Control and sound decoder all in one?

Soundtrax has a line of "control + sound" decoders. I think the nwe Digitrax sound decoders are "all-in-one" as well.

Unless space is limited, you can add a sound only decoder, also available from Soundtraxx.

Andrew
 
MRC makes all-in-one decoders. I would not be surprised if all the DCC mfrs sold all-in-one sound and control decoders.

Regards,
Trent
 
jflessne said:
Does a manufacture exsist that creates a control and sound decoder all in one?

I've always purchased NCE but I have a need to install control and sound now. :)
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jflessne:wave:, right now you can get decoders that perform DCC decoding and sound from these manufactures: MRC, LokSound, Soundtraxx and Digitrax:thumb:. :D -Deano
 
I have 2 of the MRC ones. Although I love there DCC system I would recommend not use their sound decoders. I have one of their new brilliance decoders for steam and I can't get it to chug in sync with wheels. It either starts before the loco moves or it starts at 20 mph. The sound quality leaves much to be desired for me. I have several soudtraxx (5 steam & 3 diesels, 1 tsunami) I like them all.
Les
 
Getting the exhaust sync right is always a challenge for me, but I'm picky. I would imagine the next generation sound decoders will use back emf as an exhaust trigger, but until something like that occurs, I'll compromise!

To get back to the thread topic, I have one Soundtraxx Tsunami motor/sound decoder installed and have three other locomotives that came with ESU motor / sound decoders from the factory.
 
I like the Soundtraxx Tsunami for my Bachman heavy mountain....but they don't have Diesel yet.

IS the Soundtraxx Tsunami plug and play???

I think the trouble I having is figuring out which model I need....I also like Digitrax too but again trying to figure out exact model....
 
jflessne said:
I like the Soundtraxx Tsunami for my Bachman heavy mountain....but they don't have Diesel yet.

IS the Soundtraxx Tsunami plug and play???

I think the trouble I having is figuring out which model I need....I also like Digitrax too but again trying to figure out exact model....
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jflessne, i too would like to know if the tsunami is plug n play:thumb:. that is one of the (very few)sound decoders i haven't tried yet, i wanted one for my UP 4-8-4 phase3:D, but they just kept moving the release date back so many times:rolleyes:, i gave up on them and went with LokSound:thumb:. HONESTLY, all of the pics i have seen of the tsunami have been with NO PLUG, you would have to hot wire it in. perhaps some one could shed some light on this;).

i LIKE STEAM:thumb:, but only have 5 steamers, so i don't follow the sound decoders for them. but last i knew, Digitrax did NOT have steam decoders out yet:(. i am very familiar with what sound goes with what diesels:thumb:, just let me know what engine model(EXAMPLE: SD40-2)you want to get sound for:thumb::D-Deano
 
UP SD40-2 said:
jflessne, i too would like to know if the tsunami is plug n play:thumb:. that is one of the (very few)sound decoders i haven't tried yet, i wanted one for my UP 4-8-4 phase3:D, but they just kept moving the release date back so many times:rolleyes:, i gave up on them and went with LokSound:thumb:. HONESTLY, all of the pics i have seen of the tsunami have been with NO PLUG, you would have to hot wire it in. perhaps some one could shed some light on this;).

i LIKE STEAM:thumb:, but only have 5 steamers, so i don't follow the sound decoders for them. but last i knew, Digitrax did NOT have steam decoders out yet:(. i am very familiar with what sound goes with what diesels:thumb:, just let me know what engine model(EXAMPLE: SD40-2)you want to get sound for:thumb::D-Deano
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I actually have a Bachman Heavy mountian that has a plug. I have a Ahtrean SD-40 I would like to put sound in. No plug. Suggestions?
 
jflessne said:
I actually have a Bachman Heavy mountian that has a plug. I have a Ahtrean SD-40 I would like to put sound in. No plug. Suggestions?
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FIRST, THANK YOU Les!, for letting us know the Tsunami's come plug n play:thumb:.

OK jflessne, the Athearn SD40 has no plug, this tells me its an Athearn BB or an Athearn RTR. knowing that, you will have to hot wire the decoder in;). i am assuming you haven't hot wired a decoder in an engine yet, tell you what I'll do, i have two engines i am trying to finish up for a good friend of mine, but if you could PLEASE have Patience till Sat or Sunday nite, I WILL DO A TUTORIAL ON HOT WIRING A SOUND DECODER IN AN ATHEARN BB SD40-2 or ATHEARN RTR SD40-2!:thumb::D. AGAIN, i just ask that you have a little patience till this weekend. i am over a week behind on the projects i am doing, and really have to get them out Friday, i would like to keep a friend;).

announce1 if you have a brand of sound decoder you prefer, please let me know what it is;). i will be installing an MRC sound decoder in an Athearn BB SD40-2 or RTR SD40-2, the insides are the same as yours so that wont matter:thumb: . as far as the sound decoder goes, the brand i am going to use in the tutorial, will NOT matter, as all brands would install the same:thumb:.

if you know how to hot wire a decoder in an Athearn, i am sorry i assumed you didn't:oops:, and will skip the tutorial. just let me know what brand sound decoder you prefer, and i will give you the part # thats appropriate for an SD40:thumb: .

:D -Deano
 
I believe that the only reliable way to get the steam chuffs in sync with the driver revolutions is to choose a decoder that uses a cam. All others are approximations of the "4 chuffs per revolution" based on the power being fed to the motor. You should be able to play with that, but even so, you will only get it about right for a specific speed.

The best I have been able to do is about 4.5 chuffs per rev at a scale "switching speed" on my P2K 0-6-0.

Andrew
 
MasonJar said:
I believe that the only reliable way to get the steam chuffs in sync with the driver revolutions is to choose a decoder that uses a cam. All others are approximations of the "4 chuffs per revolution" based on the power being fed to the motor. You should be able to play with that, but even so, you will only get it about right for a specific speed.

The best I have been able to do is about 4.5 chuffs per rev at a scale "switching speed" on my P2K 0-6-0.

Andrew
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My Tsunami is also in a P2K 0-6-0. I've compromised to a point where the chuff rate is far too slow at very low speed steps (1-5), gets close at around ss 9, dead on in the mid-teens and gradually becoming too fast after that.

I haven't monkeyed with it much recently as I now want to experiment with custom speed tables to see if that will allow a better match. That led to looking into software to read and store the CV values, which led me purchase a new DCC command station that is able to read CV's. While experimenting with the new command station I learned that I need a programming track booster to accomodate the sound decoders - which I'm currently shaking out. One day I may get back to working on that chuff rate again... :D

As an aside, if the programming solution doesn't get the exhaust rate to where I want it, I'll start looking into the cams. The guy I buy my DCC stuff from said that the cam he normally recommends (Grizzly Mountain Engineering) is virtually impossible to install on P2K locomotives, leaving me with the Soundtraxx cam option. I've heard those are fussy, however.

Good to know about the plug and play Les - I've only seen plugless Tsunamis.
 
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