@DriverDTrains I'm always excited to see the notification for the next video. It is my pleasure to see them, so all the kind comments are more than well deserved! Hope you have a wonderful day
Thank you for your kind comments, and a warm hello to Herbie! >^-^< So glad you are finding the videos enjoyable and informative. Scratchy-C and I look forward to making many more. Thanks again! DD
Thank you for your kind comments. If you are interested in setting up your roster directly in DCC-EX, see the end of my last video #5.d - Using WiThrottle and Engine Driver with JMRI & DCC-EX. The end of that video shows how to export a roster from JMRI (which may not be useful for you) and then add it into DCC-EX (which may). Look at that for an example and then add your roster information to the end of the myAutomation.h sketch in the Arduino IDE. The format looks like this where each function goes between two forward slashes: ROSTER(3,"SF 637","F0 Headlight/F1/F2/F3//////////////////////////") If you're at all interested in JMRI, I am just finishing my next video on some different types of physical controllers we can use with JMRI and DCC-EX, and then will make a video about managing our locomotive rosters in JMRI. Hope that helps! Thanks again and happy railroading! DD
Enjoying your videos. I have added the LCD to my DCC-EX via your videos. It a works wonderfully. Is there a way when you select Programming track or Program on the main, JMRI radio buttons, for that to be displayed on the LCD to identify the mode the DCC_EX is using (either channel A or B despite both channels being both!) Can the display also be configured to write "short" on the first page in case there is a short circuit whilst programming? (in case you wire up a decoder incorrectly). Thanks, keep up the good work, looking forward to subsequent videos.
Thank you for your kind comments. I'm glad that the videos were helpful! Those are good questions and I'm not really sure I have answers for all of them. 1. Regarding the JMRI radio buttons, there is no way to communicate that directly to DCC-EX without re-writing JMRI. There probably *is* a way to insert some code into DCC-EX to have it display a message on the LCD when it receives a decoder programming command that could alert you to whether that programming is happening on the main or programming tracks, as the protocols for those are very different from each other. Unfortunately I don't know off the top of my head where that lives in DCC-EX. 2. As for displaying track status, DCC-EX will do that (in current versions) if you send it an "=" command over a serial connection (from IDE, WebThrottle, JMRI, etc.). It will come back and say something like . Separately DCC-EX will tell us the track power status (On/Off/Join/Main/Prog) depending on the track configuration (at least in the release version; the developer version doesn't seem to be working). It sounds like what we really want is something like "Track A: MAIN ON", "Track B: PROG OFF" in the LCD display. I'm certain that is doable but would need to do some research to figure out the best place to insert that code. I am guessing it would be in the TrackManager.cpp sketch but not 100% on that. You might try reaching out to the DCC-EX folks on their Discord server and see if they can help. I would be as specific as possible. "What code do I need to insert into TrackManager.cpp to have the LCD display include two lines that say "Track A: MAIN/PROG ON/OFF" and Track B: MAIN/PROG ON/OFF" and see what response you get. Let me know lol. 3. As for the short circuit; I don't know. DCC-EX monitors for short circuits on the main track, but I don't know about the programming track. I would have to look into that more. Hope some of this helps. Good luck and let me know how it goes! Thanks again, DD
HELP!!! No luck... When I went to add 'New Loco', a message popped up saying "Stopping due to error: No acknowledge from locomotive (308)". I looked around on-line and couldn't find any help. PLEASE help me! Thanks!
Hi, thanks for your comment. Sorry about the difficulty getting started with JMRI. That error means that JMRI reached out to the locomotive but didn't get a response. I see that all the time when I forget to plug in my programming track lol. There are several possible reasons so check the following: 1. Make sure the locomotive is on the programming track, and is the only locomotive on the programming track. (There can only be one loco on the programming track at a time. Also make sure there are no other cars with resistor wheel sets, or cars that have lights, sounds, or anything else electrical in them on the programming track.) 2. Make sure the JMRI power button shows green (power on). This means the command station has communicated back to JMRI that at least as far as it's concerned the power is on. 3. Make sure the programming track is connected and powered on. It can be hard to know if the programming track power is on. I have a train car with a light in it that I use to check when I am unsure. 4. Make sure the locomotive has good contact on the rails. Also check to make sure there are no special instructions for programming your locomotive; I'm not familiar with every brand but some older locomotives had special programming instructions. I've got one 20yo loco with an old sound decoder in it that does not want to be programmed (not sure why). I've also put some old locos on the track that I thought were DCC that turned out not to be lol. I could have sworn they were! Anyway, hope something here helps. The most likely situation is just that there is a broken connection between the programming track and the command station, but it could be any of the above. Good luck and let me know if you are able to get it to work. Thanks again! DD
Used to get the infamous 308 error but not so often now after I increased the power supply voltage. Using an Arduino motor shield on Mega with DCC-EX, I use a 16V DC supply for HO scale engines. Gives me about 14.5 volts on the track. Just a suggestion for you to try.
@@donaldkormos5529Thank you very much for posting your reply. In an hour or so I’m going to cross my fingers and give it a try. Should this work, I will be giving you many pats on your back!
I think I knew most of this. However, what this series of vids does is put it all together in a logical and comprehensive manner. Thanks!
Thank you so much for your kind comments! I'm glad you enjoyed the video.
All the best, and happy railroading!
DD
The amount of details in your tutorials make everything so simple. Thank you for your quality work
Thank you again for all your kind comments. I really appreciate it. Every time I finish one video the next one is waiting. ; )
Thanks again,
DD
@DriverDTrains I'm always excited to see the notification for the next video. It is my pleasure to see them, so all the kind comments are more than well deserved! Hope you have a wonderful day
Thank you, and you as well! :)
DD
Very informative DriverD. Thank you for the tutorial.
