MFX and other digital systems
- Thread starter duncan1_9_8_4
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duncan1_9_8_4
UK Railway Signaller and Garden Railway Operator
How much is the power supply!? PS models lists the CS at around 600 quid, refers to as the 'plus', not 3. In fact, what is the difference between the 3 and the 3+?
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morionds
I'm New, Please Be Gentle
MFX protocol is DCC compatibile.
The vero big problem is that you can't install any capacitors power buffer that is indispensable in garden railway !
September 15th I went to Göppingen and asked the question directly to the sales manager Europe M-LGB and did not give me explanations shrug!
The vero big problem is that you can't install any capacitors power buffer that is indispensable in garden railway !
September 15th I went to Göppingen and asked the question directly to the sales manager Europe M-LGB and did not give me explanations shrug!
Zerogee
Clencher's Bogleman
Sorry, do you mean that you cannot connect a power buffer to an MFX decoder, or that locos with DCC decoders and power buffers fitted will not run on an MFX CS2/CS3 controlled system for some reason?
Jon.
Zerogee
Clencher's Bogleman
Thanks Alan...
Hmmm, that does sound like a rather glaring omission.... so does the MFX decoder have any kind of built-in buffering or "stay-alive" circuitry, even for just the sound? Or is every momentary loss of conductivity going to cause trouble with the sound, even if it's not enough to stall the loco?
Jon.
I just received my CS3 two weeks ago. This is my first foray in the realm of digital. I had already purchased a couple of MTS decoder locos and have been looking at various systems for quite a while including Massoth and ESU's ECoS. The fact that LGB (Marklin) was putting mfx decoders in their current stock limited my choices to the ECoS or CS3. I went with the CS3 primarily because it is a third generation digital controller with faster processing power, a lot of capability, and will communicate with MTS and DCC decoders in addition to mfx. I did want walk-around capability and am relying on the Marklin Mobile App running on an iPhone. At $10 the app is an inexpensive walk-around throttle, much less costly than a dedicated wireless controller. After all, just about everybody already has a smart phone. I have had WiFi in the house for years connecting laptops the the web so that was not an issue. Although I did have to install a LAN cable connection (Cat 5e) for the CS3 to connect with the wireless router which is in the basement.
The cost was $700 for the CS3 ($630) and a 3a Marklin 60065 power supply ($70). I wanted to purchase the 5a power supply but apparently there are some teething problems with the 110V versions sent to the US. The larger power supply will have to come later.
With the LAN cable fitted the CS3 connected to the Marklin site when first powered up and recognized that updates were available just as advertised. The system updated to the current software version without any problems.
At present I have just a single loop of track outside. Power is supplied by a 4 conductor 12 awg cable running from inside the house through an underground conduit to trackside. Only two of the conductors are used for track power. The other two are for future expansion or auxiliary power. The conduit also has room for additional conductors should the need arise. The inside connections are made with standard banana jacks in a low voltage wall box and banana plugs on the track cable form the CS3. The wiring spaghetti is minimal at only three cables - the power supply cable into the CS3, the LAN connection to a RJ45 wall jack located near the track power banana jacks that connects to the WiFi router and the track power cable to the banana jacks.. I'm assuming turnouts can be powered from the track for the time being. There may be s88 feedback sometime in my RR's future which will add complexity, but for now, the cabling is quite simple.
I was running a LGB 21393 Bernina Bahn ABe4/4 (MTS decoder without sound) with matching coaches this afternoon. The snow has temporarily disappeared although Winter temps at 0˚C today, are far from gone here in southeast Michigan. Once the gondola with 5005 track cleaner fitted had run a few circuits most everything worked fine with the CS3. The only problem was with the led coach lighting I'd just installed. It most definitely does need power buffering! The ABe4/4 railcar operated OK but some of the CVs will need tweeking. I need to figure that out. The Mobile App on my iPhone had no problem connecting wirelessly to the CS3 which is in the house. The iPhone app operates the MTS locomotive's speed control and its two functions (directional headlights and separately controlled interior lighting) just fine.
I have one much older LGB 2045 Ge4/2 that I just converted with an ESU Lokpilot XL V4.0 decoder. It too works fine with the CS3. It is self recognizing on the CS3 just like mfx decoder equipped locomotives.
The next Lokpilot XL conversion will be my 2040 crocodile now that the Ge4/2 has proven itself. The crocodile was what first attracted me to LGB and was the first locomotive I bought back in 1982. 35 years later it finally has the beginning of a permanent outdoor RR on which to strut its stuff!
I have not tried out the LGB 55025 turnout decoder with the CS3 yet. I'll be testing that out soon in preparation for expanding the RR this Spring/Summer.
Two weeks in and I'm pleased with the CS3 so far.
The cost was $700 for the CS3 ($630) and a 3a Marklin 60065 power supply ($70). I wanted to purchase the 5a power supply but apparently there are some teething problems with the 110V versions sent to the US. The larger power supply will have to come later.
With the LAN cable fitted the CS3 connected to the Marklin site when first powered up and recognized that updates were available just as advertised. The system updated to the current software version without any problems.
At present I have just a single loop of track outside. Power is supplied by a 4 conductor 12 awg cable running from inside the house through an underground conduit to trackside. Only two of the conductors are used for track power. The other two are for future expansion or auxiliary power. The conduit also has room for additional conductors should the need arise. The inside connections are made with standard banana jacks in a low voltage wall box and banana plugs on the track cable form the CS3. The wiring spaghetti is minimal at only three cables - the power supply cable into the CS3, the LAN connection to a RJ45 wall jack located near the track power banana jacks that connects to the WiFi router and the track power cable to the banana jacks.. I'm assuming turnouts can be powered from the track for the time being. There may be s88 feedback sometime in my RR's future which will add complexity, but for now, the cabling is quite simple.
