[RudyB]

An Arduino can be used as DCC decoder for 16x function oututs and 6x servos. It has a price tag under €5,- (including a fast opto-coupler).

This works thanks to the people behind mynabay who made available the code for decoding the DCC commands. I added some software to control the outputs and the servos.

Here's a video that shows an ECoS controlling the Arduino DCC decoder.

[Der Ruinenbaumeister]

Great work. This is exactly what I need for my projects. (My first attempts to create such a decoder were not succesful.) Will there be a version for the MM format?

[RudyB]

No plans for an MM version (yet), cause I have not been looking for software that decodes the MM commands yet. Who knows maybe that software does exist. If it can be found, it should be possible to create someting similar to the current DCC version.

[Der Ruinenbaumeister]

I am going to take a closer look. Maybe I can create my own MM version.

[M-Gleis]

Hi RudyB,


great news - where do you get the hardware from ?

Ok - now that i had a closer look to your Homepage i found it - so it's time for me to take a closer look to the world of arduino

One open issue - speed opto coupler - which did you take ?

[Nichteisenbahner]

Hi,

great!

I've been playing with my arduino since some time and just started with the idea that it should be possible to decode the DDC signal with it to have a fully field-programmable function decoder.

Great that you already managed it.

So, what kind of high-speed-optocoupler are you using?
And, can you give away the code?

Thanks
Martin

[Nichteisenbahner]

Zitat von M-Gleis

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One open issue - speed opto coupler - which did you take ?

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Hi,

is this the right one?

http://www.ebay.de/itm/320840380846

Thanks!
Martin

[RudyB]

The opto-coupler is a 6N137. The schematics are from here:
http://mynabay.com/dcc-monitor/16-arduino-dcc-monitor-2

The software will be published soon. I first want to add some software to be able to tune the servo min and max angles and invert rotation, while working under the table.

[RudyB]

Two new video's are out on the Arduino as DCC servo decoder. Also the software is available now.

The first video shows how the servos min and max angles can be tuned.

The second one shows the installation and configuration of the Arduino software.

To the videos and the Arduino software download.

[M-Gleis]

Hello Rudy,

my Arduino arrived and after playing with blink sketches I was ready for the next challenge The DCC Monitor – I created the circuit documented on the mynabay homepage, but used an HCPL 2601 optokoppler (Conrad has no 6N137 in stock). The optopkoppler didn’t fit into my breadboard, so I had to extend the pins (which took 2 evenings to find that) – and surprise – DCC Monitor is working Using the DCC_Basic_Acc_Decoder example I can switch LED on / off via my MS2. My wife was not impressed

Still waiting for my china servos, I decided to control signals with my Arduino. 16 Digital OutPins means 16 signals to control and a signal is only a red and a green LED. Can’t be a Problem …. But I haven’t found the answer yet.

Did anybody thought about using an Arduino as an signal decoder ?