Sorry about being so late with this. I finally had to take it to a LHS and have it repaired. It was broken gears. So I now have it back and have it programmed on JMRI. I did some basic changes in CV's so that it runs nice. But I am totally confused by all the CV's. way more than I'm used to. So, is there a simple explanation for them? The manuals I have/all from the web site just don't have enough for a novice like me. And as for reset. I got a great explanation for that and it worked like a charm. I was getting frustrated with having to take the tender body off and playing with the "button". The answer is in the CV's. I forgot what they were, but if anyone needs me to, i can look them up and publish them here. Dave: It is a BLI PRR I1sa bought back in 2010. That's why I was on this forum because there isn't anywhere else. And I have nothing but high regards for y'all and the help I've gotten is tremendous. FYI IMHO the sound and control is great. As good as Paragon 2 or 3.
--
Morgan F Bilbo, DCS50, SPROGIIv4, JMRI 4.20, Pennsy modeler 1952

Dunno why a new topic was created to reply, especially when the last post was asking me a question.

See the original thread Pete, and also visit my page for tips on the driver install.

https://elmassian.com/index.php/dcc/specific-manufacturers/qsi-equipment/qsi-programmer-hw-a-sw

Greg

The driver for the programmer works fine on windows 10, you just need to follow the instructions. I have instructions on my site.

The program itself CVManager and CVUpdate work perfectly on all versions of Windows.

There are some poor driver installation instructions out there, and windows 10 can be a pain to convince it to allow the driver, but the driver is a one time install.

And take note of KJ's comment that the NCE command station can run CVManager (but you need the QSI programmer to load sound files)

Greg

Pete,

FYI, the link to the software and sound files is located here.
https://shedaker.wixsite.com/shedaker/applications

Also, I use Windows 10 Pro 32 bit on my laptop and have 100% success with both installation and using the QSI programmer. I have seen a LOT of different comments on both sides but all I did was follow the instructions and it worked. I have used it on machines with XP Pro, Windows 7 Pro, and Windows 10 Pro.

One other option is JMRI DecoderPro. This FREE software works to ONLY program decoders, including QSI. It works with almost any OS and it has a huge membership to help with all of it's different functions. The ONLY software capable of CHANGING sound files in a QSI decoder requires both their software and programmer. But if all you want to do is to change CVs , addresses, speed curves, volume, lights, functions, etc. DecoderPro will work fine.

Cheers,
Nick Kulp
**********************

From: Pete Hendel Date: Sat, 12 Dec 2020 17:04:42 EST Greg, The name CVManager sounds familiar.  Who developed it and where can one get more info on the capabilities and features. Thanks. Pete ****************************************

   You make a good point.  However, it is a challenge to make user friendly a sophisticated device, such as a QSI Titan sound decoder.  The complication is of necessity.   I think QSI has done a very good job in conveying the information.   Before reading the QSI manual I knew nothing about specific CV manipulation.    Not everyone learns at the same speed and this forum is all about addressing specific questions.  The original post was asking specific questions, clarifying issues that some users have no desire to learn.  

   Fortunately, we are able to manage C.V.s relatively easy using CV Manager or JMRI Decoder Pro. 

   JMRI Decoder Pro will work on current QSI Titan version 9 firmware.   When opening a new file, you merely select either the Titan Steam or Titan diesel (unless it's an early EMD hood unit you don't get to select the correct model) but all of the correct relative C.V.s become available.   JMRI will simply incorrectly label the locomotive type in it's file.  Not a big deal!

   QSI's free download, CV Manager, may be run using either the QSI programmer (black box).  Alternately, CV Manager can be run through an NCE command station connected to the computer or Powercab with USB interface connected to the computer.


Best regards,
KJ

Greg,
The name CVManager sounds familiar.  Who developed it and where can one get more info on the capabilities and features.
Thanks.

Pete

Greg,

I've been involved with DCC since we had to use HEXADECIMAL on throttles that used "knob-fiddling" to program a 2-digit decoder address. The company I chose for my DCC system actually made an interface for a serial port for programming their decoders but never produced any computer software (and still don't) to use it with. When QSI came out with their programmer, I was asked to be a BETA tester for both the new Version 7 chip and the programmer and software. I was already using the very early version of DecoderPro at the time and one of our group members created a buffered computer interface kit to interface with our command stations. Keep in mind, Windows 95 was the software we used or DOS / COBOL / or other "dead" languages. (Yep, I'm OLD) . CV manager and Q1 Upgrade were like magic. We were able to completely remake our OEM decoders into literally anything. I once had a FM Trainmaster with an SP Cab-Forward sound file in it that I used at club open houses. It got a LOT of grins. We are blessed with software from both QSI, although a bit dated and proprietary usable only with their programmer, and FREE JMRI DecoderPro software that works with almost every DCC hardware and OS out there. I use both when programming decoders. Sound decoders , with all of their complex indexing CVs make using software almost mandatory. As one that still has his Hex conversion tables by his programming station, I am truly grateful that we no longer have to figure out which "bit" goes where. New users should be required to go "back to the future" I started in to be thankful they no longer need to be "techies" to use their equipment.

DCC is an old standard, when memory was expensive, so things are in binary instead of ASCII characters.

The indexing system to get more "variables" is again an old limitation.

Nowadays this could all be done in normal characters.

Of course the solution is to use a high level graphic interface program like CVManager. Many of the decoder manufacturers who have complex functions have a nice computer program to set things for the non computer science people.

I'm surprised no one suggested CVManager here.

Greg

Unfortunately this example shows that the manual is written for people familiar with low-level computer "speak". Things like bits, bytes, and signed and unsigned binary numbers.  Then all the indexed CVs do not make things easier to understand things either.  While many of the QSI users are computer-literate, and we take understanding all that for granted, there are QSI users out there who do not have this "computer speak" mastered.

