So I'm a long way behind the times here and as I am looking at plugging in my Digitrax Zepher system, I am also thinking about step 1, the simplest way to program addresses. I saw this Broadway Limited Imports 1020 Address Changer a while back and I keep wondering if it would be worth getting. Does anyone have one or experience with one? Wondering if it is really as simple as it looks on the Broadway website.
Our club has one. It's quite easy to use and it works. It's powerful enough for sound decoders which the Zephyr may not have enough power to program. Do note that it only changes the address CVs and no other CVs. Whether you need one or not you have to make that decision as it costs $70-$80. That could be another loco or a few decoders. Remember your Zephyr has full programming capabilities save the sound stuff.
As an old-timer whose model railroading experience has been with the MRC power pack and single loops of temporary track plans, DCC has made model railroading much more complex for me... but I am loving the possibilities. If you're only wanting to change addresses, that would be fine. I suspect you'll find you want to do more than that, and I would recommend a computer, JMRI, and an interface. I scaled up to a SPROG 2 because the PR4 didn't have enough juice for my BLI engines, and it was the path of least resistance. I also got the ESU LokProgrammer for my units with ESU decoders, but I have no patience in debugging my own incompetence... Sent from my SM-N950U1 using Tapatalk
What Big GG1 Fan said! JMRI (Java Model Railroad Interface) is a free suite of applications, Decoder Pro being just one, but the most widely used one. Highly recommended! It already has maps of all the decoders' registers, with plain language descriptions of what the data in them does. No more using a spreadsheet or scrap of paper to figure out what value to program into a decoder register! It can also read back your entire decoder (or just parts of it, your choice), and save the data on your computer. So, should you ever have to reset or replace your decoder, you can (re)program your prior settings very quickly and easily. You need a USB interface for your command station (if it does not already have one), and a Windows, Mac or Linux computer to run JMRI. Your Zephyr may already have the USB interface built in (later models do). JMRI also includes a WiFi throttle server that communicates with WiFi throttles (or throttle apps on smart phones) to run your trains too. The throttles display your locomotive roster that is created while programming them in Decoder Pro, so you don't even have to remember the locomotives' addresses! You just select a locomotive from the roster list on your throttle/app, and drive!
LOL! I was about to say that's not what the OP is asking! Next suggestion would be to build an Ardrino device to program your address...but first we need to build a regulated power supply. Although JMRI is a godsend at times it brings along its own set of baggage.
