DCC Fitted loco with Sound - can it be turned off

[PJ_model_trains]

If a loco has DCC fitted with sound, can the sound be switched off. Can the volume be raised or lowered?

 

I notice already people are selling loco's with DCC sound removed.

[St1ngr4y]

Hi PJ,

I have 3 sound locos which have the ability to lower and raise the sound. The steam one uses F15 and the two diesels use F16. The steam and one of the diesels fade the sound to half volume, the other diesel fades the sound out altogether. When

 

I asked for these locos to have their sound installed, I asked whether it was possible to control (by CV setting) the rate at which the sound dropped or rose, because I wanted the level to reflect the entering or leaving of a tunnel, but I was told that wasn't

 

possible. The F15/F16 functions are 'latching' type functions, so one press to fade the sound down, another press to bring the sound back up.

If you permanently want to lower or raise the sound, on mine CV 63 holds the sound level parameter.

Ray

[Flashbang]

In addition to the excellent reply above. DCC sound is turned On or Off via the F1 button.

Of course if you're a Select owner then you won't be able to reduce or increase the sound volume but you will be able to turn the sounds On or Off.

[Flashbang]

In addition to the excellent reply above. DCC sound is turned On or Off via the F1 button.

Of course if you're a Select owner then you won't be able to reduce or increase the sound volume but you will be able to turn the sounds On or Off.

[PJ_model_trains]

St1ngr4y said:

Hi PJ,
I have 3 sound locos which have the ability to lower and raise the sound. The steam one uses F15 and the two diesels use F16. The steam and one of the diesels fade the sound to half volume, the other diesel fades

the sound out altogether. When I asked for these locos to have their sound installed, I asked whether it was possible to control (by CV setting) the rate at which the sound dropped or rose, because I wanted the level to reflect the entering or leaving of a

tunnel, but I was told that wasn't possible. The F15/F16 functions are 'latching' type functions, so one press to fade the sound down, another press to bring the sound back up.
If you permanently want to lower or raise the sound, on mine CV 63 holds the

sound level parameter.
Ray

Thanks for the detailed reply Ray.

I want locos with sound but am re-building my layout and have blow £1500 in the last 2 months. Well that was what my wife called it, I called it carefully selected items

for a long term hobby.

I started to get cautious as I have seen quite a few locos for sale, with DCC fitted but DCC sound removed. I couldn't imagine it not being controllable but if it wasn't and got on your nerves, or worse still the wife's nerves

then I would re-consider buying a loco with sound installed.

What are F15 and F16 controls please.

[PJ_model_trains]

Flashbang said:

In addition to the excellent reply above. DCC sound is turned On or Off via the F1 button.
Of course if you're a Select owner then you won't be able to reduce or increase the sound volume but you will be able to turn the

sounds On or Off.

Hi Flashbang, I am a DCC user with RailMaster software and an eLink.

I assume F1 is the F1 button on the computer/laptop? Ray mentions F15 & F16 most computers only go to F12 so I asked for confirmation of this also.

Thanks

again for your help.

[RDS]

@PJ_model_trains

I always imagine that those who are selling the loco with sound removed, are selling the sound chip and speaker that they have taken out of it, separately somewhere else or at another time.

 

[Flashbang]

PJ_model_trains said:

Hi Flashbang, I am a DCC user with RailMaster software and an eLink.

I assume F1 is the F1 button on the computer/laptop? Ray mentions F15 & F16 most computers only go to F12 so I asked for confirmation of this

also.

Thanks again for your help.

The F (function) keys are not PC keyboard function keys.
They are DCC system keys in the range F0 to F28.

[PJ_model_trains]

PJ_model_trains said:

Hi Flashbang, I am a DCC user with RailMaster software and an eLink.

I assume F1 is the F1 button on the computer/laptop? Ray mentions F15 & F16 most computers only go to F12 so I asked for confirmation of this

also.

Thanks again for your help.

Does this mean every time we want to change the sound or put it on and off we have to move it to a program piece of track and read and write the CV's?

[Fishmanoz]

PJ, if you open RM and double click on one of your locos in the home screen, it will bring up a loco control window. At the bottom of that window, there are 2 rows of 4 function buttons, F1-F8. If you now click on the red down arrow at the bottom of the

 

window, this expands to 4 rows of function buttons, F1-F16.

