Digitrx announces PR3!

Model Railroader Electronics and DCC
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Digitrax PR3:

Using the PR3 Programmer and SoundLoader software:

  • You can substitute different .wav files into a sound project file (.spj) or you can start from scratch and build your own sound project.
  • You can download sound projects from the Digitrax Sound Depot web site www.digitrax.com/sounddepot.
  • You can upload sound projects you have created to share with others, too!
  • We encourage sound project file sharing among hobbyists.
  • You can download a sound project into your Digitrax SoundFX decoder equipped locomotive.
  • You can try out sound projects downloaded to your locomotives on the programming track without having to run it around the layout.

PR3 Features

  • Multifunction USB 2.0 PC connectivity for your railroad (Yay!)

  • Digitrax “SoundLoader” compatible. Programs Digitrax sound projects to SFX decoders

  • Programs CV’s for most DCC decoders

  • LocoNet MS100 mode with Fully Buffered Input and Output data

  • Runs on Windows XP, Vista and 2000.

  • Runs on Mac OS 10.4/10.5 with JMRI.

  • No external power needed for MS100 mode.

  • Automatic configuration. No jumpers or switches required. Configurations can be set by software or manually.

  • Selectable LocoNet termination. For standalone operation without needing a Command Station.

  • LED state indicator lights.

  • Small, convenient package

  • Firmware updates available from Digitrax Web site.

  • Meets FCC Class B requirements.

Using Digitrax PR3 Programmer and Digitrax SoundLoader TM software with your PC and programming track, you can create, manage, test, and download sound projects (.spj files) in your Digitrax SoundFX decoders. You can customize your Digitrax SoundFX decoders to your heart’s content!

Using the SoundTest TM feature you can even try out different SoundFX decoder sound p

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This is a great improvement. I currently have a MS100 running on an old Pentium III (Windows 98). This is connected to my Loconet. I use Decoder Pro. I also have an old PR1 which I no longer use. When the old PC dies I was looking at getting a USB Locobuffer as my other computers do not have RS232 ports used by my MS100.

3

Ahhh, i have missed that in my searching…

Now i will be able to use linux and get everything i wanted, all in one box…

Thank you for answering my wishes…

Just one more thing to do now, find an aussie dealer with one…

4

OK, it’s USB. That’s good.

Does it do anything else that the PR2 did not do? Other than cost $15 less? (Grrrr, having bought a PR2 only a few weeks ago.)

OTOH, has a ship date been announced yet? Could it be 6-12 months away?

Does this work with the same version of SoundLoader? I’m concerned that the PR2 version of SoundLoader will no longer be supported. So far, Digitrax has shown themselves to be a good company, but nobody supports old stuff forever. Microsoft is already planning to stop supporting XP, an OS they were actively selling only a year ago.

5

Who knows about support/compatability issues. My spidey sence thinks that Digitrax will keep things simple and compatable…lol…simple Digitrax (oxymoron).

David B

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I downloaded the PR3 instructions from the Digitrax web page. The PR3 looks like a hybrid between an MS100 and a PR2. The PR3 will also allow programming decoders without being connected to a command station. When I am working “on the road” I like to take MRR projects with me. With the PR3, Decoder Pro and my laptop I can take locomotives with me to install decoders. I also like the USB connection. I was looking at a USB adapter for my MS100 which runs about $40.

My assumption is that persons who operate a Digitrax system with just a DB150 (which can not read back CVs) could use the PR3 to program decoders as the CV would be read back to decoder pro via the PR3.

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I think your assumptions are wrong. Notice that it says that it has an internal ‘switch’ to use the MS100. Hence, it would behave just like the MS100 and will not read back CVs if you are using the DB150. Also, in terms of using the PR portion of the unit to programme CVs (expecting it to work with JMRI) probably wont happen either. There are a multitude of people trying to get Decoder Pro to work with the PR2 (hence, read write to decoders) with no success.

From what I gather, this is nothing more than a PR2 with an MS100 tacked onto the side of it. The only plus side is the fact that is utilizes a USB interface. So, those of you who have a locobuffer or MS100 and a PR2, you will realize no added benefit by purchasing the PR3.

