# Revolution Receiver



## barnmichael (Jan 2, 2008)

Just got a new Revolution receiver today. It is the version with steam sound. The last Revolution receivers I got (5-6 years ago) came with interface boards with screw terminals to hook it up to the train wiring. My locomotives are not plug and play so everything needs to be hand wired. The previous receivers had boards with fuses and clearly marked screw terminals the receiver plugged into and I just connected what needed to be connected to the screw terminals. The revolution manual I have does not address this board and there is no means to hook anything up. No speaker connection. Is it somehow programmable? Are there sound options? Someplace to hook up the chuff sensor? If there is any connector labeling, it is way too small for me to see. There are some small connectors on the board, but there don't seem to be any wires that connect to them. Is there an interface board available separately for this thing? Not sure where to go for help on it. Zero documentation in the box. Maybe I received an incomplete package?


Thanks for suggestions.


Michael


----------



## grsman (Apr 24, 2012)

*Revolution wiring*

Michael
All the information you need is posted on the revolution web site under support.
Your receiver should have come with a small board to plug the receiver into that has clearly marked screw terminals for power in, motor out and headlights. The rest of the connections are made with small connectors on the receiver. There are connectors for the set switch, the speaker, the aux functions and the trigger inputs. These connections were always made this way and not with screw terminals. Connectors with wires are provided. The only screw terminals that were ever available were the ones I mentioned previously. A smoke interface board should also have been included. Documentation is not included with the latest Revolution products.You should download all the current documentation from the Revolution web site. These receivers are programmable for different engines. The files are on the web site. The USB Device Programmer is required if you want to program the receivers. This is also used to update transmitter firmware. There are warnings on the web site about programming older Crest products.
I have been using these receivers since they first came out. Wiring for the sound receivers has not changed since they first came out.
Tom


----------



## barnmichael (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the info. It took some searching, but I finally found the Revo website and downloaded the documentation. A slip of paper or something in or on the package with the URL would have been nice. Looking more closely at what was in the box and the docs I found on the website, I see the connections. My previous receivers came with an interface board with fuses for the battery input and the motor output. The board with this receiver is a fraction of the size and has no fuses. I guess my memory is a bit faulty on the other connections. It has been some time.


I need to reread the docs on the USB programming. It seemed to me when I looked at the web site early this morning, there was lots of bold red text warning not to use the USB programming that you would likely destroy everything and they were not responsible. I'll have to review that again.


Have to wait to get home from this trip to spend more time with it.


Thanks,
Michael


----------



## grsman (Apr 24, 2012)

Michael
I'm sorry - I should have included their web site address.
The red text warnings apply to the previous Crest Revolution products. They give you a way to try and program the receivers, but if it doesn't work they will not be responsible. That doesn't seem quite right to me. You should be able to program the Train Engineer Revolution receivers. The transmitters with the plastic keys may not be upgraded. You will wind up with a non-functional transmitter if you try. You should be able to upgrade the firmware of the transmitters with the rubber keys.
Tom


----------

