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I use a NCE Power Cab on a workbench test track (with a roller stand) to directly configure DCC decoders with simple changes like sound volume.  But if you want to adjust some of QSI's  indexed CV's the QSI Quantum Programmer makes CV setting changes very easy as it's done in a natural language interface.  The QSI Quantum Programmer comes with its own USB interface and setup does not require a DCC Command station.   A separate NCE USB interface to a computer is required if you want to set up non QSI decoders using NMRA's JMRI-DecoderPro.  

Sometimes I can get away using the NCE to program but not always.

I decided to start Using JMRI and a SPROG Programmer with a 18v 15amp power supply. Using JMRI is probably the easiest way, and it saves all the CV data on the computer. So for some reason the Decoder fails you can replace it and re "flash" the new decoder with the same CV settings that were saved originally.

Bruk posted:

Sometimes I can get away using the NCE to program but not always.

I decided to start Using JMRI and a SPROG Programmer with a 18v 15amp power supply. Using JMRI is probably the easiest way, and it saves all the CV data on the computer. So for some reason the Decoder fails you can replace it and re "flash" the new decoder with the same CV settings that were saved originally.

I also use the JMRI/SPROG combo on my computer, and, as you say, it is much easier to program decoders than using a typical DCC system. That said, your power supply seems like overkill, both in voltage and amperage. I just use the wall wart supply that came with my SPROG 2. I’m curious as to why in the world you need 18volts and 15 amps for programming?

Bill in FtL

Last edited by Bill Nielsen

The quantum Programer will allow you to access QSI Solutions software program called CV Manager.  I have been told by several people, including 2 dcc dealers, that the QSI CV manager is better for QSI decoders but JMRI is better for everything else.   I bought a bunch of QSI Solutions Titans 6 years ago, which have ran great , and have used QSI CV manager alot.  I have experimented with JMRI with my QSI Solutions titans and the factory QSI engines I have but CV manager allows you to access more cvs.  But CV Manager is barely worth using for my new tsunomis.  Anyone have any different experiences?

Bill Nielsen posted:
Bruk posted:

Sometimes I can get away using the NCE to program but not always.

I decided to start Using JMRI and a SPROG Programmer with a 18v 15amp power supply. Using JMRI is probably the easiest way, and it saves all the CV data on the computer. So for some reason the Decoder fails you can replace it and re "flash" the new decoder with the same CV settings that were saved originally.

I also use the JMRI/SPROG combo on my computer, and, as you say, it is much easier to program decoders than using a typical DCC system. That said, your power supply seems like overkill, both in voltage and amperage. I just use the wall wart supply that came with my SPROG 2. I’m curious as to why in the world you need 18volts and 15 amps for programming?

Bill in FtL

I don't plan using the SPROG for just programing. Sound Decoders/Smoke Units take up a lot of voltage/amperage and I need "more powa baby"

I believe QSI uses a default of 6 for CV29. If you change the value of CV29 to 7 in one of the engines, that will cause that unit to run in the opposite direction from the un-altered one. When you change the value of CV29, any modifications of other CV’s will be reset to factory defaults, therefore the engine number reverts to 3 again. You’ll have to reprogram the engine number to the long address once more. The other way is to create a consist, with one forward and one-backward. Then whichever diesel number (long address) you select of the two, that will be the lead unit for forward direction, lights and sounds (horn, bell, etc.)    Digitrax has a CV29 calculator on their website that you can select options, then it gives you the corresponding valve you need to use for CV29, if you choose to go with that option. 

 

Last edited by Jack Morey
SANTIAGOP23 posted:

Here’s an option. My E5 is an AA. I worked on the units a bit, so I opened them up. A good way is to swap the motor leads on the trailing unit and give them the same ID to both engines. 

Interesting option but I’d prefer to work within the guidelines of the DCC system.  Trying to outfox it may result in other complications later on.  Did you use that technique with your E5’s?

Last edited by PRR 5841

I have NCE and consist all of the time.  The directions in the book walk you thru the process...it would take about 7 button pushs to set up the consist with one A running fwd and one reverse.  When you turn off the system, it will remember the consist.  Cganging CV 29 would work and is pretty easy and swopping the motor leads would work as a permanent alteration.  LMK if you have any issues consisting, it is one of the few things I can do blind folded.

