OK, I know you get what you pay for and this is a cheap decoder, but woe is me. I already know about setting CV57 to 0 to stop the problem where the locomotive slows down when the steam whistle is engaged. And yes I understand this sacrifces back EMF, but I can live with that. But is driving me crazy is the *** startup sound, two longs, a short, and one long whistle, whenever the locomotive starts or recovers from a short. Is there someway to kill this startup sound? I see nothing in the manual.
Also, the whistle is set to maximum volume and is barely OK, but the Fn 7 road crossing whistle is hardly adudible. Is there a way to fix this?
What I found ironic is the startup sound and the road crossing whistle is the same pattern, but the startup sound is much louder than the road crossing whistle. What is up with that?
I do not think I would ever purchase another one of these cheap decoders and I regret that I still have one more that I did not install. I think I will stick with Soundtraxx Tsunami from now on.
Did you hook up the capacitor? ANd clean your track and wheels so it doesn;t loose power.
You can get a PR3 and the Soundloader software and alter the sound file to remove the startup totally.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
The capacitor is hooked up. The track and wheels are cleaned.
Maybe I looked at the wrong place, but I did not see any appropriate Pacific 4-6-2 or for that matter many other steam locomotive sound files at the Digitrax website. I do not want to invest in a PR3 unless there are some good sounding files I can download. Is there somewhere else I should be looking?
There is a Digitrax Sound group on Yahoo. Seem most of thepeopel there are doing more modern diesels, or else it's British steam, dunno what else they might have.
You are right, these are cheap decoders. I put one in a Bachmann 2-8-0. I took off the small capacitor and replaced it with a bigger one (470mfu) I think. I have a PR3 and down loaded a sound file that one of the Digitrax Yahoo sound members posted. I had to turn down the volume a bit. I never had the problem of the restart fiasco or the loco slowing down when the horn is blown. With the PR3 and Decoder Pro installed on a computer it makes a great programmer. Join the Digitrax group to get answers. Joe
Digitrax decoders are crap. I have had three of them, and they ALL had the startup shutdown sequence after short power interruptions. The track was clean and the capacitors were hooked up. Not to mention the freakin' manuals don't list all of the CVs that can be configured. I will stick with Soundtraxx and MRC (putting on flame suit now) from now on.
To JPD, driving me crazy is the *** startup sound, two longs, a short, and one long whistle, whenever the locomotive starts or recovers from a short. Is there someway to kill this startup sound?
Yes, I know how to STOP this using lights on is NO startup sound. You will need a PR3 or someone who has one, that could download a Digirtax STEAM spf file for you, Otherwise, I can not help. (This Startup problem is in the HEX part of the sound program.)
Bob Frey
Website: http://bobfrey.auclair.com
Thanks Robert for the tip. I do not have a PR3, but I can ask the members of my local railroad club and see if anyone has one.
Does anyone have a Digitrax STEAM sound project, I guess it is an spf file, that would be suitable for a Pacific locomotive? I have not been able to find one online.
I took this locomotive to my club tonight and ran it. Although it worked better than before, it was still stalling, slowing at irregular times, and not responding to commands. I was told that our club tracks are in serious need of cleaning so it may not be the fault of the decoder. I did clean the wheels, but that made no difference.
I am considering doing a simple test. I have a Tsunami decoder I plan on using on another locomotive. I am tempted to install it in the Pacific and see if many of the running issues I am observing go away. I already know the sound will be superior. If that is the case, then I just will not invest any more time with this Digitrax decoder and consider it a loss.
If you find a PR3 to use, there are steam files listed on the Digitrax Yahoo site. You have to join to have acces to them. Joe.
Other than a British steamer, I do not see any other steam locomotives at the Digitrax Yahoo website. Am I missing something?
The Digitrax website has the current files available under "Sound Depot".
http://www.digitrax.com/sound-depot/list/
There's only a couple of US steam engine versions (including the "generic" one that comes pre-loaded) but you can alter a file by moving a whistle for example from one project to another.
FWIW I've installed one of these in a steam engine and one in a diesel, and I like the diesel sounds better. It's the E-8 sound file, installed it in one of my old Life-Like / Proto E-units. The steam sound is OK but at higher speeds the "chuff" becomes more of a "click". I might try moving that decoder into my 2-6-6-2, since the real engines topped out at about 20 MPH.
The sound files are at digitrax sound yahoo groups. You need to be a member to log in. The files are ones done by members. With out a PR3, the sounds can't be loaded into the decoder. May be it's time to cut your loss and go to a Tsu decoder. I spent several hours over several days to find the steam file I installed. I can't remember the name of the file though. Joe.