Hi Tom,

Yes, I think it can be taken as read that Maerklin are not good at ...
- product delivery scheduling
- breadth of support (e.g. language, help)
... and as such continue to bleed goodwill.

However, I am looking forward to the future and wish to plan for not only what might be achievable but how. To this end any nugget of information adds perspective. In an ideal world planing would be well supported by documentation in advance of product availability, but this is not an ideal world and we need to move on and not bog ourselves down - Maerklin already has first claim on that.

While the non availability of the S88/60880 in dealer outlets has exacerbated the actual need for a follow-on product, and no doubt caused thousands of Euros of lost revenue for Maerklin, the L88(LinkS88/60883) and the S88DC(60882) hint at some additional functionality that I would like to understand and potentially make use of. I cannot believe I am alone in this!

There are a couple of gaps in the current solutions that Marklin might have recognised, beyond marketing positioning, and that the L88 and S88DC might address
- MS environment - Is crying out for an accessory keyboard - the L88 in smart mode could do this.
- The S88DC(60882) could not only detect occupancy by the presence of current, but also the Lok-ID (mFX) within that signal.

The L88 matrix mode is a "nice" feature - but I have to ask who would use it?
- In the current world where the big layouts already have touch screen tablets and PCs, my take is that this is a prime candidate for the MS layout.
If I do set the L88 to matrix mode does it have to be 8x8(64 push buttons) with no track sensors or can it be segmented?
- i.e. do I need to plan for another S88(60881) immediately anyway
And can it run in smart mode,
- where a button can be configured to specifically send a magnet(turnout/signal) command without the need of the CS2's memory function.

While I, personally, continue to enjoy a mixed environment with either bespoke electronics or a Loconet backend providing some nice features not available in the Marklin stable, there is always the option for change to a solution to leverage "simpler" or "less time consuming" components. And the cheaper these are to integrate, the more track I might buy.

Edited by user 30 December 2014 02:24:49(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

60882 manual available

197585/0115/Kd1Sh

I have the Link S 88 number 60883 and 6 x 60881. I all connected it to the terminal and now I am testing the new things. It all works fine with the master CS2, but in a slave CS2 you cannot see the triggering of the routes for the colouring dots with yellow and green don't appear. The routes however are switching.

Steamer01

I have CS 60213 (Slave; hardware 3.1/ serialnumber 4081) and 60214 (Master; hardware 3.4/ serialnumber 9332). Both CS2 have software version 3.8.1.(11). I have the 8 boosters 60174 all connected to the terminals. The new Link-S-88 decoder with the number 60883 (v 1.0) is also connected to the terminal and so is the slave Master 2.
When I switch the lamps with the route symbol (that is not connected to the S-decoder) than the colours appear in the lay-out, but when I switch a route over the S-Link-88 than the coloured dots don't appear in the slave but the are visible in the master.

With the old S-decoders it all works fine.

Steamer01

You can only make the set-up in the master. There I have configured that there are 3 S88s on bus one; and also 3 S88s on bus two.

The problem can be solved by making an extra route that is switching direct by the Link-S-88. In that route you have to configure the link to the real route that is switching by the master CS2. In that situation the colouring dots appear. They will apear too when you switch a route that is not combined with the link_S-88. When it is told to switch by the Master CS2 the routes colour dots appear. The coloured dots will also apear when you use the old S-88 decoders connected direct to the master.

Steamer01.