Thank you everyone for your helpful suggestions.  Using only my NCE manual I was able to get my AA set to work as a consist back to back.  I even figured out how to get the trailing unit HL to go “Off”.  Next, I’d like to be able to start-up and shut-down each unit, I’m guessing I’ll have to access the QSI manual to do it.  

the QSI startup/shut-down process. valid for Q2 and Q3 models:

press F6 twice for start-up sequence

press F9 twice to begin shut-down. it takes 3 instances of pressing F9 twice for compete shut-down. waiting a moment each time.

the sound unit will perform an air let-off with each double press.

the first F9 double press engages 'standby' mode,  the second 'idle', the third complete shut-down. at any time you can press F6  twice to get back to running operation.

if the decoder has not already been programmed, QSI recommends start-up using the default '3' to ensure the decoder responds. once that has been verified you can proceed with assigning an engine number.

PRR Man posted:

the QSI startup/shut-down process. valid for Q2 and Q3 models:

press F6 twice for start-up sequence

press F9 twice to begin shut-down. it takes 3 instances of pressing F9 twice for compete shut-down. waiting a moment each time.

the sound unit will perform an air let-off with each double press.

the first F9 double press engages 'standby' mode,  the second 'idle', the third complete shut-down. at any time you can press F6  twice to get back to running operation.

if the decoder has not already been programmed, QSI recommends start-up using the default '3' to ensure the decoder responds. once that has been verified you can proceed with assigning an engine number.

I recently received an AA set of MIL E7’s from Sunset and had to learn how to consist them via DCC so I could run them back to back.  While I was doing that, I remembered that I took a screen shot of your post and was able to successfully start-up and shut-down both units, great info, thanks.  

This is an interesting thread and illustrates the vast flexibility of DCC.

I would like to relate my experience with CV29 which is different from above.    I have a SPROG 2 and a DIgitrax system and I have programmed CV29 on the Digitrax programming track, the Digitraz on the main, and using the SPROG and I have NEVER had the experience that changing CV29 reset any other CV on the loco.      

The brochures that come with NCE decoders give a list of values for CV29.    These are standard for all decoders, or should be.   If not, the decoder is not fully DCC compliant.

Changing the value of CV29, does change the direction, I usually set CV29 to decimal 34 or 35.   These are both 28/128 speed steps and NO analog DC.     34 is normal direction is forward based on the wiring and 35 reverses the normal direction.   

I keep a 3x5 card with a list of how I set the motor CVs on a loco, and note the value of 29.   With JMRI you can just print a list of the CVs also.

My experience with Digitrax and more than one loco running during an OP session is that consisted locos do not respond as quickly as the main one.    With Digitrax you define the "lead" loco and then add locos to make the consist.    I have noticed that the second units seem to hesitate slightly in their response when consisted.    However, this may be an illusion to me because it is not a lot of time.   And it may be different on other systems.    I generally just set the same address on both locos when I plan to run a consist semi-permanently.    Response is the same on both.     I do use consists some when a set is going to be together for only one or two op sessions.

A note on NCE consists learned at the local club.    If you consist locos with an NCE system.    They only work with that system.  They will not run if take them to another layout.    You have to de-consist and re-consist on the new layout.    the local club has had members show up with consists and it took a while to figure out why they would not run.

I understand that the SPROG 2 which I have will do fine programmiing all CVS including all Sound and that is my experience.    I have been told however that it is not capable of downloading and installing new sound files.    For that you need a QSI programmer for QSI and PR3 for Digitrax and I think Soundtraxx has their own device. 

