Pete172 Posted January 4, 2014 Share Posted January 4, 2014 Hi All, Back to the original question " Are You Likely To Buy "......then my answer is very much YES..!!.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augustus Caesar Posted January 5, 2014 Author Share Posted January 5, 2014 I might have guessed I would invoke a 'wait and see' response to my what was supposed to be tongue in cthat can only be goodek question about release dates. :-) I patiently wait for those from Hornby and am not particularly wishing them to release early fearing mistakes which may jeapordise the company tradition or market position. I guess most of you will be of that same opinion... My original question seems to have drawn the positive inclination towards a purchase by most of us and that can only be good news for all, whilst in the meantime some of the same folk will wait to see the quality before their minds are swayed one way... to buy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ_model_trains Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Fishmanoz said: The simple fact we have here is that this thread will have 71 posts in it when I hit reply at the end of this. And everything said here, beyond repeating the short statement on TTS that Hornby have included in the notes in their 2014 Releases, is speculation. As I have said elsewhere, repeat the Serenity Prayer (Google it), then wait patiently, or not so patiently if you have little respect for your finger nails, until Hornby decide to tell us more. One thing this topic has done, on this forum and elsewhere is, it has got people talking and understandably so. But other than it is coming 'in selected locos' soon and it is around £25 (when sold sepatately) we don't know much more and have to wait and see. We assume the chips can be re-blown, can they. Fishy may know more. Meanwhile we wait patiently, we will know a lot more when the newly chipped loco's are available and customers leave their comments. Then we wait for the tech guys and retailers to pass on what they know about the chip and what can be done with it. Then we wait for the chip to be sold separately I am sure it will be worth it. Meanwhile we wait for loco detection and more. Thank goodness we have locos and layouts to play with and this forum to share our frustrations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gregd99 Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Fishmanoz said: same as the 8249 except each output on the Loksound can do 250mA whereas the 8249 is only 100mA. I can't remember offhand the current for a smoke unit but I think more then 250mA so a separate decoder would be needed with higher current if so. As I recall the function "outputs" on decoders are open collector so it should be possible to connect them in parallel. Perhaps a small series resistance should be used to account for variations in VCEsat. For non-electronic types "open collector" is essentially a switch that you control. If the switch has a certain current carrying capacity you can increase the overall current carrying capacity by connecting switches in parallel. You would also need to be aware of the absolute maximum rating for the decoder. eg with the loco running flat-out or stalled could the decoder still power the smoke unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete172 Posted January 5, 2014 Share Posted January 5, 2014 Hi, I have a few Tri-ang locos with smoke units that I want to convert, I think these smoke units draw about 700mA which is a lot. I understand that spare decoder function outputs can be "mapped" to operate together, so combining 3 x 250mA outputs = 750mA. However, these old smoke units will probably create a surge when first switched on, so maybe a 30 ohm resistor is needed (so say Digitrax tech service), or maybe it's better to wire in a micro relay (try Maplins), which could be wired to feed the main current available from the motor/track pickups, into the smoke unit, thus avoiding drawing large current draw through the decoder. I will get round to trying this some day ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 PJ_model_trains said: One thing this topic has done, on this forum and elsewhere is, it has got people talking and understandably so. But other than it is coming 'in selected locos' soon and it is around £25 (when sold sepatately) we don't know much more and have to wait and see. We assume the chips can be re-blown, can they. Fishy may know We have no idea if they will be sold separately at all, let alone the price. £25 is around the margin of a TTS loco over a straight DCC. And no idea what the arrangements for blowing sound files might be. Inconceivable they won't be able to do that themselves as the alternative would be a completely different chip for each loco and so very expensive. It least these are my assumptions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The son of Triangman Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 If Hornby do break the £25 barrier with a decent sound chip then the way will be open, DCC sound for everyone that wants it not just those with deep pockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 Fishmanoz said: PJ_model_trains said: One thing this