Grampstrains,  I've done the same thing with the couplers.  It seems backwards to me as well.  My theory is that the whistle button is thought of as the 'main' button, so it was used for the rear coupler/only coupler on steam engines.  

JGL

Great job, love the visual effect of the split screen.  Is that the apple imovie you used?

Hi John • Wow: A Top Secret Button, coming soon.

Hokie71, 

First, thank you.  I use Adobe premiere elements 14 for the video.  iMovie will do the split screen as well, but only allows for two video tracks, so if you want to have more than one video or image superimposed over the main video, things get complex.  iMovie is a fairly good program in it's current version, but has not always been so.  I use both Mac and PC, however my mac is just a little too old to be upgraded to the latest software, so it is relegated to use for photo editing for my regular job, which it does better than my PC.  

Pros of iMovie:  it's free.

Premiere Elements, on the other hand costs about $100, though you can purchase a monthly plan from Adobe that will give you access to all of their software for $20-30 a month, if you have a need for the use of photoshop or any of their other offerings. I use PhotoShop quite often for my work, so purchasing the Premiere/photoshop combo pack made sense for me.  

JGL

Wow, great job!

Gave it a quick once over but will spend more time with it later.

Yes.  Top secret... Though I think by now everyone has a good idea it is used in some way to control a LionChief engine from TMCC

JGL

Great video. You should do more.

Thank you, Denny,

I'm currently working on my next video, but it is a bit more complex so, going to take me a while to finish, added to this is the fact that I'm traveling for work, so am without access to my video editing computer for a couple of days.  

In any case, once I finish the video for the LionChief/TMCC bridge I'm thinking about just doing some sort of "basic electronics for train people" sorts of videos as time allows.  

JGL

Videos like basic electrical / electronics are a great idea. 

Thanks John.  Major public service on your part .

A tip for John.

Beatifully done video. One comment, I thought the response to throttle position appeared to be a bit sluggish. Anybody agree?

BOB WALKER posted:

Beatifully done video. One comment, I thought the response to throttle position appeared to be a bit sluggish. Anybody agree?

Is it sluggish, or a result of having a cruise control or momentum?

Bill in FtL

BOB WALKER posted:

Beatifully done video. One comment, I thought the response to throttle position appeared to be a bit sluggish. Anybody agree?

There is a bit of a feel of sluggishness if you are used to running conventional.  This comes from two things.  First, the engine takes a moment to switch from neutral to the first speed step.  You get the air brake sound, cab light goes out, then after what looks like about one second the engine will start to move.  The second is that the LC+ engines have momentum built in.  If you move up or down one or two speed steps the change in speed appears to be about instant, however if you change many steps the engine will adjust to the new speed over the course of several seconds.  Folks that run TMCC or legacy are probably used to this, or even people that use the CW80 transformer, as it ramps up voltage in a similar fashion, however it may take a moment to get used to for those that are used to the instant throttle response of conventional engines.  

JGL

Great review 

Thank you very much

I have the B&O NW-2 and apsolutely love it

The delay does not bother me --- I've gotten use to it

Jusr curious --- you didn't touch on the smoke unit --- I think one of the coolest features on the engine 

thx again

Joe S

dorfj2 posted:

 

Jusr curious --- you didn't touch on the smoke unit --- I think one of the coolest features on the engine 

You are correct.  I, too, really like the fan driven smoke units.  There are 2 reasons I didn't mention it here.  First, I'm going more for a demonstration of the controls from the remote in LC+.  Showing the features that are available on every LC+ locomotive, as far as control, rather than any engine specific features.  The second reason is that I filmed the video in my sister's house, and can not use the smoke units there, so it is turned off.  

I also had the engine RPM sounds turned off to make the other sounds more clear on the video, but I find the background sound to be very good.  

JGL

About to pass out, But I thought I'd share a sneak peek at my next video that I'm almost finished with. Figure since it was mentioned in this thread, here is as good of a place as any.  

Enjoy the first look at my LC/TMCC bridge in operation. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gAE8QkusssE

JGL

I am really glad you did this; even though the Lionchief instructions do explain the volume control procedure, I just wasn't getting it. Your video demonstration cleared that up, good job and thanks!

JGL,

   Good job on the over view and thanks for posting it!

Does your LC + Bridge also work with the Legacy Cab2? 

Does the Bridge also work with the LC?

This is great stuff!

PCRR/Dave

Pretty cool John.  So you're basically hacking the remote via your micro controller?  Will it eventually have connectivity for multiple remotes or does it already?