Jim,  

I have a NCE Power Cab which I have found to be a very intuitive system for someone like myself who has very little experience with DCC.  The instruction booklet was well written and the keypad controls are well thought out and reasonably simple to use.  During consist on my 14’ test track with my E7 AA set uncoupled and space between them, they run identically.  As for taking them to another layout and still being consist-ready, I’m not sure what would happen but suspect that it would work provided I could use my controller otherwise reprogramming may be necessary.  I think using the long address for consist may help but I’ll defer to anyone who has more experience to weigh in.  I’ve tried using the same address on both but then horns and bells on both units activate.  I prefer to designate a lead and if going backwards, hitting “Recall” which then enables only the bell and horn on the other (Rear) A unit when reversing.  Hitting “Recall” again returns control of these functions to the lead unit.  Still lots I don’t know but am having fun discovering.  

PRR,

Sounds like you are having fun.    I think Consisting gives better performance with NCE than with my system based on experience operating at Friends layouts.   

Your power cab I think is command station and throttle all rolled into one.    So if you take it to another layout, you have to wire it in.    I could be wrong about that, I have no experience with the Power Cabs.

As for the programming, I did my E7s and the next set, I think F7s using my master throttle 402 with my digitrax system.   It just takes me  awhile to get to used the referencing directly for the Indexed CVs.     I did get into them to change the lights to be more like the ones on my other engines.    For example, I want the cab lights to go out immediately when they start to move not after 10-15 seconds.     On my model railroad, that is just too long for an engineer to sit in a bright light trying to see out!    So that is something I reprogrammed and some other stuff on headlights and backup lights.   I turn them off if not in the direction of travel.

Consisting in NCE is resident on the command base. Even though you’ve consisted with a power cab, the consist will not be available on another layout’s command base until it is programmed to that base.

Jim is also correct that engines consisted elsewhere will not run in a new location unless the consist is removed first, at the base it was created 

PRR Man posted:

Consisting in NCE is resident on the command base. Even though you’ve consisted with a power cab, the consist will not be available on another layout’s command base until it is programmed to that base.

Jim is also correct that engines consisted elsewhere will not run in a new location unless the consist is removed first, at the base it was created 

Thanks.  Everything works fine during consist but after total shut-down of both E units (AA), one cab light now remains on while the other goes out as usual.  I thought this would reset after the next cycle but was wrong.  Reprogramming from scratch, deleting consist and creating a new consist didn’t help either.  So.....analogous to taking a drink from a fire hose, I read/skimmed through the ENTIRE 468 pages of the QSI manual (Mine is v.9) and couldn’t find anything on it.  Any idea what my problem is?

TIA

you don't say whether its the leading or trailing unit's cab that stays lit. at times I enter both engine numbers into the handheld, so that if the trailing unit's headlight comes back on (say from a power interruption), I can turn it off with that engine's address.

you may try that to see if it shuts the light off. if it's the trailing unit.

PRR Man posted:

you don't say whether its the leading or trailing unit's cab that stays lit. at times I enter both engine numbers into the handheld, so that if the trailing unit's headlight comes back on (say from a power interruption), I can turn it off with that engine's address.

you may try that to see if it shuts the light off. if it's the trailing unit.

It’s the cab light in the lead unit that stays “On” after total (F9 twice x 3) shut-down.

PRR Man posted:

Consisting in NCE is resident on the command base. Even though you’ve consisted with a power cab, the consist will not be available on another layout’s command base until it is programmed to that base.

Jim is also correct that engines consisted elsewhere will not run in a new location unless the consist is removed first, at the base it was created 

This is only true for legacy 'basic' consisting. If you use advanced consisting, which is the default, the consist address is stored in the loco along with its main address. That will be portable to any layout and control system. You can in fact read back the consist address on a program track to verify.

Selecting the type of consist is the first option that comes up when setting up a consist. This is discussed in detail in the NCE system manual.

I think there's a bit of confusion here.  I am not an NCE owner but I do use it on other layouts. So take all that follows with a pinch of salt.

The NMRA DCC standard Advanced Consist is set and held in CV19 in each decoder.  The consist has to be assigned a 2-digit address which is set in CV19. Any decoders with that address in CV19 are in the consist. CV19 also holds which direction the loco is facing in the consist.

Which functions are accessible by the throttle in each loco in the consist is set in CV21 and CV22. These settings are also set and stored in each decoder and they can be different for each loco.  For example, you would likely want the motor sounds and brake function in all. You might not want the lights, bell and horn in a mid or trailing unit.

