The Chicken Or the Egg?

First off, given these are all used, I'd first verify what TIU number each TIU is set to.  When you power up, peek in the top and you'll see a red LED near the serial port end.  It will blink out a code to tell you which TIU # it's set to.  Add that TIU to the remote and then do a factory reset on the TIU and the remote.  Now you're ready to tinker with adding engines.

Don,

The instruction book and Barry's book act like the most important thing to set up first is the ENGINE.

No, that isn't the case at all when you have 3 TIUs and remotes, none of which has known contents or DCS ID#'s.

How do I get started with DCS when all the IDs in the TIUs, remotes and engines have all been pre-scrambled for me?

It's going to be a bit of a PITA, however, the good news is that you only need to do it once.  

Start by resetting each remote as follows: Menu/System/Remote Setup/Reset Remote, press the thumbwheel to confirm.

Next, reset and add each TIU to the first remote as follows:

1. Power-on one TIU. Note how many times the TIU's red LED blinks before it comes on steady. That is its TIU ID#. 
2. If the TIU blinked once, skip to step 4
3. If the TIU blinked more than once:
   1. Menu/System/TIU Setup/Add TIU
   2. Select the TIU # that is the same as the number of blinks
   3. Press the thumbwheel to confirm
   4. Meu/System/TIU Setup/Edit TIU
   5. Select the TIU # that is the same as the number of blinks
   6. Press the thumbwheel to select it
   7. Select "1" from the list to change this TIU's number to ID #1
4. Menu/System/TIU Setup/Reset TIU/Factory Reset
5. Select TIU #1
6. Press the thumbwheel to confirm, and again to Factory Reset the TIU.
7. Power-off this TIU.
8. Repeat steps 1-7 for each of the other two TIU's.

The above procedure will make each TIU into TIU #1. Now, we'll reassign two of them to be TIU's #2 and #3.

For the TIU that is to become TIU #2:

1. Power-on only that TIU.
2. Menu/System/TIU Setup/Edit TIU
3. Select TIU #1 and press the thumbwheel
4. Select TIU #2 and press the thumbwheel. This will change this TIU's ID# to 2.
5. Menu/System/TIU Setup/Add TIU.
6. Select TIU #1 and press the thumbwheel to add a slot back to the remote for TIU #1.

For the TIU that is to become TIU #3:

1. Power-on only that TIU.
2. Menu/System/TIU Setup/Edit TIU
3. Select TIU #1 and press the thumbwheel
4. Select TIU #3 and press the thumbwheel. This will change this TIU's ID# to 3.
5. Menu/System/TIU Setup/Add TIU.
6. Select TIU #1 and press the thumbwheel to add a slot back to the remote for TIU #1.

The first remote and all TIUs are now ready to add engines. To make the other 2 remotes ready to add engines:

1. Power-on the the next remote
2. Menu/System/TIU Setup/Add TIU.
3. Select TIU #2 and press the thumbwheel to add a slot to the remote for TIU #2.
4. Select TIU #3 and press the thumbwheel to add a slot to the remote for TIU #3.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 for the remaining TIU.

Now you can add engines, taking care that each DCS engine adds in all remotes with the same DCS ID#.

1. Using the first remote: Menu/System/Engine Setup/Add Engine/Add MTH Engine, and press the thumbwheel to add the engine to this remote.
2. Repeat step 1 for the second remote using the same engine.
3. Repeat step 1 for the third remote using the same engine.

You should now be good to go.

This and a whole lot more about DCS is all in MTH’s “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 MTH's web store!

John,

Just an FYI for the future. What you posted is really a gross oversimplification of what needs to be done. Unfortunately, it's quite a bit more complicated than you describe.

The good news is that, using the DCS App, the process is considerably simpler.  

Since they're used and unknown, it might be smart to simply test all of them individually as TIU #1 before you setup all the ID's.  With a 4 foot test track, I doubt he needs three TIU's!   Once they're determined to be functional, time to move on.  However, no way I can imagine hooking three TIU's to one 4 foot track!

John,

The key to success is to first get things to a known, organized state with a defined baseline. During the above process, if something isn't right it will become known as the process unfolds.

Its sort of like eating an elephant - one byte at a time.  

Well, in this case, my preferred approach would be to simple get one remote and one TIU working, then add another device and verify that. 

You have your way, I have mine.  

I don't doubt you can get it working your way, I just feel it's easier to not be dealing with extra configuration steps when I don't have to.

We'll agree to disagree on this particular point.

Don Merz 070317 posted:

. I am trying to set up 3 TIUs and 3 remotes eOn a dedicated test track of about 4 feet using a Z-4000 for track power and 3 Z-500/750 type supplies for the TIUs--one supply dedicated to each TIU. 