topic has done, on this forum and elsewhere is, it has got people talking and understandably so. But other than it is coming 'in selected locos' soon and it is around £25 (when sold sepatately) we don't know much more and have to wait and see. We assume the chips can be re-blown, can they. Fishy may know We have no idea if they will be sold separately at all, let alone the price. £25 is around the margin of a TTS loco over a straight DCC. And no idea what the arrangements for blowing sound files might be. Inconceivable they won't be able to do that themselves as the alternative would be a completely different chip for each loco and so very expensive. It least these are my assumptions. I've trawled this thread and can't find a definitive confirmation of a 25 quid a throw retro fit anywhere - just speculation and wish listing. It will all depend upon whether the chip Hornby is using can be reblown or not. If yes then maybe they will output generic steam and diesel packages, suitable for many people but the purist will be able to reblow it to suit . If not then as stated above it will mean Hornby has to produce a bespoke TTS chip kit for each loco class in their catalogue - unlikely in my opinion. As for price that will depend on whether the chip is fixed or able to be reblown. The former would obviously be a lot cheaper than the latter. We will have to wait and see... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted January 6, 2014 Share Posted January 6, 2014 To repeat, all we know is this written about TTS by Hornby in the preamble to their TTS fitted locos in the 2014 release info in the Shop: Although extremely effective, the realism of Digital Sound Locomotives has come with added cost to an already highly detailed model. For 2014 our Hornby engineers have developed a unique sound decoder that not only provides superior DCC control but also dedicated sounds associated with the locomotives that have been installed with this new sound decoder. These new TTS (Twin Track Sound) locomotives have an amazingly low retail price for a fully DCC Sound locomotive. Each locomotive will have no fewer than sixteen sound functions specific to the chosen model, including whistle or horn, start up, idling, wheel slip if appropriate plus a host of other relevant sounds. Locomotives which have been chosen to benefit from this cutting edge and cost effective DCC Sound decoder include the Hornby ‘Duke of Gloucester’, ‘Tornado’ in BR Mainline blue and the LNER Class P2 ‘Cock O’ The North’. In the Hornby RailRoad range TTS will be featured in the Class A1 ‘Flying Scotsman’ and the LNER Garter Blue livery Class A4 ‘Gadwall’, plus three diesel electric models - Classes 37, 40 and 47. All we know about price is by making a comparison between the price of a TTS fitted loco versus its non-fitted version. Everything else in this thread is speculation, some reasonable, some unreasonable, some of it appears technically sound, some is not, but all of it is speculation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Graskie Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 In the latest Hornby Magazine Special Supplement it says, "The decoder has an 8-pin NMRA compatible plug and as well as 16 sound functions it will offer eight CV adjustable volume settings for each function." That takes us a bit more forward, doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RDS Posted January 9, 2014 Share Posted January 9, 2014 @Graskie I agree. It also read a bit like it may be available separately because I also read the £25 figure quoted above and why would it state it has an 8 pin compatible plug if it only came as part of a loco. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Maybe because Hornby don't head wire DCC chips but fit them all via plugs? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted January 10, 2014 Share Posted January 10, 2014 Hard wire not head wire, which is quite different and subject to some loose connections for most of us, present company excepted of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augustus Caesar Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 In the new Feb edition of Railway Modeller it is stated on page 157 that initially the TTS decoders will only be available factory fitted to begin with. However, "they will be offered separately if there is sufficient demand." Hornby are also reluctant to give release dates for any product this year, thus far anyway, as tight scheduling is being stuck to after the supplier's production issues are virtually resolved. So the catalogue has no dates for release as it had in past volumes. So, if volume demands it then the TTS chips WILL go on sale on theeir lonesome. Hurrah!!!!!!! So what makes you of all that guys? Good news in part at least. :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Augustus Caesar Posted January 12, 2014 Author Share Posted January 12, 2014 theeir????? *their Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 AugustusCaesar said: In the new Feb edition of Railway Modeller it is stated on page 157 that initially the TTS decoders will only be available factory fitted to begin with. However, "they will be offered separately if there is sufficient demand." