# QSI Original Aristo Board - Extension R/D



## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

*
*
*Here is a short write up on what I found with the current 
QSI Aristo board that we have had for **a few years.*
*the_Other_Ray*
*---------------------------------------------------*

*In a nut shell (that's me) - I wanted to see how much of the*
*current QSI Aristo board supported all the special CV features*
*contained within the DCC manual 5.0.2 and also the Configure*
*Light Port Register within the Q2Upgrade 2.2 Utility. *

*Right now only the Front and Rear Headlights are surported.*

*By adding wires to the QSI Aristo board (chip to Connector J2),*
*I was able to extend the Light Port Register to include Ditch lights,*
*Marker, Number board, Mars and Cabin lights.*


*QSI Aristo Board before changes:* 
*







*

*QSI Aristo Board after installing wires to extend the Port Reg.*









*QSI Aristo Board and Light Daughter board.*












*QSI Aristo Board/Daughter video link*


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## rmcintir (Apr 24, 2009)

Very informative, thanks. Love the video.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

This is just crazy. Look at all of the capabilities of the old QSI decoder. And the lack of corporation from manufactures to make these features plug and play. We have a long way to go.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well, the new QSI Titan will be using the 10 pins and may indeed become the new standard, although Bachmann has several variations already. 

the best thing is the screw terminals until manufacturers standardize on where they bring the ditch lights, running lights, cab lights, etc. 

Ray, have you given any thought to try to match the pinouts of the Titan for the lighting ports?

Greg


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Wow--that's really cool. I had no idea the old boards could do that. I remember reading the manual and being puzzled about all the references to lighting when all I ever got was headlight/taillight. Why did QSI not make these features available on the "magnum" version at least?


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I think Greg is saying they are available. Don't know how this got to be yellow.


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## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

*Greg - Yes but
On J2, only one Titan pin supports a LED. 
The other LED's are mainly on Titan connector J3.*

*re: E-mail + Phone call*
*The wires on the QSI board are "FINE PITCH" connections. 
You will need the eyes of an Eagle,*
*steady hands and LOTS OF LUCK to get the wires connected. *
*I used a x8 eyepiece, board vice and lots of bad words








*

*I now have mounted the "Enhanced" QSI board onto a daughter
board to keep PNP alive. The connections to the various LED/Lights
are via a screw terminal (old habits are hard to break) strip.


The daughter board and Enhanced QSI board stack plug into the PNP loco.

The board on the right is just for debug the daughter board 
transistor/resistors that are hidden under the QSI board.









The next "FUN" step will be attempting to connect from the screw terminals
to the different LED/Lights on my two target locos.....












*


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

OK, I'm confused. We're talking about the old QSI Aristo Boards, NOT the new Titans, correct? 

So, I can add a few well placed wires to my OLD QSI Aristo Boards and get new light outputs, correct? 

How difficult is that, and is there information/instructions available on doing that? 

Robert


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## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

*Robert*

*OLD not NEW*

*Just about but you will need a 'driver transistor and resistor' 
AND then the LED and its resistor.*
*
Since I was trying to use the most outputs, I went to a daughter 
board to hold the **'driver transistor and resistor'.*

*It is somewhat difficult since the connections to the chip are very close together.*
*Look at the 3 photo in the initial posting. At the bottom of the photo below the*
*12 pin connector are the driver-transistor/resistor for the Head/Tail light pair...tiny...*

*NO instructions/directions at the present time.*


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## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

*For those "BRAVE or INSANE" soul's who wish to try and extend/expand their OLD boards, 
here are the Port/Pin info for the QSI Aristo (OLD) board light port expansion details.*


*The ATMEGA48 Pins match the port number in the documentation.
NMRA DCC Ref. Manual for QSI Quantum FX, Q2, and Q1 V 5.0.2 7-Sept-2011
Sound file used = 1008-325v7-33-3.q2
CV 55.70.* thru 55.138 define/control the lights usage.*


*The program "Q2Upgrade" allows changing the light port register assignments.
Use the "Cut & Paste Sound" tab to access the "Configure Light Port" button.
These changes are only in the computer memory, you will need to execute a
"Upgrade Locomotive" for the changes to take effect.*


* ATMEGA48
Port Number Function Chip Pin Assignment
----------------------------------------------
Port 1: HL Already in Etch*


*Port 2: Front Mars Pin 9*


*Port 3: RL Already in Etch*


*Port 4: Front OHBL Pin 1
(set for strobe)
Port 5: Front Left DL Pin 13*


*Port 6: Front Right DL Pin 14*


*Port 7: Front Cab Pin 2*


*Port 8: Front Number Brd Pin 8*


*Port 9: Front Marker Pin 7*


*Port 10: Rear Marker Pin 25*


*Port 11: Not assigned by default (=)*


*Port 12: Not assigned by default (=)*


*Port 13: Reserved*


*Port 14: Reserved*


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## N1CW (Jan 3, 2008)

*Since I have 10 of the older QSI Aristo Board's, 4 of my loco's need Ditch Light support.*
*The other 6 are fine as they are now and will not be changed.*

*What I am up-2-now is how to install the 2 Driver transistor/resistor onto the QSI Aristo Board.*
*I am using the "DEAD BUG" solution (Mounting these parts onto the back of an exsisting chip*
*{Just as somewhere to glue them too}).*

*Then add the required FINE PITCH wiring between the light chip and the 10 pin connector.
Here is a short clip of an LGB Genesis with ditch light support.
the_Other_Ray* 
*[url]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ax4AUruffeU&feature=plcp*[/url]


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