Electronics and DCC

 I have 4 PK1 F-3 in Monon Paint and like to add decoder's to them. This time around it will not be a sound decoder. Only function will be the head lights. Which would be the best Digitrax decoder to use and will the LED head light live? Or will I have to add a diode, I do like a brighter headlight.

 There was a great article in MR magazine about adding sound decoders and speakers to F-3's, any idea what months it was? I sure I still have it, but cannot seem to find it.

      Thanks for the coming answers, Cuda Ken 

You can get away with DH123Ds if you want.  Even  better (and same price) would be the NCE D13SRx decoders. 

David B

Hi cudaken,

in MR 9/2008 there is an article about installing Sound Decoders.

I hope this will help you a little bit.

Greetings from germany

santa claus

 First thanks for all the great answers and taking your time to answer. So if I got it right, the DH165LO would be a good pick. Is it the best one because I can added a Sound Bug, and by the way what is a sound bug and who makes it? Or, is it a good because I don't have to worried about burning out the LED head lamp?

 On the NEC decoder, K-10 Model Trains, the best little hobby shop in the Midwest only stocks Digitrax so it is out.

 I do have two DH123PS, would that cook the LED in the a units? If the headlights could be a problem, would it work fine in the two B-units with the DH165LO decoder?

 The article I am looking for was from spring or late winter of 2007. Reason I looking for that one? Sound was installed in the same Proto 1000 F-3's I have.         

    Folks here are great, and thanks again, Cuda Ken                               

Sound Bug is the Digitrax sound decoder.  It has an 8 pin DCC plug that plugs in to the DH165LO decoder (and some other Digitrax decoders). 

With a Digitrax DH123 decoder you will need to put a resister in line or you will fry your 1.5v lights.  If you go to the Digitrax web site you can download the technical instructions for any of their decoders.

 TA462, Proto 1000's are DCC ready, but you have to look close. Main PC board is removed from the engine, there is a cap on top of the PC board that has all the wires from the trucks, to the motor and lights. You pull it from the board, remove the board and plug the decoder to the underside of the cap.

             Thanks for the help, Cuda Ken

The Sound Bug is one of the add-on sound options from Digitrax.  It is sound-only, so you must have another decoder for motor and lights.  The 165 series decoders are plug-compatable with the Sound Bug.

You don't have to have a 165 series decoder to use a Sound Bug.  It can be hard-wired.  The only connection to the 165 is power, and you can just wire the Sound Bug to track power (red and black wires) if you'd like.

Sound Bugs are decoders, and must be programmed with an address like any other decoder.  With another Digitrax decoder, there should be no problems doing this.  With a decoder from other manufacturers, though, there may be conflicts that make programming more awkward.

Sound Bugs come with generic "diesel" and "steam" sounds.  One of their best features is the ability to download different "sound projects" into them.  So, if you can find (or create) a sound project for your specific engine, you can get more prototypically correct sounds into the Sound Bug.

Sound Bugs, IMHO, suffer from a very low volume level, though.  They're not going to compete with the more high end decoders on loudness.  The Sound Bug comes with a speaker, but it's a rather large one and you may have trouble squeezing it into most HO engines.