User Manual

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“PRODIGYADVANCE,ADVANCESQUARED,ANDEXPRESSTIPSAND

TRICKS”

ByFrankVerrico,M.R.C.TechSupport

WhenyougetyournewProdigyAdvanceorExpressDCCsystemupandrunningforthe

firsttimeyoushouldclearyouhandheld,[cab],beforerunninganylocomotives.Dueto

factorytestingthereare“ghost”addressesinthedisplaythatmayconfusethefirsttime

user.

Pressandholdthe“Delete”buttonuntilonlyoneaddressremainsinthedisplay,[ithasto

showsomething].

Keeppressingyour“Recall”buttontomakesurethataddressistheonlyoneleft.

AtthistimeinputoneofyourownaddressesorDefaultAddress#3,[usedforchecking

newdecoderinstallationsorifyoupurchasedabrandnewlocowithafactoryequipped

decoderthathasneverbeenprogrammed].

Unplugthecablefromthebottomofyourhandheld.

“Svda”flashesbriefly.

Nowplugthecablebackinandyourhandheldisnowclearofthe“ghost”addresses.

Ifyoualreadyhavelocomotivesthathaveaddressesassignedtothem,nowisthetimeto

runthemtochecktheoperationoftheDCCsystem.

Presstheselect“LOCO”button.

Inputyourloco’saddress,[upto4digits].

[Ifyouhavealocowithanaddressofexample“003”or“03”,justinputaplain“3”.

ProdigyAdvanceandExpresswillnotrecognizezerosatthebeginningofanaddress.An

addresslike“4003”isavalidaddressandisinputtedas“4003”not“43”

Pressthe“Enter”button.

Repeatabovestepsforeachadditionalloco

*Theabove stepsdonotprogramanaddressintothedecoder/loco,itallowsyouto

acquireanalreadyknownaddress.

Youcanenteruptoapprox.25locomotiveaddressesatthistimeforyourstack,butthe

systemwillonlyrememberthelast5usedwhenyoushutthesystemdown,remember

thisforthefuture.

Useyour“recall”buttontoscrollthroughthelocoaddresses.Whenyoufindthelocoyou

wanttooperatestopscrolling.

CheckthelocosfunctionsUsethethrottleknob,makesurethelocomoves,usewith

“Direction”buttontocheckforwardandreversemovement.

Pressthe“Light”button,functionnumber“F0”tomakesureheadlightswork.

Ifthelocohassound,pressanyofthesoundfunctionbuttons,”F1F19”,tochecksound

functions.

Summary of content (16 pages)

