JMRI: Quantum Programmer
This page describes Quantum Programmer support that first became available in JMRI version 2.1.5. Previous versions of JMRI do not contain it.JMRI can now use a Quantum Programmer module to read and write CVs in DCC decoders.
JMRI cannot (yet) download sounds to QSI decoders.
Note that when using JMRI with the Quantum Programmer, the Quantum CV Manager program must not be running. If it is, you'll get obscure errors and JMRI won't be able to access the decoder.
Driver Installation
To access the Quantum Programmer, you need to install a driver on your computer. This section describes how to do that for several popular computer types.Windows
This is still being worked on.For JMRI to talk to the Quantum Programmer, drivers have to be installed so that the Quantum Programmer appears to be a serial port (a Virtual Comm Port, or VCP). These drivers are different from the ones that the QSI software uses, so have to be downloaded and installed separately.
There are VCP drivers available from the SiLabs web site. Download and install them. That seems to involve two parts:
- Download the CP210x_VCP_Win2K_XP_S2K3.exe file and execute it. This creates a C:\SiLabs directory.
- Inside that SiLabs directory, nested quite far down, is a "CP210xVCPInstaller Driver Installation Utility". Find and execute that.
Unfortunately, we have not yet managed to get all those pieces together in the right way to make this work. If you'd like to work on this, it would be greatly appreciated.
The Quantum Programmer web site has different instructions, which might give a clue to somebody who wants to work on this.
The problem may be that the standard driver doesn't understand the
custom VID/PID pair 0x10C4/0x8208 that the Quantum Programmer uses.
We currently don't have enough information to download sounds to the decoder through
the Quantum Programmer. If we get the information, we'll certainly write this code.
Mac OS X
You should now be able to start a JMRI application
and access the Quantum Programmer. It will appear as
"Quantum Programmer" in the preferences windows.
Linux
This is still being worked on.
or
./load_qsi_prog
sudo ./load_qsi_prog
Configure the Quantum Programmer Support
You configure JMRI to use a Quantum Programmer similarly to the
way all other connection types are configured.
The program is now configured. Restart it, and it should be ready to use.
Features and Limitations
The Quantum Programmer hardware is capable of driving one (low-current) locomotive
in "Ops Mode". This lets the user run the engine, test the lights, etc.
JMRI does not yet have code to do this, but if there's enough interest we can certainly
add it.