WOWSound Diesel, first impressions...

[JimMac]

 

Overview:

 

Let's start with some positive comments.  The actual sounds reproduced from WOWSound Diesel are very good. I must say the wide selection and overall WOWSound experience is impressive. I finally got the bell and horn I'd been wanting. The fidelity of tones that I'd wished for from SoundTraxx's Tsunami Diesel or MTH's SD70M2s were just never really there. The Auto notching feature at first blush is nice, more on that later.

 

I have experience installing and programming SoundTraxx's Tsunami, both steam and diesel and QSI's Titan 10 light function decoders. I've not done any ESU LocSound but look forward to it.

 

My comments cover the complete removal of  the Athearn stock light board and it's piggy-back adapter, programming the sound features of the WOW Diesel, e.g. Audio Assist versus CV manipulation and TCS's documentation found on their web site.

 

I purchased the WOW diesel for a DCC Ready Athearn Genesis SD70Ace. The decoder was billed as a 9-Pin JST, Plugin diesel sound decoder. I assumed I'd get a compatible harness as part of the deal (because of the so-called Plugin wording on the seller's site) at least for the high price. I was wrong. Only one on-line retailer asks, actually requires you to check/select a specific harness during the purchase check-out process. That would be Ulrich. The rest don't seem to care and just show you the wires in the stock TCS photograph and so what you see is what you get. So if you are wanting to keep the stock light board as part of your finished model then make sure you also buy the $7.00 T-1 harness. It's a 9-Pin JST male connector to 8-pin NMRA plug.

 

LED upgrade/programming:

 

I chose to completely remove the Athearn lighting board and to hard-wire (solder) the wires to their appropriate points on the motor and chassis. But that's not entirely how this chip is advertised. It's also positioned to be plug-compatible with DCC Ready locos and installed in a few minutes. I removed the existing Athearn 1.5V incandescent bulbs and wires. I replaced the two headlight bulbs with a single 3mm, 3.3 volt standard LED. The LED is amber in color but illuminates it's light goodness as a "golden white" not a bright, stark white but one a bit more yellowish and similar to the prototype's dimly lit bulbs. I did the same with the two rear headlight bulbs.

 

The WOW decoder includes two harnesses but they are not attached. You'll do this. The front harness includes a set of eight six inch wires for various input and output functions. These ends must be stripped and tinned. The only issue here is the malady of the common wire.*  But after the initial headlight soldering, the lighting all seems well. I also installed a 28mm speaker in the Genesis weighted baffle/housing. Next up will be the NS specific front and rear ditch light rigging and programming. I'll let you know how that goes very soon with an update blog entry in a couple of days. But first some thoughts on documentation.

 

Documentation:

 

If you are either a paper or on-line tech documentation aficionado you will be very disappointed with TCS's attempt to convey even the simplest of instruction. If you are a new-comer to DCC Decoders you will want to find a new hobby or simply and quietly end your life now. All-over-the-place doesn't even begin to cover it. Their directions, wording and spelling are piss-poor. As you're led on a tour of convoluted, out-dated pseudo-code you'll become increasingly frustrated with their lack of web-site flow. This site is an old-school HTML missing link debauchery. Even the header of their Sound Assist flow-chart on pages 4/5 of the included fold-over sheet from the package they couldn't get right. There is mention on page two of this fold-over sheet regarding CV29 and its bit for setting a four digit address. Immediately following there is info on how to set a two digit address but there is no indication of how to set a four digit address. No mention whatsoever concerning CV17 and CV18. (see Programming below for immediate relief)

 

Programming:

 

Let's start off with an essential precursor to programming and testing.  You will need and use, much to my chagrin, a Programming Track. Just as a side note, a Programming Track is not necessary with Tsunami line products. This seems like an antiquated practice as today is in the year 2015 after all. But you will need to do this if you incorrectly attempt to renumber your loco on the Main. This could happen because the included TCS fold-over doc does not warn you otherwise.

