Thank you all for your responses .. you have confirmed what I was pretty sure would be the answers. I will switch to a different decoder. I too have used the Digitrax 165 with good results.
Cheers All ..

Regarding the Speed Table .. one does show up in DecoderPro. SO you are saying even though one is accessible, and configurable .. it really does not have any effect on the loco .. hmm, intresting.
How about the lighting effects .. any clues ..
Thanks

Hi There,
I recently purchased a Bachman HO DDX40 (with decoder on board) and I am now attempting to "fine tune" it. I am using Decoder Pro and it indicates the installed decoder is a 36-550 (or that's its best guess). I am attempting to control the lights such as 1) turn off and on the beacon using a function key,
2) turn off the front headlight when going in reverse, 3) change the rear headlight to a Gyro or Mars. All the attempts I have made with the different config options have had no effects at all on the lights (other than being able to dim then all simultaneously.
I have also not had a lot of success with motor or speed control. I have used both the basic and speed tables (I lowered to table top end to less than 50) but the locomotive seems to still have a very high top speed and does not have very slow starts.
Am I missing something or are these "functions" of the installed decoder.
Thank you for your help.