Hi There;
On The Digitrax site it says that the Soundbug can be mounted trackside. All you do is hook it up the track. My question is can I put one in a decoder equiped loco ? If I wire it to the track pickup wires will it give me sound? I alreadt have several decoder equiped locos & this would be a lot cheaper than replacing them with Tsunamis
Thanx;Tom
Tom
Yes, you could do that. Just remember that you'd have to deal with a dual decoder equipped locomotive, which may only present some minor issues when programming, The Digitrax 165 series are designed specifically to support this where you can start with just a motor/light controller and add sound later. I've done a number of these upgrades. Also, instead of using Soundbug decoders you can also use the Digitrax SFX0416 decoder. It is designed for this purpose too.
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
Yes, the programming can be a problem. I'd advise programming the SoundBug before installing it. Once it's all wired together, you may have trouble programming both decoders, so be aware that you may have that issue.
I would not recommend the SFX0416. For some reason, the output volume of this decoder is very low. I have a couple of them, and they are almost inaudible when you're running at the same time as any other sound-equipped engines. The SoundBugs are much louder.
You may have trouble finding the traditional sound-only SoundBug decoders, though. Digitrax is now producing a sound-and-motor decoder for the same price, so you may want to just get one of those instead.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Thanx very much for your answers guys. I was hoping this would work. So rather than having a bunch of decoders I can't use I can just piggy back the soundbug on them & save some money.
Thanx again; Tom
MisterBeasley You may have trouble finding the traditional sound-only SoundBug decoders, though. Digitrax is now producing a sound-and-motor decoder for the same price, so you may want to just get one of those instead.
That's a shame. The sound bug is the smallest there is. And although the mini-tsunami will fit into the cab roof ot the bachmann 0-6-0T, it's a really really tight fit time you add a speaker. (I've done it wtih 3) You really have to shoe horn it in there with a capacitor and wires going to the pcb.
Fitting one in the steam chest, and another in the cab would have saved a lot of wiring problems
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
MisterBeasley Yes, the programming can be a problem. I'd advise programming the SoundBug before installing it. Once it's all wired together, you may have trouble programming both decoders, so be aware that you may have that issue. I would not recommend the SFX0416. For some reason, the output volume of this decoder is very low. I have a couple of them, and they are almost inaudible when you're running at the same time as any other sound-equipped engines. The SoundBugs are much louder. You may have trouble finding the traditional sound-only SoundBug decoders, though. Digitrax is now producing a sound-and-motor decoder for the same price, so you may want to just get one of those instead.
Soundbugs are still easy to find. There will always be a need for them on the 165 series decoders, which cover a wider range of locomotives than the new single form factor SDH164 sound and motor decoder. Both are needed because there was no 165 equivalent w/sound of a 8 or 9 pin decoder. The new 164 model is designed to compete against the QSI Revolution U series and similar decoders.