software issues??

First of all, sorry to Engineer Joe and any others experiencing frustration due to this issue.  Recently, we've been made aware of an intermittent bug in the system pertaining to lash-ups.  Initially, we couldn't duplicate the problem but, now we have.  It appears to be exclusive to PS3 models.  We are seeing the intermittent directional sync issues along with another very odd condition in which one engine within a lash-up drops out of DCS communication.  In our testing, the frequency of the directional sync issue is much higher than loss of DCS communication.

We are working to identify the root cause and will get it corrected shortly.  In the meantime, if you experience the directional sync issue, simply pressing the direction button seems to sync things back up.  If you see the communication loss (engine started but doesn't respond to DCS) this requires a power cycle to clear.   These are just temporary work-arounds to these nuisances.  We'll get them fully resolved soon.  I also noticed other little user interface missteps during testing so, the end result should be significantly improved overall lash up operation.

If you combine these odd and intermittent bugs with any other anomalies like low batteries, dirty track, etc., I can see where it might make you consider taking up fishing.  I have rounds of golf like that.  But, please, hang in there with us and it will be resolved.  Then, coming not too far around the bend will be the premium DCS app with a dramatically improved user experience for operating your trains and layouts.  Stay tuned!

Thanks to all for your interest and feedback.  It is customers like you in this forum that helps keep us in touch and we sincerely appreciate it.

OHHHH, "operating my trains and layouts", Im intrigued. I hope there is a great way to control the layout that beats out the Lionel LCS system. While its nice, the iPad app is lacking

And thank you MTH for your input on this post.

Wow! Way to go Joe as you got MTH to respond! Guess you're not losing your mind! 

Looks like some of us, including me, have to eat crow. 

While we have MTH's attention, there are a couple  of  additional issues.

1  Feature rest.... Not all of us  have the dealer loader and are not able to give  a engine a custom  name permanently.

A feature reset for the rest of us deletes the custom name we given the engine  as in an upgrade kit or just because we wanted a different name...  After 12 years this feature is broken.

2... I don't believe the record /playback feature works in super mode anymore. It only  records in one tiu zone.

I know it worked with 2,31a and 3.1. What happened?  Still waiting to find out if it's our layout , operator error   or software glitch.   We're  only have  dcs remotes. 

I am humbled. .....and maybe not so crazy! I have broken a few couplers and done my share of swearing. I stay with DCS because it's worth it. Every new software release has me on my toes though.

 My engines that have acted for up direction issues also include PS2 versions in lash-ups. PS3 in the lead seems to be where I had the most issues and I did not figure out if that was the factor? The last build told me what engine would be in the lead and I've never ran into that before. I can only guess that it was from the previous build the night before where that PS2 engine was the lead?

 Thank you MTH and all.

I got an email for someone who'd I'd call a friend. He asked me the intent of my post. I was so frustrated I couldn't reply. My intent? I have well over a hundred of their engines alone. I consider myself a loyal customer. I post when I know there's something wrong. I don't need attention. I realize there are many enemies of MTH and it still makes me chuckle. My first response would be to get a life. They will not alter my course or my judgement. I have been thru my share of those kinds of people. I do not hide or run from them. I could care less that some guy waits for failures to pounce like a hyena. He then joins this forum so he can learn more? He hasn't learn how to connect the DCS system in the last 15 years so I have to conclude he's an idiot. It only takes two wires. Maybe the red hot thing is too complicated????

 Ok enough wasted energy about useless posters. Carry on. I still see more than one bug in lash-ups. I see PS2 engines also failing intermittently to respond on a good layout for no apparent reason. I will find the reasons. It's just tougher when we greave a lost family member and turn to our trains, that then bite us when we're down. Sound familiar Elmo?

Hey, I went through a good bout of hating DCS for a while. Im sure a lot of folks on here saw me ranting. Most if not all of my DCS issues were of my own making which makes that much more frustrating. I appreciate Marty and Barry telling me to shut up made me solve the problem and move on.  Since Ive gotten it to perform wonderfully on my layout I'm remembering what a joy it is to use and how much fun running trains is with it. And the phone app is lights out. I just gotta stay on my toes and remember to check anytime I make a change to the layout, my new layout notes notebook really helps with that

Gregg,

A feature reset for the rest of us deletes the custom name we given the engine  as in an upgrade kit or just because we wanted a different name...  After 12 years this feature is broken.

That's a known bug in DCS 5.0 that causes a Feature Reset to delete the Custom Name. MTH is aware that it needs to be corrected so that it works as did in DCS releases prior to DCS 5.0.

Send me your boards and I'll write names to them

Matt Makens posted:

Send me your boards and I'll write names to them

Thanks but.... It's much easier(and cheaper) to just edit the name each time.

Update....

