Okay experts, the NCE web page looks like trash now, so getting to the info I want has my Head spinning. Maybe you guys can get me turned in the right direction. Here’s what I already have:
NCE Power cab, SB3, CAB05e, all wireing and hardware and power supplies connected and working nicely, thank you. I have several engines that I want to install MRC sound only decoders in engines that have already have had decoders (TCS) installed in them and are working just fine. I want to be able to program the sound decoders to match the engines, and also speed match my engines so that I can eventually consist equipment etc…
My question is, what type of interface device should I get to program the decoders and connect the system to my laptop? Should I buy a stand alone programmer like the Sprog II or will the NCE USB or do I need both or some other brand. My first attempt at decoder installation was in a BLI SD40 that had an on board sound decoder, so I fought the fight and ended up getting the movement decoder and the sound decoder playing nice together and everyone was happy. I just think there is an easier way to do this and with many more such adventures on the horizon, what way should I go next?
MRC sounder decoders only have a few CVs. Your hand held will be more than adequate. Keep in mind that you will have conflicting CVs if you try to program your loco. I believe that the CV conflict is in the Lighting feature of the TCS decoder.
That being said, let us know what you think of the Sounders.
In the future, you might consider Loksound, Sountraxx or QSI decoders. That way you dont have to deal with dual decoder installs.
In terms of connecting your Power Pro to a computer, I dont have experience with that setup, so I cannot comment. However, if you join the NCE Yahoo group, you will have lots of help.
dual decoders was purely a fiscal decision. If I had the $$ I would look at the Loksound but when this maddness started (DCC) for me I had 5 engines to put decoders in and now thru the magic of electronics and a truely Generous wife, The DCC system and a BLI engine brought sound into my life! Now I am spoiled and want sound in everything, (so does she!) so that explains the Sounders (got a good deal I think - 4 for $85) so I guess the right next choice would be the NCE USB interface so be able to use JMRI to speed match, etc. No need to get a stand alone decoder programmer?
I suspect you mean Power Cab, since the SB3 is designed to work with the PowerCab and not the Power Pro. I would suggest that you get the NCE USB interface.
The NCE PowerPro has a serial port on it. But you need a computer with a serial port, which your laptop probably does not have. I have a PowerPro at home and we use PowerPro at the club. I have connected both to desktop PCs with serial cables to use Decoder Pro.
Without a computer serial port, you cannot use the serial bus that is on the PowerPro. The USB plug on the NCE device will not allow you to use DecoderPro. NCE even tells you this on their web site in the description of their USB interface.
Just a small correction. Earl may indeed have a Pro Cab throttle instead of a Power Cab. You can use either with a Smart Booster (SB3) because the SB3 overrides the OS of the Power Cab and technically turns it into a Pro Cab.
You can use any “non-radio” NCE throttle to start, stop, change directions, and operate CVs. However, the Power Cab will still be required to perform any address or CV programming to your locomotives.
So, a CAB-04, CAB-05, or Pro Cab throttle will work with an SB3 - even without hooking a Power Cab to it.
I was hopeing to use Decoder Pro. NCE’s web site is such a mess right now that I missed that part about not being able to use Decoder pro with the USB device. I didn’t read thoroughly thru the PDF file of the user’s guide for the USB DEVICE, if it cannot be used with Decoder Pro, does it have software with it to make it useable in a similar, user freindly manner? I thought I had seen that NCE’s USB device was supported on the JMRI website, but I can’t remember exactly. I’m at work now and that and most any other websites are system access denied. I’m suprised that I can get on this one really, but I am not going to bring it to anyone’s attention
Yes, I have heard and read nothing good about the MRC movement decoders, but I have not heard and any bad things about the Sounders, so I am hoping for the best… I will post and let everyone know how well they work out.
Keep in mind that since the SB3 does not have programming track outputs, you will be limited to programming on the main, with or without the USB interface. That’s fine for speed matching, but maybe not so fine for other programming needs.
On the other hand, if you set up your “original” Power Cab on a stand-alone programming track, you can use that for your “other programming needs” and still do your speed matching on the layout. You’d just have to move your cab, your locos, and your USB interface back and forth.
Not the ideal solution in my opinion, but about the best you can do given the limitations of the equipment you’re working with.
You can use Decoder Pro with the USB interface. When used with the Power Pro, you can not do any programming. Whe used with the SB3, you can only program in Ops mode because the SB3 does not have a program track output. When used with the Power Cab as the command station(you’ll have to have the PCP panel hooked up seperate from the SB3 and move the PowerCab and USB interface from the SB3 to the PCP), you can use all of the programming modes.
Here are the USB interface limitations as listed on the JMRI site:
All systems:
No AIU support, No Turnout MONITORING, No Clock functions. Power Cab and SB3:
Can only access accessory addresses between 1 and 250. SB3:
No programming track support, operation mode only. Power Pro:
No loco programming
I have used an NCE Powercab with the USB interface to program locos with JMRI Decoder Pro. JMRI has instructions on their web site for configuring it. Setting up the USB port on your PC to recognize the USB interface can be problematic, You need to download the driver and the link is not very well documented.
I also have setup dual decoder installations with MRC sounders and TCS and NCE decoders. They can be made to work but are truly a pain in the butt to program because of CV overlap between the decoders. Also the sounders have an undocumented CV 49 which will silence the decoder if it set to 0 or an even number.
Yikes! thanks for that heads up… I would drive myself nuts trying to figure the silence CV…what about the CV overlap? How do you handle that? I would guess to disable the overlapping CV’s on the TCS decoder and lock the settings, then program the Sounder and let handle the overlapped functions?
The only way I found to deal with the dual decoders is to use the same long address and different short addresses. MRC sounder decoders don’t lock ( and don’t read back on a programming track) and you can’t lock the decoders if you need to make any changes such as consisting. I run my locos on our club’s (FCSME) modular layout and don’t have a permanent consist number, so I may have to change theconsists.
What I do is to assign is assign the two decoders different short addresses, this can be done before installation or by locking the non MRC decoder then assigning the address to the MRC decoder. Assign both decoders the same long address and use the long address for all operation.
To program your loco, put it on you program track and read CV 29, you will get the value for the non-MRC decoder. Remember the value, now subtract 32 from that value ( changes the active address to the short address). Now program your loco at both short addresses. After you have finished your programming read CV 29 on the non MRC decoder. Add 32 to it and change CV 29 to that value on both decoders.
