The DirectDrive is a PC based central unit for digital command
control. The software allows a PC to control locos by directly generating DCC packets from
the serial port.
The DirectDrive supports:
 | 14 speed steps |
| 28 speed steps |
| 128 speed steps |
| directional lighting |
| extended addressing - up to 9999 locos |
| accessory functions F1 to F8 |
| switch/turnout control |
| joystick support |
At the moment the DirectDrive supports all of the features based on the NMRA DCC standard. Switching from short to extended addressing is done automatically. With version 1.0 the debug windows is still available. Here you can watch the bits and bytes send to your DCC decoders.
What do we need ?
| A PC with either Win95 or NT 4.0 |
| DirectDrive, downloadable here |
| A free serial port |
| a cable which connects pin 2 and 7 from the serial port to the booster |
| optional you need a joystick |
How do we start ?
From the 'port settings' menu you should select the desired port.
In the box 'Interface' you can verify the chosen port. At startup time it says closed, after pressing the 'On' button, the pc will start to generate DCC packets. Now you are able to control a loco from your PC.
Version 1.0
Version 1.2
The joystick buttons are 'greyed' out. But you are still able to
control these buttons with your joystick. At startup time the logical addresses for the
mouse and the first joystick are set to the same address. This allows you to see the
meanings of the joystick buttons when playing.
The feeling how to control the speedsettings might be new for you. Basically it's the same
as with a 'big' loco.
To start or to increase the decoder speed, you press the joystick 'upwards', but just
once. The pc will increase the decoder step by one. Now the pc will continue to increase
the decoder speed by one at every second.
To stop the accelleration, you press the joystick to the other side. Now your loco will
move with the same speed, no accelleration will happen.
To 'decrease' the speed you just do the same, but reversed.
Please note the debug window.
It shows the DCC packets being generated for the selected address.