 

These are the functions being referred to above, not your keyboard F1-F12. You will also find a description of functions in the RM manual. So no, you do not have to reset CVs to control sound

 

functions, and Ray and Flashbang have told you how above.

[Fishmanoz]

For those selling a sound loco without sound, I would have thought they are keeping the expensive sound chip to put in another loco. You can always reblow the chip to install matching sounds for the new loco.

[Graskie]

You can always amend the volume. I have turned quite a few of mine down so that they are not quite so intrusive.

[Blackbird]

Hi Phul007, being old enough to remember the real world of steam locos, and old diesel, the sound was loud, and impressive, but local. This is where scale is employed with models; the sound has to be scaled down; reduced (attenuated). This can be easily

 

attained by reducing the sound volume of the loco by reducing the volume CV.

[PJ_model_trains]

Phul007 said:

I have started back in the hobby for the last 12 months and with sound and other new features I feel I have been very lucky in getting back at the right time.
I have 6 locos with sound and yes they are great to add realism

and to sound visitors but after some time they do get on your nerves as my layout is only 5 metres long and a complex figure of 8, the locos are always heard. The steam locos are the worse if they are on constant speed and running for 5-10 minutes. They sound

great starting and stopping but to run them all the time they can drive you crazy. You can on some locos turn off the main sound and just have the horn or other sounds going. Also some locos can be loader than others even if they are the same brand and type

ie I have two Class 37's and they sound and act completely differently when they run. One is a few years older than the other one which is brand new.

I don't say don't buy sound as you can always turn them off but just be aware for the extra cost you

could buy more things for layout.

Thank you for taking time to provide a very detailed message of your experience with DCC sound fitted in loco's Phul007

My thoughts exactly... I have started back in the hobby for the last 12 months and

with sound and other new features I feel I have been very lucky in getting back at the right time.

Wow you lucky person... I have 6 locos with sound

This was one of my concerns... after some time they do get on your nerves. Not forgetting, subject

to where the layout is the sounds could get on someone else's nerves first. We would be the last to have it get on our nerves as we are wrapped in out wonderland little world of trains.

This suits my layout... They sound great starting and stopping



How much difference is there between different makes of sound chips Fishy?... You can on some locos turn off the main sound and just have the horn or other sounds going.

Based on the last question what questions should we be asking retailers

so we know what we are paying for not just DCC sound fitted or digital sound.

[PJ_model_trains]

Blackbird said:

Hi Phul007, being old enough to remember the real world of steam locos, and old diesel, the sound was loud, and impressive, but local. This is where scale is employed with models; the sound has to be scaled down; reduced (attenuated).

This can be easily attained by reducing the sound volume of the loco by reducing the volume CV.

SOUNDS good to me Blackbird.

[Fishmanoz]

PJ_model_trains said:


How much difference is there between different makes of sound chips Fishy?... You can on some locos turn off the main sound and just have the horn or other sounds going.

Based on the last question what questions

should we be asking retailers so we know what we are paying for not just DCC sound fitted or digital sound.

Don't have an answer for you on this one PJ as it goes beyond my experience. Graskie might be a good person to answer from his experience?

In

the absence of experience though, my approach would be to look at the specifications for the sound chips you are considering to see exactly what they will or won't do.

Also, on functions, I referred in my post at the bottom of page 1 to 16 functions

being in the loco control window. In fact, it is possible to define 26 functions in the loco setup window.

[PJ_model_trains]

Fishmanoz said:

PJ_model_trains said:


How much difference is there between different makes of sound chips Fishy?... You can on some locos turn off the main sound and just have the horn or other sounds going.

Based on the

last question what questions should we be asking retailers so we know what we are paying for not just DCC sound fitted or digital sound.

Don't have an answer for you on this one PJ as it goes beyond my experience. Graskie might be a good person to answer

from his experience?

In the absence of experience though, my approach would be to look at the specifications for the sound chips you are considering to see exactly what they will or won't do.

Also, on functions, I referred in my post at the

bottom of page 1 to 16 functions being in the loco control window. In fact, it is possible to define 26 functions in the loco setup window.

Thanks Fishy.

