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Question Rocrail Connection - M83 and Switches - Switch Operation
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Offline Eddie7979  
#1 Posted : 30 April 2023 09:11:08(UTC)
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Eddie7979

Australia   
Joined: 01/07/2022(UTC)
Posts: 109
Location: Western Australia, Bassendean
Hi everyone,

I have just started using Rocrail and working on the set up.

After the initial difficulty with connecting to the CS3plus, I was finally able to get it working and load on my locomotives. There is a lot of work to do with entering the information and functions, but I think this will be well worth the effort in the end.

My question is about the track planning and control of switches, I have all my switches wired into several individually powered M83 units. I will also be using the M84s once I get to the signals.

I have just been reading the Rocrail guide on how to do the plan and configure the switches, but seems that I might be doing something wrong. I find the addressing a bit confusing.

In an example, I have a M83 unit addressed as 9 and the switch is connected to the first port. I entered this information in the interface tab of Rocrail (with the switch properties), without success.

Does anyone else have any issues or let me know what I am doing incorrectly?

Thank you,

Eddie
Eddie
Perth 🇦🇺
Marklin | Roco | Piko
CS3+ & Rocrail
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Online JohnjeanB  
#2 Posted : 30 April 2023 17:48:27(UTC)
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JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,115
Location: Paris, France
Hi Eddie
Originally Posted by: Eddie7979 Go to Quoted Post
I have just been reading the Rocrail guide on how to do the plan and configure the switches, but seems that I might be doing something wrong. I find the addressing a bit confusing.

In an example, I have a M83 unit addressed as 9 and the switch is connected to the first port. I entered this information in the interface tab of Rocrail (with the switch properties), without success.

Does anyone else have any issues or let me know what I am doing incorrectly?

Rocrail user here from France, since 2013. I love this Rocrail. It is just great.
There is (just my opinion) a simple ambiguity that is easy to address:
- the PADA Port Accessory Decoder Address. It is an heritage of old times when decoders were grouped by 4 (Märklin 6083, etc)
- the FADA Flat Accessory Decoder Address
By todays standards only the FADA should be used because of in-switch-decoders, etc. So PADA is a bit confusing

So like, many I failed to become a Rocrail specialist (I may use Rocrail in an unaccademic way) and started doing this:
- manage myself all accessory addresses
- insert the address into the field Port
- manage to check if the address is not duplicated
- select the appropriate protocol (Rocrail can manage multiple protocol at the same time so it is better to define it for each accessory and each loco

Rocrail Addresses.png

So my advice to you is to leave the address field to zero and enter the FADA address into the field port

Here is for fun my layout where Rocrail takes control
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6WnhXPcRqI


Cheers
Jean
My layout videos
latest vid
marshalling yard
My Layout
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Offline Eddie7979  
#3 Posted : 01 May 2023 15:09:32(UTC)
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Eddie7979

Australia   
Joined: 01/07/2022(UTC)
Posts: 109
Location: Western Australia, Bassendean
Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Go to Quoted Post
Hi Eddie
Originally Posted by: Eddie7979 Go to Quoted Post
I have just been reading the Rocrail guide on how to do the plan and configure the switches, but seems that I might be doing something wrong. I find the addressing a bit confusing.

In an example, I have a M83 unit addressed as 9 and the switch is connected to the first port. I entered this information in the interface tab of Rocrail (with the switch properties), without success.

Does anyone else have any issues or let me know what I am doing incorrectly?

Rocrail user here from France, since 2013. I love this Rocrail. It is just great.
There is (just my opinion) a simple ambiguity that is easy to address:
- the PADA Port Accessory Decoder Address. It is an heritage of old times when decoders were grouped by 4 (Märklin 6083, etc)
- the FADA Flat Accessory Decoder Address
By todays standards only the FADA should be used because of in-switch-decoders, etc. So PADA is a bit confusing

So like, many I failed to become a Rocrail specialist (I may use Rocrail in an unaccademic way) and started doing this:
- manage myself all accessory addresses
- insert the address into the field Port
- manage to check if the address is not duplicated
- select the appropriate protocol (Rocrail can manage multiple protocol at the same time so it is better to define it for each accessory and each loco

Rocrail Addresses.png

So my advice to you is to leave the address field to zero and enter the FADA address into the field port

Here is for fun my layout where Rocrail takes control
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F6WnhXPcRqI


Cheers
Jean


Hi Jean,

This information is really helpful, I have used the address the CS3 has allocated the M83 and then entered it into Rocrail.

Where an M83 has the address 9, the first switch is adresses as 9 and the next is 10 etc. When operating the switch through the CS3, I can see the switch changing on Rocrail.

Now the next problem, when I tried testing the switch using Rocrail it doesn’t work. This will be the next challenge.

Maybe it’s a setting I haven’t considered.

At least it’s one step closer!

