DCS 2.34 LOADER PROGRAM IS NOW AVAILABLE!!

That's as odd as it can be, I had no problems at all with 7-Zip or RAR opening and saving the archive files.

Almost there. After more frustration with WinZip (even new version), I uninstalled, re-downloaded and reinstalled 7-zip and got new DCS Loader and DCS 4.3 download files, browsed to them within 7-zip and that allowed unzipping and installing all files.

Now using DCS Loader for TIU update: From "options" menu it successfully "finds" TIU (Rev. L) via USB cable on "com 5", then I follow steps to load TIU update file from folder to TIU.  Says "loaded" immediately in dialog box, works a few minutes, but then keeps showing "Having trouble finding for TIU on com 5" as though not already "found" in previous step.  Do not know if this means failure, or if file got onto TIU successfully.  How would one check this?

A couple of thoughts:

If your TIU is not Rev L, and you're using a USB to serial converter cable, have you loaded the drivers?

I never bougbt any unzipp program, finding Windows Explorer's ability to unzip to be adequate.

Open Windows hardware manager and see if the tiu is on com 5.

In the loader program, under options, designate the port rather than setting automatic.

Is an antivirus or firewall program interfering?

If the 1/8" stereo jumper cable is not connecting the ProtoCast and ProtoDispatch ports, the TIU will not be found during the upgrade process.

TIU is "Rev L" as noted above.  Yes, drivers are loaded and device "ready to use" after that.  Yes, STEREO patch cable connected between MIC and AUDIO receptacles per the book.  Yes, device shows on Device Manager and goes away when USB disconnected.  Com5 does not show a connected device in that system list, but "found on Com5" has shown repeatedly when I do the "options" menu search for the TIU, with the error message still popping up in the actual loading dialog box, saying "trouble finding".  Disabling all security software (not just closing but actively disabling) did not make a difference.

REPEAT QUESTION: is there a way to tell (from DCS remote or other means) whether the 4.30 DCS file has gotten onto the TIU or not?

Thanks, all

Does Device Mgr indicate on what port the device is, or does the USB list under Device Mgr show something on Com 5?

You most probably are aware of this, but I'll mention:  If for any reason the effort fails, shut down the TIU and restart from scratch in the order laid out in the Loader program.

Are you sure you have a good stereo cable that has all three wires?

I don't know if I missed this, but were you successful in upgrading the remote, where the stereo cable is not used?

Haven't done a remote upgrade yet.

To GRJ: good question. My stereo mini cable does have these connectors:

However its cable seems to be a 2 conductor flat pair, so perhaps there is more than one version of a so called "stereo" mini cable?

Using a meter, make sure there is a connection between each of the three sections on the plugs.  There must be all three wires.

RJR: "No" to both.  Com ports don't show what if anything's connected, and Device Manager just shows presence but not port.

My patch cable has 3x continuity, but if there's a 3rd conductor in that tiny cord it must be microscopic. Will try with a new one just bought from Radio Shack that is more substantial, tomorrow.  More to follow...

is there a way to tell (from DCS remote or other means) whether the 4.30 DCS file has gotten onto the TIU or not?

Yes, there is:

Menu/System/TIU Setup/TIU Version and press the thumbwheel

This and a whole lot more is all in MTH’s “The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Have now followed process with two different TIUs.  I did Factory Reset on each before starting.  Checked and TIUs both still have v4.20 after failed efforts.  Followed process to the letter including the order in which cables are connected for each step.  No other programs running.  Auto TIU search found the TIU in each case, and error messages (below) showed searching for the correct (already "found') port in each case.  Using new stereo mini connector with substantial shielding layer, and zero-resistance continuity on each of the 3 conductors.  What I get every time, with either of the TIUs, is the dialog box and error message attached in a Word document below.

For completeness one other thing to make sure of: the USB "mini B" ended cable I bought following the "directions" for cables in Barry's book does not fit the input on the TIUs, and did not work.  I noticed the receptacle matches the style of USB printer cables (roughly square with two corners knocked off) and that is the cable I've been using, finding TIU successfully on searches and then getting to the error message attached in last post.  If there is a different USB cable with the identical style TIU input end but different internal connections than a printer cable, that could be issue.

