Greetings,I installed my first TCS Wow101-Steam decoder in a Trix 2-8-2 Mike last night to replace the original Loksound V2.0 decoder that came with it and I am NOT disapponted with my choice. The number of chuff and bell options is quite impressive but I - once again - especially enjoy the phenomenal motor-control of the TCS decoders.I have a few comments and questions for those who have programmed the WowSteam decoders:
I'm liking the performance and sound of the Wow101-Steam decoder enough that I may eventually end up replacing the "newer" Loksound V3.5 decoder in my other Trix Mike. While I do like Loksound decoders for diesels, their current sound file offerings for American steam is still fairly limited. That's why I decided to give the WowSteam decoder a try. I do have one WowDiesel decoder and have been pleased with its performance so far.
And, while the Audio Assist is pretty handy for changing some CVs, I still like and prefer entering actual values for them - particularly for volume levels. That way I know whether the volume levels are consistent between decoders.
Anyhow, I appreciate any input or comments on the above...
Thanks,Tom
Edit:
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Interesting, I have seeveral TCS-WOW decoders in locos and I like the sound and motor control. Never really got used to teh audio assist though. I use Decoder Pro and find it easier.
However I had the opposite experience you did and when I got a couple LokSound Select decoders I found sound to be more t my liking. They are harder for me to program without the LokProgrammer (which I will have soon ).
I do like that the WOW decoders have onboard keep alive’s.
tstage Greetings, The chuff is constant when the 2-8-2 is moving in reverse but cuts out after 4 or 5 chuffs when moving forward. Would that have something to do with needing to initially perform the automatic chuff calibration, as described on the Audio Assist Programming map? I don't have enough length of programming track to try that option.
Greetings,
WOW sound decoders have a feature where the chuffs are louder when the engine starts up, or is going uphill, to represent the engine working harder. It might be that you have the chuff volume set where you can hear the loud starting chuffs but the later 'normal running' chuffs fade into the background?
You don't have to do the audio programming on the programming track, you can just do it on the layout.
wjstixWOW sound decoders have a feature where the chuffs are louder when the engine starts up, or is going uphill, to represent the engine working harder. It might be that you have the chuff volume set where you can hear the loud starting chuffs but the later 'normal running' chuffs fade into the background?
That thought had occurred to me, Stix. However, I thought the harder chuff would last longer than just a single (or <) rotation of the drivers.
And I'm WOAL (w/o a layout) at the moment so I'm stuck programming on the 27" long programming track. I will be getting a couple of sets of roller bearing stands so that will make programming and breaking in a bit easier in the future.
Tom
On the Tsunami decoders there is a CV controlling the duration of the louder 'load' chuffs when there is an increase in throttle setting. I wonder if the TCS has the same feature that needs to be adjusted to suit, Tom.
I don't recall, but I wouldn't be surprised if there also were CVs to separately control the volume of regular and 'load' chuffs.
Just a shot in the dark...some sound decoders are set up that when a steam engine starts up, the only thing you hear for the first couple of revolutions of the drivers is the loud hiss of the cylinder cocks. Then, when that sound is done, you can hear the chuffs. I don't know for sure, but maybe if the CV for cylinder cocks is set to zero, it just doesn't make any sound for the first few rotations until the chuffs kick in? If you're limited to a short programming track, maybe the engine just isn't going far enough for the regular chuffs to engage? On some of my BLI engines with that feature, the engines sometimes go 2-3 feet hissing at me before starting to chuff.
FYI: I emailed and received back a reply from Dan @ TCS. He said the following about the Audio Assist:
In order to prevent users from accidentally muting Audio Assist, we hard-code that volume, and it is not user configurable. Sorry if it blows out your eardrums!
I thought that might be the reason but figured I'd ask them anyhow. I might email TCS back and suggest to them that even a three-point option for the Audio Assist volume (e.g. 100%, 50%, and 25% - but no 0%) would be useful and still quite audible for the user. I wouldn't think that would be too difficult to achieve code-wise?
In regards to the chuff issue, here is Dan's response to that:
The chuff calibration can be performed as a "manual" or "automatic" version. The Automatic calibration will set the chuff intensity for both directions at the same time, based on your running conditions. The Manual calibration on the other hand only calibrates the sound in the direction of travel, as it is possible to have a motor with different characteristics in both directions. In order to account for this, you can manually calibrate each direction. If you already performed an automatic calibration and are happy with the performance in ONE direction, use the manual calibration to adjust the intensity in the other direction. You could also re-do the automatic calibration.
Note that a manual calibration ADDS or SUBTRACTS from the automatic calibration in each direction; therefore if you are unhappy with the calibration in one direction, simply re-do the manual calibration.
You can see a demonstration of the Prototype Throttle Mode and Calibration methods by clicking this video link below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-mQHrav7Z4
I'll look into that in the next few days. I'm guessing that might be the same Dan in the video clip above that replied to my email. Nice to put a face to a name.