I realised after adding the message it was the functions in RailMaster not function

keys on the computer, trouble at present is I am re-building from scratch as you know and have nothing running on track yet, therefore not using RailMaster. By tonight I have the river carved out of the foam and painted, winding under various rails and sidings,

base of bridges prepared and fixed and about 15-20% of the layout in place (with only 2 of 20 points fixed and working)so with what I have so far I will connect the dcc power and start testing trains as I re-built it. It will also give me chance to download

and install to new software update. Look forward to seeing the changes, I have seen the comments to date.

With regards to sound chip I was not referring to buy and install but purchasing loco's with them in. Retailers state, DCC fitted and sound or

digital sound but very few, from what I have seen, state what features the sound chip provides, you know there will be engine noise but will the chip in it have hoots and toots and what other feature does the sound card include. I can only guess at this stage,

some have more than others. I have 8 loco's but no sound one YET! I guess I will have my first by Christmas ;-)

[2e0dtoeric]

You do NOT need to move the loco to a programming track to turn the sound on or off, any more than you do to turn the lights on or off, or blow the whistle, etc. You only need the programming track to allocate a new i.d. to the chip, or re-set programming

 

cv's, in the first instance. After that, only the loco called up by the keypad will respond to the instruction.

[2e0dtoeric]

oops - typo - put in the first instance after new i.d. to the chip

Oh for an edit button!

[PJ_model_trains]

2e0dtoeric said:

You do NOT need to move the loco to a programming track to turn the sound on or off, any more than you do to turn the lights on or off, or blow the whistle, etc. You only need the programming track to allocate a new i.d.

to the chip, or re-set programming cv's, in the first instance. After that, only the loco called up by the keypad will respond to the instruction.

Hi, thanks for your comments. At present I am re-building my layout from scratch so don't have

RailMaster on again yet. It wasn't until an hour or so after adding the message I suddenly realised if I can turn lights on and off on a diesel I will be able to press a button to hoot and toot or be a whistle blower with a loco with sound card. Subject to

what is programmed into the DCC sound chip.

[Graskie]

Thanks for saying I might be a good person, Fishy. I now feel obliged to help as far as I can on this thread generally. Yes, I have loads of sound locos and bars of gold. I run a combination of Elite and RailMaster, so I have the option of altering CVs

 

on either. I generally use the Elite to test any changes on that first, but, of course, you cannot do this on the eLink. I only buy sound locos now and have terrific fun with them. You can run them without sound if you want to, by means of Function 1 (F1),

 

and, as you now know, you can in fact switch any function on and off. Just make sure you write "on/off" after any function description entered on RailMaster if it continues to stay on. You no longer need to do that with long whistles, though. Other functions

 

you generally need to put "on/off" after are such things as shunting mode, lights, safety valve, cylinder drain cocks etc. You can obviously play around with any you are concerned about.

 

With regard to make of sound chips, I feel pretty sure that virtually

 

all of mine are ESU LokSound which you can look up online. Their latest sound chip is V1.4 with even more features. I believe Hornby and B*mann use this make in their factory produced sound locos. However, I have had quite a few sound chips reblown or put

 

in by several of the firms specialising in that area, and they can sound much more realistic. I think it still only costs about £15 for a re-blow, well worth that low cost. What you need to look out for is whether sound is recorded from a real loco or is what

 

they call generic. The latter are composed from what the firms consider to be sounds suitable for a particular class of loco, but even these can be very pleasing.

 

The number of sound functions is increasing all the time. I now have one loco with more

 

than 20.

 

Please ask me if you have any more questions.

[Fishmanoz]

That's ok Graskie, but don't expect me to make that same mistake again anytime soon, now you've pointed it out.

 

Good gen on the sound chips too, thanks.

[PJ_model_trains]

Graskie said:

Thanks for saying I might be a good person, Fishy. I now feel obliged to help as far as I can on this thread generally. Yes, I have loads of sound locos and bars of gold. I run a combination of Elite and RailMaster, so I have

the option of altering CVs on either. I generally use the Elite to test any changes on that first, but, of course, you cannot do this on the eLink. I only buy sound locos now and have terrific fun with them. You can run them without sound if you want to, by

means of Function 1 (F1), and, as you now know, you can in fact switch any function on and off. Just make sure you write "on/off" after any function description entered on RailMaster if it continues to stay on. You no longer need to do that with long whistles,

though. Other functions you generally need to put "on/off" after are such things as shunting mode, lights, safety valve, cylinder drain cocks etc. You can obviously play around with any you are concerned about.