Thank you for the kind comments. I'm so glad you enjoyed the video. I'm already working on the next one. : )
Thanks again!
DD
My new brown tabby, Herbie, says hello to Scratchy C. I always learn something new watching your videos.
Thank you for your kind comments, and a warm hello to Herbie! >^-^< So glad you are finding the videos enjoyable and informative. Scratchy-C and I look forward to making many more.
Thanks again!
DD
Really appreciate your detailed videos i have some questions about roster building
Thank you for your kind comments. If you are interested in setting up your roster directly in DCC-EX, see the end of my last video #5.d - Using WiThrottle and Engine Driver with JMRI & DCC-EX. The end of that video shows how to export a roster from JMRI (which may not be useful for you) and then add it into DCC-EX (which may). Look at that for an example and then add your roster information to the end of the myAutomation.h sketch in the Arduino IDE. The format looks like this where each function goes between two forward slashes:
ROSTER(3,"SF 637","F0 Headlight/F1/F2/F3//////////////////////////")
If you're at all interested in JMRI, I am just finishing my next video on some different types of physical controllers we can use with JMRI and DCC-EX, and then will make a video about managing our locomotive rosters in JMRI.
Hope that helps!
Thanks again and happy railroading!
DD
Enjoying your videos. I have added the LCD to my DCC-EX via your videos. It a works wonderfully.
Is there a way when you select Programming track or Program on the main, JMRI radio buttons, for that to be displayed on the LCD to identify the mode the DCC_EX is using (either channel A or B despite both channels being both!)
Can the display also be configured to write "short" on the first page in case there is a short circuit whilst programming? (in case you wire up a decoder incorrectly).
Thanks, keep up the good work, looking forward to subsequent videos.
Thank you for your kind comments. I'm glad that the videos were helpful! Those are good questions and I'm not really sure I have answers for all of them.
1. Regarding the JMRI radio buttons, there is no way to communicate that directly to DCC-EX without re-writing JMRI. There probably *is* a way to insert some code into DCC-EX to have it display a message on the LCD when it receives a decoder programming command that could alert you to whether that programming is happening on the main or programming tracks, as the protocols for those are very different from each other. Unfortunately I don't know off the top of my head where that lives in DCC-EX.
2. As for displaying track status, DCC-EX will do that (in current versions) if you send it an "=" command over a serial connection (from IDE, WebThrottle, JMRI, etc.). It will come back and say something like . Separately DCC-EX will tell us the track power status (On/Off/Join/Main/Prog) depending on the track configuration (at least in the release version; the developer version doesn't seem to be working). It sounds like what we really want is something like "Track A: MAIN ON", "Track B: PROG OFF" in the LCD display. I'm certain that is doable but would need to do some research to figure out the best place to insert that code. I am guessing it would be in the TrackManager.cpp sketch but not 100% on that. You might try reaching out to the DCC-EX folks on their Discord server and see if they can help. I would be as specific as possible. "What code do I need to insert into TrackManager.cpp to have the LCD display include two lines that say "Track A: MAIN/PROG ON/OFF" and Track B: MAIN/PROG ON/OFF" and see what response you get. Let me know lol.
3. As for the short circuit; I don't know. DCC-EX monitors for short circuits on the main track, but I don't know about the programming track. I would have to look into that more.
Hope some of this helps. Good luck and let me know how it goes!
Thanks again,
DD
HELP!!! No luck... When I went to add 'New Loco', a message popped up saying "Stopping due to error: No acknowledge from locomotive (308)". I looked around on-line and couldn't find any help. PLEASE help me! Thanks!
Hi, thanks for your comment. Sorry about the difficulty getting started with JMRI. That error means that JMRI reached out to the locomotive but didn't get a response. I see that all the time when I forget to plug in my programming track lol. There are several possible reasons so check the following:
1. Make sure the locomotive is on the programming track, and is the only locomotive on the programming track. (There can only be one loco on the programming track at a time. Also make sure there are no other cars with resistor wheel sets, or cars that have lights, sounds, or anything else electrical in them on the programming track.)
2. Make sure the JMRI power button shows green (power on). This means the command station has communicated back to JMRI that at least as far as it's concerned the power is on.
3. Make sure the programming track is connected and powered on. It can be hard to know if the programming track power is on. I have a train car with a light in it that I use to check when I am unsure.
4. Make sure the locomotive has good contact on the rails. Also check to make sure there are no special instructions for programming your locomotive; I'm not familiar with every brand but some older locomotives had special programming instructions. I've got one 20yo loco with an old sound decoder in it that does not want to be programmed (not sure why). I've also put some old locos on the track that I thought were DCC that turned out not to be lol. I could have sworn they were!
Anyway, hope something here helps. The most likely situation is just that there is a broken connection between the programming track and the command station, but it could be any of the above. Good luck and let me know if you are able to get it to work.
Thanks again!
DD
Thanks for the detailed reply. I will check things out tomorrow morning and get back with you. Again, thanks!
Used to get the infamous 308 error but not so often now after I increased the power supply voltage. Using an Arduino motor shield on Mega with DCC-EX, I use a 16V DC supply for HO scale engines. Gives me about 14.5 volts on the track. Just a suggestion for you to try.
@@donaldkormos5529Thank you very much for posting your reply. In an hour or so I’m going to cross my fingers and give it a try. Should this work, I will be giving you many pats on your back!
That's a great idea and one I hadn't considered, as I also have a 16V power supply. I'll need to remember that.
Thanks again!
DD