ESU decoders

For those that like their electrickery delivered digitally...
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torikoos
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ESU decoders

Post by torikoos »

hi all, when programming ESU decoders, do they generally require a booster for programming?
I seem to have one (my first) , that I can't seem to program properly (speed curves etc)...

Cheers, Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
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torikoos
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by torikoos »

Let me clarify that this is a loksound decoder, not a lokpilot.

Koos


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Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
Mike_R
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by Mike_R »

I use my Lenz system for on the main programming.
Lenz, Lokprogrammer and Digitrax PR2 for the program track, all work with ESU sound decoders (haven't tried a V4 yet). No boosters. They do need a load on the motor output.
Mike Ruby
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torikoos
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by torikoos »

OK,I will try again, I had several communication errors trying mine (Loksound Select aux6) , and in the end, I thought to stop for a moment, and have a cold beer. Besides, it was a bit too toasty in the loft....

Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
Mike_R
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by Mike_R »

I've fitted an Aux 6 and Direct, both read from the program track into JMRI, although I did the initial setting up with the Lokprogrammer.
Speed curves, volumes etc. I do on the main.
I usually find that Lenz V3.6 is very good at reading sound decoders, V3.5 had trouble with Tsunamis.
Mike Ruby
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torikoos
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by torikoos »

OK, well to try things out a bit this week, I brought the decoder with me, and will try to set it up using my SprogIII, and see what happens then. :-)
I had it pre-loaded with a non turbo EMD645E 8 cylinder engine sound file, to be used in a SW1500 loco (Athearn) , but I found that this loco has very little space for a sound decoder, that I might try it later with another decoder type (I think I'll get a board replacement version like the ESU select Direct), saving a little space. The AUX 6 that I have has wires soldered to it, which made it all a bit too tight to fit properly.

I'm now going to put it inside my CP Rail GP38-2 (Atlas), as that's another non-turbo EMD lcoc. Of course, at some point I need to change the soundfile, as 8cylinders is a little on the meager side for a GP38-2, but I think I'll be able to live with it for a bit.

Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
Mike_R
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by Mike_R »

I'm putting a micro in a SW1500, a V4 in this case as the acceleration sound is better, but the Select micro is the same size.

I've read that the V4 and Selects are the same basic decoder with different firmware and number of outputs (though the extra two do exist but at very low power).
The fact they are less than £10 different, £20 less than the V3.5, and the same size seems to support this.
Mike Ruby
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torikoos
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by torikoos »

Thanks Mike, I forgot about the micro decoders, I have been a bit cautious with those, thinking that their current ratings might not be enough for a HO locomotive, perhaps unfounded for a switcher. :-)

Anyway it went easily into my Atlas GP38-2 and it's working fine. It sounds good too, although some of the transitions from idle to a higher speed notch aren't as smooth as I would like, it will do just fine for now.

I forgot to mention that my first attempts at home were done using a QSI programmer, the current output of that is probably too low without a booster.
The SPROGIII had no issues at all, and I'm sure the Lenz won't have either.

I'm going to use the Lenz Gold decoder that came out of the GP38-2 for my SW1500 in the meantime, and look at turning that into a sound loco at a later stage.
I've first bought some Bachrus saddles to be able to properly run in my locomotives, as I don't have enough track to do that, they should arrive during the week.
Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
Mike_R
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by Mike_R »

The Select direct uses a micro, I fitted one to a Blueline SD40-2, works well.
They are rated at 0.75A, no loco that has been on my test track has taken more than about 0.5A, loaded. Most modern locos take around 0.25A

My test track uses old Gaugemaster rollers, not made any longer. If you fit a speedo then you can speed match on it, far easier than hurtling around a layout.
Mike Ruby
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torikoos
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by torikoos »

Hi all,

Has anyone had their soundfile in an ESU decoder go corrupt?
Yesterday my loco was running happily on top of my Bachrus rollers, and I shut it down as normal. Today the loco engine sounds are digital 'garbage', yet all other sounds work fine (horn bell etc).
Do I need to reset the decoder and have the files uploaded again, or is there another 'trick'?

Cheers, Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
Mike_R
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by Mike_R »

I've never had the sounds go on a Loksound, QSI yes. I have the sounds on one loco stop, after leaving unpowered for a few minutes it worked again, this loco has suffered bad pickup, which may have caused it.
Possibly a CV could put the wrong sound in, e.g. select a none existing engine sound.
Resetting will not change the sounds, just resets CVs. Depending on if the files were set as default (tick the box when downloading from the LokProgrammer) the reset will go back to manufacturer's settings or the downloaded ones. Backup the CVs and try a reset, you will not have lost anything, before going further.
Mike Ruby
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torikoos
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by torikoos »

Ok Thanks Mike, will try that tonight. I didn't make any changes, that's the odd thing, but I have a back up of the loco in Decoder Pro, so I'll give it a try.

thanks, Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
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torikoos
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by torikoos »

Hi Mike (and others)

The speaker is now fitted better, and I decided to do a factory reset (CV8=8) then loaded up all CV's again from the decoder pro file I had saved.

This now resulted in even stranger behaviour. I seem to be constantly in switching mode, so that the engine does not reach the same top speed but is limited, airpop and sanding sounds are contineously on, bell doesn't work and I have the clack-clack sound on varying with speed.... Once I managed to slide the respective volumes down of all these, I could hear the same distorted /garbled engine, not making any sense....
I don't have a loksound programmer, I had it programmed by the supplier before shipping, and it worked ok for a bit, but things have gone a bit 'strange' to say the least with this one... odd.

I'll keep digging a bit and see if I can find out what happened, perhaps it messed it up with the decoder pro 'loading' of the file. I didn't touch the 'indexed CV' pages, but I did load up 'all pages' to make sure I didn't forget something, I guess the indexed CV's messed up my settings here and there...

I'm going to have to figure out what these settings need to be.

Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
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torikoos
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by torikoos »

I'm one step further, I've done another reset and loaded the decoder file again. I've now discovered that there's a slider on the sound tab page in decoder pro called sound speed minimum. I didn't realise it actually adjusts the speed of the sample playback set it too slow and all you get is distortion, to high and the engine starts to sound like a car engine instead of a loco diesel.I thought it was a speed related setting which dictates how much the sound changes at speed... I guess this is still the case but not quite as I thought it worked.
The mystery on of the distorted engine is now solved. I just need to get the rest operating properly...

Koos
Koos Fockens -Devon UK. North American Model Railroading
Age is just a case of mind over matter. If you don't mind, then it doesn't matter.
Mike_R
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Re: ESU decoders

Post by Mike_R »

Got out of touch with this one, probably when Talktalk's e-mail went down.

Yes you can set the engine sound speed to change with loco speed. I've only used it on a Budd RDC, where the hydraulic transmission locks up and the engine speed is matched with the loco speed. For some reason some diesel-electric projects have it on. I seem to remember on a V3.5 you can set a min and max speed so it doesn't distort too far, all my other projects have it fixed at 100%.

The Select functions can be set to work in quite complex ways, such as on or off with other functions, direction, and stopped or running.

If you load up the Loksound software, even without the programmer you can see what it can do.
Mike Ruby
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