Just opened a new, 5 year old Atlas B30-7 with a QSI Dual-Mode sound decoder. Was wondering if it has a CV setting like the Tsunanis (CV 116?) that shuts it down when track power is switched off. Thanks.
All decoders will shut down when you remove track power. I have one of those locos about that old.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
No QSI does not have a CV setting to shut down the decoder, but they do have a shutdown sequence you can go through. Read the manual that came with the locomotive, because it involves a lot of key presses and waiting between presses for the decoder to react.
Thanks Cacole, yes, I am aware of that. It is a bit drawn out in the key stroke department. Was hoping I could take the lazy, Tsunaami approach. Oh well. Thanks all.
Press #8.
Lee
Thanks Y.F., but if I'm not mistaken (though that certainly is a possibility with me!) that won't effect the second engine of a consist, so I would have to call up that address separately and press #8. Doable, but not clean. Thanks.
Not sure if this is what you are asking about...but with my QSI-equipped engines, let's say I run an engine into the engine house and then "deselect" it from my DCC system, and turn off the power to the engine house (or to the whole layout). Later when I apply power to the track again, the engine doesn't make any sound unless/until I "select" it again with my DCC system. Unfortunately if that is controlled by a CV, I don't recall offhand which one it is.
Thanks Stix, just tried that on a 2 engine consist on my Digitrax Super Chief system and it didn't work. Unless I did it incorrectly. I will go back to manual and read up on dispatching in case I didn't do it correctly; I don't usually dispatch my engines (don't have enough that it is necessary). That certainly would be the way to go and is even protopical. F8 function will work on single engines as an alternative.
Both QSI and Tsunami sound decoders have a lot of options / CVs to deal with. Generally, unless I'm just changing something simple (like increasing momentum a little) I use my PC with DecoderPro to do the programming. The good thing about that is it gives you the options in plain language, so it's a lot easier to set the decoder the way you want. The bad thing is, it doesn't always tell you what CVs it's changing to do the settings you're doing. But I have four older BLI engines with QSI decoders, all four don't make sound until the engine is selected, and after I de-select the engines and cut power, the next time power comes back on the engines stay silent until they are selected again...so there is some way to do it!!
Thanks Stix. I just tested 1 old (approx. 5 yrs.) Atlas and 3 older (approx. 8 yrs.) Proto2K's. The Atlas one does indeed shutdown as you stated if Dispatched and track power off. The Proto2K's do not. Fortunately when I converted to DCC a year ago I kept my block wiring so I can toggle the storage/siding/yard track to off when engines are parked.
At issue is consisting two sound locos together. The default Digitrax consisting method store the consist in the command station, and will only send function commands to one loco in the consist at a time. You can dial up the second (or third, or fourth) loco on the left throttle while controlling the consist on the right throttle to send commands to it.
Say you consist 1001 with 1002, with 1001 in the lead. You will end up with 1001 disled up on the right throttle, and when you adjust speed or direction, both locos respond. However, when you hit the horn button, only 1001 will blow the horn (actually, this is the way it ought to be, in the real world, trailing units in consist don't blow their horns or turn on their bells or anything). From building the consist, you will still have 1002 on the left throttle. If you turn the left knob, nothing will happen, however that side will be active and if you press the horn button, 1002 will blow it's horn, not 1001.
So when you have the two locos consisted, and hit the function key to shut down the QSI decoder, only the one will shut down. You can either do a simple consist by setting them both to the same address, or use CV19 consisting and then use CV21 and 22 to determinae which functions work in consist - you'd want to allow all functions on the lead unit, and restrict the trailing unit to maybe just the sound control functions like F6, F8, and F9. No horn or bell. To break the consist, reset CV19 to 0.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
your answer is the automatic mute timeout. The decoder automatically turns off the engine sound after so many minutes of not receiving a new command
Don - Specializing in layout DC->DCC conversions
Modeling C&O transition era and steel industries There's Nothing Like Big Steam!
Thanks Don. I assume if the time value is 2 minutes, for example, and I power the system down in one minute after the last command to the decoder it will be mute when I power up the system the next day? Or does it not happen because there was no power/signal available to the decoder at the 2 minute mark? Thanks.
I may have misunderstood your original request. I thought you wanted to loco to mute after you were done with it.
