# Multiple Crest Controllers



## mendoFrank (May 2, 2015)

Our club has been converting many of our track powered locos (G-scale) over to either Battery only or Battery/Track power. We have decided to go with the Crest Revo TE for uniformity - So far so good - EXCEPT - with eight locos and 4 hand-held transmitters, when one transmitter is linked to a loco it wipes the link from the other transmitters. They have to be "re-linked" to gain control again - then the other transmitter loses its link. ARRGGHHH - We have not been able to figure out if they can be programmed to hold the link - to have all the trains available to all the transmitters all the time. Anybody got any experience with this or ideas.


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## artgibson (Jan 2, 2008)

*multiple crest controlllers*

Is there a way to change frequencies in controllers. That is what you have to do with other r/c controllers


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

They use Zigbee, they all use the same frequencies, just hop and use different codes to coexist, sort of like wifi. (not exactly the same though)

I thought you could copy settings from one transmitter to another.

I'm sure some Revo experts will weigh in here.

Greg


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## lotsasteam (Jan 3, 2008)

http://ovgrs.org/the-trains/radio-control-train-engineer-systems/revolution-throttle-tips/

look at the bottom under duplicate controls!


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

It has been years since I set them up but I use three different Revolution Transmitters on my layouts without any problems. 

I have not tried to copy settings from one Revoluttion to another as I tend to use them with different locomotives (most of the time) but once I program a Revolution to work with one or more locomotives it will hold those settings whether or not I use other Revolutions with the same Locos.

When Aristo-Craft came out with locomotives with plug-and-play for Revolution Receivers it became so easy to add Revolutions to those locomotives so now most Aristo-Craft and many USA locomotives now have Revolution Receivers in them. I even like the steam loco sound that I have been putting in the newer Aristo-Craft 2-4-0s. There have been a few problems but overall I and my local friends have been very pleased with them .

For the most part my outside trains are running with Revolutions or the old Train Engineers and my inside trains are running on track power or now with MTS.

Jerry


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Responding to the issue of the op: using multiple transmitters and not having to unlink locos:

Yep, look on that link lotsasteam provided under duplicate throttles.

You can define all locos on all transmitters.

That should solve your issue of having to unlink. 

Also, Paul Norton himself is a valuable resource.

Regards, Greg


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## mendoFrank (May 2, 2015)

The "Radio Configure/ RF Channel" seems to be the answer. I will be trying it today at the club. If/when it works, I will look like a miracle worker - thanks to you. I had seen that in the manual, but since it never specifically scenario-ed the multiple controllers exactly as we use them, I was a bit skeptical. But it sounds right. THANK-YOU.
regards,
Frank


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

You are welcome Frank, and if you get stuck, keep posting here and we will find the resources to help you. I don't have a revo here at the moment, although I do have an HO Revo here on evaluation. 

Again, Paul Norton, has a history of being very helpful on this site.

Regards, Greg


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## mendoFrank (May 2, 2015)

*This might be it !!!*

OK - the fix is in!!! - WE HOPE - Straight from the CREST techie - by phone call.
All transmitters must have: 
1) the same "RF-Channel", 
2) the same "Group ID",
AND a new setting found in no literature or manuals I could find - 
3) from the System Configure menu, option E : "MULTI TX" set to ON - (meaning multiple transmitter).
I am heading to the club now to try this out. Wish me luck - I'm going in...
I'll let you know,
Frank


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

That's how I've had my transmitters set up, so you should be fine. I never turned on the "Multi TX" part, largely because I hadn't paid any attention to it. I've tried to run a locomotive with two transmitters tuned to the same loco, and the loco pretty much just sat there, trying to figure out which of the two signals it wanted to listen to. This situation doesn't come up often for me unless I'm bench testing something and have reason to have two transmitters on at the same time. I never gave it a moment's thought beyond that. Then I saw this thread, did some digging, and found the Multi TX setting on my transmitters. 

I had the same trouble as Frank trying to locate documentation for this feature, so I took my two transmitters to the workshop and had a go at testing. With Multi TX turned "off," the loco behaved exactly as I had experienced previously. I had one transmitter set to 0, and gave the loco some throttle on the second one. It jerked forward then stopped, then jerked forward, then stopped; not knowing which of the two signals to listen to. 

With Multi TX turned "on," the transmitters appear not to fight each other for control of the locomotive. I set both to 0, then gave the loco some throttle on the second one. It took off, running smoothly, ignoring the fact that the first transmitter still showed "0" on the throttle. I then adjusted the throttle on the first transmitter, and the loco responded to that change in throttle. I don't know exactly what the electronic difference between the two modes is. Whatever it's doing differently, it works much better. I don't know if there's a trade-off in terms of response time, power consumption, or anything of that ilk. 

Later,

K


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Frank, I visited your club's layout in February, very impressive.


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## mendoFrank (May 2, 2015)

*THEY ALL WORK NOW - here's how*

Sorry to say I am extremely upset now - I just spent an hour typing in the fix to my issue for all to use, and because it took so long, the forum timed me out and it erased my posting when I logged back in - THANKS A BUNCH.
I don't know when I will calm down enough to do it again - but I suggest you all copy all the text of your long postings so you can paste it back in if this happens to you.
Let me know if you are going through this Crest issue, and I will make it a point to get the answer posted...
AARRGGG!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Frank


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Long text should be made in a word/text processor and then pasted into a forum.
Microsoft write is great for this.


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## mendoFrank (May 2, 2015)

*lessons learned*

Yeah, that's what I am now doing. 
As soon as it happened, I remembered that there was a 'time out' mentioned in the EULA - that I actually read.
I am more frustrated at myself for not remembering that - as it is with other sites.
I'll get the "issue fix" posted in the next day or so. I imagine there are other trying to do this.
This time I am trying to make it as an instruction sheet.
Happy Trails,
Frank


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

easier:

type a while and post, then edit it and add some more... easy...

Greg


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