I was running a LGB 21393 Bernina Bahn ABe4/4 (MTS decoder without sound) with matching coaches this afternoon. The snow has temporarily disappeared although Winter temps at 0˚C today, are far from gone here in southeast Michigan. Once the gondola with 5005 track cleaner fitted had run a few circuits most everything worked fine with the CS3. The only problem was with the led coach lighting I'd just installed. It most definitely does need power buffering! The ABe4/4 railcar operated OK but some of the CVs will need tweeking. I need to figure that out. The Mobile App on my iPhone had no problem connecting wirelessly to the CS3 which is in the house. The iPhone app operates the MTS locomotive's speed control and its two functions (directional headlights and separately controlled interior lighting) just fine.
I have one much older LGB 2045 Ge4/2 that I just converted with an ESU Lokpilot XL V4.0 decoder. It too works fine with the CS3. It is self recognizing on the CS3 just like mfx decoder equipped locomotives.
The next Lokpilot XL conversion will be my 2040 crocodile now that the Ge4/2 has proven itself. The crocodile was what first attracted me to LGB and was the first locomotive I bought back in 1982. 35 years later it finally has the beginning of a permanent outdoor RR on which to strut its stuff!
I have not tried out the LGB 55025 turnout decoder with the CS3 yet. I'll be testing that out soon in preparation for expanding the RR this Spring/Summer.
Two weeks in and I'm pleased with the CS3 so far.
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Zerogee
Clencher's Bogleman
Thanks for the detailed report, Phil - useful to hear experiences from another actual user of the MFX CS - Martin (MTheStrong) seems to be the only other regular on here who actually has one, and he certainly seems to like his too.
It'll be interesting to see how you get on in the summer months, using the smartphone as a hand controller outdoors - a number of folks feel that the difficulty of seeing the screen in bright sunlight is a potential worry.
Interesting to hear that a Lokpilot 4 is self-recognising on the sytem in the same way as MFX decoders are......does the Lokpilot run under the MFX protocols when on a CS3-controlled layout, or DCC?
Please keep us up to date with your CS3 experiences!
Jon.
It'll be interesting to see how you get on in the summer months, using the smartphone as a hand controller outdoors - a number of folks feel that the difficulty of seeing the screen in bright sunlight is a potential worry.
Interesting to hear that a Lokpilot 4 is self-recognising on the sytem in the same way as MFX decoders are......does the Lokpilot run under the MFX protocols when on a CS3-controlled layout, or DCC?
Please keep us up to date with your CS3 experiences!
Jon.
duncan1_9_8_4
UK Railway Signaller and Garden Railway Operator
Yes, thanks for a detailed insight into this system Phil, I must say, the more I read about this the more I am swaying towards it. Quite curious about the use of a phone to control train movements. Phones for everything these days, even to control my lights and heating in the house............ amazing. But scary.
MTheStrong
Registered
ESU make a hand held controller that you can use with the CS2/3/3+ etc. I believe that Muns can also supply them in the UK. Here is a link to the ESU website where you can find further information:
http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/mobile-control-ii/
Martin
http://www.esu.eu/en/products/digital-control/mobile-control-ii/
Martin
duncan1_9_8_4
UK Railway Signaller and Garden Railway Operator
Phil. Just to be clear, is your cs3 connected to your main Ethernet cable/router permanent? In my case SKY.
That is the inference from what has been said..
The ESU hand controller looks interesting.. I will have to do some research on that..
MTheStrong
Registered
Hi Duncan,
I operate my CS2 as follows. I use an ethernet connection to download firmware upgrades. This ethernet connection is made to my home network - Sky for example. I use a TP Nano router connected to the CS when I want to use it to control the railway. My smartphone connects to the TP router but when using this router I am no longer connected to the internet. The TP Nano router connects to the CS via a USB cable. So for example if you visit my railway you can control the locomotives with your smartphone. The procedure is as follows:
a. Download the Maerklin App from Google Play store ( if using an an Android phone) or Itunes store for an Apple smartphone.
b. Connect your phone to the Nano router wirelessly. On your phone goto wireless connections and select the TP Nano router.
c. Once you have connected the phone to the CS then use the App to to control the trains.
Do let me know if you require any further information.
Martin
duncan1_9_8_4
UK Railway Signaller and Garden Railway Operator
Thanks Martin. That's made it a bit more clear. Is the nano router a must or could it be controlled on my smart phone through SKY router if placed and connected convenient to my sky hub?
MTheStrong
Registered
Hi Duncan,
Yes it can, but you will need to take into consideration that you will have to connect the CS to your router using an ethernet cable. Of course if your home network uses TP Link adapters which use your house's mains wiring as a circuit, then you could locate the CS anywhere in your house close to a mains socket. This what I do. By the way you cannot use a wireless dongle to connect the CS to your router.The main reason for using the Nano router is that I am not connected to the internet when using the CS. It also means your smartphone is also not connected to the internet, so your railway operation is not affected by interruptions such as software updates etc. The Nano router is not expensive, less than £20.
Martin
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MTheStrong
Registered
The Central Station and power supplies are available separately. The recommended PSU for LGB use is the 60101 rated at 100VA.
ntpntpntp
Registered
There are of course plenty of other brands of ethernet-over-mains adapters with different speeds / capabilities / price. Just search for "Homeplug".
I use units by Solwise - originally their slow 57mbps units years ago, but now using their 1000mbps units (not that they actually run up to that speed but they are good enough for streaming full HD video around the house).