The feature reset deletion bug is confirmed in DCS 5.0.  The app does this so it's on our list to fix but, I didn't realize the bug is in the DCS system itself as well.  We'll get it fixed.  It's likely no big deal.

Regarding record/playback in super mode, this was never intended.  The fact that it quasi worked previously is essentially happenstance.  We are going to review this during development of the premium app and if we can offer record/playback in super mode reliably, we will.  In the meantime, we aren't likely to put much effort into this one.   Sorry for the inconvenience.

MTH posted:

Update....

The feature reset deletion bug is confirmed in DCS 5.0.  The app does this so it's on our list to fix but, I didn't realize the bug is in the DCS system itself as well.  We'll get it fixed.  It's likely no big deal.

Regarding record/playback in super mode, this was never intended.  The fact that it quasi worked previously is essentially happenstance.  We are going to review this during development of the premium app and if we can offer record/playback in super mode reliably, we will.  In the meantime, we aren't likely to put much effort into this one.   Sorry for the inconvenience.

You have to be kidding. The record/playback feature has always worked well using the dcs remote with earlier versions of the software.   You didn't realize the feature reset was in the system as well? I e-mailed MTH months ago with my findings however you're right it's not a big deal but the record /playback feature is.

Our layout is single track (about 8 scale mile of it) and the record/ playback feature is used to set up a passenger schedule over all the 4 tiu zones with other trains  operating during the playback.  Now you're telling me that it was just luck that it worked before. It worked with 2.21a for sure, perhaps 3.1 as well.  It taken us a long time to build this layout so we don't always have time to test all the features as we build.  I assumed the record playback in super was a given, guess not.

So wait, ar you saying that with the app and DCS5.0 you can no longer record the train movements and play them back for an automated running schedule?

What makes the DCS system so great is all the features. Sometimes I feel that fact is being overlooked or dismissed lately. Yes, not all users probably run big consists. It is great that the new release of DCS has the phone app. I feel that it did not cure many of the flaws of the last two releases. It did seem to cater understandably, to the new user running a single engine.

 Whether I'm correct or not, please don't forget your core users need these features. Keeping them in play and working reliably is a huge asset. I am looking forward to the new pro app. I also will be expecting some degree of flaws, based on past experiences. I surely hope things aren't just dismissed as not being important.

MTH stated it is only in "Supermode" that this feature wouldn't work. I plan on starting a new layout this fall and by my standards it's a large one (approx 25X20). I haven't finalized my track plan yet but after reading Barry's book I believe one TIU will be more than sufficient. I think most users won't be inconvenienced by this bug.

Milwrd

Hi MTH

I am also a 5.0 user with 19 locos on my DCS Controller , No Lionel Legacy • Jason Wenzel at MTH Electric Trains • Product Support Manager, has always been very helpful in answering my questions as related to MTH Trains.

Back in February of this year, I send my DCS controller in for replacing the thumb wheel and contact points. My DCS controller is working better then when it was new.  I am a basic end user and do not use a lot of the advanced features. So all is grade in my train room and yes, I do a lot of fishing.

Thanks for the help and working on this issue. Gary

milwrd posted:

MTH stated it is only in "Supermode" that this feature wouldn't work. I plan on starting a new layout this fall and by my standards it's a large one (approx 25X20). I haven't finalized my track plan yet but after reading Barry's book I believe one TIU will be more than sufficient. I think most users won't be inconvenienced by this bug.

 

Milwrd

True and I am one of them. However, anyone that has more than one TIU must have a significant investment. I wouldn't blame them for being miffed.

To clarify, record/playback in super mode is something we would like to offer as a stated and fully supported feature.  It never actually was.  The fact that it worked, with some glitches, was great but, it wasn't by design.  So, we'll put it back to that level at least but, hopefully, re-implement in such a way that its stable and reliable.  Since we'll be addressing this soon as part of the premium app development, we probably won't be releasing new DCS code addressing the issue beforehand.  

Matt, record/playback with a single TIU works fine as far as I know.  The issue is limited to super mode.  Who named it that anyway?  We'll have to fix that too.

I hope everyone enjoys their holiday weekend. 

  Time to eat a little Crow, The record playback in super does indeed work .  We have 8 remotes  and I used remote #8  to try the recording staring in TIU #2s zone, Would only record in TIU #2 .

 After speaking to Barry yesterday I phoned  my friend  Jack  and he tried a different remote and started the recording in  tiu #1 zone. . Before recording he set each tiu to SPR. (4 of them) and everything recorded and played back in all tiu zones.

We tried remote 8 again , but first , set all the tiu to super again before recording. Success again... I'm not sure why it worked because the trains ran fine in all tiu zones before attempting the recording  meaning the tiu must be in super?

Thanks To Barry who phoned me with some important tips.   I'm really happy to report  this feature works . gregg