Introduction toDCC

• Industry standard

• Wide range of products

• More secure investment

• Large knowledge base

• One technology to fit all scales

• High degree of functionality• Speed control

• Lighting effects

• Sound decoders and accessories

• Superior Signal• Full voltage

• Data encoding has a higher level of noise immunity

• Minimal impact by layout wiring

DCC User Advantages

• More fun

• More features

• Runs locomotives, not track!

• More prototypical operation

• Easier to run multiple trains

DCC System Components

Five parts of a basic system:1. Cab or throttle2. Command station3. Power station4. Mobile decoder5. Accessory decoder

Cab

• Provides control for speed, direction, and other functions

• Can be tethered, wireless, or built into command station

• System can have multiple cabs

Command Station

• Brains of the system

• One command station per system

Power Station

•Known as a “Booster”

•Amplifies digital signal to track

•Often built-in as part of command station

•May provide:• Short-circuit protection• Voltage regulation• Auto-reversing

Mobile Decoder

• The locomotive brains

• Connects between the motor and the track

• Receives and decodes digital signal on track into speed and direction signals

• Can usually control lights

• Each decoder has an unique address or ID code

• All SoundTraxx-manufactured decoders are mobile decoders

Mobile Decoders

Accessory Decoder

• Similar to the mobile decoder, but stationary

• Typically used for controlling:• Turnouts• Signals• Turntables

How it All Works• User adjusts cab settings (1),

which are sent to the command station.

• Command station transforms the data into a digital packet (2), which is amplified by the booster and sent along the rails (3).

• Decoder receives the packet and looks for its address• If valid, the decoder processes the

data to adjust speed, lights, ect. (4)• Otherwise, it ignores the data and

continues whatever it was doing

DCC Track Signal

• Bipolar DC signal

• Full voltage all the time

• Each cycle encodes a data bit

• Pulse width encodes a ‘1’ or ‘0’

• 8,000 bits per second

• Multiple bits make up one data packet

DCC Track Signal• Four parts of a data packet:

• Preamble• Address byte• Instruction byte• Error detection byte

• 200 data packets sent per second

DCC Track Signal

Voltage and current require special apparatus to measure:

• RMS Voltmeter• Oscilloscope• RRampMeter

Terminology

The DCC world is riddled with jargon and acronyms!

Configuration Variables

• The settings for the decoder address and other adjustments are Configuration Variables, or CVs• Industry standard CVs• Manufacturer specific CVs• Not all decoders support all CVs• Not all CVs can be programmed by all DCC systems• Each CV is comprised of eight bits

Introduction to CVs

• All CVs can contain a value from 0 to 255

• Some CVs can be adjusted as a percentage, e.g., volume settings

• Each bit is on (1) or off (0)

Changing CVs

There are two methods for changing CV settings:

• Service Mode (programming track)

• Operations Mode (on-the-fly, programming on the main)

Service Mode Programming

• Known as “the programming track”

• Requires isolated section of track

• Can read CV settings

• Locomotive address NOT required

• Cannot test settings in Service Mode

Operations Mode Programming

• Known as “Ops Mode” or “programming on the main”

• No need to place loco on special track or shut down layout

• Immediate results

• CV settings cannot be read

• Must know locomotive’s address!

Function Outputs

• Functions are outputs for controlling other low-current electrical devices like lamps, LEDs, and relays

• Most are on/off switches to decoder ground

• Industry-standard color coding

• Blue wire is common, ~1.4 volt below track voltage• LEDs and low-voltage lights will likely need

resistors

Function Control

• Lighting effects available on all SoundTraxx decoders (Hyperlight, FX, etc.)

• Sound decoders also use function buttons to control sound effects

•Represented on most cabs as F0-F28

Motor Control

PWM: Pulse-Width Modulation

• All decoders use PWM to control motor speed and direction

• The motor is switched on and off between zero and full power Controls speed by varying ratio of off-on time

• Stall Current

Stall Current

• The amount of current drawn by a motor at full voltage with armature locked

• Must be matched to decoder specifications!

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7KbEVKZ2JhA

Speed Steps

• Decoder splits minimum and maximum throttle range into speed steps

• More speed steps = finer control

• 14 and 28 speed steps are industry standard

• 128 speed steps supported

• Hyperdrive2 has 2048 speed steps internally!

Back EMF Motor Control

• Uses motor back-EMF to sense motor speed

• Helps maintain constant speed when climbing and descending grades

• Improves low-speed control

Floobydust

• YouTube channel filled with tips on SoundTraxx products

• Steam and Diesel User’s Guide very helpful

• Other tips at SoundTraxx.com

• Next Webinar- Feb 21st 11:00 AM MST• Sound Theory- Speakers, Baffles and More!• Register now!

Want to learn More? Explore these Links:• Tsunami2 Manuals

• Manuals Page: http://www.soundtraxx.com/manuals.php

• SoundTraxx Customer Newsletter Sign Up • http://www.soundtraxx.com/newsletter.php

• Dealers contact smarketing@soundtraxx.com to sign up for our dealer newsletter

• SoundTraxx Social Media • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SoundTraxxDCC/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/SoundTraxxVideos

• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoundtraxxCO

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/soundtraxxdcc/

• Clinic Presentation• https://www.soundtraxx.com/webinar.php