SoundTraxx Coach Lighting Decoder Users Guide - Manual (Page 8)

SoundTraxx Lighting Decoder User’s Guide Page 5
If you don’t have the conversion chart available, you can also calculate
the value in the following manner. Reading from right to left, each bit has a
decimal value associated with it, beginning with a 1 and doubling this value
as you go from bit 0 to bit 7. This value is only counted when the bit is a ‘1’.
Looking at the figure below, you can see that using this method, bit 1 has a
value of 2 and bit 4 has a value of 16. Adding these two numbers together
gives the correct decimal value of 18.
Programming Methods
There are two methods for changing the decoder’s CVs:
Service Mode Programming - This programming mode usually requires the
locomotive to be placed on a special programming track or connected to a
dedicated programmer. Your decoder can support four types of service mode
instructions:
Address Mode - Can change CV 1 (Primary Address) only.
Register Mode - Can change CVs 1,2,3,4,7,8 and 29 only.
Paged Mode - Uses a page register to indirectly modify any CV.
Direct Mode - Can directly change any CV.
Operations Mode Programming - Sometimes called ‘Ops Mode’ or
‘Programming on the Main’, this programming mode allows the CVs to be
changed while the locomotive is operating on the layout even when other
locomotives are present. The neat thing about this mode is that the CVs can
be changed in the middle of operation allowing the engineer for example, to
increase the momentum rate of a locomotive after it couples to a train. The
main disadvantage of operations mode programming is that the CV data
cannot be read back to verify its value.
Programming and Reading CVs
Although your decoder will accept any changes you make on a programming
track the decoder will not successfully read back a CV value because there
is no motor load on to the decoder. Decoders generate a current pulse to the
motor to create an acknowledgement. Without the motor load the command
station has no way of receiving the acknowledgement from the decoder.
Furthermore, the Super Capacitor interferes with the read back process.
To verify that the decoder has accepted the programming watch the
interior lights for a ‘blip’ (a quick change in brightness). This is the lighting
decoder’s way of showing an acknowledgement pulse. It is also important to
understand that when you attempt to program on a programming track you
must first wait for the capacitor to fully discharge or else it cannot program
bit 7 bit 6 bit 5 bit 4 bit 3 bit 2 bit 1 bit 0
When bit is
set to 1, value = 128 64
32 16 8 4 2 1
Therefore: 0 + 0 + 0 + 16 + 0 + 0 + 2 + 0 = 18
Basics of Programming