TIU updates

If you have a copy of The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition, refer to Part VIII - Software Upgrading and Remote Backup/Restore, on pages 131-146.

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!

Does the TIU have version 2.## installed?

I don't know, how do I find out? 

I have your book and re-read the sections again, but I can't get it to download to my Windows 8 computer.  I upgraded the other two TIUs a few years back from my wife's PC so I went back to it and it has Version 2.3 of the loader program on it.  So why can't I get it to downlaod on my computer, and do I need 2.3.4?  on her computer it did take me to the download section using her computer with Windows 7.

PJ, on remote, after adding the TIU (see below), press MENU>SYSTEM>TIU SETUP>TIU VERSION>TIU #.

SInce you don't know what is in the TIU, a factory reset might be appropriate: MENU>SYSTEM>TIU SETUP>RESET TIU>FACTORY RESET  This will clean out any data in it.

Before adding the TIU, check the address by counting the LED flashes.  If you alreayd have a TIU with this address, things are a little more complicated.

You have to download the latest  DCS loader and the latest TIU and remote software from MTH's web site, It's all free but...  There are a couple of cables you'll need which  you probably already have.. A serial cable that connects from the tiu to computer and a 4 wire curly phone cable. good luck    First step .. download the loader.

but I can't get it to download to my Windows 8 computer.

You'll need to state exactly what you're doing and exactly what occurs as a result.

I got the loader to download finally.  I couldn't get it off of the screen that gave you the options to download.  It kept looping back to it, as if I was lookng for instructions.  I reset my password for MTH so maybe that was the issue???  In any event I'm going to see what version is on it and go from there.  Should I back up the hand-helds (I ahve two of them) first?  Both have version 4.2 software on them.  The TIUs (the two that I have hooked up and running now) have 2.3 on them.  Any value in updating them too?  I want to use the third TIU to run an under-the-layuout yard/trasfer table tracks/ballon track.

Thanks for the help.  I'll be back on once I get this done later today.

PJ, All TIUs & remotes should be the same version.

WARNING:  After upgrading the TIUs, do a reset.  Reason is that when MTH went from version 2.# to 3.#, it changed location of certain data from TIU to remote.  I believe a factory reset, rather than a feature reset, is required; it's been so long since I've done one that I forget.  I'm surely Barry will clarify which as soon as he comes on line.

Even thought the remotes have the newer software, I'd strongly suggest that you reset them as well, since their contents were loaded using a TIU with DCS 2.3. The two releases use drastically different memory schemes and dat in the remote could be screwed up.

You can backup the remotes if you wish, however, the backup will be just as screwed up as the remotes so you should not use it to reload the remotes after they're reset.

After you update the DCS software in the remotes and TIUs , you definitely should reset all of them. Use a Feature Reset for the TIUs so you don't have to renumber either of them.

Next, ensure that both remotes have both TIU numbers in them. After the reset, the remotes will have only TIU #1.

Then, re-input everything into one remote, back it up, and  restore it into the other remote.