You need to be sure that you connect the cable between the ProtoCast and ProtoDispatch ports before you power up the TIU.

Then, when you power the TIU with the cable connected, the red LED should immediately come on steady and not blink at all, regardless of the TIU's DCS ID#.

cwdon, if you happen to have a USB>serial cable, try the other receptacle on the TIU. 

I note the document you attached speaks of trying comm 6. 

I suggest you try upgrading the remote and see what happens.

Clarification please: the stated order of cable connections for TIU file transfer starts with USB cable, then patch cable, then aux power input.  That's the order I've been using.  I notice the TIU's internal red light comes on when USB cable is connected, so it appears power comes from there and not just aux 18v input (which also turns on light by itself).  So, is the order of connection wrong for this USB cable; does it need to be connected AFTER the patch cable rather than before as stated in file transfer dialog box?  Important detail.

ADDENDUM: Impatience with wrong MTH instructions in "new" Loader dialog box paid off.  Chose Com 6 rather than "searching."  Connected patch jumper, then USB cable and ignored aux power input entirely; power from USB used alone.  Update for the TIU with PS3 software done in about one minute.  MTH needs to get its instructions up to date with current cable connections and independent USB power source it its own current DCS Loader software.  Neither their directions nor the older ones (before current software and cables, of course, so clairvoyance would have been needed on BB's part) from Barry's book has this right for us doing it the first time.  Hope my hours of head banging help somebody else out there who can't figure out why it won't work for her or him, despite following all the directions!

The instructions were right until the USB came along.

Indeed.  Again, important detail for sending out a major software update.  Hard to be a good ambassador to my friends (who all know how much MTH is in my basement!) after spending $$$$$$$ on their products, when insufficient care is taken with updating the instructions that live inside that same software.

Thanks for the efforts to help, all.  We were all in the dark.  BTW, the DCS remote updated just as easily using only the USB and the 4 wire phone cable connection, as you would now expect.

Question for the computer gurus:  Isn't the USB-provided power about 5.5 volts, by the USB standard?  If so, how is that adequate to power the TIU?  Also, what is its amperage limit for USB-supplied power?  I know that I have some USB items that require power from 2 USB ports.?

USB 2.0 ports provide 5.0 volts at .5 amps, 2.5 watts.

USB 3.0 ports provide 5.0 volts at .9 amps, 4.5 watts.

Both of those are maximum specified outputs.  If your USB port is outputting 5.5 volts, the internal regulator in the computer is bad.

I forgot to mention there is a special USB 3.0 port for battery charging, it has significantly higher power output, also at 5 volts.

I want to thank you guys more specifically for helping me finally tumble to the answer, even though we were all in the dark about it.  GRJ probed on "is your patch cable a 3 conductor, test it for sure with a meter" which led me to get a more confidence-inspiring mini stereo cable; and Barry for saying "make sure jumper is in place before applying power" which jogged me to question things since I'd noticed the USB cable powered the red light in the TIU, so I just "tried it" with jumper first, then USB, and double click and load TIU update in Loader.  Without all the questions and messing around, I wouldn't have tumbled to the correct answer!

I'm going to do a separate post on what works and what needs correcting in the Loader instructions.  Hopefully someone at MTH will read this eventually, and do their own correcting so it will be there for all users, if they are not already "on" this.

GRJ, That's what I thought.  I'm surprised that a TIU will run at 5.0 volts. 

I've made a note to update the next edition of my book in this regard.

Am I correct that if we don't have any PS3 locomotives we can continue to use the old loader for our PS2 locomotive files, TIU and Remote loading/backups?

Yes, it supersedes the previous versions.

I just upgraded one engine and then my TIU and Remote yesterday using a USB cable. The computer I used only has USB 2.0. I don't know if the USB port had enough power to actually power the TIU, but it does light the TIU's little red light. Obviously, my TIU is a Rev L.

Wasn't all perfectly smooth, I did have to fiddle with things a bit to get it all to go. I didn't do all the dis-connecting from the TIU the directions called for, just cycled power to it with the layout power strip. However, I believe I did have to dis-connect the USB cable at one point to get things going. Didn't keep track of the order I did things. Seems like after doing this another time the DCS loader lost the TIU and couldn't find it again. Had to also fiddle with that a little. I didn't keep track of the exact order of things (probably should have).