David B

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According to a beta tester who gave a run-down on the PR3 on the Digitrax Yahoo!Group today, the PR3 will read decoders in PR2 mode, just like the PR2 does.

I’ve been using DecoderPro with a PR2 for about eight months now to program locomotives away from the command station and can confirm that the PR2 reads general decoder CVs successfully, as well as reading sound data from the SoundBug. I’ve tested this with Digitrax, Lenz and NCE decoders.

The PR2 and DecoderPro would be a good alternative for those who have the Empire Builder/DB150-based system and whose only real desire for a Super Chief is that system’s read-back capabillity.

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Fritz, can you give us a brief description of how you have Decoder Pro set up to work with the PR2? Which version of Decoder Pro are you using, and what Com Port parameters are programmed in? Are there any other tricks that would not be obvious to a first-time user?

Several of us mentioned on an earlier thread that they could not get this to work, although someone did report success.

Remember, road warriors, that both the PR2 and PR3 require an external 12-volt supply. So, it’s another widget to include in your bag along with the hardware.

10

The PR2 does NOT read sound data, it is limited to checking the version of the sound decoder and uploading sounds to the sound decoder.

In terms of it working with Decoder Pro as a stand alone programmer with full Decoder Pro features, you will be the first person to have achieved this. Over on the JMRI Yahoo group, it is very clear that this is not possible and is not supported by either JMRI or Digitrax. How did you make this work?

David B

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One of the most important things to know about using the PR2 is that the programming track should not be connected to a command station or other DCC device(s) when you are using the PR2- it screws up the load measured across the rails in a way that the PR2 can’t handle.

A couple of times I’ve used clip leads to connect the PR2 to my programming track (a couple of pieces of Bachmann EZ-Track) and wondered why it wasn’t working, only to discover that I still had my command station connected to the track (though not turned on, thankfully). After I disconnected the command station from the piece of track, the PR2 worked just fine.

My workbench rig is a 450MHz Pentium 3 Gateway Solo laptop that I picked up cheap at a garage sale, running Windows 98SE. Since I only use it for DecoderPro and limited web surfing, I’ve only added DecoderPro and OpenOffice (for creating customer data sheets) to it.

I’m away from that computer at the moment, so I don’t remember which version of DecoderPro I’m using (it would be whatever release was out in November or December), or the specific configuration. I’ll check when I’m home.

Before posting last night, I specifically tested reading decoder CV values using the PR2. I read the values from a P2K SW9 equipped with an NCE decoder and it behaved exactly the way I would have expected had I read the values using a programming track. Now this was using a “real” serial connection, without any USB->serial converters in the way to complicate things.

It’s been a while since I used it to do anything with sound, so I’ll concede that I may be wrong about reading sound data back, and doubt that JMRI would be able to do anything meaningful/useful with sound data.

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What!!?? Where did you get the idea the PR2 doesn’t work with, or isn’t supported by JMRI?

From Bob Jacobsen:

JMRI’s PR2 support is able to download sound projects to the Digitrax
decoders on Mac OS X. It can also edit the sound projects, including
doing a couple things that the Digitrax program doesn’t provide a way
to do.

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/message/31093)

Also from Bob:

I use a PR2 successfully on a MacBook Pro via several different
USB-serial adapters, and on Ubuntu Linux via the same adapters.

I’ve tested it under Windows XP on a Dell laptop, also via a
USB-serial adapter.

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/message/29953)

And from Walter Thompson:

Playing with PR2 and things were working, read cv’s from a Loksound
ok. Then was plaing with moving the loco on the programing track.

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/message/31101)

And lest you think that Digitrax doesn’t support the PR2/JMRI combination (Also from Bob):

To me, the real constraint is how much information and support the
manufacturers make available. For example, Digitrax has been very
helpful in providing information and answering questions about their
sound projects. DecoderPro can download sounds via their PR2 to
their decoders, and even has a rudimentary editor for their so

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Yes, there is definitely confusion about DecoderPro and the PR2. There are those who say they’ve made it work, and those who say that it just doesn’t work, and that “nobody” has made it work.