PAGE 1
“PRODIGY ADVANCE, ADVANCE SQUARED, AND EXPRESS TIPS AND TRICKS” By Frank Verrico, M.R.C. Tech Support Copyright M.R.C. 2006/2007 When you get your new Prodigy Advance or Express DCC system up and running for the first time you should clear you handheld, [cab], before running any locomotives. Due to factory testing there are “ghost” addresses in the display that may confuse the first time user.
PAGE 2
If everything works at this point, use your “Recall” button to check your other locomotives in the same manner. *Note If you were previously running locomotive addresses on an older DCC system like the M.R.C.
PAGE 3
power. If all of the above is working properly, [power supply light is on, base unit pilot light on], remove the green plug from the rear of the base unit, or disconnect the “to track” wires from the base unit to your layout. If the display now works, check your layout for a small short circuit, [low impedance]. This type of short circuit may not activate the circuit protection in the base unit, [pilot light/link light flashing], but will prevent your handheld’s display from showing anything.
PAGE 4
Checking Your System’s Power Output: If you feel the need to check voltage at the rails of your main layout or the rails of your program track you should use a “Digital Multimeter” available at most Electronic Supply Stores or Home Improvement Stores. You can purchase different types of test lights made for DCC systems through some after market retailers, but these will only indicate that there “is” or “is not” voltage at the rails, it will not give you a numerical value for trouble shooting.
PAGE 5
“A good rule of thumb is …If it don’t work on address #3, check the following” Is your power supply plugged into the wall outlet. Is your power supply plugged into your DCC system base unit. Check the wiring from your DCC system to the layout. Check all layout wiring. If you were using blocks with cab control, are all switches flipped to the correct side for your track power. If you installed the decoder, check your installation.
PAGE 6
Programming other parameters: With the Prodigy Advance or Express, there really is no need to know which CV numbers are used to program your loco’s running characteristics, like “Start Voltage, [SV]”, “Acceleration, [Acc]”, “Deceleration, [dEc]”, and “Top Voltage, [TV]”, once you enter the address and press “Enter” the next step comes up. There is no hard, fast, rule of thumb, on what values to input into these running characteristics.
PAGE 7
Programming other functions For changing other functions, like lighting, sound effects or decoder function remapping, please read your decoders instructions carefully. If you are doubt about any programming that you need to do, you can contact the decoder manufacturer for help. Resetting a decoder to it’s Factory Defaults Most newer decoder have a CV to reset the decoder back to it’s original settings.
PAGE 8
If you have lights and sound functions, but no movement, chances are the loco is not receiving the CV #29 packet, so try one more step while the loco is on the mainline; Press the “Program” button twice. Your display will show “Pro9 Main Track” Press “Enter”. Your display will show “LOCO, flashing address of your loco, Main Track”. If the address flashing is the correct address for this loco; Press the “Enter” button six times. Your display will show “CV# Main Track” with “ _ _ _” underneath.
PAGE 9
Input “0” Press “Enter” Your display now shows “CV# Prog Track” with “_ _ _” underneath. Input “1”, [for CV#1, your short address CV]. Your display now shows “CV Prog Track” with “_ _ _ Data” underneath. Input the value of the address you want to use, [199 only. I’ve found that most older decoders do not accept a 2 digit address higher than “99”]. Press “Enter” Your display now shows “CV# Prog Track” with “_ _ _” underneath. Again input “29”, [for CV #29].
PAGE 10
train, or at the rear of a train, but in real life these other Midtrain, and Rearend helpers are usually controlled by their own Engineers. A HeadEnd Lashup of locomotives have their mechanical/electrical controls hooked together, and is controlled by one engineer, usually in the lead locomotive.
PAGE 11
*Always write down or remember this Consist addressIf you forget this address, simply reprogram the decoder to it’s current address. If this does not work, you will have to reprogram the decoder on a Program Track, to It’s Factory Defaults, or [if the decoder let’s you], use CV Programming to input a value of “0” into CV #19. Although the Prodigy Advance and Prodigy Express Handhelds, [Cabs], have the same family look to them, there are slight differences that may confuse you, or other operators.
PAGE 12
display, make sure to use the consist address you programmed into the reverse running loco’s. Then enter the forward running locos’ first, and then down the line to the reverse running loco’s. Once you are done entering the loco’s in this consist, press the “Recall” button to exit the consist mode and enter the run mode. Use the “Select”, “Loco” buttons and input the consist address, press “Enter”. Now this consist will behave as it is supposed to.
PAGE 13
Prodigy Advance Squared HandheldThe “Shift” button on the handheld lets you access accessory functions F10 to F28, without having to use another button as a double shift button. To access these higher functions; press the “Shift” button once. “SFT”, shows on your display. Input the numbers of the function you want to access. Example “Shift” button + “1” + “9” = Function 19. The function, [if applicable to your decoder], should activate, and “SFT” on your display will disappear.
PAGE 14
the loop and you have to reset your handheld. There is an upgrade for the Prodigy Express, which involves sending the complete system back to M.R.C. with a small fee. This gets you a higher output power supply, [2.5 amp.], and a software upgrade to handle the higher load output.
PAGE 15
also limited in operation. It is recommended not to assign this decoder the same address as a locomotive in use, or if you activate certain functions in the locomotives decoders, you might change the orientation of a turnout without realizing it. With today’s newer DCC systems that support 4 digit addresses, it is advised to give all your locomotives a 4 digit address, [if the decoder supports 4 digit addresses], and use the 2 digit addresses for these decoders.
PAGE 16
To adjust timing of the decoder’s outputs or programming nonsequential addresses, follow the Atlas instructions thoroughly, most of this programming is performed on the T.C.U. itself. On Prodigy Advance Handheld: Do not enter any programming mode!!!! Everything is done with the “Accy” button, and Function Buttons “1 or 2”, [F1/F2]. It is done almost the same way as address programming above.