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How to enable sound on an Inter Mountain ES44AC with LokSound?

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Posted by Mark R. on Thursday, March 16, 2017 9:05 PM

arbe1948

If it really was a sound decoder, Should there be a pair of brown wires off it that lead to a speaker?

 

If it's a 21-pin sound decoder, then, no. The speaker connects to terminals on the mother board.

Mark.

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Posted by arbe1948 on Thursday, March 16, 2017 8:28 PM

If it really was a sound decoder, Should there be a pair of brown wires off it that lead to a speaker?

Bob Bochenek
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Posted by Mark R. on Thursday, March 16, 2017 5:08 PM

NewYorkMcentral
Hi there, I see you answered how to turn ON sound for the Heritage Units. Would you know the CV values for keeping the sound OFF? Thanks in advance, Brian
 

Don't turn F8 on ....

Mark.

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Posted by NewYorkMcentral on Thursday, March 16, 2017 3:07 PM
Hi there, I see you answered how to turn ON sound for the Heritage Units. Would you know the CV values for keeping the sound OFF? Thanks in advance, Brian
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Posted by EMD645 on Tuesday, July 21, 2015 7:20 PM

Well, intermountain did in fact happily install a sound decoder and speaker in the locomotive. They did so free of charge. They acknowledged that there have been some packing errors. They finished it last Thursday. I should get it back this week.

 

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Posted by EMD645 on Monday, July 6, 2015 10:44 PM

Seller called today, he spoke with intermountain. They want the unit back and said that they will install a sound decoder or replace the unit entirely. Either is fine. I will let you know how things pan out.

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Posted by EMD645 on Monday, July 6, 2015 8:13 AM

Wow... The seller did mention doing a swap with intermountain directly. That would be best I think. He can squabble with them over the money. Iam sure it will work out.

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Posted by Mark R. on Sunday, July 5, 2015 10:53 PM

EMD645

No, it was here in the US. If he can't get me one with sound in RioGrande livery, I will keep it if he will refund some money. Paid $224. So, around $80 for a decoder, we have a deal. Thoughts?

 

The problem goes further back a step or two. It appears as though there were some packaging mix-ups straight from Intermountain (China ?) in that non-sound engines were put into sound boxes and vice-versa.

The dealer paid for a sound engine from the distributor, and the distributor paid for a sound engine from the manufacturer.

At this point, YOU should get a partial refund from the retailer, the retailer should get a partial refund from the distributor and the distributor should get a partial refund from the supplier / manufacturer.

I'm willing to bet Intermountain has heard about more people getting a non-sound engine instead of a sound engine than the other way around. Who would complain about that ? So SOMEbody is going to be on the hook - just a matter of who. Should be Intermountain in my opinion. 

Not sure if the retailer would refund you the price of the decoder or not. If they do, that's out of their pocket, as they paid for a sound engine themselves from the distributor. If anything, they would need the engine back in order to send it back themself to get THEIR money back. A return / replacement is usually how it would accomplished.

Mark.

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Posted by EMD645 on Sunday, July 5, 2015 10:36 PM

No, it was here in the US. If he can't get me one with sound in RioGrande livery, I will keep it if he will refund some money. Paid $224. So, around $80 for a decoder, we have a deal. Thoughts?

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Posted by Mark R. on Sunday, July 5, 2015 10:19 PM

EMD645

Indeed I did. It is EQUIPT with a pilot decoder. The speaker enclosure is there, it is in the radiator section and empty of course. The seller is working on it, said he will contact the mfg. And see if he can get some help. Stay tuned.

 

Without being specific - did it come from a Canadian Ebay store ?

Mark.

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Posted by EMD645 on Sunday, July 5, 2015 4:26 PM

Indeed I did. It is EQUIPT with a pilot decoder. The speaker enclosure is there, it is in the radiator section and empty of course. The seller is working on it, said he will contact the mfg. And see if he can get some help. Stay tuned.

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Posted by Mark R. on Saturday, July 4, 2015 9:22 PM

EMD645

Just had the same thing happen to me.... Different seller. But off of eBay.

 

As has already been brought to our attention, you might want to remove the shell to make sure there IS a sound decoder and speaker in it. Apparently there has been a few packaging mistakes show up with these engines ....

Mark.

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Posted by EMD645 on Saturday, July 4, 2015 4:41 PM

Just had the same thing happen to me.... Different seller. But off of eBay.

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Posted by JACOB LONGANECKER on Thursday, February 12, 2015 7:46 PM

The speaker is under the radiator section in the rear of the shell.  You should be able to pull it off of the rest of the shell.  Even if the speaker is absent, the grey round enclosure should be there.

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Posted by acltrainman on Saturday, January 24, 2015 1:23 PM

The CV's you sent worked perfectly. I was almost afraid to go changing them due to instructions in Loksound manual. I first read the default readings then changed them and it works like a champ. I can't thank you enough.

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Posted by acltrainman on Saturday, January 24, 2015 8:43 AM

Thanks again Mark.

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Posted by Mark R. on Friday, January 23, 2015 6:36 PM

CVs 31 and 32 are upper register CVs - they need to be set first before you change CV419.

The settings in the manual do not necessarily coincide with an OEM decoder. Manufacturers specify how they want their factory decoders to be set up. More often than not, they deviate from the usual programming from the decoder manufacturer.

Mark. 

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Posted by acltrainman on Friday, January 23, 2015 6:19 PM

Mark,

 

I got the info from the Loksound manual. Thanks for the info. Now I'll try your suggestion. Do I also set CV419- 32?

