DCS200 and DT400 -- strange programming

[SP-Wolf]

Hello All,

I had posted this on the Yahoo Digitrax board a couple of days ago - with no response as of yet.

Perhaps someone here has had this happen to them.

I have a strange one here. As the subject states, I have a Super Chief 8 amp unit with a DT400 throttle. What my issue is-- is when I use it to program a locomotive the CV values change. For example: I start with the address and then CV's -- 2,5 and 6.. then move to lighting CV's -- when I go back to the address or lower CV's they have changed (Generally to the values I set in the lighting CV's). So, has anybody else experienced this sort of thing-? If so, what gives-? And - how do I fix it-?

Oh - I do most of my programming with JMRI - no issues.

However- I do like to use my DT400 for programming as well. (So- I can check the locomotive on my layout)

My computer is in a totally different part of my house.


Thanks,

Wolf

[peteski]

Can you give a more detailed description of exactly what you are doing (all the steps in details)?  Maybe you are just not doing things correctly?  Start with how you get into programming mode to the point you see the 1st incorrect value.

I'm not a Digitrax expert, but we have plenty of Digitrax fans here intimately familiar with the system.

[SP-Wolf]

Can you give a more detailed description of exactly what you are doing (all the steps in details)?  Maybe you are just not doing things correctly?  Start with how you get into programming mode to the point you see the 1st incorrect value.

I'm not a Digitrax expert, but we have plenty of Digitrax fans here intimately familiar with the system.

Well, I pretty much follow the Digitrax instructions: 

I start by pressing the program key, I use paged mode. (As recommended by Digitrax). I then start with the locomotive address (If I am starting fresh with programming the locomotive). After entering the road number -- I press enter. Then I press the Y+ key.

I then proceed to other CV's -- such as 2, 5 and 6. Then I usually program the lights - CV's 49 and 50

Like I have stated - most of the time I use JMRI -- but, on occasion I like to use my DT400 via my programming track. (It is totally separate from my layout.)

And -- When I first set up my system -- programming went fine. This issue is about a year or so old. Yeah - I am just now getting around to figuring out what the heck is going on.

Thanks, again for any assistance,
Wolf

[peteski]

What is the "Y" for? Enabling 4-digit address?  Like I said, I'm not intimately familiar with Digitrax.

How are you reading the previously-programmed CVs, and how different are the values in them?  Are the values random or maybe they contain values you used for programming other CVs?

I'm just playing a detective here 

[RBrodzinsky]

The Y is a confirmation to write the data.

[peteski]

The Y is a confirmation to write the data.

Nope.  Just hitting ENTER writes the address to the appropriate CVs.  The "Y" is to update CV29 with appropriate address mode and number of steps. Excerpt from the manual.

http://www.digitrax.com/static/apps/products/throttles/dt400/documents/dt400.pdf

9. If you are programming a 4 digit address, there is one more step: the
throttle will display Ad4on?=y. This is prompting you to set CV29
to a value of decimal 038 or hex x26 which will enable the 4 digit
address that you just programmed in 128 speed steps with analog
mode conversion on. Press the Y + Key to enable the 4 digit
address and automatically set CV29 to the decimal value of 038.

When writing CVs other than address just hitting ENTER writes the new values (see page 49 of the wonderful Digitrax manual).