S88 via Xpressnet in JMRI???


P

picsntrains

New Member
Hello,

I'm new to this group. I belong to the JMRI group but there doesn't seem to be any mention of S88 over there so I thought I try here.

I've built a few of Paco's projects, SimpleMaus, MiniMaus, GenLI, NanoX and now NanoX-S88. These use XpressNet. I want to use S88 to provide occupancy feedback from some DIY block controllers spread around the loop that goes around my basement, but I see no reference to S88 in JMRI Help or on the JMRI website.

My question is, how do I access the bits from S88 in JMRI?

Chuck
 
S88 or S88-N is a way of getting feedback from devices on the layout. It is basically a big long shift register and each board that plays the game is hooked in series with the shift register and shifts the data from the upstream board, along with its own data to the downstream board. The "standard" is designed to handle 128 bits total between all devices; probably inadequate for larger layouts but good for home layouts like mine where I want a loop of block detecters to automatically slow and stop trains on the main line.

Check out http://s88-n.eu/index-en.html

One problem is that most of the guys doing this haven't documented everything in english yet.

Chuck
 
From the limited documentation, it looks like you need to get 5 volt signal from pin 8 hooked up to the interface you're using with JMRI. Since it is apparently using an RJ-45 jack, you need an interface with the same kind of RJ-45 jack that read data being sent from pin 9. The Loconet buffer is what most of use an interface.
 
UP2CSX said:
From the limited documentation, it looks like you need to get 5 volt signal from pin 8 hooked up to the interface you're using with JMRI. Since it is apparently using an RJ-45 jack, you need an interface with the same kind of RJ-45 jack that read data being sent from pin 9. The Loconet buffer is what most of use an interface.
Click to expand...

This is why I'll never get into DCC--Complete Gibberesh to me.:confused:
 
It's not a question of wiring. I understand all that "gibberish". It's a question about the software. I got a reply from some guys in the JMRI users group that says the sensors will be listed as XSnnn or something like that since they will be Xpressnet Sensors. That sounds like a good place to start looking.

I think first I will get my EStop wired correctly so I can program my newest loco without reprogramming everything else on the layout. Then I will prototype a simple set of S88 sensors.
 
Larry said:
This is why I'll never get into DCC--Complete Gibberesh to me.:confused:
Click to expand...

Actually Larry I used to think the same but WOW(!) what a differance it makes in running!
It can be as simple as just hooking up two wires and letting them roll, or as complicated as you dare to venture.
Myself... I program the loco numbers and acceleration / deceleration factors and that's about it. There are guys at the club who talk circles around me at times... I just smile and nod.
I am planning on controlling turnouts some day soon but that's after more scenery is done.
 
The real beauty of DCC is like they say: run your trains, not your tracks. My dad will never switch to DCC because of the expense, but he has a myriad of switches and power packs that he has to keep switching just to run a train around and through his layout. One thing I love is to bring a 2nd loco up to a first one, couple them together, then switch to the consist address and run them. The only place you can do that on a DC layout is at the insulators. The other thing is that with DCC you can make your layout kid-friendly; they don't have to know about zones.
 
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