 

Basic Configuration and Factory Reset:  If for any reason your loco loses its Address and becomes orphaned, here's the drama you'll need to Kabuki your way through a factory reset. Place it on the Programming Track and if you do not have one, flip the wires on your DCC adapter from Main to Programming. Then with the loco on the now Programming Track apply power and through your cab set CV30 = 2. Now Power Off. Then if necessary, flip the wires back to Main. Power On and your loco is now "0003" again. Now set CV29 to its appropriate value depending on the options you want based on the table on page 2 of the included fold-over. In my case I set CV29=35 because I wanted the motor reverse bit on for a while as well as 128 speed steps enabled. As long as you've got at least 32 in the sum you should now be all set to give your loco a four digit address like the number on your cab's side.

 

Calculating the new loco Address: Note: some DCC systems allow you to set the address easily via the controller (cab). But if not let me cut the bull and get you through the TCS web-site's instructions in order to set the Address. Note: there is an Address Calculator on the TCS site so no math is required and we'll get there. Should you find your way to the Comprehensive Programming Guide there is a reference in there to a "DCC Tools" section. Just skip it for now, I'll get you where you need to go quickly without MapQuest. 1) from the web-site's navigation menu on the left, click on "DCC Help". This will take you to "Technical Information" page. Scroll down until you find "Programming" and look for the line "CV17 & CV18 Four Digit Addressing". This will take you to a very unnecessary and tortuous paragraph on the math you hated in school. If you decide to read this be sure to have an MCAS certified third grader on-hand to explain it to you. Just skip it and move on. 2) Back at the left side bar Navigation menu click on "Manuals and Literature". Forget the Context menu that appears to the right. It has items like "General Manuals" and "WOWSound...", etc. We're not interested. After clicking on the Main item "Manuals and Literature" it will take you to the "TCS Downloadable Literature" page with the rather handsome but confusing steam engine on it. Scroll down to the section "DCC Tools". Booyah! you found it. Click on the Four-Digit Address Calculator link and enter your cab number (or any four digits). Click submit and one value will appear for CV17 and CV18 respectively.  Enter these while programming "On the Main" then press your "Loco" button on your cab and enter your new Address. Your loco should now respond immediately to all your commands with its new Address.

 

Audio Assist:

The eight and a half by eleven landscape oriented page in the center of the fold-over handout included with the decoder could more easily be understood by combining the two sentences at the top left and right into one placed in the middle instructing:  "Press 8 Four Times Now to Start!" Don't start your readers believing there will be two columns to follow when it's simply one single flow chart below! 

 

I'm not crazy about using the telephone to peck my way through audio instructions at Rite-Aid and the same applies with this gimmick. After a couple of times cycling through the bells, whistles and prime movers, etc. I found myself cheating and pressing on ahead without her. I'd much rather use a well laid out table of CV addresses and possible values and roll my own. this is an option with Wow but TCS just needs to work on the well laid out part. The lack of bell type/name announcement is annoying. Each horn (long, forward & quill) of the horn section audio instructions announces the name/description of the horn about to be demonstrated but the bells do not. The bells just cycle through and you get to choose one but you're not really sure of its description. I think at this point after choosing the one you like you'll need to replay the tape and count the positions and hope your selection is in the correct sequence in the documentation. I don't know of any other way. The descriptive horn and bell types are listed from the left-side navigation menu by clicking:  1) WOWSound   2)Tools and Information  3) WOWDiesel-List of Sounds  (WOWDiesel, that's a new one, WOW! didn't see that coming)

 

Summary:

 

If we can just straighten out this company's back office with some streamlined documentation and a properly organized and modern web-site TCS could be a sound contender going forward.

 

 

 

Now I have heard a couple of stories regarding the use of the stock ATH lighting board in conjunction with the TCS WOW board and that the two are incompatible and have resulted in catastrophic electrical shorts. Also concerns regarding over-heating. I cannot vouch for this. It's just YouTube rumor. But beware. 

 

 

 

* There must be a better way to develop these harnesses. The JST T-shaped plug on the decoder end is fine but the long blue common wire has got to be reinvented. Decoder makers are still asking us to solder four wires onto it. Not cool, really messy in fact. They need to come up with something better like an add-on sub-miniature one-to-four harness to feed the four anodes (positives) of lamps or LEDs. Maybe there is such a device but I've not found one yet.

 

 

_ 

[hon30critter]

Any issues with heat build up?

Dave

[JimMac]

no heat issues so far Dave. The plastic shrink wrap shows no signs. But further load testing will begin later this week.

