Used TIU & remote, good deal?

Excellent deal.   You can always do an upgrade to 4.2 , you just wont have a USB port.

Once you start running command you will never go back to conventional.  

If it's a Rev. G TIU (original model, 10 years old, no marking on bottom), it's very inferior to any other model TIU, and prone to being or becoming defective. On the other hand, if the remote is in good shape, the remote alone is probably worth $75.

As regards the Rev. L TIU, it is most definately superior to all previous TIUs in a few important ways:

• Much faster digital signal processor (FPGA vs. ASIC) with considerably improved DCS signal strength, particularly when used with PS3 engines
• Little, if any, need for using "magic light bulbs" or engineered filters to improve DCS signal strength
• A built-in USB port, as well as a serial port.

If you want to maximize your DCS experience, don't purchase anything except a Rev. L TIU - along with a copy of The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition¡  

For $75 it's hard to go wrong.  As Barry says, the remote would sell for that, so you're not really taking a risk here.

Thanks everyone.  That information is much appreciated.

A new TIU from MB Klein:

http://www.modeltrainstuff.com...IU-p/mth-50-1003.htm

is about $160, so even if you had to buy that the overall price would still be cheaper than a complete new system.

Well, I bought it.  I'm gonna read the manual before I ask any questions here.  Wish me luck!

Does the TIU require a power cord, or does it get IT'S power from the transformer connected to the input side?  Also, just to test the unit, can I use a CW-80?  Thanks everyone.

The TIU gets it's power from Fixed #1 Input or from the aux power jack on the side.  I personally wouldn't use the CW-80, but if it's cranked up to full voltage, I believe it will work for a test.  The easy way is to connect it to Fixed #1 Input and then you will have the Fixed #1 output connected to the track.

Obviously, to test all the channels will take more work, you'll have to supply input power to each of them in turn.

Here's the MTH DCS Home Page, there is lots of useful information there.

There's kinda 2 parts to test a tiu & remote

1-- Does the remote communicate with the tiu?..you would  power up the tiu with either power to fixed 1 or an aux power supply as gunrunner mentioned. next hit the "read" (botttom left on the dcs remote )and hopefully you'll get a message on the remote's screen    " tiu found". (if the read doesn't find the tiu i wouldn't panic just yet, there are a number of reasons it may not... wrong tiu number added to the remote, loose RF boards that with care can be re-seated but the odds are the tiu is tiu #1 and already added to the remote

2 --If all goes well with the read you might want  to check out the track signal on each of the tiu 4 channels but you'd need a engine and small test track to do so.

Did you try the phone cable to tether the remote to the TIU and see if it works that way?

Don't give up yet, Apply power to the tiu and see if the red led on top lights up. You have to look for it, it should blink and then remain on steady, the number of blinks is the actual tiu number. Can you see the red led?

gunrunnerjohn, no I didn't try the phone cable, didn't know that could be done.  I will try that.

Gregg, when I applied power the RED LED inside the TIU did light up.

OK  count the number of times the red led blinks. The number of blinks is the actual tiu number. It can blink anywhere from 1 to 5 times,    I 'm hoping you're tiu is something other than a one blinker(tiu #1).

  Example.. If the led blinks 3 times you would add tiu #3 to the remote, 2 blinks you would add tiu #2, you get the pic. However the odds are it's tiu #1 but   ya never know , good luck.

When I apply power it blinks twice.  I used a cable to tether the remote to the TIU.  I fooled around with adding TIU to address 2, not sure what I pressed exactly.  Now, when I press READ on the remote it says TIU found at address 2 with 0 AIU's.  It does this wireless also!  I guess the next thing is to have a DCS locomotive on the track and to try to add it.  That'll have to wait until I own or can borrow one.  Many thanks to Gregg and gunrunnerjohn.

I'd first configure it to be TIU #1.  Probably a good idea to do a factory reset on the TIU first thing, this will erase everything in it and return it to TIU #1.  See if you have better luck at that point.

You access the factory reset by pressing Menu, System, and scroll to TIU SETUP, then FACTORY RESET.

If you're going to factory reset the tiu which will leave it as address 1 (a 1 blinker) you'll now have to add tiu#1 to the remote or reset it as well. A remote reset has tiu #1 added as a factory default.

Good point Gregg, thanks for the correction.  Forgot that step.