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Post by Deleted on Sept 21, 2021 2:00:14 GMT
Thank you Joe!
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Post by curtis on Sept 26, 2021 11:41:27 GMT
Joe, I can up you by one, I think. I got back in to the hobby because of DCS and Love it. Bought the great Barry's books which helped so much. So I have been operating DCS, TMMC, Legacy and conventional. I set up Z Tracks to run conventional. BUT. Wait for it! I JUST found out I don't need Z Tracks and I can still run conventional from the remote. Imagine that. It just has to be on a variable port. I guess it is true. Never too old to learn.
Curtis
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Post by quietman on Nov 15, 2021 14:01:16 GMT
The magic cable mentioned is just an RS-232 null modem cable. If you have a null modem adapter, you can use a standard serial cable.
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Post by quietman on Nov 15, 2021 14:07:06 GMT
BUT. Wait for it! I JUST found out I don't need Z Tracks and I can still run conventional from the remote. Imagine that. It just has to be on a variable port. I guess it is true. Never too old to learn. Curtis I'm putting a switch in the Christmas layout so when I put the old post war Lionel on the layout, I can throw the switch, disconnecting the Fixed out 1 and connecting the variable out #1. Will have the TIU on Aux power too. The layout under the tree is too small to run more than one loco, so this is a simple option. Visiting neighborhood and friend's kids like the app better than the transformer. This is easier than previous years where I was using the DCS Explorer and had to switch between transformer out and DCS out while removing the power from the explorer so it didn't get widely varying voltages on the input. It's also how I learned kids preferred the app over the transformer.
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Post by scoutingdad on Jan 1, 2022 17:23:52 GMT
Following on this thread, I recently added a new old stock TMCC Train Master Command base to be able to run a recently purchased K-Line F3 engine - vintage 2000. I use DCS and transformer control on my layout. I only use the MTH app to run the engines, I do not have a separate remote. After spending hours reading about the interface and programming (DCS to TMCC/Legacy), I found the process quirky but incredibly easy once I understood what was going on.
The app only requires a connection to the TIU to add a TMCC engine. The tricky part here is to know the TMCC engine ID number. For this diesel engine it was the factory default of "1". Once that number is entered press done to enter that number the app will assign a different list number associated with the name of the engine entered in the previous step. Finish with selecting TMCC/Legacy and Steam/Diesel and hit DONE again (a different done) and That's it. The app never communicates with the engine during this process.
There is no need to switch the engine to "program". As I understand the app, MTH left out the "set" function so the engine cannot be programmed with a different engine ID number, nor can you discover what the TMCC address is. There is an engine factory reset option, but I do not know if that works especially if you do not know the engine ID number in the first place. At this point I believe a Cab-1 remote or newer is required to change the ID number. Rather obvious now, but without a different engine ID number, all engines powered on the layout will respond to commands, regardless of how many different TMCC engines were entered into the MTH app. Since I only own 2 TMCC engines which are unlikely to be on the layout at the same time, this should not be an issue for me.
One other point - given I had an "new-old" electronic device I was struggling to understand whether or not the electronic signals were working properly. Since I had already confirmed the engine responded to transformer control, when the TMCC unit was powered, the engine would not operate in transformer control, only the headlight would light, nothing else. Unplug TMCC and the engine was back to transformer control.
Thanks to Mark Boyce for his help in getting this set up. I was making it far harder than it really was.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2022 7:26:45 GMT
Following on this thread, I recently added a new old stock TMCC Train Master Command base to be able to run a recently purchased K-Line F3 engine - vintage 2000. I use DCS and transformer control on my layout. I only use the MTH app to run the engines, I do not have a separate remote. After spending hours reading about the interface and programming (DCS to TMCC/Legacy), I found the process quirky but incredibly easy once I understood what was going on. The app only requires a connection to the TIU to add a TMCC engine. The tricky part here is to know the TMCC engine ID number. For this diesel engine it was the factory default of "1". Once that number is entered press done to enter that number the app will assign a different list number associated with the name of the engine entered in the previous step. Finish with selecting TMCC/Legacy and Steam/Diesel and hit DONE again (a different done) and That's it. The app never communicates with the engine during this process. There is no need to switch the engine to "program". As I understand the app, MTH left out the "set" function so the engine cannot be programmed with a different engine ID number, nor can you discover what the TMCC address is. There is an engine factory reset option, but I do not know if that works especially if you do not know the engine ID number in the first place. At this point I believe a Cab-1 remote or newer is required to change the ID number. Rather obvious now, but without a different engine ID number, all engines powered on the layout will respond to commands, regardless of how many different TMCC engines were entered into the MTH app. Since I only own 2 TMCC engines which are unlikely to be on the layout at the same time, this should not be an issue for me. One other point - given I had an "new-old" electronic device I was struggling to understand whether or not the electronic signals were working properly. Since I had already confirmed the engine responded to transformer control, when the TMCC unit was powered, the engine would not operate in transformer control, only the headlight would light, nothing else. Unplug TMCC and the engine was back to transformer control. Thanks to Mark Boyce for his help in getting this set up. I was making it far harder than it really was. Jeff, I'm glad I was able to help!! For everyone else, I made it harder too!! I fussed with it off and on for a long time until it finally dawned on me the instructions meant the Lionel engine ID number. A super big DUH for me!! It is so easy once I got my mind out of the tiny box it was in! LOL
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