So an NMRA DCC standard consist should run on any DCC system using the 2-digit address. 

Whereas NCE's proprietary advanced consisting is different. It adds extra features on top of the NMRA standard but some of those have to be stored in the command station.  For example, when you make up a consist with an NCE throttle, it does change the CV19s behind the scenes but you don't use the 2-digit address to run the consist.  NCE adds on the ability to select any of the locos by its DCC address (cab number) and operate the consist. This is a very nice feature, imho. 

NCE's overlay also allows functions in the selected loco to be activated from the throttle, and some other neat stuff I'm not totally sure about.  

So a NCE advanced consist made on an NCE throttle will only work on the command station where it was made. It won't run properly on a non-NCE system, and you'd need to make a new consist on any NCE system where you took your locos to run.

I hope I got this right, please chime in with any edits/additons.

Thanks!

Keystoned Ed posted:

I use a NCE Power Cab on a workbench test track (with a roller stand) to directly configure DCC decoders with simple changes like sound volume.  But if you want to adjust some of QSI's  indexed CV's the QSI Quantum Programmer makes CV setting changes very easy as it's done in a natural language interface.  The QSI Quantum Programmer comes with its own USB interface and setup does not require a DCC Command station.   A separate NCE USB interface to a computer is required if you want to set up non QSI decoders using NMRA's JMRI-DecoderPro.  

prrjim posted:

This is an interesting thread and illustrates the vast flexibility of DCC.

I would like to relate my experience with CV29 which is different from above.    I have a SPROG 2 and a DIgitrax system and I have programmed CV29 on the Digitrax programming track, the Digitraz on the main, and using the SPROG and I have NEVER had the experience that changing CV29 reset any other CV on the loco.      

The brochures that come with NCE decoders give a list of values for CV29.    These are standard for all decoders, or should be.   If not, the decoder is not fully DCC compliant.

Changing the value of CV29, does change the direction, I usually set CV29 to decimal 34 or 35.   These are both 28/128 speed steps and NO analog DC.     34 is normal direction is forward based on the wiring and 35 reverses the normal direction.   

I keep a 3x5 card with a list of how I set the motor CVs on a loco, and note the value of 29.   With JMRI you can just print a list of the CVs also.

My experience with Digitrax and more than one loco running during an OP session is that consisted locos do not respond as quickly as the main one.    With Digitrax you define the "lead" loco and then add locos to make the consist.    I have noticed that the second units seem to hesitate slightly in their response when consisted.    However, this may be an illusion to me because it is not a lot of time.   And it may be different on other systems.    I generally just set the same address on both locos when I plan to run a consist semi-permanently.    Response is the same on both.     I do use consists some when a set is going to be together for only one or two op sessions.

A note on NCE consists learned at the local club.    If you consist locos with an NCE system.    They only work with that system.  They will not run if take them to another layout.    You have to de-consist and re-consist on the new layout.    the local club has had members show up with consists and it took a while to figure out why they would not run.

I understand that the SPROG 2 which I have will do fine programmiing all CVS including all Sound and that is my experience.    I have been told however that it is not capable of downloading and installing new sound files.    For that you need a QSI programmer for QSI and PR3 for Digitrax and I think Soundtraxx has their own device. 

Bill Nielsen posted:
Bruk posted:

Sometimes I can get away using the NCE to program but not always.

I decided to start Using JMRI and a SPROG Programmer with a 18v 15amp power supply. Using JMRI is probably the easiest way, and it saves all the CV data on the computer. So for some reason the Decoder fails you can replace it and re "flash" the new decoder with the same CV settings that were saved originally.

I also use the JMRI/SPROG combo on my computer, and, as you say, it is much easier to program decoders than using a typical DCC system. That said, your power supply seems like overkill, both in voltage and amperage. I just use the wall wart supply that came with my SPROG 2. I’m curious as to why in the world you need 18volts and 15 amps for programming?