Jim

[CSX Robert]

JimMac

...You will need and use, much to my chagrin, a Programming Track. Just as a side note, a Programming Track is not necessary with Tsunami line products. This seems like a pretty Digitraxy and antiquated practice as today is in the year 2015 after all...

I don't know why you would consider the requirement to use a program track to be "Digitraxy", when Digitrax doesn't require it.

JimMac

Calculating the new loco Address............one value will appear for CV17 and CV18 respectively.  Enter these while programming "On the Main" then press your "Loco" button on your cab and enter your new Address.

Why in the world would you bother calculating and programming CV17 and 18 individually when every modern command station that supports extended addressing will do that for you if you just enter the address?

[rrinker]

 The Genesis locos don't have a JST plug? I thought most modern Athearn locos have both a 9 pin (witht he dummy plug connected when in DC mode) and an 8 pin plug - a JST 9 pin decoder just plugs in to the 9 pin connector after you remove the dummy plug. ANd you have to uplug the dummy plug when using the 8 pin connector as well.

 Have to use a program track? Not at all. If you mess up the address while programming on the main, you can either then use a programming track to reset and try again, or you can reset CV29 to use the short address by programming to address 00 (remove all other locos fromt he track, since this is a broadcast address that ALL decoders will respond to). You can even do the reset, CV30=2, by programming to address 00, if you somehow lose track of what address the decoder has. This is nothing specific to TCS (other than CV30=2 for a reset - each brand has their own reset process) - this applies to any decoder.

 And indeed, why would you go to the problem of calculating CV17 and 18 manually? With Digitrax all you have to do is select AD4 on the left knob and key in or dial in your desired long address and it will set CV17 and 18 for you. CV29 will be set to a default long address volue, so you have to change that manually if you need to reverse NDOT, but again, that applies to ANY decoder

NCE and Lenz have program track connections as well, so I guess a program track is also NCE-y and Lenz-y. Non-program track systems like the Digitrax Super Empire Builder can't read CVs (hey wait, a Digitrax system without a program track!).

                            --Randy

 

[cacole]

Even recent Athearn RTR locomotives have both a JST 9-pin and the NMRA 8-pin socket; unfortunately, their circuit board is practically worthless because of the way it rather loosely clips onto the top motor brush contact.

I encounted a rather mysterious problem with a TCS WOW Diesel decoder with the Keep Alive module, which has been sent back to TCS for troubleshooting or replacement.

I tested the decoder about a month ago when it was received from Litchfield Station, but put it back into the packaging because I had nothing available into which it would fit.

When I took it back out to test last week, it seemed to be toally dead -- could not read or program any CVs, and it became too hot to touch on the end with the Keep Alive module harness within a few seconds and began to smell of burning plastic.

[JimMac]

rrinker

 The Genesis locos don't have a JST plug?

Well of course they do! this is not about the Genesis, it's about the lack of a connector at the end of the 6 inch wires on the decoder cable.

[rrinker]

 Those wires unplug and thus reveal the JST connector on the decoder. This is where I get all my spare decoder wire from - I use TCS T1 decoders in pretty much everything I'm not putting sound in, and if the loco already has a 9 pin connection, I just unplug the wire harness and plug the decoder in.

 There was no need to get a different harness with an 8 pin plug on the end. If I think about it, and need to put a decoder in a loco with a 9 pin JST conenctor, I actuall order a T1A, which is a buck or two cheaper because it comes without the wiring harness, which is not needed.

                --Randy

[Stevert]

JimMac

Documentation:

If you are either a paper or on-line tech documentation aficionado you will be very disappointed with TCS's attempt to convey even the simplest of instruction. If you are a new-comer to DCC Decoders you will want to find a new hobby or simply and quietly end your life now. All-over-the-place doesn't even begin to cover it. Their directions, wording and spelling are piss-poor. As you're led on a tour of convoluted, out-dated pseudo-code you'll become increasingly frustrated with their lack of web-site flow. This site is an old-school HTML missing link debauchery. Even the header of their Sound Assist flow-chart on pages 4/5 of the included fold-over sheet from the package they couldn't get right. There is mention on page two of this fold-over sheet regarding CV29 and its bit for setting a four digit address. Immediately following there is info on how to set a two digit address but there is now indication of how to set a four digit address. No mention whatsoever concerning CV17 and CV18. (see Programming below for immediate relief)

When Bob Jacobsen (the driving force behind JMRI) started writing the definitions in JMRI for programming WOW decoders, he commented on a mailing list:

"My reaction to the docs showed where the decoder name came from: Wow, that's really a mess!" 

