. Select the engine from step 3
  5. Press MENU->ADVANCED->RESET ENGINE->FACTORY RESET
  6. Scroll to select the engine from step 3 and press down on the thumbwheel
  7. Press down on the thumbwheel again to confirm the Factory Reset. The engine gets removed from the DCS Remote after this procedure because it is now back to its Factory Default address
  8. Remove track power
  9. Connect your DCS Remote Commander or set the engine on the track controlled by a DCS Remote Commander
  10. Hit SU/SD on the DCS Remote Commander IR Remote. The engine will now start-up

NOTE - DO NOT add the engine back to a full DCS system. The full DCS system will change the engine's address off of its Factory Default address  even if you have no other engines in the remote.

Again, what's happening is the engine address is not on its Factory Default address and that is the ONLY address that the DCS Remote Commander can talk to an engine on.

MTH

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Gary,

This is nonsense,

Actually, it is correct - with one caveat.

In order for the reset using the DCS Remote Commander to be successful, it must be done on a later model PS3 engine only. These PS3 engines have the newer firmware that allows them to "see" the button press sequence. Older PS3, and all PS2 engines, lack this software and therefore cannot be Factory Reset by the DCS Remote Commander.

Older PS3 engines can be upgraded to the newer firmware, however, this requires a PC and a DCS TIU.


DCS Book CoverThis and a whole lot more is all in “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!"

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Last edited by Barry Broskowitz

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