Configuring (programming) decoder settings 59
12 Configuring (programming) decoder settings
In this large section you will learn:
- what “programming” means in the Digital plus by Lenz
®
system
- what settings can be changed by programming
- what methods can be used for programming
- how to programme
12.1 What is programming and what purpose does it
serve?
Programming means changing decoder settings. You may be dealing
with a locomotive decoder, an switch decoder or a feedback module.
Each setting is saved in a memory location inside the decoder. These
memory locations are similar to index cards in a box. Each decoder
has such an “index card box”. Each “card” has one setting of the
locomotive decoder written on it, for instance on “card” number 1 the
locomotive address, on “card” number 3 the starting delay. In other
words, one card for each decoder setting. Depending on the number
of settings available in the decoder the “index card box” may be bigger
or smaller. Each “card” has a numeric value written on it. The valid
range is 0 to 255.
Since you can change the values on these index cards (in these
memory locations) again and again, they are also referred to as
“variables”. These variables are used to determine – or configure –
settings. Hence in the US, the term “Configuration Variable” (CV)
was developed. From now on, we will no longer refer to “index cards”,
but use the correct term “CV”. CVs are used to describe the settings or
the behaviour of a decoder.
Which information is contained in which CV is standardised. E. g. CV1
is always the locomotive address, CV3 is always the starting delay,
and CV4 is always the braking delay. A description of the available
CVs and their settings is contained in Digital plus by Lenz® locomotive
decoder manuals or in the " Handbuch Lokdecoder (Art. no. 90005)".
This information can be downloaded from the internet (www.digital-
plus.de), obtained from your model railway dealer, or by sending a
stamped, self-addressed envelope to Lenz Elektronik GmbH.
Whether all values between 0 and 255 are available depends on the
setting. For CV1 (basic address), the valid range is 1 to 99. For CV53
(dimming function outputs) the valid range is 0 to 255.
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