Don Merz

 

3 TIU's on one 4 foot section of track.

is this even advisable?

Maybe he's just trying to get things working before connecting to the layout?

Joe,

That was my assumption. He didn't ask "how do I know if anything is broken" or "how do I test my equipment".

Rather, he asked the following:

"So I guess my question is what is the setup sequence? TIU ID? Remote ID? Engine ID? What? How can I just reset everything to zero and start as though everything was new.

How do I get started with DCS when all the IDs in the TIUs, remotes and engines have all been pre-scrambled for me?"

Those are the questions that I answered, in detail.

Sorry Barry, I was replying to bigdodgetrain

Your answer was very well done as usual. (You know I follow your advice and your books.)

I think another good answer for these situations might be to reset the engine so it has the address back to default? That maybe what confuses users when they try and add an engine that already has an assigned address. You maybe able to put that better into words and actions Barry than I can. It's not necessary but it may help when users want to start from scratch and are having these types of issues?

Barry Broskowitz posted:

Joe,

Maybe he's just trying to get things working before connecting to the layout?

That was my assumption. He didn't ask "how do I know if anything is broken" or "how do I test my equipment".

Rather, he asked the following:

"So I guess my question is what is the setup sequence? TIU ID? Remote ID? Engine ID? What? How can I just reset everything to zero and start as though everything was new.

How do I get started with DCS when all the IDs in the TIUs, remotes and engines have all been pre-scrambled for me?"

Those are the questions that I answered, in detail.

He also stated they were used and obviously in unknown state.  That being the case, I just figured it would be easier to test individually for function before you start configuring is to test the components and be sure they were working.  Given a 4 foot track, it's hard to imagine not testing them individually anyway. 

In case you didn't notice, the query in red seemed to be the key statement, I was showing him exactly how to simply get everything back to factory defaults.  They way I read it, that's exactly what he was asking.

"How can I just reset everything to zero and start as though everything was new."

John,

In case you didn't notice, the query in red seemed to be the key statement, I was showing him exactly how to simply get everything back to factory defaults.  They way I read it, that's exactly what he was asking.

"How can I just reset everything to zero and start as though everything was new."

I agree, that's what he was asking.

However, your post provided only general guidance that didn't actually tell him how to do anything. It completely ignored the fact that he had 3 TIUs and 3 remotes to get organized. Unfortunately, adding multiple TIUs to multiple DCS Remotes has always been an overly complicated, somewhat convoluted process. (As an aside, the DCS App has finally made this process as simple as can be.)

What he needed and requested, and that I provided, was a detailed, if lengthy, process to get all of his devices talking together.

Rather than add each engine, switch, etc to each remote, I'd add them all in just one, and then clone it after you have all settings and softkeys the way you want them.

Ahhhh....this is excellent. Thanks Barry and GRJ form your detailed replies. I am going to follow Barry's process to the letter and I will let you know how it goes. 

Yes, I am doing this stuff on a short test track prior to putting it onto the layout which, even though it is just 16x17 feet is somewhat complex (to a newbie like me). 

You guys are so knowledgable and helpful that it is hard to believe you are really all out there. I once read a science fiction book where the man asks his supercomputer for a constant stream of help, which the computer provides no problem. Over the years they develop a personal relationship. And finally the man asks the super computer how old it is and the computer can't figure it out--can't determine when it started being a computer. So I am just going to avoid asking you guys how old you are....

Don

Barry, I originally bought your wi-fi book latest edition because I was going to be all about wi-fi DCS.  Now --surprise!--change of plan--I am not going to be using wi-fi at all. I get a sense that given my changed needs, I should also buy your plain old DCS companion book (without the "wi-fi") since it is more likely to fit my situation with regular remotes instead of tablet screens. I've gotten a lot out of the wi-fi book so I have no complaints. But I am wondering if it still wouldn't also be worth owning your latest DCS companion book? Honest answer--what do you think?

Don

Don,

But I am wondering if it still wouldn't also be worth owning your latest DCS companion book? Honest answer--what do you think?

All of my answers are, to the best of my knowledge, honest ones.

If you plan to operate DCS using the DCS Remote, I'd strongly suggest that you purchase a copy of The DCS Companion 3rd Edition.

I believe you are right. I ordered one. We are lucky to have you.

Don

Thanks to all for your kind replies and especially to Barry, the best (well, okay, the ONLY) DCS Ambassador I know. Barry, it all went perfectly, exactly according to your instructions. Thanks so much for your help! On my own, I would have had to go find a new hobby....

Don Merz