Eddie
Perth 🇦🇺
Marklin | Roco | Piko
CS3+ & Rocrail
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Online JohnjeanB  
#4 Posted : 01 May 2023 16:45:02(UTC)
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JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,115
Location: Paris, France
Bonjour Eddie
You are using M83 so it could be a 60832 (M83 last version).
In this case the unit is capable of MM2, DCC and MFX
So, one hurdle is even you select the switches correctly with SW10 is OFF (MM2) or ON (DCC), since, it is MFX capable, your CS3 may request a MFX registration (your possible mistake )
In this case, the MFX "connection" will take precedence over the DCC or MM2 connection.
The confusing part (just a little at first) is with multi-protocol devices like the M83 you may talk to it using one MM2 address and another MFX address.

Here are the switch settings on the M83 for addresses 9 till 12 in the red frame
Sans titre.png

If by accident you have searched for MFX accessories (like the M83, you may go back by deleting this "MFX registration" (here in the red frame and including A9 not represented here.
MFX AccessoryRegistration.png

IMO the best way to avoid digital problems is to avoid ambiguity (specifying only ONE protocol and address for ONE accessory
Cheers
Jean

My layout videos
latest vid
marshalling yard
My Layout
Back to top
Offline Eddie7979  
#5 Posted : 01 May 2023 17:43:42(UTC)
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Eddie7979

Australia   
Joined: 01/07/2022(UTC)
Posts: 109
Location: Western Australia, Bassendean
Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Go to Quoted Post
Bonjour Eddie
You are using M83 so it could be a 60832 (M83 last version).
In this case the unit is capable of MM2, DCC and MFX
So, one hurdle is even you select the switches correctly with SW10 is OFF (MM2) or ON (DCC), since, it is MFX capable, your CS3 may request a MFX registration (your possible mistake )
In this case, the MFX "connection" will take precedence over the DCC or MM2 connection.
The confusing part (just a little at first) is with multi-protocol devices like the M83 you may talk to it using one MM2 address and another MFX address.

Here are the switch settings on the M83 for addresses 9 till 12 in the red frame
Sans titre.png

If by accident you have searched for MFX accessories (like the M83, you may go back by deleting this "MFX registration" (here in the red frame and including A9 not represented here.
MFX AccessoryRegistration.png

IMO the best way to avoid digital problems is to avoid ambiguity (specifying only ONE protocol and address for ONE accessory
Cheers
Jean



Bonjour Jean,

I wish I could write more in French but my grammar is terrible!

Thank you for the explanation, I will give this a try tomorrow evening after work and see if it works. You are correct about the M83 I have, it’s the latest one available.

I have more M83s on order and 2 M84s that will be used for signals. I’m planning to do a French theme, with the signals of the SNCF. I think Rocrail will work really well with the different signals I am planning to buy. It’s so nice to see so much choice now!

I will definitely be asking more questions when I have more accessories installed!

Once change over those switches, I will write another post to let you the outcome.

Merci beaucoup!

Eddie
Eddie
Perth 🇦🇺
Marklin | Roco | Piko
CS3+ & Rocrail
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Online JohnjeanB  
#6 Posted : 01 May 2023 17:46:27(UTC)
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JohnjeanB

France   
Joined: 04/02/2011(UTC)
Posts: 3,115
Location: Paris, France
Eddie, glad if I may help.
Jean
My layout videos
latest vid
marshalling yard
My Layout
Back to top
Offline Eddie7979  
#7 Posted : 02 May 2023 17:39:18(UTC)
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Eddie7979

Australia   
Joined: 01/07/2022(UTC)
Posts: 109
Location: Western Australia, Bassendean
Originally Posted by: JohnjeanB Go to Quoted Post
Eddie, glad if I may help.
Jean


Hi Jean,

Just wanted to let you know, your method worked perfectly! I deleted the MFX registered M83 and entered the address manually using the dip switches. Basically I just copy the address that was a allocated.

The first part of the layout is now connected to Rocrail. I had some trouble with the uncouplers but I think these should be left as manually operated for now.

I am now waiting for an order of parts I need for the second level of my layout, I will then be able to creat some contact tracks!

I have one more question if you don’t mind, one of the turnouts is DCC address 20. I also have a locomotive from Roco that has the same address, will this be an issue?

I know that locomotives can’t share addresses but wasn’t sure if it’s the same problem when it comes to accessories.

Many regards,

Eddie
Eddie
Perth 🇦🇺
Marklin | Roco | Piko
CS3+ & Rocrail
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Offline kiwiAlan  
#8 Posted : 02 May 2023 21:20:47(UTC)
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kiwiAlan

United Kingdom   
Joined: 23/07/2014(UTC)
Posts: 8,103
Location: ENGLAND, Didcot
Originally Posted by: Eddie7979 Go to Quoted Post

I have one more question if you don’t mind, one of the turnouts is DCC address 20. I also have a locomotive from Roco that has the same address, will this be an issue?


No it is not a problem, the loco address space and the turnout address space are different, so there is no conflict between these two.
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