Tsunami gives you the option of remaining silent until it recieves a command from the command station (Speed change or Function press) It also gives you the option of auto muting (like QSI) after so many minutes of inactivity.
However QSI has a shutdown state. And QSI stores it's shutdown state between power cycling. To enter sleep mode, you have to press the F9 key several times (or double press the F9 key quickly to go straight to sleep) The next time you apply power, you'll have to press F6 a couple times to wake the loco up.
Thanks Don, I "discovered" that feature the first week I converted to DCC last year. I need to post asking how to "fix" my "dead" engine. That's also another way to get accomplish what I want to do. I was just looking to see if there was a way to do it as a default setting using a CV.
I just found the setting you want I think (Bit 0)
5.8.1 CV 56.0: QSI System Configuration 0 (PI = 0)
Use this CV to configure the Quantum system.
Default
Value:
0239
CV 56.0: QSI System Configuration 0 Register
Bit 7 Bit 6 Bit 5 Bit 4 Bit 3 Bit 2 Bit 1 Bit 0
Reed Switch
Disable
Auxiliary
Capacitor
Enable
CAM
Odometer
Synchronized
Chuffs
BEMF
Chuff
Calibration
Antialiased
Measurements
Metric Units Sounds On
Power Up
Bit 0 Sounds on Power Up
“0” On power up, the locomotive’s sound system will turn on only when a valid DCC Ops
Mode packet addressed to the locomotive is received.
“1” On power up, the locomotive’s sound system will turn on when any valid DCC Ops Mode
packet is received.
Bit 1 Selects between Imperial and Metric Units.
“0” Selects “Imperial Units”. The locomotive’s speed is reported in scale miles per hour
(smph). Under Calibrated Speed Control (see CV 56.4), each speed step increment is
equal to 1 smph. “Imperial Units” is the default for models of US prototypes.
“1” Selects “Metric Units”. The locomotive’s speed is reported in scale kilometers per hour
(skph). Under Calibrated Speed Control, each speed step increment is equal to 1 skph.
“Metric Units” is the default for models of non-US prototypes.
Bit 2 Enables Antialiased BEMF Measurements.
“0” Antialiased BEMF Measurements are disabled.
“1” Antialiased BEMF Measurements are enabled.
Bit 3 Selects BEMF synchronized chuff calibration mode240.
“0” BEMF synchronized chuffs calibration mode “Off” (default).
“1” BEMF synchronized chuffs calibration mode “On”. In this mode the locomotive maintains
a constant speed at each speed step and, in place of normal chuffing sounds, produces a
single short air release sound once per wheel revolution. Cylinder Cocks sounds are
turned off to make it easier to hear the air release sound. It is now easy to adjust
CV56.7.SI SMPH/BEMF Ratio (Q3) or CV56.13 Chuff Interval Trim (Q1 and Q2) to obtain
exactly one air release per wheel revolution.
239 The default for models of non-US prototypes is 2, selecting for Metric Units.
240 The BEMF synchronized chuff calibration is available in Q3 firmware, Q2 firmware, and Q1a firmware built after 23-Jul-09.
Quantum DCC Ref Manual Ver 5.1.0 Page 325 of 421 4-Feb-13
Bit 4 Selects between BEMF synchronized and CAM241 synchronized chuffs on Steam locomotives.
“0” Synchronize chuffs using BEMF (default).
“1” Synchronize chuffs using a Chuff CAM.
Bit 5 Odometer242 Mode
“0” BEMF mode (default).
“1” CAM mode.
Bit 6 Auxiliary Capacitor Enable243
“0” Auxiliary capacitor disabled (default).
“1” Auxiliary capacitor enabled.
Bit 7 Reed Switch Disable
“0” Normal Reed Switch operation is in effect (default).
“1” The Reed Switch is ignored for all operations except the power up reset to factory
defaults.
Thanks Don. Thanks for doing all this leg work. I haven't had my 2nd cup of coffee yet this morning so this all looks a bit involved. Is there a more concise path? Thanks for your help.
UPDATE - My apologies Don. I just now happen to re-read your reply and I see now that you were just offering additional info. regarding the QSI decoder. When I first read your reply I thought ALL of the info. had to be entered to get into Quite Mode. DAH!!! My bad!
Thanks Don, that did it! CV56 = 0. Once address is dispatched, whenever track is powered down engine remains powered down upon track power up. Thanks again, I appreciate it.