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Posted by Mark R. on Friday, January 23, 2015 3:01 PM

[quote user="acltrainman"]

 Not sure where you got those values. (?)

If you want the sound to come on automatically when it sees track power, you need to set the following ....

CV31 = 16, CV32 = 2

----------------------

CV419 =  32

If you want to manually turn the engine on with F8, set the following ....

CV31 = 16, CV32 = 2

----------------------

CV419 =  16

Mark.

 
 

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Posted by acltrainman on Friday, January 23, 2015 2:02 PM

cacole

You seem to be confusing things when you say the PowerCab only shows 6 functions -- regardless of what the screen shows, if you press the number 8 button on the PowerCab or any other controller, that should turn the sound on and off with the LokSound decoder.

You can set the decoder so sound comes on automatically as soon as track power is turned on, by setting the following sequence of CV values:

CV32 = 2
CV403 = 32
CV13 = 0

Remove power by tipping the loco to one side, wait a few seconds , then set it back on the track.  From now on the sound will always come on as soon as power is applied and you won't need to use F8 to turn it on or off.

 

 

[quote user="cacole"]

You seem to be confusing things when you say the PowerCab only shows 6 functions -- regardless of what the screen shows, if you press the number 8 button on the PowerCab or any other controller, that should turn the sound on and off with the LokSound decoder.

You can set the decoder so sound comes on automatically as soon as track power is turned on, by setting the following sequence of CV values:

CV32 = 2
CV403 = 32
CV13 = 0

Remove power by tipping the loco to one side, wait a few seconds , then set it back on the track.  From now on the sound will always come on as soon as power is applied and you won't need to use F8 to turn it on or off.

 

 

I have done this step with CV32 = 2, CV403 = 32 ans CV13 = 0. It still won't automatically sound up. I have to do a F8 for ther sound still. I have the Bowser C636 and C-430 with the the Loksound decoder. I have other Loksound equipped units and the sound comes on when track power applied.

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Posted by tallcapt on Wednesday, January 22, 2014 2:19 PM

Hey,fwiw, I bought a IM ES44AC NS/CR Heritage unit with sound and the speaker was there but it wasn't hooked up to the decoder! IM was most apologetic when they found out. It was no biggie, just a quick hit if the soldering iron and it worked flawlessly.

 

I was going to suggest this may be your issue too, but you clearly have received a non-sound unit for a sound sale.  

 

The Loksound decoders are awesome, so make sure you get to enjoy it. 

 

 

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Posted by Mark565 on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 10:24 AM

Not sure if I missed it but the speaker should be under the rear fan cover which is removable with out taking the body off.

 

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, January 21, 2014 4:15 AM

robkoz

The company is sending me a new loco.

Also, there is a grey speaker casing inside the top rear of the loco. Which of course is empty.

Thanks for all your help guys. Let's hope the 2nd loco works and has all the parts as advertised.

 

Good to know that the LHS is doing the exchange.

After that recent Digitrax thread, there was always the possibility of having to return the loco to Intermountain.

Rich

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Posted by Mark R. on Monday, January 20, 2014 10:36 PM

rrinker

 I did not see that. Interesting that they are using Lokpilot - very top notch decoder.

So, some bozo at the factory stuck the wrong loco in the wrong box. Wonder if someone else was lucky who bought a non-sound oen and got sound.

                --Randy

 

 

 

Funny you should say that .... I was reading on another forum (never find it now) that a member did in fact receive one of these engines as a non-sound unit only to discover it DID have a sound decoder in it. Guess we now know where it's counterpart went !

 

Mark.

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Posted by rrinker on Monday, January 20, 2014 6:13 PM

 I did not see that. Interesting that they are using Lokpilot - very top notch decoder.

So, some bozo at the factory stuck the wrong loco in the wrong box. Wonder if someone else was lucky who bought a non-sound oen and got sound.

                --Randy

 


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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, January 20, 2014 5:21 PM

ricktrains4824

Yes, they do come with a decoder, either a lokpilot non-sound decoder, or a non-sound tsunami. Mine has the non-sound tsunami. I like it, but really should have splurged for the sound... Whistling

 

You sure about that?

I have purchased a few Intermountain locos, Non Sound, and that has always meant DCC Ready, no decoder.

Rich

Edit Note:  Just checked their website.  Here is what they say about Non Sound:

All InterMountain HO locomotives shipped from InterMountain after January 2011 are DCC equipped from the factory.

I stand corrected, sorry. 

Nuts, I should complain.  I bought a Non Sound loco in 2012 and I had to install a decoder.

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Monday, January 20, 2014 5:14 PM

Yes, they do come with a decoder, either a lokpilot non-sound decoder, or a non-sound tsunami. Mine has the non-sound tsunami. I like it, but really should have splurged for the sound... Whistling

Ricky W.

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Posted by richhotrain on Monday, January 20, 2014 5:14 PM

Mark R.

Intermountain lists these engine as Sound and Non-Sound (it doesn't say DC) .... does that mean the Non-Sound version comes with the non-sound decoder ?

 

Mark. 

 

Non Sound is Intermountain's term for DCC Ready.  You have to install a decoder.

Rich

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Posted by Mark R. on Monday, January 20, 2014 5:06 PM

Intermountain lists these engine as Sound and Non-Sound (it doesn't say DC) .... does that mean the Non-Sound version comes with the non-sound decoder ?

 

Mark. 

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