Titan advanced function mappingNote: page numbers quoted are from the latest QSI manual, version 5.2.0So, in several documents, the Titan is supposed to support function buttons higher than the NMRA standard mapping of F0 through F12.But the only documented mapping tool is the NMRA mapping table, CV33 through 46. (page 66)NMRA Function key mappingThe NMRA mapping allows mapping QSI "features" to a function key for F0 through F12. This table also allows mapping more than one item to a Function Key. Usually you can map up to 8 different items to that Function Key. This allowed a person to map for example the horn and ditch lights to a function key.These are CVs 33 through 46 (page 66)A reasonable idea when you basically had only maybe 6 outputs on the decoder.When sound came around, manufacturers extended the use of the table to include sounds as well as the physical "function outputs" on the decoder.Since you can (usually) map up to 8 "things" to a Function Key, that suffices for many situations.Titan extensions to mappingQSI added an extension on how things work in a Titan (and some other Quantum decoders)There is a list of "Features" in a Titan, which includes sounds and other things, and these are indeed called "Features" but unfortunately are often abbreviated like: F12, where people think it is Function Key 12, when it is actually Feature 12.There is a list of Features (but not complete) on page 121. The Features have a "Feature ID" number.There are some more Features listed in a different way on page 126, the defaults in most Titans: like Feature ID 62 - System Volume increase.Note well, that lighting can be specified as in a group, called Multiple Automatic Lights. There are 3 such groups.You can specify what lighting outputs (up to 12 lighting output ports, shown on the board pinout as LED1 through LED12) are in what lighting groups.So:You can group lights into one of 3 groupsThen map features to what QSI calls Outputs which are NOT the same as the physical LED outputs on the decoderThen map Outputs in the NMRA function mapping "table" using CVs 33 through 46 (page 66)Note that you can assign up to 8 different "Outputs" to one Function Key, with some restrictions (you see grayed out selections on the NMRA "table"Note very well that QSI admonishes to NOT map the same "Output" to different keys, it will result in erratic behavior."Hidden" QSI Function Key mappingI noticed (and others have too) that QSI indicates "default" Function Key mappings for (some) Function Keys above F12 (the limit in the NMRA table)This is in the manual, page 126, but there's more "sprinkled" through other QSI documents, often the user guide packaged with the decoder.Below is a list that is MOSTLY correct: (I'll try to make it more correct/complete) (I've also tried to correlate the QSI Feature ID where I can: F11 to toggle between the primary and the secondary horns. (After pressing F11 once, F2 will operate the secondary horn in the normal way.),F13 to decrease System Volume by 2 dB, feature 63F14 to increase System Volume by 2 dB, feature 62F15 to play the Grade Crossing horn sequence (long, long, short, long), but only when the locomotive is moving, feature 154F26 to start the Fuel Loading Scenario (dialog and sounds appropriate to fueling with diesel oil), but only when the locomotive is stopped,F27 to start the Maintenance Scenario, but only when the locomotive is stopped,F28 to start the Water Loading Scenario, but only when the locomotive is stopped.So by interrogating the QSI Output mapping CV53.PI.SI I found that indeed you could change the SINGLE feature assigned to function keys 13 and upNote CV53 has 2 settings, one for when it is in FWD or REV, and the other for Neutral (NFF and NFR)The Outputs run from 1 to 30, so I started by looking at Output 30, and indeed found it was mapped to "Water Load" for F28 (only in neutral)Continuing to investigate, it seems that Output X gets mapped to Function X-2 F28 = CV53.30.1 = 147 - water load - F28F27 = CV53.29.1 = 148 - maintenance - F27F26 = CV53.28.1 = 146 - fuel load -F25?? cv53.27.1 = 10 short air letoffF24 ?- cv26F23? - cv25F22? - cv24F21? - cv23F20? - cv 22F19? - cv21F18? -cv20F17? - cv19F16? - cv18F15 - cv53.17.1 =F14 - cv53.16.1F13 - cv53.15 - cbell is feature 3horn 1 from my testing, it appears that FKEY 28 is mapped to output 3027 So far I have not tested all of the function keys, but it seems to work.Note well, you can only map ONE Feature to a Function Key this way (as opposed to using the NMRA Function Key mapping for F0 to F12
QSI programming fixtures Programming hardware setupBelow is a simple setup with a motor and speaker and the socket. I'm holding a connector that lets me use the speaker plug on the Revolution (by the "I" in QSI on the programmer dongle) or change to a couple of wires that let me screw in to the Titan terminals. Al this is on a small board, the speaker is in the top of a spray paint can. A more sophisticated setup below. This one has a socket and also DIP headers to screw into Titans that have had their pins cut off. Notice that I have both speakers there to confirm programming between them.At the front you can see the jack for power and the usb socket.Inside, I just removed the programmer from it's housing to make an easier installation into the box, but you could leave it in the housing and just cut a bigger hole in the cigar box.
Installing and using Quantum UpgradeThis page is all about installing the USB driver for the QSI programmer, and getting it working
Installing the QSI programmer and driverOverview:The programmer has a USB interface, and here are some tricks to installing the driver. This is because certain versions of the USB driver are not "signed" and Windows won't normally allow this.In addition, there are some cases that certain versions of the user software (the program to load sound files, and the JMRI-like configuration program) need DIFFERENT versions of driver and this also interacts with the Windows operating system version. Fun huh? Installing on XPInstalling on Windows 7Installing on Windows 8/8.1Installing on Windows 10Installing on Windows 11Installing the hardware driver on Windows 8 / 8.1 / 10 / 11This can be a real pain in the ass. The driver needed seems to vary also with the version of the CV Manager softwareDo not plug in the dongle! You need to install the software first!The driver will not install on windows 8 or 10 with the normal install. Part of this is because it is unsigned, and Windows 8 and 10 won't allow this by default. The other part of the difficulty is that it needs to be installed in a troubleshooting / compatibility mode for windows 8/8,1First, have the silabs driver already downloaded and in it's own subdirectory (unzip the file). The file I use is from the QSISolutions site named: qprog_usbdriver_winxp_3_2.zipNow, you need to put your computer into a special mode to accept unsigned drivers. This mode is called "allow unsigned drivers" You will set this up, the computer will reboot, and after installing the driver, this special mode will go away after the next reboot. Note well: if you don't get the driver installed and you reboot, you need to start the procedure over.Please note: some newer versions of the programs may need a different driver, I found this on the newer CVManager. Since I use the Titan ET features, I use the older driver.Driver versions vs o/s and CVManager versionsOn windows 11, and latest QSI programs, Silabs CP210x USB to UART Bridge, version 10.1.10.103, dates 1/8/21Put computer in the mode to allow unsigned drivers (windows 10):One way is to do this is:Open the action center (you should know what this is otherwise google it)go to all settingsthen update & securitythen recoverythen advanced startup.Your computer will reboot, and then after some time you will be prompted with a menu with following options.ContinueTroubleshootTurn offChoose TroubleshootThen the following menu appears:Refresh your PCReset your PCAdvanced OptionsChoose Advanced OptionsThen the following menu appearsSystem RestoreSystem Image RecoveryAutomatic RepairCommand PromptWindows Startup settingsChoose Windows Startup Settings, then Click Restart.Now the computer will restart and the boot menu appears.Choose: “Disable Driver signature Enforcement” from the menu. Now windows will start and you can do the installation of the driver that is not signed.Windows 8 procedure:Here is a link to the procedure for Windows 8 with pictures: http://www.craftedge.com/tutorials/driver_install_windows8/driver_install_win8.html(why in the heck are you still running windows 8?)Earlier windows:You can install the driver on XP, Vista and Windows 7. Nothing special, except there is/was a different driver for Vista 64 bit.Now to install the driver (windows 10):Sometimes you need to log in as the actual local administrator user. By default, this user is often disabled. Google "enable administrator user windows 10"I still do the troubleshooting way, but some people can directly install from here.Clearly, navigate to the folder where you unzipped the driver.Then right click on the installer executable: QP_USBXp_Installer.exe and select "troubleshoot compatibility"I pick the "troubleshoot program", then tick the boxes for "earlier versions of windows" and "requires additional permissions"On the operating system selection, I pick Windows 7This is pretty much the most bulletproof method. Sometimes you don't need all of this, sometimes you do.Once the software installs, THEN plug in the programmerIf you get stopped from running the program, you can change the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\EnableLUA to 0 in regedit. you will probably have to reboot.For using the 3.0.0.18 CV Manager, the usb driver I have installed is a USB device, called "Quantum Programmer", version 3.2.0.0, with a date of 2009_11_1 Using/debugging programmer after driver installation: Firmware version/upgradingYou need to install the software driver first, which makes the programmer available via a "COM" port. The following sections address the selection and installation of the driver. DO THAT NEXT, and then come back here.After installation, you should check for upgrade of the firmware in the programming "dongle" at least when you get one. It's in a really weird place in the programming software.right click on the upper left of the title bar of the Quantum Upgrade window, right on the words "Q2Upgrade" Yes, there is nothing up there, but when you do it, you get a menu you cannot get any other way.Now click on "Quantum Programmer...", click that, and then you get another menu.Click "retrieve firmware version".. you will then see the version in your dongle. If you get nothing back, then you are NOT communicating with the dongle, or it is dead.Also check "get error status"If your firmware version is not 2.0.5, then you should be able to upgrade the firmware. This is the latest firmware as of 2021Now if everything is good so far, we can check the "final stage" of the programmer, the connection to the decoder. Click on the "Diagnostics..." menunow you get the menu below:Click the "Measure Baseline Current" button.You should see something between 2 (decoder only) to about 15 (maybe some lights)ZERO means that there is no connection detected, either you are not connected to the decoder, or the output of the programmer is bad (broken)very high, like over 100 means you have a dead short (either short circuit across the output, or the programmer is bad or the decoder is bad.Installing the hardware driver on Windows 8 / 8.1 / 10 / 11This can be a real pain in the ass. The driver needed seems to vary also with the version of the CV Manager softwareDo not plug in the dongle! You need to install the software first!The driver will not install on windows 8 or 10 with the normal install. Part of this is because it is unsigned, and Windows 8 and 10 won't allow this by default. The other part of the difficulty is that it needs to be installed in a troubleshooting / compatibility mode for windows 8/8,1First, have the silabs driver already downloaded and in it's own subdirectory (unzip the file). The file I use is from the QSISolutions site named: qprog_usbdriver_winxp_3_2.zipNow, you need to put your computer into a special mode to accept unsigned drivers. This mode is called "allow unsigned drivers" You will set this up, the computer will reboot, and after installing the driver, this special mode will go away after the next reboot. Note well: if you don't get the driver installed and you reboot, you need to start the procedure over.Please note: some newer versions of the programs may need a different driver, I found this on the newer CVManager. Since I use the Titan ET features, I use the older driver.Driver versions vs o/s and CVManager versionsOn windows 11, and latest QSI programs, Silabs CP210x USB to UART Bridge, version 10.1.10.103, dates 1/8/21Put computer in the mode to allow unsigned drivers (windows 10):One way is to do this is:Open the action center (you should know what this is otherwise google it)go to all settingsthen update & securitythen recoverythen advanced startup.Your computer will reboot, and then after some time you will be prompted with a menu with following options.ContinueTroubleshootTurn offChoose TroubleshootThen the following menu appears:Refresh your PCReset your PCAdvanced OptionsChoose Advanced OptionsThen the following menu appearsSystem RestoreSystem Image RecoveryAutomatic RepairCommand PromptWindows Startup settingsChoose Windows Startup Settings, then Click Restart.Now the computer will restart and the boot menu appears.Choose: “Disable Driver signature Enforcement” from the menu. Now windows will start and you can do the installation of the driver that is not signed.Windows 8 procedure:Here is a link to the procedure for Windows 8 with pictures: http://www.craftedge.com/tutorials/driver_install_windows8/driver_install_win8.html(why in the heck are you still running windows 8?)Earlier windows:You can install the driver on XP, Vista and Windows 7. Nothing special, except there is/was a different driver for Vista 64 bit.Now to install the driver (windows 10):Sometimes you need to log in as the actual local administrator user. By default, this user is often disabled. Google "enable administrator user windows 10"I still do the troubleshooting way, but some people can directly install from here.Clearly, navigate to the folder where you unzipped the driver.Then right click on the installer executable: QP_USBXp_Installer.exe and select "troubleshoot compatibility"I pick the "troubleshoot program", then tick the boxes for "earlier versions of windows" and "requires additional permissions"On the operating system selection, I pick Windows 7This is pretty much the most bulletproof method. Sometimes you don't need all of this, sometimes you do.Once the software installs, THEN plug in the programmerIf you get stopped from running the program, you can change the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System\EnableLUA to 0 in regedit. you will probably have to reboot.For using the 3.0.0.18 CV Manager, the usb driver I have installed is a USB device, called "Quantum Programmer", version 3.2.0.0, with a date of 2009_11_1
DCC Advanced Topic / GlossaryService ModeThis is one of the most misunderstood, and poorly implemented and poorly documented functions in DCC.Service mode is a special command mode that allows reading and writing of registers/CVs/Configuration Variables in a decoder. This mode has been around since the inception of DCC.First, many people use the term: programming track, but it is not the track that enables Service Mode, but the Command Station with a special output mode. To make it worse, some systems do not have a dedicated, separate set of outputs for this mode, but share it with the normal track outputs.Writing CVs in normal DCC track mode, called POM, or Programming On the Main cannot read back. There are other situations, like where the locomotive address has been lost that require Service Mode.Issues with Service Mode:The most common issues are:People not understanding what output is for Service mode, and where it is directedNot having a properly isolated track for programming:in Service modeDecoders that require more programming currentDecoders that require more programming voltageHaving too much track connected when in service modeHaving more than a single loco/decoder on the track in service modeHaving too much wire length between the programming track and the command station.Any and all of the above can cause issues. More on Service ModeMost systems are not very forthcoming how Service Mode is supported.Service mode actually has up to 4 different programming modes, and very few manufacturers indicate which they use and even fewer allow you toUnfortunately, most systems do not tell you want modes they use, or the voltage or current, or the "procedure" (often a better system will try one mode, and if that fails, it will "fall back" to an older/slower protocol. The 4 Service Mode programming methods are:Address mode(Physical) Register modePaged modeDirect modeNot all systems support all 4, and there is little need for anything other than Direct Mode in MODERN decoders. Unfortunately, MODERN means design, not recently purchased!!! Notably many older European decoders, also accessory decoders need older modes, and even non standard "tricks" (noted later).In addition, many "new" designs that are quasi-DCC, that support DCC decoders with a proprietary "receiver" or other front end hardware can do weird stuff. One popular Bluetooth wireless system uses programming on the main for writing a CV, but enters Service Mode with "Direct" protocol to read, CONSTANTLY switching between normal track power and service mode... really asking for trouble. This switching involves a reset packet followed by a service mode packet to enter service mode, and then another reset packet to exit... Address Mode Obsolete mode, probably only found in very old LGB systems. Allows programming of only 1 register, CV1, locomotive short address.(Physical) Register ModeAnother obsolete mode, but some old decoders may require this. It expands the Address Mode to 7 registers, 1-4 and 7 are straightforward. 6 is a special reserved register, reserved for compatability with Paged Mode (below). Register 5 parallels use of NMRA standard CV29, RegisterAssociated CVPurpose1CV1short address2CV2start "voltage"3CV3acceleration4CV4deceleration5CV29speed steps, direction of travel (note not all bits in modern CV29 may be supported)6 noneoffset, reserved for paged mode7CV7 firmware version8CV8 manufacturer ID Paged Mode Eventually registers were expanded to 1024 in number. Paged mode is pretty common. The DCC Wiki says it is most common and preferred... I want to research this statement.When using Paged Mode register 6 is the offset. register 6 = 1 means no offset, programming registers 1-4 indeed programs registers 1-4. With offset 2, then registers 5-8 are programming, and so on. (The Wiki goes on to say not all decoders support this after it claims it is the most used mode... take note of the "quality" of the DCC Wiki !!!)Reading is very rudimentary, it involves a series of "questions" to which the "answer" is yes or no.Basically the read command asks "does register X = Y?". and keeps incrementing Y until it gets a "yes" answer. So the time to read can take a while, especially if the register value is high. Direct (bit) Mode Direct Mode allow writing of individual bits in a register.Basically it reads like the paged mode, but it reads each of the 8 bits in the register, rather than the 255 different values... so a maximum of 16 reads as opposed to 255 reads.