New HM7000 products

[96RAF]

The following have been introduced currently on pre-order.

An HM7080 adapter cable for use with the 19v variant PSUs (similar to HM7020 for 15v variant PSUs - so do not get confused when ordering).

https://uk.hornby.com/products/hm7080-19v-power-supply-adapter-r7403?_br_psugg_q=r7403

Also an HM7090 club adapter to allow connection of multiple HM7040 dongles similar to how walkabout Selects are connected to a master controller. This allows multiple app users to control their batch of allocated legacy locos on the same DCC layout, as may be found on a club night.

https://uk.hornby.com/products/hm7090-club-adapter-r7404

[Moccasin]

Good to see these additions. Would it be worth them adding clarity on which PSUs work with the new adaptor? It's not clear on the website which are the PSUs that are 19V, however the existing 15V adaptor helpfully lists all compatible PSUs.

Love the idea of the club adaptor - not that I have any friends who I could use this with but it would also work for taking a locomotive around to a friend's layout and not just clubs.

[Goathland]

Also an HM7090 club adapter to allow connection of multiple HM7040 dongles similar to how walkabout Selects are connected to a master controller. This allows multiple app users to control their batch of allocated legacy locos on the same DCC layout, as may be found on a club night.

https://uk.hornby.com/products/hm7090-club-adapter-r7404

 

 

This does inded look very similar to the Hornby r8237 select cable, after all why wouldn't it - it is just an RJ12 female to two RJ12 male and it makes sense to use the existing tooling. But as with all cable things Hornby do they differ in the number of wires and/or which pins are connected? For twice the price I would hope the new one has all the pins connected.

[96RAF]

The product pages are being amended to add more info, e.g. matching PSU SKUs "This adapter is compatible with P9000, P9001, P9002, P9003 (19V-0.5A transformers) and also, P9200, P9201, P9202, P9203 (15V-1.2A transformers)."

...and a diagram to show the dongle arrangement. Yes the club adapter is the same in essence to the walkabout device, just made with new tooling, as old tooling was lost.

[Fishmanoz]

Great to see both products made available.

But I suspect the adapter cable will confuse the h-e-l-l out of new modellers. Does this simplify it:

• Adapter cable - digital/DCC PSUs (original product)
• Adapter cable - analog/DC PSUs (new product)

And here was me thinking that waiting on the new adapter cable was the reason for delay on the digital sets. Got that wrong and the set buyers got a better deal with the P9100 and the original cable. Unless they already had a DCC controller and P9300 (as in Elite users like me, or those who have upgrade Select or eLink).

Club adapter - seems to me they struggled for a name for this one too. Personally, I’d have used Dongle Splitter.

PS. I can’t see why something that won’t freeze over for quite some time needs to be on the banned word list. But that’s just me.

[LTSR_NSE]

Virtually all the banned words will be on the list due to either having alternative meanings, or usage as an expletives. (or simply fall victim to the Scunthorpe/Essex situation)

Considering this forum is for all ages, Hornby have used the understandable sledgehammer approach.

Edit - apparently I didn’t give it enough credit!

[5Dublo2]

I think the product page for R7324 has a typo - they list it as compatible with P3000W – 4 Amp UK but the 4 Amp UK supply is P9300W (I just checked by looking at the one I own)

[Fishmanoz]

R7324 - for those like me who don’t have R numbers tattooed on my arm - adaptor cable for DCC PSUs. Either the P9100 or P9300 and other country variants.

[P-Henny]

I think the product page for R7324 has a typo

 

 

Dublo, reporting website errors are best placed in the website feedback forum where it is easier to pick them out and have them passed up the line to the Hornby webmaster for correction.

[96RAF]

Passed up the food chain for corrections.

Note that there are 2 almost identical adaptor cables, different only in the Jack socket size, one (6.3mm) accepts the digital 15V Hornby PSUs and the other (5.25mm) accepts the analogue 19V Hornby and most 12V commercial PSUs (CCTV power).

Something to note is the 2-pin plug output end of either adaptor cable can be inserted into a suitable size choc-bloc terminal strip, then expanded into supplying several loops.

[RDS]

Club adapter - seems to me they struggled for a name for this one too. Personally, I’d have used Dongle Splitter.

 

 

I completely agree. There is nothing worst than reading a title and then wondering what an item is used for and then (in the case of this one) coming to the wrong conclusion because you are not a member of a club.

[Pendragon Sailing]

Is there any news on the release of the new sound profiles (Class 37 & 47, in particular) that were signalled for Q3 2023?

[Fishmanoz]

Have you checked the latest list in the sticky PenD?

[Pendragon Sailing]

Have you checked the latest list in the sticky PenD?

 

 

As far as I can see Fishy, the latest ‘sticky’ is dated June 23 and it says Q3 2023 for both Class 37 & 47…….clearly we’re not quite through Q3 yet, but was just wondering if there was any news…….

[Fishmanoz]

Agree they are not communicating well.

I assume all TT members got an email earlier, telling us almost nothing except they will have another Train Terminal out soon.

[Moccasin]

Ironically the email was titled “we’ve got so much to tell you”.

It seemed rather pointless. I guess it was aimed at those who maybe don’t look so often, but since I get an email as soon as I leave something in my basket, I presume they could also target such an email at those who’ve not logged on for a month or two.