Bill in FtL

astarr posted:

The quantum Programer will allow you to access QSI Solutions software program called CV Manager.  I have been told by several people, including 2 dcc dealers, that the QSI CV manager is better for QSI decoders but JMRI is better for everything else.   I bought a bunch of QSI Solutions Titans 6 years ago, which have ran great , and have used QSI CV manager alot.  I have experimented with JMRI with my QSI Solutions titans and the factory QSI engines I have but CV manager allows you to access more cvs.  But CV Manager is barely worth using for my new tsunomis.  Anyone have any different experiences?

PRR 5841 posted:
PRR Man posted:

Consisting in NCE is resident on the command base. Even though you’ve consisted with a power cab, the consist will not be available on another layout’s command base until it is programmed to that base.

Jim is also correct that engines consisted elsewhere will not run in a new location unless the consist is removed first, at the base it was created 

Thanks.  Everything works fine during consist but after total shut-down of both E units (AA), one cab light now remains on while the other goes out as usual.  I thought this would reset after the next cycle but was wrong.  Reprogramming from scratch, deleting consist and creating a new consist didn’t help either.  So.....analogous to taking a drink from a fire hose,

Pete M posted:

I think there's a bit of confusion here.  I am not an NCE owner but I do use it on other layouts. So take all that follows with a pinch of salt.

The NMRA DCC standard Advanced Consist is set and held in CV19 in each decoder.  The consist has to be assigned a 2-digit address which is set in CV19. Any decoders with that address in CV19 are in the consist. CV19 also holds which direction the loco is facing in the consist.

Which functions are accessible by the throttle in each loco in the consist is set in CV21 and CV22. These settings are also set and stored in each decoder and they can be different for each loco.  For example, you would likely want the motor sounds and brake function in all. You might not want the lights, bell and horn in a mid or trailing unit.

So an NMRA DCC standard consist should run on any DCC system using the 2-digit address. 

Whereas NCE's proprietary advanced consisting is different. It adds extra features on top of the NMRA standard but some of those have to be stored in the command station.  For example, when you make up a consist with an NCE throttle, it does change the CV19s behind the scenes but you don't use the 2-digit address to run the consist.  NCE adds on the ability to select any of the locos by its DCC address (cab number) and operate the consist. This is a very nice feature, imho. 

NCE's overlay also allows functions in the selected loco to be activated from the throttle, and some other neat stuff I'm not totally sure about.  

So a NCE advanced consist made on an NCE throttle will only work on the command station where it was made. It won't run properly on a non-NCE system, and you'd need to make a new consist on any NCE system where you took your locos to run.

I hope I got this right, please chime in with any edits/additons.

Thanks!

The NCE advanced consisting is portable, including function response, as intended. The consist address and function response are stored in the decoder, and are independent of the command station. This is discussed in detail in the manual, and also here for an online reference. The only caveat, as Pete notes, is that you need to address it using the consist address, not the loco addresses as the NCE interface allows, if you are on another system.

I have three DCC systems with which to demonstrate this:

  1. NCE PH10-R on my main layout
  2. NCE Powercab for bench work
  3. ESU Lokprogrammer, which can also function as a basic cab

I just created a consist of two SW-9s (because, well, why not... ) on the PH10-R, using the advanced consist option. The consist functions exactly as expected on both the NCE bench setup and the Lokprogrammer, neither of which obviously have any knowledge of the setup on the PH10-R. Consist function mapping also responds as expected - in this case I set up the cab and panel lights to respond to the consist address, so those lights on both locos respond to a single function press on the cab.

You can see the consist config stored in the decoder in this pic from the Lokprogrammer:

consist address

Make of the data what you will.

Attachments

Images (1)
  • consist address
Last edited by thor73

Having re read the Mark Gurries/Dave Heap notes in my earlier post, I was wrong about NCE throttle-built consist portability. They should work anywhere using the address in CV19 as Thor and Chris say. And CV21/22 settings will also work.

In other words an NCE throttle-built consist can't be run using the loco cab numbers on a different NCE system (and getting the other NCE features) until a new consist is built on the new NCE system's throttle. However the consist could be run on a different NCE system, or any other DCC system, using the 2 digit address in CV19 if known, but without the NCE features.

I hope I got it right this time.

Last edited by Pete M

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