might buy an older DCS system (pre USB connector)

If it's cheap buy it and upgrade the software.

My opinion? Don't waste your money. The latest Rev L TIU is SOOOOOOOOOOO much better.

njfist posted:

I h ave a buddy who wants to sell his DCS system from 2002 .   He hasnt used it for many years and never did any software uprades.

any words of wisdom?  can i use an adapter from serial to USB for my laptop to do the software upgrade?  any other issues I should be aware of?

thanks!

I had an older DCS system updated that I took to my local hobby shop in Miami FL and they charged me $25.00. They are MTH certified and friendly with Mike Wolf. The DCS system I have is now able to run my PS-3 engine.

Lee Fritz

I have to older version did the upgrade and works great.  Go for it. 

Hmmm. 2002? There could be nothing wrong with it. We're still using  an original G from about 02.

 It certainly can be upgraded to the latest software but...Are all the channels putting out a good dcs signal? Is the remote  talking to the tiu ?

If you could get for around 30 ,40 s ,  50 bucks  tops, it'll be a really good deal.( yes I know the remote alone  is  worth double that amount)  Too bad you couldn't  test it otherwise I'd go new.    BTW there were no internal fuses in the original TIU  from 02 so it's a gamble.

We have some talented repair guys on here if you end up having to ship it away  for repair so you want  to pick it up cheap. Just My 2 cents.

It depends on the price he's asking and which version it is. Be aware if it's a first generation TIU, Rev. G one of that TIU's numerous shortcomings is that it doesn't have internal fuses so you'll definitely need to add fast burn external fuses to protect its circuitry although they're something I'd add to any Rev. TIU. Also all revisions prior to Rev.L TIUs produce somewhat lower signal quality but unless your layout is quite large that shouldn't be a problem.

Here's a condensed synopsis of the differences between the various versions up to 2014 with to Rev.L

Rev. G - This was the original, released in April, 2002.  Unlike all later TIU's, the Rev G's had the black terminals on all four channels tied together.  They are also the only TIU revision without internal blade fuses and were vulnerable to shorting out with older transformers with slow acting breakers.  The G's can be identified on the outside by the lack of a revision sticker on the underside.  The G's also have a "ProtoSound 2" logo painted on the top of the case.

Rev. H1/H1A/H1B/H2/H2A - The "H" revisions added the blade fuses for auxiliary circuit protection and isolated the black terminals on each channel.  The G and H revisions all used 5 volts chip sets.  The various alpha numeric iterations within the "H" revisions represented minor hardware changes on the circuit board.  All "H" revisions came with an identifying sticker centered on the underside of the case.  The H1's were painted with the "ProtoSound 2" logo, but from the H1A on MTH switches to the DCS oval logo on the top of the case.

Rev. I/I1/I1A/I3/I3A/I3B - The "I" revisions moved from a 5 volt to a 3 volt chip set.  The various alpha numeric iterations within the "I" revisions represented minor hardware changes on the circuit board.  All "I" revisions came with an identifying sticker centered on the underside of the case.  MTH used a sans serif font on the revision stickers, which has often lead to confusion.  Many people mistake the "I" for a "1."

Rev. L - So far, (as of 2014,) there has only been a single variation of the Rev. L.  The L uses a 3volt FPGA chip set with improved signal recognition, which effectively improves track signal quality.  The "L" also added a USB-B port, which can be used in lieu of the RS-232 port to connect the TIU to a PC for updating firmware and transferring files.  You can identify the Rev. L by the sticker and the USB-B port.

Btw, internally and component wise, the handheld remote for the TIU has NEVER changed.

**The current software version is 5 and it's easy doing the update yourself. The software updates and loader are available with complete directions as a free download from MTH.

As for having no USB on the TIU  and no RS-232 on your laptop - that's not a problem. Simply connect the TIU and your computer using a serial interface cable (USB Type A to RS-232 DB-9 connectors)  Depending which Windows version your computer is running, you might need to load the drivers for your laptop to recognize the cable). Also, since the TIU doesn't have a USB connection to provide power during the upgrade you'll have to power the TIU with an 18 volt DC power source that has a type M 5.5mm jack to plug into the TIU. A 4 connector phone cord, the  coiled type that connects a telephone handset with the telephone base plus a stereo audio patch cable Male to Male 3.5mm are needed for the upgrade too. Just follow this excellent YouTube video guiding through the update process and you should encounter no problems https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17CpEt5iqlA

Regardless of whether you decide on buying your buddy's TIU or a newer one, enjoy DCS when you get it.

Btw, here's a link to an informative thread on whether or not to choose an older TIU or a Rev.L TIU:

https://ogrforum.com/t...ns-why-is-rev-l-best

DCS system from 2002

It's a Rev.G and you should stay as far away from a 15 year old, unknown condition, Rev. G TIU as you possibly can.

I hope I'm not being too subtle so let me be clear. Run from it.

I have 2 Rev Gs, both are running the latest version of TIU software, both run fine with the wifi system.  Both, when new (2002) went back to MTH for the hardware warranty correction and have worked flawlessly since.  The internal fuses in later models are, to me, meaningless because one should always use external fuses or breakers so as not to keep opening the TIU case.

Having said that, I wouldn't pay more than a few bucks, and then I'd ask buddy if it got the unit warranty upgrade.  If not, I'd not be paying anything for the TIU.  The remote is probably ok.

I have a couple of Rev. G units, one is at the club with a cooked trace that killed that channel, no repair possible according to MTH.

As for the various versions, one thing that is not mentioned is several times as the versions progressed, the internal power carrying traces were increased in size to minimize the possibility of an overload taking out a PCB trace.

FYI...

This, from page 226 of The DCS Companion 3rd Edition, may help you understand the differences between TIU models.

This and a whole lot more is all in “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at OGR’s web store!

NJFIST,

  Forget investing in the 15 year old unit, pick up a Rev L.

PCRR/Dave

Why buy an older unit.  The Rev-L is the latest and greatest.

Thanks all.  turned out to be a rev I - works great! glad I checked it out further

I will do the software upgrade this weekend

Hi,

Question, just got a Rev I3 running 3.  How your update went on your "I" unit?  I think we cannot jump from 3 to 6 directly. Curious to know how it went before trying to update mine (I'm still a blue!). Thanks

M.

you can update any version to the latest software!

Alan

Thank you!