They can presumably also tell which emails are linked to HM7000 decoders and send updates on products/sound profiles.

[Pendragon Sailing]

I wonder how well things are going for Hornby at the moment ……with the recent departure of two high profile, senior managers, perhaps things are a little disorganised at present 🫤

I hope they get themselves sorted and the company gets back on an even keel…….

[Skelton Junction]

It would seem that there’s now a marketing manager practising the art of gaslighting. Maybe comes from a media background where communicating fluff and stuff is seen as a way of engaging with your audience without actually providing any useful information for them. Witness the recent brief TT120 YouTube episode and the emails etc described above.

[SteveM6]

Is there any news on the release of the new sound profiles (Class 37 & 47, in particular) that were signalled for Q3 2023?

 

 

No specific news although I suspect priority has been given to making profiles available to new locos due for release. In this hobby we should be used to some ‘fluidity’ regarding release estimates and I for one, would much rather they be released when fully built and tested rather than rushed.

 

 

Someone also asked recently about second generation (smaller) decoders - they are, I believe, not likely to be ready in the short term. As with all things railway related, they will arrive when they are ready.

[ColinB]

I know its a bit off topic but answering Skelton Junction, why would someone with a media background want to be a marketing manager at Hornby?

As to the main subject Hornby already have profiles for Class 37 and 47 they used make TTS decoders for them, so it is just not a case of transporting them to the new hardware platform, I suspect Zimo and Loksound do just that. Zimo have just changed their hardware, I think to a new processor. I get the opinion that they are still using the same sound file but the new processor handles the data quicker giving a better sound.

[SteveM6]

Colin, it has been said many times before, the new TXS profiles are all new, built from the ground up with no carry over from the old TTS soundfiles.

[ColinB]

It probably is SteveM6, as did Zimo when they went to the new hardware. I doubt the basic sound file format has changed though, generally in software you only change what you have to. I also doubt that Hornby has the resources to send someone out all the time to collect new sound files, you manipulate the old one. Now I don't doubt that a sound file for the HM7000 is bigger than TTS as it probably can handle more points quicker, but if you use the old one it just means the sound is not quite as good. To be honest it doesn't matter that much, Hornby will release it when they want to, end of story, As they make no money from it other than selling HM7000 decoders there isn't much incentive.

[96RAF]

You would have seen on the TV series the Hornby guy standing on a platform and also riding a loco recording the sounds, so yes they do have resource, human and audio kit.

The TXS decoder sound profiles are assembled from existing library stock and/or newly recorded sounds, but as stated it is not a straight pour in procedure, it is all manual.

If you want to get a feel of what is involved go to the ESU site and download their demo project sound file elements, then follow their tutorials to splice them all together to match your loco - not simple and not a five minute job.

What is a five minute job is to download one of their free ready to load files. This is their equivalent of load your choice of Hornby library profile onto a TXS decoder.

The TXS decoders also have many extra functions over TTS which are interlinked to the sound files, such as auto-function control, start and stop sounds, etc so all that has to be taken into the equation.

BTW the Class 47 profile is not far away. Watch for it popping up in the apps in the near future. In addition all current profiles are being updated to include fettles for things picked up by the test team, such as power bank static charging, ABC control, lower default global volume, etc.

[ColinB]

Yes I have seen the program. They have one or possibly two guys that collect the data that is a very limited resource, especially when the working locos will be all over the country. So if we look at a 9F the working example is on the North York Moors, if they are running it, that is a 4 hour trip just to get there, probably more from Margate. I know exactly how they splice the file together, you digitise it into separate parts then put a pointer in software for each function. So for 30 functions you will have 30 entry points in your program pointing to a particular digitised sound. My friend did a final year project on sound storage as part of his degree so I learnt a lot from him. So when you request F2 for whistle it plays that piece of sound, standard software technique. Now the only issue I have is it is a 4 channel sound decoder does it mean it has 4 separate digital to analogue converters instead of say two in a two channel device or do they do something clever with the way they present the data to the D to A. If you look at the adverts for YouChoos etc. they state for a lot of locos that they don't have examples they manipulate the data, so they probably take the bit of the file that is closest to the steam sound from one loco recording and say the whistles from another. As I said it is a bit academic really, they obviously haven't got round to it yet. They are probably trying to perfect the sound so it is better than TTS, I am just saying what they could have done, I mean that is the main reason for having it reprogrammable.

[96RAF]

Just as examples of a ‘sound byte’:

A simple sound like a fan will have a start sound, a running sound and a stopping sound. Likewise a whistle will rise, hold, then fall in sound.

A complex or long sound will also have a start, a middle and an end, with the middle repeating for as long as necessary.

A typical chuff sequence from stand still to max will play steam cocks blowing clear, possibly brakes off, then the first chuff band, repeating until the speed steps change then onto the next band and so on until the last chuff band is reached, followed by automatic or manual coasting as required until throttle back, when it coasts until the road speed drops to match the throttle set, whereupon the correct rate of chuffing cuts back in. As the loco stops the brakes squeal.

There is a superb doppler effect whistle on the Merchant Navy profile which typifies a loco blasting through a station with the whistle held on.

Now put all those sound functions in a profile together and load it all into a decoder and hope it works as advertised.

I admire the guys who can do that.