# DCS REMOTE COMMANDER



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

I tried to find any thread about this subject and did not find one.

My question is can the MTH DCS remote commander by used with the MTH G scale engines.


----------



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

I got my answer from Railking. It can be used with Gauge One locos. In expensive way to operate small inventory of DCS locos.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

At $50 list, that's really inexpensive. 

Interesting, the text says 8 amps, but you look at the picture and it says 6 amps.


----------



## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

I don't think I would want to try pumping 8 amps through that Coax DC jack on the power IN side. 6 amps is the top limit for reliable operation.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I suspect that is why the wording on the unit is 6. I don't even like 6 on that type of connector myself. 

Pretty strange that the marketing info does not match the hardware, notice the max DC in voltage is 24... but max ac is 20, you would think the DC would be 28 (1.4 * 20 ac)... just interesting. 

Greg


----------



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

We shall see how it performs. Videos on youtube look pretty impressive but with smaller scale. I plan on using it at Mall layout to entertain the kiddo's, young and old.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

6 amps should be plenty unless you run really long trains or a lot of lighted cars. 

Definitely a great price alternative to buying a TIU and a remote. 

Another BIG possibility is for battery power of MTH locos. 

Greg


----------



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 01 Jul 2013 07:52 PM 
6 amps should be plenty unless you run really long trains or a lot of lighted cars. 

Definitely a great price alternative to buying a TIU and a remote. 

Another BIG possibility is for battery power of MTH locos. 

Greg I plan on only 4 passenger cars and may cut lighting. Just something different in that we run the same old thing weekend and weekend out at the Mall. Gives me some more incentive to keep going to Mall to run for the kids. 
Fortunaltely I have the live steamers to keep me occupied at Zube and at Steve's.


----------



## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

It can be wired (and the way I suggest) in passive mode..that is tie into the power supply to track wires on the Remote Commander outputs...that way power doesn't have to pass thru it. 

All engines used with the Remote Commander have to be factory reset with an address of zero...best way is to do a factory reset with a full blown DCS system. The Remote Commander can not "search" for engines with an address of anything other than zero. 

I've used the DCS Remote Commander and though it does work, it's use is severely limited. The Remote uses infrared line of sight which in my findings doesn't work well with indoor fluorescent lights. Outdoors in the sun I highly doubt if it would work at all. Best use is indoors under the Christmas Tree operating a starter set...but that's what it was designed for.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Chuck, that really helps understand the product. No wonder it is so cheap. 

So maybe using this needs a rethink, if all locos need to be at address zero, that kind of kills a lot of the remote features, to have multiple trains on a track. 

The IR should make it basically unusable outdoors and the range would most likely be very limited. 

Good to know about the passive mode, that does help minimize the 6 amp limitation. 

Greg


----------



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 03 Jul 2013 07:57 PM 
Thanks Chuck, that really helps understand the product. No wonder it is so cheap. 

So maybe using this needs a rethink, if all locos need to be at address zero, that kind of kills a lot of the remote features, to have multiple trains on a track. 

The IR should make it basically unusable outdoors and the range would most likely be very limited. 

Good to know about the passive mode, that does help minimize the 6 amp limitation. 

Greg 
I am still gonna try it at Mall. If it does not work I shall return it.

I did speak with a technician at MTH about the Commander and it says it is 8amp. Info on box apparently wrong.
As I said before , we shall see..
He did say that it was only tested on smaller layouts.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

For us left coast guys: "Mall" ??? I assume that means it is indoors. 

Yeah, 8 amps into a 6 amp connector... I'll bet that the 6 amp rating is from the engineers, and the 8 amp rating from sales!









Greg


----------



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 05 Jul 2013 12:57 PM 
For us left coast guys: "Mall" ??? I assume that means it is indoors. 

Yeah, 8 amps into a 6 amp connector... I'll bet that the 6 amp rating is from the engineers, and the 8 amp rating from sales!









Greg 
Sorry about the Mall comment. I have posted before about the Houston Area G Gaugers, we run Sparkies at the NW Mall here in Houston every Saturday for the kids.

The 8 amp quote came from the technician not sales. As before we shall see.


----------



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Prelimenary results of the DCS remote commmander are favorable. I tried it out this past Saturday at our Mall location. It responded over the entire loop with the bells and whistles reacting to signal from unit. I did have some trouble with the too small transformer and have ordered a more powerfuul one that MTH produces.

When I get the new transformer set up I will try to make video to show that it will work on larger layout than that which MTH has tested. 
All in all I think it is well worth the price compard to the full blown unit.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Chuck, how is it wired in passive mode?

Do you supply power to the track and then parallel this unit?

It seems clear you have to supply power to this unit no matter which way it is connected.

I read the manual: http://www.mthtrains.com/sites/default/files/download/instruction/50as10109i.pdf

No mention of passive mode.

Greg 
Posted By Chucks_Trains on 03 Jul 2013 06:58 PM 
It can be wired (and the way I suggest) in passive mode..that is tie into the power supply to track wires on the Remote Commander outputs...that way power doesn't have to pass thru it. 

All engines used with the Remote Commander have to be factory reset with an address of zero...best way is to do a factory reset with a full blown DCS system. The Remote Commander can not "search" for engines with an address of anything other than zero. 

I've used the DCS Remote Commander and though it does work, it's use is severely limited. The Remote uses infrared line of sight which in my findings doesn't work well with indoor fluorescent lights. Outdoors in the sun I highly doubt if it would work at all. Best use is indoors under the Christmas Tree operating a starter set...but that's what it was designed for.


----------



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

I needed to ask same question. If hooked up passively, how is signal from remote going thru Command unit.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, DCS is kind of a marginal system. It puts a small signal on top of the track voltage supplied. So you can put power on the rails from a DC (or AC I believe) and then ALSO connect a TIU to the track that will ADD the signal. 

The idea of passive is so you can put a very high capacity power supply to the rails, one that exceeds the capacity of the "pass through" function on the TIU. 

I am guessing that your unit can be wired in the same way, just would like to see it treated in the manual. 

In THEORY it should work the same way. 

Regards, Greg


----------



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 14 Jul 2013 08:23 PM 
Well, DCS is kind of a marginal system. It puts a small signal on top of the track voltage supplied. So you can put power on the rails from a DC (or AC I believe) and then ALSO connect a TIU to the track that will ADD the signal. 

The idea of passive is so you can put a very high capacity power supply to the rails, one that exceeds the capacity of the "pass through" function on the TIU. 

I am guessing that your unit can be wired in the same way, just would like to see it treated in the manual. 

In THEORY it should work the same way. 

Regards, Greg 
I will give it a try when I get the new transformer. Will be week after next since we will be running live steam at Zube Park this next Saturday.


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I'd find a DCS forum and see if anyone has done this. Sounds like it should work, but would be good to hear from people that have done it. 

Greg


----------



## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes. I have used the commander on my home and portable layouts in passive mode prior to using a TIU in passive mode now. Simply connect the positive (red) connector out to the center rail and the ground (black) connector to the outside rails. Power will be supplied to the commander from the track and power source. This does eliminate any concerns about the amperage going through the commander.

I hope this helps.
This is a post from the MTH forum site. Thanks for the suggestion Greg .


----------



## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Great, that instills confidence. 

Full steam ahead! 

Greg


----------

