Post any questions arising from "First Steps with RR&Co"

Pete

I have found the ethernet port on the Ecos to be not very positive i often have to wiggle the patch cable to get it to connect properly

Brian

Roger Brian, does your Ecos just decide to reboot occasionally? its a bugger when a loco goes into the buffers as control is lost at a crucial moment!

I cant say i have ever had that and sometimes its switched on for many hours Pete.

Brian

ummm!

I don't know how to change the COM port number, Pete.  I know it's in 4 because the Device Manager shows it as being there.  The thing that's confusing me is that when I launch Zug through the Lenz L1 server it works properly.  That tells me that the L1 is OK.  Then, the TC stick works through the hub to draw up the basic Track Plan, but it can't see the L1.

It seems, prima facie, that it's a hardware issue, but I can't for the life of me work out what is might be.  I have a spare laptop, a spare L1, a spare hub and spare cables, so it looks like I have some unplugging and plugging in ahead of me.

I know that early days with the Lokprogrammer, there were problems which turned out to be cables.  Similar mystifying faults.  Once we changed over to retro cables the problems went away.  Time will tell.

It's important that we document this stuff - particularly on the RR&Co forum, to help others coming behind. 

My visitor was just gathering info; those guys take and don't give.  One gets a bit spoilt being on here where everyone pitches in and helps each other.

[user=450]wogga[/user] wrote:

Roger Brian, does your Ecos just decide to reboot occasionally? its a naughtyword when a loco goes into the buffers as control is lost at a crucial moment!

I have found the ethernet port on the Ecos to be not very positive i  often have to wiggle the patch cable to get it to connect properly


I  have had my ECOS ( monochrome ) since NOV 06 and have not had either of these problems.

 I am up to version 3.0.1. Have not gone to V3.2.1 as a lot of people seem to be having problems with it.

 Ian

OK  After all the in and out (plugging), I'm down to the stick and the laptop.  I have another laptop which is on my main layout via an L1 USB interface.  As the stick has the code in it, I should be able to plug it into that laptop and it should see the Lenz system.  Right?     :pedal

If you can see the L1 in device manager with a com port number, yes when you run TC it too should find the L1 when you select the right com port number.

OK, thanks Pete.

So, I inserted the RR&C0 stick into the hub on the laptop which runs then main layout.  Switched it all on and looked in the Device Manager.  The L1 on this computer is in COM 4 as well.

I downloaded a fresh version of TC Gold and it opened successfully with the stick.  I went into Railroad/Setup Digital Systems and TC said it couldn't see the L1 when I tried to Set Up in COM 4.

I reckon that's pretty conclusive evidence that the problem is in the stick.

Unless anyone has any new ideas, I think it's time for me to advise Juergen Freiwal of what I have done and ask for help.

What say you, Bretheren?

hi max

sorry for the delay, you have 2 lenz options in the set up digital system, as your stick is USB you have an option in the set up for LENZ DIGITAL BUS/USB (this could be the problem). i think the other option used a com port for connection. i think this relates to older USB connections when you had to specify a port as anything other than usb is not automated. a USB socket can take 127 devices each, the only problem is power driven devices and un powered hubs. like Pete said problem shoot without the hub and when you know that works stick it on u usb hub.it should not matter what port it is in as the PC should pick this up as you attach the stick. try without specifying a port first using the usb option and then com 4.

hope this helps

Hi Matt.  I'm not sure what you are saying.  I have inserted the stick straight into the back of the laptop and it still can't see the L1

Also, it was working fine and then the bell went and it stopped and hasn't worked since.

When I launch TC I get an error message saying it can't connect, before it even opens.

Max

when you go into set up digital system you have 2 options for lenz

1 is lenz digital plus\ LI1oo(f)

2 is lenz digital plus\usb

select number 2 (usb) and don't select a port. if it does not work select number 2 (usb) and port 4.

OK  I'll have a go.  Thanks.

[user=13]Matt[/user] wrote:

Max

when you go into set up digital system you have 2 options for lenz

1 is lenz digital plus LI1oo(f)

2 is lenz digital plususb

select number 2 (usb) and don't select a port. if it does not work select number 2 (usb) and port 4.

None of them work, Matt.  It defaults to offline.

I just had a look at the RR&Co forum.  There is a stupid reply from Juergen Freiwald treating me like an idiot.

I sent him a letter, which I would share with you, but it won't upload.

I am completely pissed off.  I'm abandoning TC and going back to my G scale project.

What a waste of A$730.00 !!

Max, send me the letter & I will try to upload it into this thread.

I just received a reply from Juergen Freiwald stating that the problem is not in the stick and that I should remove it and store it in a safe place until my problems are resolved.

That's good news!  Anyone want to buy an RR&Co stick?  Working perfectly.

No idea what my problems are - he apparently wasn't prepared to speculate.

max

the software you get with the lenz usb LI, i think 3 different applications. 1 is a throttle and another is what they call a server (don't know why they make it complicated) this server (onoff switch) and the third is a CV application. the server is like a set of traffic lights that needs to be turned on whilst using the lenz throttle, i am not sure with Zug. but with TC this server needs to be turned OFF, TC makes the connection with the L1 usb.

if you can drive a train with the lenz throttle then TC will not work, if you try the Lenz throttle and it says not connected then the server is off.

 the server being on may account for the problems, TC will try and connect and send data to the L1 usb and the lights will flicker, but if the lenz server is on it will take priority over TC.

sorry again if this is suck eggs time, if you need screen shots let me know.

This dongle they use does seem to be rather troublesome im sure you are not the only one who has had problems with it i would have thought it in his interests to get your problems sorted otherwise you could rigtly return his dongle and ask for a refund.

Brian