Hi All,

yet again I have been disappointed by M's lack of ability to provide clear and concise instructions in English!

I purchased the decoder programmer and adapter 60971 together with downloading the MSD Decoder Tool3 software, foolishly thinking that one of them would provide some sort of manual "How to...".

The only document in the 60971 box (aside from the Warranty) was the instructions that merely tells you how to connect the adapter and a seperate document telling you how to download a driver if your Windows does not automatically pick it up.

No mention on how to use the thing!

Looking at the programme, no PDF instruction manual with the file. Help menu only tells you the version (about) and an update option.

How are we supposed to know how to use the thing???!!!

I have managed to work my way around the programme a little but all I have managed to do (it seems) is erase the data on my 60976 and no matter howmany times I try to get the programme to 'write' to the decoder, it says it has completed but - nothing!

Now the decoder has successfully been erased, I cannot even get my CS2 to recognise it.

It's no wonder I repeatedly hear I should have gone to ESU.

I am hoping I have missed something obvious on a website somewhere but am desperate for help.

Regards,

Michael.

Much appreciated Jukka - I'll give it a go!


Regards,

Michael.

I thought I did (having selected update in the help menu) but from what you say, I will try reinstalling it.

Cheers,

Michael.

Is it me or does the Märklin website only allow you to download the old Decoder Tool? Perhaps it is my lack of web-browsing skills, but I can't find the new version...

They ar eupdating the website for April Fools Day (tomorrow, as I answer this) ???

Can anyone explain the differences between the options on the 'select a new decoder' menu?



Does the first option allow you to programme earlier versions of mSD?

Regards,

Michael.

Hi Michael,

I did successfully program a mSD decoder (NOT MSD3) with the tool using the first option.
But I had to take some undocumented steps.

First create a project and save it with the MDT3 tool.
This wil give an .mdtp file.

Unzip this file (if necessary rename (a copy) to .zip).

This will give you a directory with the necessary files.

Put this directory on a USB stick in the \cs2\sounds directory.

Then you can update an mSD decoder by downloading the sound files on your CS2.

When trying to program the mSD decoder via the MDT3 tool via the connected CS2 I always get a file-crc-error.

Juhan,

Options for the mLD decoder are the same:

When using the 3.1.1 version you get a window asking if you want to program:
- Program Settings
- Program Sound

When you select both and click yes, programming is executing the two steps automatically without any pop-up for programming the sound.

Until Marklin provide some stability and consistency, we are all in the same boat of ignorance and unpredictability.

Anything you read here needs to be verified by yourself and cannot be taken as gospel because the comments are usually based on certain scenarios that may or may not be comprehensive in their observations. Its the "don't know that you don't know" problem, and part of that is not knowing what the actual objective is.

Part of the fun is trying things out ;-)

Thanks Peter and all for your replies.

I can say that reinstalling the software (link in Peter's first response) worked a treat and I have had some success in reprogramming the 60976 decoder, both through the tool (preferred method) as well as from PC to CS2 to decoder (unbelievably slow - would not recommend it!).

It is interesting that instead of rewriting the information to the decoder which has changed, the programme rewrites every piece of information - all 9000 'blocks'as represented on the CS2 when downloading to the locomotive. The only benefit to downloading via CS2 is that you need not remove the decoder from the locomotive - something I am always reticent about when dealing with small circuit boards.

Peter is also correct regarding the quality of USB memory stick you use - I had this experience before (noted in another post) where the stick simply could not be read by the CS2 so if you have no success with a particular stick, try another. I do not know why - possibly has to do with the formatting?

As discussed above, I will also try to play with earlier mSD decoders to see how well (if at all) earlier decoders can be reprommed via software and update you all as I go.

One thing I have not been able to resolve so far is trying to update the 60976 decoder with 'bremsen' or breaking sound. When I try to attach this sound to a sound 'key', the curser reflects a symbol indicating it cannot be attached. Not sure why;



If anyone has any experience with this?

Again, we are left to work all of this out ourselves because someone cannot write an instruction manual !

Regards,

Michael.

Michael,

When adding a new sound select "Sound without output" from the drop down list, then you can add a breaking sound into the sound slot.

Hi Michael,

The braking sound is automatically on as far as I know.
You can add a function button to turn if off:

Select "Bremsenquietschen Aus (Brake squealing off) under the logical functions for the button you assigned it to:
Click on the + sign behind Logical Functions and select this entry from the drop down list.

This 60971 is a real dog. Apart from, as reported, bugger all English, it doesn't seem to work anyway. The latest software is 3.2.0 on Marklins site, but the English has gone backwards.

I asked my friend in Germany who knows this stuff backwards (he has 500 models and was a marklin dealer),

the 3 options (6 actually) are the top old mld decoder (programs on CS2 only), the middle option is the mld3 (msd3) with the 8 pin nem flying leads, the bottom is the 21 pin connected decoders.

Although the programmer is recognised on windows 8 it did not program my brothers sound decoder, couldn't see it. Now I have to check that he didn't have an older msd decoder, because the programmer cant program them. I have some mld3 decoders, so maybe those work.

My German friend was going to have a look at the documentation (he is in contact with Marklin engineers) and says if he has too he will translate the german to English, send it to me for checking, then give it to Marklin to publish. Given their software guys cant write a decent program that configures itself for ALL English , rather than some English and lots of german, the manual will need a translator anyway to tell what the german words mean.

This is a very poor effort on marklins behalf, but my friend who comes from Schwabia, jokingly said "its the Schwabian way, never quite gets it right".

I think you need to qualify what you mean by "doesn't work"
My 60971 is certainly capable of working. Is yours faulty ?


By The Way The 60971 is the mDP/3 (Decoder Programer) the mDT/3 (Decoder Tool) is standalone software.
While the mDP/3 does need the mDT/3 software, the mDT/3 software does not need the mDP/3 - it can work with the CS2

Peter,

I have now tried the programmer using V3.2.0 on windows 7 with the drivers downloaded from the Microsoft search. The 21 pin sound board only ever highlights the middle programmer in the program but doesn't work because there is no driver. I then tried an mLD3 on the programmer. The USB port came alive and I can read and "presumably write" to the decoder. So the program see's a non sound decoder but cannot see a sound decoder. The wiring to the programmer for both types of decoder is the same, the 21 pin goes to the screw connector pins. So the sound decoder doesn't work, I'm guessing. Will now try a wired sound decoder and see if that works. If it does the 21pin decoder must be defective.

Craig Shaw