NP2626 I have always understood the Lion to operate via DC.
I have always understood the Lion to operate via DC.
But lion likes to comment with many non-relevant responses ....
Mark.
¡ uʍop ǝpısdn sı ǝɹnʇɐuƃıs ʎɯ 'dlǝɥ
NP2626 I am in the process of adding more sound equipped locos and have some questions.
I was just flipping through some older issues of MR and came across the article in December 2013 issue, page 70: How Sound Decoders Work.
There's a pretty good overview of the digital "mechanics" of the sound architecture.
Hope this helps, Ed
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
Well, I guess for the simplest, most direct answer it is: For Tsuanmi, MRC, and TCS decoders, it's the former. For Loksound, QSI, and Digitrax, it's the latter.
However, while Loksound, QSI, and Digitrax are all downloadable, the modeler himself does not need to perform this action, the selling dealer will do it, making the experience from your viewpoint exactly the same as for Tsunami, MRC, and TCS.
Note the Lion does not use DCC, so his use for sounds would be for stationary under the layout applications. Not mutually exclusive - some sounds should come from the locomotive and some sounds have no business being there, like the cows mooing in a field (yes, cattle sounds and othe non-railroad noises have been included in some decoders. While I may be pulling cattle cars, or running past a farm - MY ENGINE DOES NOT MOO!) (I will now wait while someone posts a picture of a cow pulling a railcar, like old horse-drawn cars - since there is a prototype for anything). . .
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
If you order a sound decoder from a mail-order source such as Litchfield Station, Ulrich Hobby Shop, Tony's Trains, etc. that sells DCC Sound decoders, you specify during the order process which type of locomotive you want the decoder to go into, and they will program it if necessary or send you one that has the sounds you need.
The sounds are stored in the decoder and cannot be changed by the end user without special computer hardware, but most decoders contain more than one horn/whistle or bell sound, and allow you to change them by changing a Configuration Variable.
These options are always explained in the documentation that comes with the decoder.
A SoundTraxx Tsunami sound decoder for a diesel locomotive manufactured by EMD with the 567 prime mover, for example, may have 8 or more different horns from which to chose by resetting a CV with your throttle.
gmpullman Here's an interesting article from Jason Shron at Rapido explaining how they recorded the LRC locomotive sounds. Several photos here showing microphone placements. http://rapidotrains.com/lrc6917.html Just curious, in what way did LION miss the mark? Years ago I used a portable cassette recorder to record sounds of trains and, like LION, I enjoy playing them in the train room. Happy listening, Ed
Here's an interesting article from Jason Shron at Rapido explaining how they recorded the LRC locomotive sounds. Several photos here showing microphone placements.
http://rapidotrains.com/lrc6917.html
Just curious, in what way did LION miss the mark? Years ago I used a portable cassette recorder to record sounds of trains and, like LION, I enjoy playing them in the train room.
Happy listening, Ed
Here is my actual question updated from original as obviously I wasn't clear enough: "I want to know the following as I am confused about how the sound files are obtained from the manufacturer. Are they stored in the decoder and accessible through programing; or, do I have to download them to the decoder, off the Internet? "
rrinker Well, he's not wrong - they DO come from SOMEONE going out and recording them, be that the decoder manufacturer or those intrepid souls who actually are into creating sound files for decoders. As I also explained in another thread on sound decoders - just because you CAN load your own with some brands, doesn't mean you HAVE to do it that way - you can buy the decoders already programmed with the sounds you want. This makes the ability to download new sounds just a convenience for the reseller. I DO have the programming unit for Loksound, which means I can just buy the blank versions of the decoders from the cheapest source and load whatever sound I need for a given install. I'm not really interesting in making my own sounds, I just use ones from ESU's large library. If you don;t want a programming device or even a computer around, you order from one of the known dealers, for example on the Litchfield Station or Ulrich site (or maybe both of them), you pick the decoder and then there is a drop down list for which sound file you want them to put on it before they send it to you. You just install it and start using it, like any other decoder. No computer required. --Randy
Well, he's not wrong - they DO come from SOMEONE going out and recording them, be that the decoder manufacturer or those intrepid souls who actually are into creating sound files for decoders.
