Atlas / NCE(?) troubleshooting help please

[nickelplate759]

I acquired an Atlas Master RS11 (used) with a decoder installed.  The box says it's an NCE decoder.   The engine runs on DC.  It doesn't work right on DCC (I bought it knowing this).

So, I'm poking at the decoder using an NCE PowerCab.
It shows a manufacture of 127 (that's Atlas).  It shows a decoder version of 036 (dunno what that means).
It shows an address of 5729.   It doesn't move under DCC if I select that address.

If I turn the headlight on the front headlight lights up, but if I hit "reverse" the light button still controls the front headlight, not the rear.

I tried resetting it - write CV8 = 8, take loco off of track for 10 seconds.    No change in behavior (and it still shows long address 5729).
I tried resetting it - write CV8 = 33, take loco off of track for 10 seconds.  No change in behavior.

The board doesn't show any obvious visible signs of failure, but it's possible it's toast somehow.
Suggestions for further troubleshooting please!

[MK]

Try writing a 2 into CV30.  That's NCE's reset.  I know the reporting says Atlas but just to rule out that it's not an NCE decoder or a custom NCE that's reporting Atlas.

[nickelplate759]

That worked (CV30=2), thanks!

[peteski]

Atlas never made their own decoders.  So it is likely made by some other DCC manufacturer, identified as Atlas. Early ones were made by Lenz, later ones I believe by NCE.  I don't think decoder firmware is customized - just whatever was used in other decoder models of that manufacturers at the time.

If the 4 digit address did nto change, then I don't think the reset took.  I would follow the procedure MK posted and see what that does.  You might also wan tto look for decoder manual (might be available at Atlas' website).  If the decoder works on DC, then its hardware is likely ok.  It is likely a software  problem. 

EDIT: looks like George (yes, that is his real name  ), fixed it while I was composing this message.

[nickelplate759]

Opinions please - how does this Atlas/NCE board (NCE version is N12A0) compare with the TCS AMD4 board?  Yes, I know we all have our favorites - my question isn't "what's your favorite DCC brand", it's about these two particular boards.    Also - I'm not going to do sound.

I have several of the TCS boards and like them, but they are a significantly more expensive than the NCE boards, and now I have one Atlast/NCE board and 2 TCS boards in my RS11 fleet.  I have 3 more RS11s that need boards of some kind.

[MK]

I have used both.  If you are going to do the simple stuff; throttle, min, mid, max, bemf, etc., you won't notice a difference.  More complex stuff the TCS wins, especially with lighting effects.  The TCS is $10 more as you have noticed.

[peteski]

Those NCE (Atlas) decoders are decent basic decoders. Much better than the Bachmann (extremely basic) decoders.  Remember Ernie Poole Geroge?  He has few Atlas locos with those decoders on his layout, and they seem to be satisfactory.

[nickelplate759]

Good to know.  As someone pointed out, some of the NCE-made decoders are 2-function only.  So, for fancy lighting that won't work (e.g. add a Gyra-Lite on the front under or over the headlight).  For basic stuff 2 functions is enough.

I also have a couple of Atlas SD9s with the Atlas/Lenz decoders in them.  They are NOT my idea of a good decoder.

[peteski]

I also have a couple of Atlas SD9s with the Atlas/Lenz decoders in them.  They are NOT my idea of a good decoder.

Those were early Lenz decoders, and as you mentioned, not up to today's standards.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Opinions please - how does this Atlas/NCE board (NCE version is N12A0) compare with the TCS AMD4 board?  Yes, I know we all have our favorites - my question isn't "what's your favorite DCC brand", it's about these two particular boards.    Also - I'm not going to do sound.

I have several of the TCS boards and like them, but they are a significantly more extensively than the NCE boards, and now I have one Atlast/NCE board and 2 TCS boards in my RS11 fleet.  I have 3 more RS11s that need boards of some kind.

Late to the party here. I have played around with both TCS, Digitrax and NCE decoders expensively. TCS is probably the best performance out of the box, but a few tweaks on the NCE decoder will result in performance as good as anything you can get out of TCS. Digitrax is - ugh. Yeah I'm not a fan of Digitrax. It's like they went out of their way to make things more complicated with their hex numbering system.

NCE CV values are not as intuitive as TCS. You will need to set up the kick start and kick frequency on the NCE decoder where this is pretty well dialed in on the TCS decoder from the factory. Furthermore, a high kick voltage and frequency can cause all sorts of havoc on your speed curves (like starting slow, flying like a rocket then slow again as you approach half speed). So they do have a bit of a learning curve. But once adjusted, they are as good as the TCS decoders and have a better board layout. See below.

Someone mentioned that the NCE decoders are not 4 function, but this is incorrect. All atlas series decoders revised after the release of the Atlas C40-8 are 4 function decoders. The two additional function pads are located on the underside of the PCB on the cab end to make installing ditch lights easier.

After about 2015 they started using SMD LEDs and have all four functions easily accessible for soldering:
https://ncedcc.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/article_attachments/360000621953/N14A0-v38.pdf

These new boards are pretty neat with through-hole pads on the ends if you want to replace the SMD LEDs with something longer. The 4 function pads are centrally located in case you want to use those instead, and function 3 and 4 are ALSO available under the PCB in the cab area like the previous revision. So this gives you three different options for each headlight mounting location and two different options for the two aux function locations. I REALLY like these decoders for their solder pad locations. These guys get it.

[nickelplate759]

That helps! A little more digging on the NCE site suggests that the N12xx boards are two function and the N14xx are four function.
So the N12A0 is a 2 function atlas board, the N14A0 is a 4 function board for the same locos.  Their web site makes this pretty hard to figure out.

[peteski]

That helps! A little more digging on the NCE site suggests that the N12xx boards are two function and the N14xx are four function.
. . . There web site makes this pretty hard to figure out.

That is an understatement of the year.  It is very hard to find any useful info there. 

[daniel_leavitt2000]

That helps! A little more digging on the NCE site suggests that the N12xx boards are two function and the N14xx are four function.
So the N12A0 is a 2 function atlas board, the N14A0 is a 4 function board for the same locos.  Their web site makes this pretty hard to figure out.

You would think so but nope! They had the N12A0 and N14A0 on sale for a year or two, but then RENAMED the N14A0 to N12A0! Why? Who knows?

Oh I forgot to mention that the solder pads for ditch lights and headlights on the revised N12Ax series boards have a built in resistor for direct wiring of LEDs. The function pads on the top are 12V so you don't even need to wire a resistor for your lighting.