Looking at this thread, it makes it painfully clear to me how someone like that would see the QSI manual as bunch of gibberish.  But QSI is not the only company with this problem. Other companies' manuals also often require a computer science degree to understand. 

Peteski

Yeah, more or less.  Since one bit in the byte is taken by the sign, then the largest number the rest of the bits can hold is 127 (yeah that's close to 128), so the most pitch shifting you can get is + or - 127.

Dave in Edmonton, AB

Whew!   Yes, I think you have it.   :-)


Best regards,
KJ

P.S. The K is for Ken not Steve.

Thank you Dave and kjlovesya (is it Steve?)  I think this is starting to make sense.  Am I correct to say the extent to which the pitch is decreased or increased is a function of whether the value you set CV 51, when added to the sum of weights of the lesser bits, is >= 128, or is <128.  Am I saying that right, in layman's terms?

Thanks Doug. Just what I was looking for.

Bruce,

  Dave's answer is correct.   I would like to add a little clarification to the bit 7 issue.

  Please bear with me.  I'll try to write this for everyone to understand - even those who have no idea how a computer operates (your decoder is a miniature computer).


Bits and Bytes:   A bit is a simple switch (On or Off).  On is equal to logic 1 and Off is equal to logic 0.

e.g.   Bit 0 = 0 means the bit is turned Off.   Bit 0 = 1 means the bit is turned On.


  If one arranges 8 Bits together that equals one Byte.    Engineers always start counting from number 0 so the first bit is labelled Bit 0.

  In a Byte we write Bit 0 at the extreme right and call it the least significant bit.


e.g.         Bit 7    Bit 6    Bit 5    Bit 4    Bit 3    Bit 2    Bit 1    Bit 0      = 8 Bits (0 - 7 remember we start counting at 0)



The value of each bit is either logic 1 or logic 0.   Binary means counting by twos.   Each bit's weight is twice the weight of the bit to it's right.
  The weight of Bit 0 is 1.  The weight of Bit 1 is double the weight of the preceding bit, therefore the weight of Bit 1 is 2.   The weight of Bit 2 is double that of the preceding Bit.  The weight of Bit 2 is 4. etc.

e.g.         Bit 7    Bit 6    Bit 5    Bit 4    Bit 3    Bit 2    Bit 1    Bit 0      = 8 Bits (remember we start counting at 0)
weight     128     64        32       16        8         4          2          1

Add up all the weights and you get 255.   The value of the Byte is the sum of the Bit weights.   That's why many of the C.V. values are between 0 - 255.      Many C.V.s are  basically the value of one Byte.

If a value of the CV 3 = 0  then all the bits will be written as logic 0.

e.g.         Bit 7    Bit 6    Bit 5    Bit 4    Bit 3    Bit 2    Bit 1    Bit 0      = 8 Bits (remember we start counting at 0)
value          0        0         0         0         0         0          0         0

If the value of the C.V. 3 = 2   then Bit 1 will be written as a logic 1


weight     128     64        32       16        8         4          2          1

e.g.         Bit 7    Bit 6    Bit 5    Bit 4    Bit 3    Bit 2    Bit 1    Bit 0      = 8 Bits (remember we start counting at 0)
value          0        0         0         0         0         0          1         0




If the value of CV 3 = 17  then Bit 0 is logic 1 and Bit 4 is logic 1.

weight     128     64        32       16        8         4          2          1


e.g.         Bit 7    Bit 6    Bit 5    Bit 4    Bit 3    Bit 2    Bit 1    Bit 0      = 8 Bits (remember we start counting at 0)
value          0        0         0         1         0         0          0         1

Add the weights of the bits with a value of logic 1 to determine the value of the Byte.


Negative numbers:
  If required, some C.V.s need a positive or a negative value.  Picture a balance control on a stereo where the center is 0.   Left speaker is less than 0 (negative) and Right speaker is greater than 0.
  In order for engineers to get negative numbers they simply use the most significant (left most) Bit as a negative sign.   In our example if Bit 7 is 0, the sum of the bits the the right are positive.     If Bit 7 is 1, the sum of the bits to the right are negative.

  A value of zero is zero so the sign (negative or positive) doesn't matter.  Therefore 0 is the same as 128. 

  However, numbers between 128 up to and including 255 have logic 1 for Bit 7.   Therefore each number above 128 is a negative value.

  Since Bit 7 is logic 1,  In order to determine the negative value of this type of C.V. we simply add the weight of the less significant bits (bits 0 - 6). 

weight     128     64        32       16        8         4          2          1


e.g.         Bit 7    Bit 6    Bit 5    Bit 4    Bit 3    Bit 2    Bit 1    Bit 0      = 8 Bits (remember we start counting at 0)
value         1       0         0         0         0         0          0         0           = indicates negative number in this case


If we write the weight of 129 to our CV:

weight     128     64        32       16        8         4          2          1


e.g.         Bit 7    Bit 6    Bit 5    Bit 4    Bit 3    Bit 2    Bit 1    Bit 0      = 8 Bits (remember we start counting at 0)
value          1       0         0         0         0         0          0         1

Then our CV has a value of - 1.


If our CV has a weight of 138

weight     128     64        32       16        8         4          2          1


e.g.         Bit 7    Bit 6    Bit 5    Bit 4    Bit 3    Bit 2    Bit 1    Bit 0      = 8 Bits (remember we start counting at 0)
value          1       0         0         0         1         0          1        0

Our CV now has a value of - 10. (the sum of Bits 0 - 6)

I hope this helps.

Best regards,
KJ