What's Rev L?

The absolute latest TIU is "Rev L". Go buy one, you'll love the improvement.

Hi Jay,

The Rev. L TIU has two big improvements.

One is better command signal processing. Your layout has any locations where the DCS signal is a little flaky, a Rev L TIU will likely improve the situation. In beta testing most of us found the average signal improvement was at least 15%. The signal put out by the TIU isn't any more powerful than before, but the Rev L TIU's can detect a much weaker signal coming back from the locomotives. New PS3 locomotives use the same technology. Running a PS3 engine on a Rev L TIU gives a 50%+ improvement in signal quality.

The other big improvement is the addition of a USB port. You don't need a USB-Serial adapter to perform software upgrades or clone your remotes. You also don't need a separate power supply to power the TIU. The Rev L's will run on USB power while connected to the computer.

I have to do something. Neither of my Variable channels is working right, and some of the plastic around the venting is melted.

The improvement I'd like to see is simplifying the soft keys so that you can understand what they are.

quote:

Originally posted by Jay Mack:
I have to do something. Neither of my Variable channels is working right, and some of the plastic around the venting is melted.

The improvement I'd like to see is simplifying the soft keys so that you can understand what they are.

You can move them around so they are the same engine to engine, and the features you like are on the first screen. I use SFS, SRS and SCS 90% of the time, and not all that many others except for special purposes.

Mike

How can one tell if the TIU they are purchasing is a "Rev L" TIU?

I imagine there's a sticker on the back that identifies what Rev it is. 

Jay:

 

Unless your remote is a later version, it may need to be upgraded to work with the new TIU.

 

It may be simpler to just go ahead and purchase a complete new system(tiu and remote), so everything will be new, with the latest software in it.  

 

MSRP prices are shown in any MTH catalog.  What you'd pay out here in the world could be that or hopefully a little less.  

 

Kerrigan,

How can one tell if the TIU they are purchasing is a "Rev L" TIU?

There care two ways to tell. The first is that there's a sticker on the bottom middle of the case that states "REV. L". The second is that there's a small USB  port just to the left of the AIU port.

 

This and a whole lot more is all in "The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition", now available for purchase as an eBook or a printed book from MTH's web store site! Click on the link below to go to MTH's web page for the book!

I understood from Barry's posting the Rev L would work with previous TIUs as long as they were all running the upgraded software and the same version of software ...

Kerrigan,

 

You're getting hung up on semantics. Mike and I are saying the same thing.

 

Rev. L TIUs that are currently shipping come with DCS 4.20 installed. Earlier Rev. L's came with DCS 4.10. The same is true for remotes that shipped around the same time.

 

As far as I know, there is no restriction regarding what software will run in a Rev. L, unlike a Rev. I, which needed DCS 3.1 minimum.

 

The right thing to do is to get them all running the same release, and Mike is also advocating doing so, except that he took it a step further and specified that they should all be on the latest release, DCS 4.20.

Okay, my other two and the remotes are all on the latest revision of the software, 4.2.

Couple of interesting notes in the MTH description of Rev L ...

2. Run a track signal test. You may notice that certain areas are worse than they were with your previous rev TIU. This is usually because the light bulbs used to improve track signaling aren’t needed with the new Rev L TIU. Start by removing them one at a time form the suspect sections of your track.

 

This could be a problem for those impacted who are using end-of-track lighted bumpers to boost the signal ...

3. The rev L TIU has shown to provide an improvement in track signaling in most layouts. Many layouts have been altered to accommodate the older TIU’s. In many cases none of this needs to be changed. However, in some cases the addition of the Rev L TIU may require some tweaks to certain areas of your layout. The reason is that the new communications processor in the TIU is much more sensitive to what the engine sends back.

 

" may require some tweaks to certain areas of your layout?"  Beside removing bulbs?  Doesn't define "tweaks" ...

Jay, before risking a new TIU, I'd try to figure out why the case has melted.  I have two original-issue TIUs which have no such issues.

Kerrigan,

This could be a problem for those impacted who are using end-of-track lighted bumpers to boost the signal ...

I have 90+ #260 lighted bumpers and 3 Rev. L TIUs on my layout with absolutely no loss of DCS signal anywhere. Just all 10's.

 

 

I wouldn't be overly concerned about the #260 lighted bumpers being used with a Rev. L TIU.

Good to know, Barry.  Thank you.