Switching HM7000 to DCC control

[Paul-380474]

Hi Folks

I have sent two requests to Hornby technical for a solution to this. They have not responded on either occasion.

I have the Earl Marischal (21 pin) on HM7000 app. It works fine. However, when I press the 'DCC' control tab in the app, neither my elite controller or Railmaster picks it up. I have set up a train in Railmaster with the same control code as that set on the HM7000 app. Clearly there is another step or two which I am missing.

Do I need to put the engine on the program track and set it up there with my Elite controller? Unless I can get someone to confirm this step I am loath to try it as I can find no information on doing this in the Hm7000 manual, and I am wary of damaging the (very expensive) HM7000 loco decoder.

[P-Henny]

Read the 'Text Based Tutorials' on the linked page below. They provide 'step by step' guidance information that is supplementary to the manual.

https://uk.hornby.com/hm7000/hm-dcc-guides

Although the APP should be able to be used to set the DCC Address for DCC Control. It has been found that doing it that way can not be relied upon. Current guidance is to set the DCC Address in the traditional manner using the DCC Controller on the programming track. If necessary setting CV12 first to invoke DCC operation (the factory default) if using the APP to set DCC Control doesn't work.

Work through the Text Based Tutorial Troubleshooting guide that describes what to do in more detail to configure and use the HM7000 Decoder via the Bluetooth APP.

For a sound decoder, the HM7000 is very cheap, not very expensive. For example, have you researched the price of a Loksound?

[SteveM6]

You have to program the required address into the decoder using a legacy DCC controller ie on a programming track.

Setting the address via the app does not, as yet, write that address across to the decoder.

The decoder will likely respond on DCC if you use the default address of 3 prior to changing it to an address of your own choosing.

[Paul-380474]

These are the only mentions I can see in the hm/dcc guides. No discussion about setting up the loco on the elite. Steve, I will go with you and try programming the loco on my Elite controller.

When your HM7000 is connected to HM | DCC, you can alter the locomotive address by tapping on the field to the right-hand side of Loco Address. Key in the desired address with your device’s number pad. The address will instantly be written to your locomotive’s HM7000 decoder

When your locomotive’s HM7000-TXS decoder is connected to HM | DCC, the control mode will automatically switch to Bluetooth® mode. You can alter the Control Mode of your locomotive’s HM7000-TXS decoder by tapping on the Bluetooth® button for wireless control and DCC for use with digital DCC controllers such as the Hornby Elite, Select or eLink controllers

[SteveM6]

When that part of the manual was written, it was the intention that all CV amendments made on the app would write across to the decoder. In practice that proved not to be the case.

It was identified early in the test process but has yet to be completely fixed.

In the meantime just treat the TXS decoder as an ordinary one and make this particular change the old fashioned way and you should be able to switch between Bluetooth and DCC control without issue.

[P-Henny]

No discussion about setting up the loco on the elite.

 

 

That's because out of the box, the HM7000 is factory configured as a standard DCC Decoder. Therefore the configuration of it using a DCC Controller such as an Elite is already documented in the relevant DCC Controller manuals.

The HM documentation focuses on operating the HM7000 Decoder using the Bluetooth APP. It is therefore not deemed necessary to 'reinvent the wheel' and document in duplication all the different DCC Controller manuals as well.

[Paul-380474]

Well SteveM6

That did not work.

The Elite seemed happy enough programming the loco, but it remains stubbornly dead. Fortunately, switching back to HM7000 it still works- no damage done.

(p.s I have so far programmed over 20 dcc locos with 100% success in case someone suggests that I am doing that bit wrong).

Any further tips, however small and obvious, please let me know. It must be something simple that I am missing.

[P-Henny]

Are you resetting the value of CV12 to enable DCC control when programming the DCC Address using the Elite. If CV12 is still in Bluetooth mode, then the decoder will ignore the Elite DCC operating commands. See the HM7000 manual for the relevant CV12 values.

Also, what profile version is installed in the HM7000. I seem to recall previous posts and threads that the original V1 profiles had issues switching to DCC control. But using the DCC Controller to change the CV12 value, provided a 'workaround'.

[96RAF]

1. First action must be ensuring the latest version of the profile is installed. This is paramount to set a known line in the sand.
2. Next over-write the DCC address in the app (loco settings screen), then refresh the CVs in the Advanced CV editor.
3. Compare the chosen address with that shown in the CV listings, noting if a long address is used that the conversion shown in CVs 17/18 is correct. There have been instances of a long address being converted to the wrong value.
4. Then check CV29 is set for short or long addressing as appropriate.
5. Finally check CV19 (consist address) is showing value zero. If there is any other value showing then the loco will not respond to a regular address.

Report back for each stage so we can advise further or folk can see if and what the fix is.

[Paul-380474]

Wow 96RAF.

Plenty of homework here.

All I wanted to was 'play trains'.

No time today. I will start this process tomorrow and report back as soon as I can.

Paul

[96RAF]

Once the sound profile is reloaded (15 minutes or so), the other checks are a matter of 5 minutes tops.

Enjoy playing trains.

[Moccasin]

Hi Paul

As @96RAF says, the main time is taken waiting for the sound profile. Even with my less capable/intuitive Select controller, changing CV values is quick.

It might seem a little daunting, but the learning curve is quite easy, even for a numpty like me.

[ColinB]

From what you are saying you are doing everything correct, as you have done, you just change the setting from bluetooth to dcc. The only thing I can think you may have got the DCC address wrong that you have set in the App, in that it not the right one or the one you think you set. When running on bluetooth the HM7000 is using the bluetooth id, whereas on DCC it will be using the DCC address. I have only ever changed the DCC address when running on the Elite, so I don't know if that could be the issue. You will not be able to damage the HM7000 using the App as you won't on DCC. The only way you should be able to damage the HM7000 is if there is something physical wrong with your setup ( motor wires connected to track directly, short on the motor or function outputs). It may be the App has got itself confused which is why it is not working, so exit the App and go back in.

[Fishmanoz]

Colin, did you read all the excellent advice given by Paul, Steve and Rob on page 1 before posting yours?

[Paul-380474]

Hi 96RAF

Homework completed.

Results:

Profile version: v3 (the latest)

Successfully overwrote the loco address.

Refreshed CV's

Compared loco address (19) to long address- which was 192 (is this good?)

CV29 reports a value of 2. Is this correct?

CV 19 showed a value of 16. Reset this value and it went to 0

At this point the engine began to move off (I had left the elite controller with power on for loco 19)

 

So... success. The engine now swaps between HM7000 and DCC without a problem.

Thank you so much for this advice.

 

 

[96RAF]

A long address is stored in CVs 17 and 18. The explanation is in the decoder manual about these values, but 192 / 100 is the values that equate to long address 100 (yes I know 100 is not really a long address but NMRA says it is the default). From there you can gather 192 is not your long address, you have to check CV18 as well and put those values into an address calculator, which is on the same page as the CV29 calculator linked to in the DCC section sticky post - Handy Links.

CV29 value 2 again can be checked using that calculator. 128 speed steps and short address and normal direction.

CV19 (consisting) is a bug and needs sorting, but if a loco fails to respond on DCC then check there first.

[Fishmanoz]

Specifically, with CV29 at 2, the short address is active, hence the loco responding to 19.