NIK

Hornby announce DCC rescue loco to retrieve Bluetooth locos stuck in tunnels made of chicken wire.

Hi, Interesting info about DC PWM controllers interacting with DCC decoder sound quality and running qualities. Railcom also allows the detection of whether a particular loco is in a particular local detection section. Does the HM7000 offer this feature?. My question about Railcom cutouts was related to running on a DCC supply (loco either DCC controlled or Bluetooth controlled). Is the Railcom cutout too short to affect the decoders?. Regards Nick

Hi, Now that Simon Kohler has said the sound HM7000 decoders will work on 15V DC providing the power supply has enough current capacity to power the loco with sound on then my speculation on why the sound might not work on a DC supply is no longer needed. I agree this sort of thing should have been sorted before the launch. On that point the HM188 video said the Bluetooth range was 12 to 15 metres with locos with diecast bodies. But I believe all the locos with diecast bodies made recently have plastic tenders where a decoder might be fitted. So will the Deltic DP1 have the same range?. Regards Nik

Hi Coryton, That's encouraging. I didn't see SKs response. So some locos plus MH7000 DCC , bluetooth and sound decoder can draw more than 1 amp. I've got a new design Hornby HST that draws 600ma just to turn its wheels slowly. So a back of fag packet estimation 600ma motor, 50ma? for digital part of decoder if its a 32 bit MCU with DSP, 50ma? for Bluetooth Mesh part and 250ma for sound is just under an amp at 12V?. Regards Nick

Hi, Maybe Hornby have a different purpose. I have a copy of Hornby Virtual Railway that refuses to start on my laptop due to lack of support for mobile video chip sets. Its the only piece of software that I've bought that has failed to start. When Hornby mentioned they were going to do a loco ID system they said it would only do 110 locos - was that the absolute technical limit or the technical limit for the price point or to avoid patent infringements or for marketing purposes?. Regards Nik

Hi, The only thing I can think of at present from a technical point of view is that Hornby are deriving some information from the timing of the DCC pulses in order to get the TXS sound to work. Could be they are deriving an interrupt or similar from a circuit locked to the period of the DCC transitions in order to simplify the sound generation. EDIT If they are I hope the circuit that locks on to the DCC transitions can ignore Railcom cutouts. END EDIT Regards Nick

Just to add to what Redgate Models said. The HM7000 series decoders have both DCC and Bluetooth capability in each decoder. So providing they are sufficiently DCC compliant they should work with DCC command stations. So if your DCC command station is supported by iTrain or similar then the 7000 series loco decoders should work. with that computer controlled software (extent of operation will depend on the feature set of the HM7000 decoders and I think details have not been published yet). Regards Nik

Hi, If the TXS sound decoders turn out not to work on DC controllers (as opposed to a fixed 15V DC from a Hornby wall wart) it could be for marketing reasons or it could be due to technical reasons. On the technical side they might have made the hardware and firmware cheaper by not including stuff needed to make the sound work on reduced voltages. Regards Nik

Hi, The dongle seems to allow the Bluetooth app to talk to certain DCC command stations. So it seems unlikely that it will do anything with an H&M 12v dc controller. The Hornby Magazine Youtube video seems to imply that HM series TXS sound decoders which R30176TXS Class 73 Rail Road plus class 73 will be equipped with may/will not work with DC controllers. The H&M 12v dc controller is a DC controller. Hopefully things will become clearer in time. Regards Nik

There was a discussion in the video about running HM7000 decoders on an analogue supply and Mike Wild mentioned the HM6000 in that discussion so I think it would be safe to assume that the Hornby man was saying only the non sound HM7000 decoders will work on an analogue supply. I took that to mean variable voltage DC controllers to adjust speed. Even that doesn't pin things down because what is meant by work? Does the Bluetooth still work on a variable DC controller and if so does it work down to the same voltages as DCC decoders in DC compatibility mode?.

Maybe Hornby haven't given up hope with the loco ID system they mentioned a number of years ago?. I did notice a component on the R7336 that could have been a magnetic sensor. At first I thought it might be just for counting wheel revolutions for synching steam sound using a powerful magnet inserted into the final drive gear of the loco chassis but it might also be for detecting a pattern of magnets along the track. However unless the decoder is near the track it might be difficult to make the magnets close enough together to be retro fitted in a strip between the rails. The magnets could be fitted into recesses in the underside of the sleepers.

Hi, However a DCC command station can control points and signals as well as locos and I don't think Hornby have mentioned decoders for these yet. Regards Nik

The sound files will probably be encrypted to protect Hornby's investment in creating them. If I were Hornby and it were possible I would keep the sound file encrypted if it is stored in an external EEPROM*. Then decrypt it in real time. This would reduce the chance of the sound file data being recorded with digital fidelity by a logic analyser connected to the EEPROM data pins when the decoder is being commanded to play sounds. * the 6 pin IC on the photo of the R7336 may be the serial EEPROM that would hold the sound file. Regards Nik

I will be interested to see if there are problems with the Bluetooth antenna being close to metal chassis. With the diecast bodied Deltic Prototype DP1 model Hornby have announced maybe they will make the fuel tanks of plastic to maximise the strength of Bluetooth comms.

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Hi, The OP asked for any pointers and WIMorrison started by giving him/her a pointer as to how to solve the problem so there should have been no complaint from the OP. Regards Nik

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Hi, To add to the info above: Regards Nik

Hi, I haven't yet been able to identify that decoder. The 8 pin plug having the wires encased is not common, and combined with the decoder having a single sided pcb should make identification easier. It would help things if you said how long have you had it and if it came from a loco what manufacturer of loco was it?. Regards Nik

When the Irish government had a dairy mountain they sent out folks door to door asking "would you let cheeses into your lives?".

Hi, I'm probably a lot older than many of Hornby's marketing team so the word 'experience' may mean something different to them. As there is a shortage of microcontrollers I'd guess at something mechanical such as synchronized smells or something software such as some sort of augmented feedback to a mobile phone. A long shot is mini cameras in locos.