Decoder Pro won't read decoder data

dragenrider · March 10, 2007, 6:22pm

I downloaded Decoder Pro and connected my laptop via serial cable to my NCE Power Pro system. No matter how much tweaking and tinkering I do, it won’t read my decoders. I’ve went through all of the trouble shooting steps I can find including tweaking COM 1, downloading the updated test version of Decoder Pro, playing with wires, etc. I’m stumped. It won’t read ESU LokSound or Bachman’s whatever.

Any further suggestions? [?]

My LokSound Programmer works just fine on COM 1, for what it’s worth.

Don_Z · March 10, 2007, 6:28pm

I’ll bet the trouble is the cable you’re trying to use - from the Decoder Pro website:

Some NCE command stations have an “optional analog control circuit”. In these, pins 5, 6, and 9 are used with an analog voltage as a separate throttle. If you have one of these command stations, a normal 9-pin serial cable will not work! You’ll need to make a custom cable that just connects the “send data”, “receive data” and “ground” pins. See your NCE manual for details.

Don Z.

jeffshultz · March 10, 2007, 8:24pm

You might want to check out the DecoderPro/JMRI mailing list on YahooGroups as well.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/

Stevert · March 10, 2007, 9:46pm

Yes. Post the exact error message that DecoderPro is returning, either here or better still on the Yahoo! JMRI group jeffshultz pointed you to.

Describing exactly what DecoderPro is (or isn’t) doing, along with particulars of your setup, is instrumental in determining what the problem may be. Here’s how the moderators of the Yahoo! JMRI group suggest you start:

======================
HOW to ask your question
======================

One of the most common questions about JMRI is "How do I get it to work?" This

isn't really a problem with JMRI itself in most cases, but there are HUGE

numbers of possible configurations for DCC systems, and Windows, Linux, and

Mac computers out there. Just asking "How do I get it to work" is _not_ going

to get you any useful help. When asking _any_ question, you should utilize a

subject line that indicates if the problem is related to DecoderPro, PanelPro,

Tools or Scripting and include the following information:

+ Computer make and model
+ Computer Operating System
+ JAVA version installed
+ JMRI version installed
+ Interface device (if any)
+ DCC system in use (the specific model, not just the manufacturer)
+ Any other DCC devices in use
+ Com port in use (if any)
+ Baud Rate settings (if known)
+ Specific details of your difficulty,  including error messages if any. 

Depending on the nature of the problem, you may need to supply even more

information, but this is the absolute minimum required for anyone to give you

accurate answers. 

Your moderators

HTH,

Steve

Edit: Fixed formatting.

dragenrider · March 10, 2007, 11:19pm

Thanks for the direction! I’ll wander over to the Yahoo groups and see what I can turn up. [:)]

rrinker · March 12, 2007, 10:24pm

Do you have the latest firmware update? Somethign NCE did broke things in the PH Pro as far as controlling it via the serial port. There is a fix coming from NCE to get it back to working properly with DecoderPro.

–Randy

Anonymous · March 13, 2007, 5:17pm

Will it read ANY decoders? And do you have a programming track booster for sound decoders?

I have an older PH Pro, with the 12/04 software, and a PowerPax booster.

Decoder Pro (via a Mac) will read all my decoders except two: my only LokSound, and one of my two BLI switchers. Everything else reads ok, although some of my other 6 QSIs (both steam and diesel) sometimes take a while. But SoundTraxx LCs, an older DSD-150, and several Tsunamis are fine, as are 2 or 3 NCEs.

I can’t read the LokSound at all, even with just the PH Pro. But it programs fine. I’ve given up trying to figure out why.

dragenrider · March 13, 2007, 9:52pm

No, I don’t think I have the latest. I went to NCE’s website and had trouble finding any update info. For such a tech savvy company, their website’s a little poor. Will the programing track not handle sound equipped loco’s?

The program won’t read LokSound v3.5 or Bachmann’s cheap what-cha-ma-callits.

I’ve visited the yahoo group. Good info! I’ll see what else I can learn from there.