 

[rrinker]

 It all comes down to - do you want the features or not? The others ALL used indexed CVs because all systems simply can't address an unlimited number of CVs. The only weird thing about WOW is that they use the index CVs differently when reading vs writing, which is what is driving the JMRI programmers nuts. Perhaps they will come out with a programming tool like the Loksound programmer - at least Loksound also developed an alternative protocol that lets you read and write the whole decoder in a minute or so. The sheer number of possible options is exceeding the capabilities the NMRA CV design. It either takes too long to read and write the decoders, or they only work well on some systems. Interesting how no one says anything about Tsunamis, the same set of CVs is just for the volumes, the equalizer, and the reverb, depending on what the value you set on an index is. Same things as others do.

                         --Randy

[riogrande5761]

rrinker

 Those wires unplug and thus reveal the JST connector on the decoder. This is where I get all my spare decoder wire from - I use TCS T1 decoders in pretty much everything I'm not putting sound in, and if the loco already has a 9 pin connection, I just unplug the wire harness and plug the decoder in.

 There was no need to get a different harness with an 8 pin plug on the end. If I think about it, and need to put a decoder in a loco with a 9 pin JST conenctor, I actuall order a T1A, which is a buck or two cheaper because it comes without the wiring harness, which is not needed.

                --Randy

I've bought some of the TCS T1 or T4 decoders without the harness to save money - of course the down side is I don't get spare dcoder wire/harness that way to re-use.  TCS T1 seem to have gone up a good deal in price over the last 4 or 5 years so I may be looking for lower cost alternatives.  Shame because the T1's used to be a bargain at about $17 from some vendors.

[rrinker]

 There aren't too many alternatives, not with the same feature set. There are lower cost decoders, but then you give up the auto-BEMF. The bargain in decoders is still the NCE D13SRJ, still around $12 in 10 packs. No BEMF, but with a good motor they work well.

               --Randy

[riogrande5761]

So BEMF say for Athearn RTR loco's and can use the NCE in Stewarts, KATO, Atlas etc?

[rrinker]

 Yeah, give one a try. Like TCS, the function outputs work well with bulbs or LEDs, if you need any special lighting. You will have to tune them a bit if you are used to using TCS, but you can get smooth slow starts out of them if the loco is decent to begin with. I have a few leftover old T1s from before TCS added BEMF features, and the only real difference is that their step 1 speed is a bit higher than a T1 with BEMF in the same loco. That took some adjustment to the motor drive CVs and CV2 to achieve, and it's probbaly slow enough for most people, it's just that the BEMF is just unstoppable. Worth $10 over the NCE? Your decisions. Compared to an $18 non-BEMF decoder, I think it's worth the extra.

                         --Randy

[JimMac]

 I think I've found a WOW bug. maybe I've not found this feature in the myriad documentation yet but... when my model is sitting at idle with my chosen sounds then increase the manual notch (F10) up three times the rear headlight begins to randomly blink. It blinks anywhere between 5, 12 and 18 seconds. wasn't expecting this behavior. Also the manual notch does (what I think) are other oddities, those I can expand upon later if anyone's interested.  J.M.

[cacole]

On most decoders, a blinking light means a short circuit has occurred or the decoder is resetting to factory defaults.

If the locomotive is not moving after you increase manual notching as much as you say you are, the mechanism is binding and the decoder is overheating.

 

 

[JimMac]

thanks cacole. you may be right. I'm going to do some more testing.

[JimMac]

well did some serious work on this decoder over the weekend and same results. intermittant flashing from the opposite directional headlight (the one that is not turned on) and after a couple of minutes the decoder resets itself.

I disconnected all wires and made new clean solder joints, new resistors and placed kapton tape and 3/64 heat shrink tubing on any exposed metal including wires not yet used.  Also did a factory reset cv 8 set to 2, loco id back to 003.

I'm pretty convinced this is a firmware bug. If there is a short it's on the TCS circuit board itself.

Any thoughts or advise?

[cacole]

Register it on the TCS web site and send it back to them for troublshooting and repair or replacement.

 

[JimMac]

Roger that.