Personally, I’ve tried it and it did not work for me. However, DecoderPro did come up, and seemed to recognize the PR2. That was a false indication, though, and I wasn’t able to do anything useful with the PR2 that way. At that time, the PR2 was a brand new toy, though, and I’d never used either Soundloader or DecoderPro before, either. So, I wouldn’t claim that anything “doesn’t work” based on my limited experience. Also, DecoderPro has a lot of different versions available. I chose the “recommended” one, but it may be that some of the more recent upgrades contain a necessary fix.

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[quote user=“Stevert”]

What!!?? Where did you get the idea the PR2 doesn’t work with, or isn’t supported by JMRI?

From Bob Jacobsen:

JMRI’s PR2 support is able to download sound projects to the Digitrax
decoders on Mac OS X. It can also edit the sound projects, including
doing a couple things that the Digitrax program doesn’t provide a way
to do.

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/message/31093)

Also from Bob:

I use a PR2 successfully on a MacBook Pro via several different
USB-serial adapters, and on Ubuntu Linux via the same adapters.

I’ve tested it under Windows XP on a Dell laptop, also via a
USB-serial adapter.

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/message/29953)

And from Walter Thompson:

Playing with PR2 and things were working, read cv’s from a Loksound
ok. Then was plaing with moving the loco on the programing track.

(http://groups.yahoo.com/group/jmriusers/message/31101)

And lest you think that Digitrax doesn’t support the PR2/JMRI combination (Also from Bob):

To me, the real constraint is how much information and support the
manufacturers make available. For example, Digitrax has been very
helpful in providing information and answering questions about their
sound projects. DecoderPro can download sounds via their PR2 to
their decoders, and even has a rudimentary editor for

15

Works fine for me with (currently) DecoderPro 1.9.2, a real serial port running on COM1 and set at 57,600 baud under Win98SE and Java 1.6. Like I said above, I’ve been relying on it for months, and the only problems I’ve had have been when I’ve left other devices attached to my programming track.

On a more general note, something I learned quite early on is that the people who don’t have problems with a product are FAR less inclined to post to message boards to say “Yayyyy! It worked for me like it should!” than people who aren’t able to get things to work, because that’s not noteworthy (nor should it be) or, for most people, not terribly interesting. As a result, things can end up getting worse reputations than they deserve since all one sees are the complaints. Plus, those who are having problems tend to post when they’re frustrated and often their tone shows it.

So, when 2,000 people (to pick a number at random) buy something and it works easily for 1,900 of them, but 10 of those who are having set-up issues or other problems are very vocal in one or more forums, it’s easy for a product to get a bad reputation that it may not deserve.

I seriously doubt that my set-up is all that special, much less that I’m the first person to ever get this to work as it is supposed to. A search of the jmriusers Yahoo!Group and the Digitrax Yahoo!Group doesn’t support that argument.

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Since you seem to be able to load sounds, I’ll assume you’ve read, understand, and have followed the information at the link I previously posted for JMRI’s PR2 page. I’ll also assume you’re actually using JMRI for this exercise.

Simply select the Service (Programming track) Mode button on the DecoderPro main panel. It will open the programming pane and away you go.

If for some reason that doesn’t work, post the error messages and the contents of the DOS (Command) window on the JMRI list and ask for assistance. Not to knock this forum, but the JMRI list is a lot better place to get help with, well, JMRI.

Steve

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Responce from Bob Jacobson (JMRI) regarding the PR2 and JMRI DecoderPro/PanelPro.

" Re: [jmriusers] Digitrax PR2
At 5:19 AM +0000 5/31/08, I wrote:

To answer a discussion going on in a train related forum regarding the
Digitrax PR2. Can the PR2 be used with JMRI DecoderPro under Windows to
read/write CV’s or not ? I don’t own a PR2 but I would like an answer
from the horses mouth (sort-of…)

Yes, it can.

http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/html/hardware/loconet/PR2.shtml

It can also write sounds and sound projects to Digitrax decoders, and
edit the sound projects:

<http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/package/jmri/jmrix/loconet/soundloader/Load\
erFrame.shtml>
<http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/package/jmri/jmrix/loconet/soundloader/Edit\
orFrame.shtml>
<http://jmri.sourceforge.net/help/en/package/jmri/jmrix/loconet/sdfeditor/Editor\
Frame.shtml>

