I purchased a LokPilot 5 Basic 21MTC (#59029) and have had some time to investigate its capabilities using both DecoderPro (5.10)/NCE PowerHouse (2021 eprom) and LokProgrammer (5.2.12). My LP5Basic came with firmware version 5.0.2 which LokProgrammer updated to version 5.1.6. The results below were the same before and after update.
The original question concerning start delay and CV252 can be answered in the affirmative. LokPilot 5 Basic does have a virtual drive sound that activates the start delay based on the value in CV252 (units of 0.065 sec). But there is a catch. You must also make sure Bit 2 of CV124 is 1 (bit value of 4). There is a check box in LokProgrammer that does this, but not one in DecoderPro (DP). Use CVs sheet in DP or the single CV programmer for this. This Bit is not listed in the instructions that come with the LP5Basic, but it apparently serves the same purpose as it does in LokSound V4, LokSound Select, LokSound 5, LokSound 5 DCC, LokPilot 5, and LokPilot 5 DCC decoders. It enables/disables start delay.
Until a DP interface for LP5Basic is added to JMRI, the best way to program a LP5Basic is to use the LokPilot 5 DCC DP interface (Actually, the best way is to use a LokProgrammer). All of the CVs used by LP5Basic are available in the LP5DCC interface. However, there are also CVs and corresponding functionality in the LP5DCC interface that are not available in the LP5Basic. These are:
CV23, CV24 ¨C consist adjustment for acceleration and deceleration on the DP ¡®Consist¡¯ sheet.
CV57, CV58 ¨C chuff spacing speed step 1 and chuff spacing decrease rate on DP ¡®Sound¡¯ sheet. Why these are even in the LP5DCC interface is a mystery since the LokPilots do not have sound.
CV114, CV115 ¨C fade-in and fade-out time of light effects on DP ¡®Function Settings¡¯ sheet.
CV122 ¨C remember current function states and current speed on DP ¡®Advanced¡¯ sheet.
CV131 ¨C halve trigger pulses in shunt mode and logical function dimmer brightness on DP ¡®Sound¡¯ sheet. Again, I don¡¯t understand the connection to sound.
CV141-CV143 ¨C smoke chuffs on DP ¡®Function Settings¡¯ sheet.
CV150-CV154 ¨C Zimo HLU brake sections on DP ¡®Advanced¡¯ sheet
CV249, CV250 ¨C minimum steam chuff distance and chuff trigger on DP ¡®Sound¡¯ sheet. Why is this even present? Maybe you can have a LP with no sound but still be driving a smoke generator?
CV0.252.257-CV0.252.318 ¨C SUSI map on DP ¡®SUSI Map¡¯ sheet.
CV16.5.385-CV16.5.506, CV16.6.257-CV16.6.506, CV16.7.257-CV16.7.378, CV16.10.385-CV16.10.503, CV16.11.257-CV16,11,503, CV16.12.257-CV16.12.375 ¨C rows 41-72 on DP ¡®Function Map¡¯ sheet.
My advice if using any of the above sheets is you should only do a ¡°Write Changes on Sheet¡± DO NOT do a ¡°Write Full Sheet¡±. Probably no harm, but best to be safe.
CV0.255.261-CV0.255.296 are also missing in LP5Basic. DP CVs sheet will not allow edit of them and they are not listed for a LokPilot 5 Basic by LokProgrammer. Perhaps this is an error in the DP interface since they are also not listed by LokProgrammer for the LP5DCC. I don¡¯t know what they are used for.
Also, a few other items on the DP ¡®Advanced¡¯ sheet are unclear because I don¡¯t have the capacity to test them:
1.? Command Station Compatibility>LGB Function Button Mode affects CV49, but the instructions for LP5Basic do not list this.
2.? Command Station Compatibility>SUSI Master & SUSI Slave use CV124. The instructions show bit 3 of CV124 controlling SUSI serial protocol. Since the SUSI Map is not present, I don¡¯t know what this does.
3.? RailComPlus & M4 Master Decoder Synchronization>M4 Manufacturer ID uses CV191 and RailComPlus & M4 Master Synchronization>M4 Decoder Serial Number uses CV192. My understanding is that LP5 and LP5DCC are multiprotocol: DCC, DC, AC, Motorola, Selectrix, and M4 but the LP5Basic is only DCC and DC. DP doesn¡¯t show these CVs affecting anything else, so it is a mystery why these CVs are present in LP5Basic. The instruction sheet is not helpful.
Mark Granville
