Lgb DCC
- Thread starter Dcameron
- Start date
Disconnect everything (noting where wires go):
1. Power transformer. - OK? 90% sure transformer is OK.
2. Connect wire to transformer output only (make sure other end of wires not touching. - OK?
3. Connect input wires to CS only (double-check correct connections). Power-up. OK?
If not, then a fault in the CS.
4. Start connecting track wires etc. but think you will have an answer to if transformer, or CS, by this point..
PhilP.
1. Power transformer. - OK? 90% sure transformer is OK.
2. Connect wire to transformer output only (make sure other end of wires not touching. - OK?
3. Connect input wires to CS only (double-check correct connections). Power-up. OK?
If not, then a fault in the CS.
4. Start connecting track wires etc. but think you will have an answer to if transformer, or CS, by this point..
PhilP.
Monty
Registered
On a different note but under the DCC heading I have just received an email newsletter from an Australian retailer, the pertinent bit is included below.
I have a few DCC enabled LGB locos and was thinking of doing more with them but was unaware of this development.
Will it be a big issue for me?
Monty
"Newsletter 051 August 2019
There have been some notable changes in the way some of the train manufactures run their business. Notably Marklin who are the owners of LGB, only a year or two ago adopted the Marklin MZS to operate their digital controlled trains. Unfortunately their new system is not compatible with that used by Massoth Piko and the superseded Lgb Series 111 digital system.
This change has tended to leave them as ‘the odd man out’."
I have a few DCC enabled LGB locos and was thinking of doing more with them but was unaware of this development.
Will it be a big issue for me?
Monty
"Newsletter 051 August 2019
There have been some notable changes in the way some of the train manufactures run their business. Notably Marklin who are the owners of LGB, only a year or two ago adopted the Marklin MZS to operate their digital controlled trains. Unfortunately their new system is not compatible with that used by Massoth Piko and the superseded Lgb Series 111 digital system.
This change has tended to leave them as ‘the odd man out’."
NO!
Whilst you will not get auto-detection of new trains/decoders, and you *may* have trouble getting access to the odd control feature. The 'oddities' are well-known, and there are workarounds, where necessary.
Biggest problems are those with legacy MTS I and II systems, as 14 speed-step and serial pulse-string control are not supported by the Marklin CS series.
Definitely C's fault cheers repair or bin it
If it is parallel, and does all you want to do.. Then a 'phone call, or two, (to see IF it can / anyone will) repair it.
Else replace it.. OR, bite the bullet and upgrade..
Zerogee
Clencher's Bogleman
I would actually consider that to be a very misleading statement in the newsletter - the way it is phrased seems to be intended to make people worry and/or influence their purchases, so I suspect a "commercial agenda" behind the statement....
As well as being basically wrong in the statement about being "not compatible", it is also wrong in calling M/LGB's new system "MZS" - it should be "MFX", MZS is the German abbreviation for MTS - Multi-Train-System (German: Multi-Zug-System, hence MZS) - which is LGB's "old" DCC system that is now being replaced by the new MFX setup.
Yes, MFX and regular DCC decoders operate on different protocols, but they are still generally cross-compatible in both ways - the new M/LGB MFX decoders run just fine on Massoth or Piko DCC, and on the later MZS/MTS III system; similarly the MFX control systems (CS2/CS3/CS3+) will operate ALMOST all DCC-equipped locos, with the exception of some very old types with extremely early DCC decoders fitted.
Jon.
Greg Elmassian
Guest
I would rewrite the "press release" to be:
"oh dear, your 20 year old decoder might not work with your brand new state of the art MFX system from Marklin"
So, by purchasing your $1,000 CS3 plus, your $20 decoder might not work...
Clearly not all new technology can be 100% backwards compatible, but one would surmise that most people buying the state of the art (although I think that DCC + RailComm is better than MFX) would not be concerned with a couple of dollars to upgrade old stuff..
Yes, an incendiary bit of writing to be sure.
Greg
"oh dear, your 20 year old decoder might not work with your brand new state of the art MFX system from Marklin"
So, by purchasing your $1,000 CS3 plus, your $20 decoder might not work...
Clearly not all new technology can be 100% backwards compatible, but one would surmise that most people buying the state of the art (although I think that DCC + RailComm is better than MFX) would not be concerned with a couple of dollars to upgrade old stuff..
Yes, an incendiary bit of writing to be sure.
Greg
So who is getting the repair job?
Unless you know someone capable of successfully repairing your old MTS II system for nothing, or almost nothing, why not invest that money into a replacement dcc unit with full CV programming capabilities. For example, the Piko 35010 lists for $360 but retails USA for $280. I've since gotten the Massoth 12 amp central station/power supply but still use the Piko unit for my programming track.
I have two LGB/Marklin locos bought last year and they work fine with my Massoth system. As already mentioned, Marklin embedded into their loco decoders the following protocols in priority order of operation: mfx (their proprietary technology); dcc; analog.
Tom