Bob

Bob Jacobsen, UC Berkeley

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I’m not a pr2 user, and will be purchasing a pr3…

But one thing i will say about the dramas with the pr2…

If you are using one and its not doing what it should, i would be looking at your os set up…

Some things to look at are security setup, being all sorts of issues with anything from spyware protection to anti-virus…all these can cause issues even with coms ports…

Another is the firewall, it can block ports that are needed for communications with all sorts of things, coms ports can be blocked by them, even when you think, no way they will, check, i have had a port blocked that shouldnt have been, and it was a setting with my firewall…

Next is conflicting software, you may get an application that will effect another, this is a common problem, with both MS and even occassionally linux(i rarely get problems with linux but have had them)…

fmilhaupt, would you please post what security you have on you laptop, being 98se there isnt a lot of security applications for that os and what you run and how you run it, may be the key there, also anyone who is having success with pr2, if they would, post the same, those that are having problems, you need to include more than, it works with anything else…

There is no quick and easy answer, but there is always a solution, if one can make it work then there is no reason what so ever that another cant, it just takes a little effort to look into the problem and sharing the problem with others…Many minds make light thinking, and get solutions…

Regards, The Witch of the south…

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Very little security on my laptop- it’s a workbench machine that seldom has any contact with the internet. In fact the only time it gets out to the internet is when I slap a wireless card into it to hit Sourceforge to update the JMRI software. The only things loaded on it aside from Win98SE are JMRI, Java, Firefox and Open Office.

In addition to a PR2, I’ll sometimes use a USB Locobuffer to configure PM42s, SE8Cs and the like for clients. I prefer using the PR2 for programming decoders as opposed to the Locobuffer/command station combination since I do a lot of programming at night, and not having the command station beep loudly when it comes up is very desirable in my household while others are asleep in adjoining rooms…

Prior to restaging it last summer, I was running it with Win98SE, AVG anti-virus (set for manually-instigated updates), MS-Office, and Firefox, and using it as a more general-purpose laptop behind a fairly heavily locked-down router. This worked well with, alternately, a PR1 programmer, and a serial LocoBuffer. The serial Locobuffer has since been paired with another Win98SE garage sale laptop and sent off for use on the Operations Road Show layout.

The key things, I think, to this working for me are that the laptop has a “real” serial port and that it is running an operating system that puts very little abstraction between the software and the hardware. Plus, it isn’t loaded down with IM clients, P2P software, or software that distracts the system every 15 minutes to look for updates across an internet connection.

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Especially as you where only using AVG at the time, the latest version of AVG has a lot to be desired, but pre MAY this year it would have casued little problems…

The shear fact that you dont run a lot with you system, is probably why you have so little problems and so little conflict between things…

98SE is not that stable either, if you start trying to do too much with it, XP will of course run a lot more, especially as its a multitasking OS compared to mono 98SE…XP should be able to run a PR2 with full capabilities to exactly what you are running, but there are things that will cause conflict…

Since writing the post above I came across some really major issues with anti-virus applications, last few days, friends have been phoning off the hook…(I spose the fact i have been out of action and some goose has been touching my friends pc’s bagging me, doesnt help), and the most prolific problem seems to be AVG…latest version, yukk, gone to avast again…This sort of issue can reek havoc on running some hardware, especially with the amount of trojans and worms around…

Serial connection, setups are another thing that can be problematic, but serial to usb and vice-a-versa, shouldnt be too problematic…just have to ensure settings are correct…and check all settings of the connection, not just the baud rate, in fact sometimes it pays to drop the baud rate…its not uncommon to use a slow baud rate to get a function to work, even 9600 is workable, at 57600 is top end and you may find the os is actually dropping it back, so if the device can handle a higher rate, then try it, but if it runs at 9600, then run at that speed, trying to force 57600 is not smart…14400 is a common rate thats used too…

Thats it from me for now…

Would anyone who is having problems, let us all know what is going on, we may be able to work on this…

And i must present a thread for what my son and I have started to biuild…

Cheers W…aka Kath…