Universal WiFi Throttle - Using The Throttle

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Using the Universal WiFi Throttle - Using The Throttle

This section is dedicated to instructions and information on using the throttle.

Power On / Off

To "wake up" and turn on the throttle, start by pressing and holding any button on the keypad for 3 seconds. The TCS logo will appear on the screen, as well as a prompt to "Press 2 to start." Press the button with the number 2 on it to power up the throttle. If you press the incorrect button, or do not press any buttons within 10 seconds, the throttle will go back to sleep and will not turn on. When powered up, the throttle will display the main Drive Window - your dashboard for locomotive operations.

NOTE: If you would like to access the bootloader mode for firmware updating, press button 7 instead of 2.

You may choose to shut down the throttle at any time via the Main Menu. To do so, enter the Menu and select option 9 "Power Off." If left idle, the throttle will shut down on its own after a user configurable amount of time (in minutes).

Menu Navigation

The Menu button will open the Universal WiFi Throttle - Using The Throttle Main Menu. There are functions and options in the menu that can customize your user experience and are helpful for throttle operations. Navigating the main menu can be performed in a variety of ways. Rotating the scroll wheel will navigate up or down through the menu items one at a time. The current menu item will be highlighted. Use of the single chevron buttons will also shift the cursor one item at a time, and use of the double chevron buttons will move the page up or down one full screen at a time.

Each menu option corresponds to a numeric keypad button. Pressing the corresponding button will immediately select that numbered menu option, even if that menu option is not visible onscreen. If you choose to scroll for a menu option, press the Enter or Select button. If you would like to know what a menu option does, first consult the Help Text.

The “Help” Button

The Universal WiFi Throttle contains information that explains most menu options and operations. To access these tips, you may press the Help button at any time to access the help text for the currently highlighted menu option. Help text is also available in menus by using the button and which is labeled “Help” on-screen.

A scroll bar will appear on the right side of the screen if more text is available. Scroll up or down to see additional text by using the thumbwheel or the chevron keys. The single chevron keys will navigate one line at a time, and the double chevron keys will navigate one full screen. Pressing the Help button on the Drive Window will bring up the “Function Help” screen. This screen displays all available function buttons, what they do, and their status (on/off). This feature will only display named functions for each function number if the throttle is connected to a JMRI WiThrottle server and has a roster entry whose functions have been defined in [Your locomotive] > Labels and Media > Function Labels.

Programmable Buttons

There are several buttons on the Universal WiFi Throttle - Using The Throttle that can be assigned operations by the user. These buttons can be customized to perform an operation different than their default assignment. Four buttons, all labeled with dots, will always identify their action with an on-screen description. If the description is blank, no action is assigned to that button. You can access button configuration options via the “Throttle Settings” menu. The programmable buttons will adjust based on the configuration in your throttle, command station, and selected locomotive’s roster entry. If you are connected to a server which does not communicate function data such as a LNWI, the buttons will return to their defaults or not display names. When connected to JMRI, the throttle will display the name/number of your locomotive and functions based on your JMRI roster entry. The programmable buttons will display and operate based on the function names as established in your roster entry under [Your locomotive] > Labels and Media > Function Labels.