I just recieved the NCE computor interface and would like to use it with my SB3. The diagram specifies to use the 4 wire coil cord to hook it up to a Powercab through the facia power panel. Is it possible to utilize a 6 wire bus cable to hook up the SB3 dirrectly to the interface? I would think it may be ok, but am unsure.
Can't see any problem with using the 6 conductor cable and connecting it to a SB3, you could use a 4 conductor cable as well as the interface / SB3 don't use the outer pair of conductors (that's purely for the Powercab when it's basic mode). You won't get the full programming fuctionality of the USB device though unless its used with the Powercab and it's PCP panel - that's what the USB device was designed for. Tim
Hey Tim, thanks for the response. I thought the only restriction was on the Pro system. Do you know what I would be missing out on?
Spidge - this is the best I know about the USB device: (Note - a lot of this is from memory) 1) With Powercab as the command station - can program locos on a program track (i.e. - have readback), program on main and run trains via JMRI remote throttles. 2) With SB3 as command station - can program on main and run trains via JMRI remote throttles. (no program track on SB3) 3) With Powerhouse command station - can run trains via JMRI remote throttles - it won't program locos as far as I'm aware. The following is from jmri.org regarding the USB interface: All systems:No AIU support, No Turnout MONITORING, No Clock functions. Power Cab and SB3:Can only access accessory addresses between 1 and 250. SB3:No programming track support, operation mode only. Power Pro:No loco programming Tim
Thanks for your thoroughness, I will keep the program track I have wired through the original power panel just to get a decoder started then move it to the main for ops mode. I have 2 computers to choose from to run this, one in the kitchen the other next to the layout. The one in the garage next to the layout is an old windows 98 system with no internet access yet. Would this be ok with decoder pro and running the interface(preferred)? The other system is in the adjacent kitchen runs windows xp but I cannot move it. In order to get the kitchen computer going I would need some 25 foot of cable and the usb cable would run some ridiculous money. Could I utilize a 25 foot bus cable to run from the interface to the SB3?
Hi, SPidge, The old Windows 98 computer may or may not hack it. It all depends on what level of Windows 98 and associated Java and USB support you have. Not because the old laptop doesn't have enough horsepower, it's got plenty... but the current Decoder Pro releases require a certain level of Java that may or may not run on your level of Windows 98. Also, the NCE USB card requires drivers for the USB side... those drivers also may or may not be available on your level of Windows 98. Bottom line.... check out the Decoder Pro / JMRI web sites, they will tell you what levels and pre-reqs you need. Then, you can decide if your level of Windows 98 will be able to support it. Hope this helps!
I afraid someone would say that. It looks like I will have to use the kitchen or borrow one of the kids newer laptops that run vista. The desktop in the kitchen is xp but would have to use a 25 foot cab bus cable to reach it. Would the long cable be an issue?
Well I used a 25' bus cable and hooked up the interface to a facia panel then fired up my SB3 and hooked up the USB to the Computor. I keep getting "Error NCE USB using com4", but am not able to figure out how to get around this error. I attempted to use all the selections given, Com1,Com3,LTP1,LTP2,none, no help. I read something about this but am not able to find it. Any suggestions?
SPidge, I see that Jim Albanowski over on the Yahoo NCE-DCC group just gave you a step-by-step. Please let us know if that made it work, we'd love to hear.
John, thanks for pointing me over there. If I could give you some reputation points I would, instead a big KUDO. Just to share here, it was actually fairly simple. The directions in the interface literature state to have jumper 4 on and the rest off but the software it seems in the SB3 does not work with the interface. This I guess is why you get a new chip to install into the Powercab. Jim asked me to do a few different things but the first I did was remove the jumper, and BAMB! Error message gone, and I dialed up a loco and it was off and running. Anyhow, I am not that tech savvy so I will quit now. I must say I had to do this on my kitchen computer that is in the adjacent room from the garage and quickly determined that I will have to confiscate one of my kids laptops so I can be next to the layout when programing.
John, have you contacted Silabs or NCE regarding a 98 USB driver for the USB interface? I think this may have been already mentioned on the NCE list. If still no joy with the SB3, have a separate programming track connected to the PowerCab panel and use that with the interface. A bit of fiddling but gives you the use for the USB (once the PC is sorted) as designed.
I think there is a 98 driver but I will have to set up that pc for internet also. I am not sure what it would take to do that but intend to look into it. The NCE list also mentions it needs to be 98SE and I cannot find any such designation with my pc. I am up and running with the SB3 as Jim on the NCE yahoo group helped me out. I will load one of my kids laptops tomorrow while they are at school and use that until I get the 98 system up and running. Now I know why so many folks have a seperate program only layout. One with a program track and seperate oval for speed matching. I may have to do this as currently I have no program track.
Well I did not want to build it but when running decoder pro with the SB3 there is no program track provision therefor I cannot read decoders to build the roster, unless I know the exact decoder in each unit. Well my PC crash some time back and it had all these records so it drove me to build the programming oval for the power cab. Easier to speed match and read the decoders to build the roster automatically. I know this does not help solve the SB3 issues with the interface/decoder pro but even after some discussion in yahoo groups it does not operate as the directions indicate it should. The problem is the way I was able to get the interface to work with the SB3 is remove all the jumpers which tells decoder pro to send all info to the interface regardless of command station. This may lead to decoder pro becoming confused and giving error messages. Just thought I would share my conclusion on this issue. At least it may be concluded.:tb-biggrin: Thanks for the assists.:mcool::mcool:
