ESU Loksound select direct micro

[carlso]

I have attempted to find an answer but have not been able to get results.

I have a select direct micro hard wired in my GS4 and have had it operating well. Now it will not accept a "data update" or "sound update" or as a fact it will not read data or reset. It goes through the motions for quite awhile but stops with an error message " detected decoder is not supported". Strange  as the decoder shows to be a 4.17.9249 and when checking the supported decoder window that number is listed as supported.

Any ideas? Is decoder fried? ? ? BTW I am using a Lokprogrammer and decoder tester as well as trying with decoder in chassis, no difference.

Thanks ya'll,
Carl

[RBrodzinsky]

Carl, do you have stay alive capacitors installed?

[Steveruger45]

Hi Carl
That seems like what I sometimes got with stay alive caps installed. 
Especially when updating/reloading a sound file.
Rick advised me a while ago to not have caps in circuit when installing a sound file and since then I have not had that problem.  I have been  just disconnecting one wire, I usually do the positive.

Because disconnecting the cap can be a bit of a pain I have started putting a 100uH x340mA choke in series with the caps positive wire to the decoder and have found that it cures that problem or at least I haven’t had any of these issues since on the locos I have done to date.  Still a good few more to do.

[carlso]

Hi Rick and Steve,

Thanks for reply, but no there are no caps. This is a plain Jane Loksound decoder I got from Bryan.

carl

[Steveruger45]

Hi Carl,
Does the decoder still operate okay Other than not updating / resetting and the error msg etc?

[carlso]

Steve, no it will not operate at all. I can't understand what happened. The decoder # is shown at the bottom of project and it is 4.17.9249 and it is listed in the supported decoder window. I guess I wore it out tweaking for desired performance.

Before the problem, when I updated data, a window would crop up asking if that is what I wanted to do. Tell it yes and away it would go. After whatever happened the drop down window never came up and it said it was reading CV's and then after quite awhile it would stop and warn "decoder not supported". It acts as if it is in a loop ? ? I am about to decide that sound has too many possible issues. Of well, I have a Lokpilot installed and the GS4 runs beautifully.

Thanks for your interest.

Carl

[Steveruger45]

Carl, I have never experienced this problem.  Very strange.  Just a thought, which I’m guessing you have already tried and assuming you can still change cvs, is to change to short address 3, remove any long address and any consisting address and then try resetting.  Other than that I’m out of ideas.

[woodone]

Carl, did you try to download the sound file again to the decoder?
woodone AKA jerry

[carlso]

Steve - I have attempted everything you have suggested. Using my Lokprogrammer, It will not read nor write to any CV I get the message "can not read CV" or "can not write CV" which ever the case may be. So, I can not reset, update data or update sound data as the programmer stops and states "detected decoder is not supported". That is bunk as the decoder # of 4.17.9249 is shown on the bottom of the programming window and that # is listed in the supported decoder window. I thought I would fool the stupid thing by starting a new project. That did not work either I am at a loss and am about to decide ESU is not as jam up as thought. BTW, I placed some other engines on track and Lokprogrammer worked fine with each one, so I do not believe it is a version 4.7.2 problem.

Jerry - Hi, not much from you lately, as stated above yes I have and it did not work.

Now that I have gone over the same info with you guys I want to mention something. I thought I had sent this but if so it was lost during the brief darkness of TRW.

I placed the locomotive on my NCE Powercab/JMRI program track. I started a new project and told JMRI to identify the decoder. Guess what, it went immediately to ESU and then to "select micro". It came up with an address of 03 but I changed it to 4449 and away I went. I was able to tweak CV's to suit my running preferences. So, the Loksound is back in the GS4.  Strange ? ? Go figure.

Thanks for your interest,
Carl

[Steveruger45]

Carl:  great news.  I’m wondering if the lokprogrammer will recognize the decoder now since you got it to work on the cab and JMRI.
  I just had an issue too. 
Installed a 73100, (preloaded with project), speaker, caps and choke in another LL GP60 and no sound.
Put the loco with all above still connected on the lokprogrammer, downloaded a new sound file from esu website on a LAN hardwire connection, changed cv’s to my preferences, saved the file did a decoder firmware update the uploaded the new project,  and all was good.

[carlso]

Steve you have no idea how great this is. I was trying to get my GS4 ready for Southern New Mexico State Fair which starts the 26th. Just had to have a good Mars light and headlight independently controlled. I got it mapped and all is cool. Might try the ESU decoder again but after our 5 day show,

BTW, is Atascocita near Mont Belvieu ?

Carl

[Steveruger45]

Carl:
Not far away, about 20 miles or so.
I understand about leaving the loco alone now it’s working at least until after the show.

[woodone]

Carl, you know that all of this electronic stuff is done with smoke and mirrors, Right? remove both and you will be all set.  LOL
 Jerry

[carlso]

Jerry,

this electronic stuff is about to cause me to use those "funny left handed cigarettes".

Carl

[Steveruger45]

Ah, electronics.   I sometimes see the smoke but never found the mirror yet.   

Will the mirror fix it?