Quickstart Paths
Table of contents
Table of contents
A fast way to get your first LCC Fusion card working — from zero to verified function.
Welcome to Quickstart Paths, the shortest and simplest way to bring a Fusion card to life. Each path focuses on one card, one device, one success, giving you confidence before moving on to full installation or configuration.
What these guides are: Minimal, hands-on steps to prove your hardware, firmware, and wiring are working.
What these guides are NOT: They are not full deployment, configuration, or layout integration guides. Those live in the Planner’s Guide, Builder’s Guide, Installation Guides, and Configuration Guides sections.
What Every Quickstart Includes
Each Quickstart path follows the same structure:
1. Install Firmware
Using the web-installer and precompiled firmware .bin files.
No Arduino IDE is required.
2. Wire One Simple Device
Just one LED, one sensor, one signal aspect, one servo, or one pushbutton. No hubs, no extra cards, no complexity.
3. Power Up the Card
From USB-C, Node Bus Hub, or layout power depending on the card.
4. Verify Operation
- Serial monitor messages
- LED flash or blink pattern
- Button press recognition
- Signal change
- Sensor detection
- CAN event output
- Audio beep or tone
- Servo movement
5. Where to Go Next
Links to deeper guides, CDI configuration, video walkthroughs, and full installation guides.
Available Quickstart Paths
These guides currently exist and are recommended in this order:
Firmware Installation (Start Here)
Learn how firmware is organized, what .bin to choose, and how to flash using the ESP-Web installer.
This guide covers:
- Selecting the correct firmware for your card
- Using your browser’s WebSerial interface
- Hardware verification built into the firmware
- Viewing optional installation logs and serial console output
This is the first step for every other Quickstart.
Coming Soon
The following quickstarts will be added using the new standard format:
Node Card Quickstarts
- Node Card Self-Test Quickstart Flash the Node Card, power it, open the Serial Monitor, and confirm automatic startup tests (voltage, CAN, I²C).
- Node Card I/O Quickstart Connect a single LED, button, or sensor to the RJ45 I/O port and verify real-time events.
I/O & Device Quickstarts
- LED Card Quickstart Flash firmware → connect one LED → send a test event → verify output.
- Sensor Card Quickstart Connect a single sensor (IR, hall-effect, touchpad, HTTM, etc.) → trigger an event.
- Digital I/O Quickstart Connect a 3-wire module → verify event input/output cycles.
- Analog Sensor Quickstart Connect a resistive or voltage-output sensor → observe ADC values.
Signaling Quickstarts
- Signal Head Quickstart Cycle a basic two-aspect signal using the CDI defaults.
- NeoPixel Signal Quickstart Connect a short LED strip → run a signal test sequence.
Motion Quickstarts
- Servo Card Quickstart Trigger a servo and observe travel (ideal for semaphore projects).
- Turnout Quickstart Send Throw/Close events to move a stall-motor switch machine.
Detection Quickstarts
- BOD Card Quickstart Power card → place a resistor or locomotive across rails → confirm BOD detection.
- BSD Card Quickstart Trigger short protection and provide occupancy detection.
- BRD Card Quickstart Simulate reversing loop conditions → observe detection and event output.
- BLVD Card Quickstart Trigger low-voltage condition and verify reporting.
Sound & Audio Quickstarts
- Audio Card Quickstart Make the card speak: send a message → hear text-to-speech output.
- Sound Card Quickstart Play a sample sound file from SD or onboard memory.
Who Quickstarts Are For
These guides serve:
Builders
Ensure a card you just soldered actually works.
Installers
Do a bench test before installing under a layout.
Planners
Demonstrate concepts without building the entire system.
New Hobbyists
Experience a working Fusion card without needing deep knowledge.
Where to Go After a Quickstart
When you’re ready, move on to:
- Builder’s Guides – Full PCB assembly guides
- Hardware Installation Guides – Power, wiring, CAN bus
- Planner’s Guides – Blocks, signals, automation design
- Firmware Configuration Guides – Full CDI configuration
- Developer Guides – Writing your own Fusion firmware
Your First Success Starts Here
Quickstarts are about confidence, not completeness. Pick one card, follow one guide, get one success — and you’re officially part of the LCC Fusion ecosystem.