As I also explained in another thread on sound decoders - just because you CAN load your own with some brands, doesn't mean you HAVE to do it that way - you can buy the decoders already programmed with the sounds you want. This makes the ability to download new sounds just a convenience for the reseller. I DO have the programming unit for Loksound, which means I can just buy the blank versions of the decoders from the cheapest source and load whatever sound I need for a given install. I'm not really interesting in making my own sounds, I just use ones from ESU's large library. If you don;t want a programming device or even a computer around, you order from one of the known dealers, for example on the Litchfield Station or Ulrich site (or maybe both of them), you pick the decoder and then there is a drop down list for which sound file you want them to put on it before they send it to you. You just install it and start using it, like any other decoder. No computer required.
I didn't say he was wrong, only alluded to him that the Lion didn't understand my actual question, which may have been vague in it's original form.
and the FP-9A here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csq451ZbpNs
BroadwayLion The come from people who went out with a recording device and recorded them. I have several cuts from NYCT that were recorded by some kids (rail fans). They are quite fantastic. I have incorporated them into some music tracks that I created (Audacity) that play in the trainroom. ROAR
The come from people who went out with a recording device and recorded them.
I have several cuts from NYCT that were recorded by some kids (rail fans). They are quite fantastic. I have incorporated them into some music tracks that I created (Audacity) that play in the trainroom.
ROAR
Broadway Lion,
It is probably best to read the entire post, before responding! However, Thanks for the come back!
Mark
Thanks for your responses!
Randy, I have no interest in doing any sound recording of my own. In fact, all I really wanted to know was whether there would be any need to download sound from the internet. This would likely have ended my interest in adding sound, as I don’t have a confuser near my railroad and have no plans to add one. I go down to my layout and shop to get away from all this modern stuff.
They are stored in the decoder. Soundtraxx and MRC come with specific sounds stored int he decoder. There may be some options for which horn or bell you get, but they are all stored int he decoder and absent some CV to select which particualr horn or bell, you cannot alter the sounds. Loksound, QSI, and Digitrax allow you do download any of the sound files they have available and load them into the decoder, from there they operate the same as any other sound decoder. Each brand has their own proprietary system for loading the sounds, so they each have their own specific interface device you have to use. Loksound V4 and the Digitrax ones further allow you to fully custome the 'script' which tells the decoder what sound sample to play for each possible condition - such as "if moving forward and speed increases, play motor rev up". Or for a horn - usually there is a ramp up, a sustain, and then an exit sound. So the script will say "When F2 pressed, play intro; play sustain as long as F2 held down;play exit when F2 released", or if there is also a doppler effect exit, it might be "play exit when F2 released unless speed > 25%, in which case play doppler exit". Loksound Select and QSI only allow you to repalce the complete set of sounds in the decoder, you do not have the ability to alter the script portion.
The real point of this is that just because you CAN write your own code for Loksound v4 and Digitrax decoders does not mean you MUST in order to use the decoder. There are tons of pre-packaged scripts and sounds ready to go. And any reputable dealer will have the proprietary hardware to load these sounds, so what gets shipped to you is a decoder ready to use, same as the ones where the sounds cannot be changed.
To fully create your own sound files is rather complicated and can get expensive - you need quality recording gear, access to a friendly railroad who will let you place microphones all over their loco,a nd then run it through its paces, making all the possible sounds. Then you need audio editing software to edit all these sounds you captured into the proper short bits to load into the deocder. Then you need to create the 'script' portion of the sound project. Luckily the manufacturers have done this for many different loco types already.
SoundTraxx Tsunami and TCS sound decoders contain sounds that must be specified by the purchaser for a specific type of locomotive; i.e., EMD 567 diesel prime mover.
LokSound and Digitrax decoders can have sound files downloaded from their web sites, and programmed into them by the user if you have the required hardware, or by the seller if you specify the sound file that you need at the time or ordering.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I have two factory installed sound equipped locomotives, both are steamers. I am in the process of adding more sound equipped locos and have some questions. I have heard good things about Soundtraxx, ESU Loksound and TCS Wow sound. I want to know the following as I am confused about how the sound files are obtained from the manufacturer. Are they stored in the decoder and accessible through programing; or, do I have to download them to the decoder, off the Internet?
Can I ask that any discussion on the topic I’ve raised, be confined to answering the question posed? I’m not interested in which company you prefer.