Dave, and Marty, There is a bit more information in this thread: https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/t...-tmcc-is-it-possible

As it stands it will work with LC/LC+/FlyerChief, however it would only offer whatever features are available on the particular locomotive, so no couplers or volume adjustment on LC engines.  

Marty, my intention at this point is to use a universal remote, and 'hack' it so that no modification of the original equipment is needed.  This, of course, will have to wait until the universal remote is available for sale.  In the long term, I'd like to decode the actual data protocol in use, and just use a 99 cent 2.4GHz module to handle this, but figuring the protocol out is stumping me right now.  

Edit:  Also, Marty, I could hook up up to 16 remotes with the arduino mega I'm using without any additional hardware besides a low pass filter on each.  

JGL

JGL,

   Sense you can use the TMCC remote Cab1 can you use the Legacy Cab2 with the bridge?   I saw the other module you will need to install for the Legacy Cab2 let me know when you test it out and I will have you build me a Bridge Converter.  This upgrade sounds fantastic!

PCRR/Dave

JGL,

Thank you for posting the informative video about the LionChief Plus Control.  It was very informative.

Thanks, Ron.

Very cool and creative. My hat is off to you!

Dave, as it sits right this moment, the Bridge is not compatible with Legacy...but it will be shortly.  Mostly I have not done this because I do not have a Legacy base to test with to make sure it works correctly.  The module, or simply using a MAX232 chip will solve the actual voltage difference problem and I have tested that the serial module works correctly.  The other part of the problem is that from what I understand, Legacy sends out speed commands differently than TMCC.  TMCC sends out relative speed commands, such as 'go 1 step faster' or 'go 3 steps slower'.  These are the commands I programed in the bridge right now.  It is my understanding that Legacy sends out absolute speed commands instead, ex 'go at step 24', 'go at step 21', etc.  As it sits, the bridge is not looking for these commands, so it won't do anything with them.  I will add this ability, and do not expect it to be difficult, but without having a Legacy base to test that it works, I haven't seen a need to program it yet.  It will defiantly work with Legacy by the time the universal remote is released which is needed right now to make the Bridge a plug and play device.  

As a side note, it SHOULD work plugged into the port on a DCS TIU as well for control from DCS as a TMCC engine. I don't have the information to confirm this, but the TIU should be sending out the same data as the TMCC base does.  I'm also unsure if the TIU uses the 0-5 volt serial signal, or a signal closer to real RS232 voltages.  I do not own a TIU to test this.  

JGL

John, if you configure the connection to the bridge as CAB1, it will work just like the TMCC base, you don't need the LCS stuff unless you're wanting to decode the 9-bit Legacy commands.  What comes in/out of the serial port for TMCC locomotives is the same as your TMCC base.  So, the answer is yes, you can use the Legacy system to connect to your bridge.

BTW, I want one!

gunrunnerjohn posted:

John, if you configure the connection to the bridge as CAB1, it will work just like the TMCC base, you don't need the LCS stuff unless you're wanting to decode the 9-bit Legacy commands.  What comes in/out of the serial port for TMCC locomotives is the same as your TMCC base.  So, the answer is yes, you can use the Legacy system to connect to your bridge.

BTW, I want one!

GRJ,  

so when a locomotive is programed in the Legacy remote/base as a TMCC engine, the data sent out is relative speed commands?  If that is the case, then the bridge is Legacy capable right now as far as programing.  I think I want to test this, however, as, once again, it has been my impression that legacy offers better control of TMCC speeds because it sends out the absolute speed values. 

As for wanting one, I'll put you right at the top of the list for serial number 2.  I'm keeping number 1.

JGL

JGL,

   Hay wait a minute I get #2 he can have #3!

PCRR/Dave

Too late Dave, I've already put dibs on it.

John, I believe if you use CAB1 emulation, it doesn't send the absolute commands.  I'm not 100% sure of that, but it's worth a shot.  I suspect Jon Z or Rudy from Lionel can answer that question for sure.  In any case, once you put the absolute command handling in, it'll for sure work with Legacy in TMCC or CAB1 mode.

Scrolling up for the score, and I think Dave may have been the first to actually express interest... guess there will be two #2's    

2 1/2?

JLG,

   Better make Guns #2, I'll be #3,  I have to keep him happy, he is still rebuilding my 249 Tin Plate, because of the incredible damage done by UPS during shipment.

PCRR/Dave

Now you're thinking Dave.