With regard to make of sound chips, I

feel pretty sure that virtually all of mine are ESU LokSound which you can look up online. Their latest sound chip is V1.4 with even more features. I believe Hornby and B*mann use this make in their factory produced sound locos. However, I have had quite a

few sound chips reblown or put in by several of the firms specialising in that area, and they can sound much more realistic. I think it still only costs about £15 for a re-blow, well worth that low cost. What you need to look out for is whether sound is recorded

from a real loco or is what they call generic. The latter are composed from what the firms consider to be sounds suitable for a particular class of loco, but even these can be very pleasing.

The number of sound functions is increasing all the time.

I now have one loco with more than 20.

Please ask me if you have any more questions.

Triffic reply Graskie.

Do you run your gold bars on Elite or eLink?

You say... I only buy sound locos now and have terrific fun with them.



A very encouraging reply for anyone considering sound locos, including me LOL.

This is interesting... I have had quite a few sound chips reblown or put in by several of the firms specialising in that area, and they can sound much more realistic.

I think it still only costs about £15 for a re-blow, well worth that low cost.

Can we download sound and write it the chip or does it require someone with the right software? £15 is worth it.

This was also my concern... The number of sound functions

is increasing all the time. I now have one loco with more than 20.

In every part of electronics firms bring out basic chips then improve them. That was why I raised the question, I think we should all be asking retailers, what features of sounds are

included in the loco being sold with it installed. These details should be included in product descriptions! DCC fitted, sound installed and Digital Sound is not sufficient.

Many thanks for your helpful reply.

[RDS]

Graskie said:

.... you can in fact switch any function on and off. Just make sure you write "on/off" after any function description entered on RailMaster if it continues to stay on. Other functions you generally need to put "on/off" after

are such things as ... lights...

Please ask me if you have any more questions.

Hi Graskie
I am interested in your posting above regarding switching functions 'on/off'.
Has there been a change to the way RailMaster operates?

I

have some loco's with lights that I have programmed to switch 'on' before they move and then 'off' again when they have stopped. However, sometimes the lights do not switch 'on' before the start but they switch 'on' when they receive the next command that

I had intended would be the 'off' command.
Is your posting suggesting that you can specify on or off. I did actually raise this request a while ago in our Desirable Features thread but I was not aware it may have been implemented.

[PJ_model_trains]

It just goes to show if you ask details can be provided and then you know what you get for your money not just DCC Fitted with sound of Digital Sound fitted.

 

Until all details are provided I will be asking every retailer for the features included

 

on the sound card.

 

The sounds reproduced are from a real recording of a class 37. LegoBiffoman sound files on ESU Loksound decoders ensure very high quality prototypical sound reproduction.

 

I have listed below the various loco functions that

 

come with this decoder.

 

Function Key Layout for ESU/LOKSOUND V4 Sound Decoders.

 

F0 Lights

F1 Sound on / off

F2 Playable high horn

F3 Playable low horn

F4 Buffer clash (If loco is moving slowly)

F5 Air release

F6 Driver's door

 

open / close (on multiple units) or slam (on locos)

F7 Compressor (main compressor in the case of AC electrics)

F8 Air tanks or Spirax valves popping

F9 Speed Dependant Automatic Flange /Track Squeel.

F10 Despatch whistle (where applicable)

F11

 

Guard to driver 'right away' signal (where applicable)

F12 Roof fan / cooler group

F13 Sanders

F14 Exhauster low speed

F15 Exhauster high speed (F14 must be on first)

F16 Not Used

F17 Detonators

F18 Not Used

F19 Aux

F20 Aux

 

F2,

 

F3, F5, F6 & F8 (horns, air release, door slam and air tanks) are all playable with the engine switched off, as per the prototype.

 

I expect to purchase one diesel and one steam with sound before Christmas. My wife can wrap them up ;-)

 

I am just

 

waiting details of sound features on the following. Another typical description no details on sound features unless you ask!

 

Class 6P Patriot 4-6-0 45504 "Royal Signals" in BR green with late crest. DCC Sound Fitted