I had previously purchased a serial to USB adapter cable, loaded the driver for it, made sure it was the current driver and then tried to backup the engine. Got to about 4-5% complete and the computer crashed with a BSOD (blue screen of death). Tried that three times, BSOD in the same 4-5% complete every time. Removed the serial to USB cable and got a straight USB cable from computer to TIU. Things went much better from there on.

Thank you! After several failed update attempts, I read your post and tried pulling Aux power and letting the USB power take care of the TIU. DCS Loader found the TIU immediately and did the update.

Fred

Fred: thanks for the appreciation.  It helps me feel better about all the hours wasted trying the outdated directions!

Fred, the upgrades I have done wind up on variety of Comm ports.  Specifying a comm port may or may not work,  I have used other means to ascertain what comm port it would up on, and then specified that port.

I just re-read the entire thread from where cnwdon got things working and I had previously missed the part about using ONLY the USB port for power. Before I had thought he was still using the aux port for power as well. I had never tried an upgrade when I read this the first time. Now that I know more, I get the process he used.

Fortunately, with only a little fiddling, I was still able to get my upgrade done with power from the aux port and USB both. The engine upgrade and the serial to USB adapter was my head scratcher and also the biggest problem I had. It took over an hour and the first time it failed right at the end when trying to re-start the TIU or something like that.

It's true that serial comms driven through USB can end up on pretty random port numbers, but I had set up the program to scan for the correct port. The program correctly identified COM10, which I had already verified in the Device Manager. The problem was that it refused to communicate. Once I unplugged aux power, the communication happened on that port without any problem.

Fred

I may be misunderstanding something, but if you are using a Rev. L TIU like cnwdon and I, you will not be using a serial to USB adapter, you will just be using a USB cable. If you are using a serial adapter because you are updating through a serial port on an earlier TIU, USB power won't help you and you will need separate aux power.

Fred

You will just be using a USB cable if you have one and can find it, if not you might try something else with what you do have or can find.

TIU is Rev L. May have been wrong, but all I could find was a serial to USB adapter cable I had gotten a while back, so I tried the serial port on the TIU and USB port on the computer. Directions listed that as an option for other TIU's so I figured why not? After a bit of struggling I gave up and spent a couple hours looking for all my USB cables (still in a box somewhere, moved a year or so ago). Finally found them, that's when I got it all to work with a little fiddling.

The software gave no indication of not liking the connection as I tried it, started up found the proper port and communicated with the TIU and looked like all was well. It was mostly the computer that had problems. However, it could have been because of the loader I suppose?

rtr12, Some (maybe all?) of the serial>USB cables require installation of a driver.

Fred, my understanding, altho I don't have a Rev L, is that either approach may be used.

You can use the serial port or USB to upgrade the Rev. L TIU, I've tried it both ways.

I had the driver disk and did load the driver before starting, but it's an old computer that has had many different things installed in it over the years, takes forever to boot up. I really do think if I reformatted and reloaded Windows 7 it would work.

That was also the way I understood the instructions (and Barry's book), that either way would work with a Rev L. However, the Rev L is the only one that accepts a USB cable.  According to GRJ below, we were correct in this interpretation.

Thanks, GRJ, good to know you got it to work both ways and it is possible. I almost did, but finally gave up and hunted down a USB cable.

Another question for you, even with the USB cable the RS-3 (PS3) (one with smoke problems from the other thread) took over an hour to back up. I think the loader said 114 minutes, but it might have been a little less. Barry's book said a lot less than that, but he was referring to PS2 I think. Does that all sound about right to you?

Don't remember exactly, but I think the new engine file (also PS3) loaded quite a bit faster?  Just curious about your experiences on all this.

My experience is that PS/3 certainly isn't any slower than PS/2, it only takes me a few minutes at most for any locomotive.

It's funny - with the USB port present, it didn't even occur to me to try using the serial port. I only break out that cable every few years, and when I do, I always seem to have driver problems that take a while to straighten out, so I try to avoid the heartache.

My apologies for making the "USB-only" assumption!

Fred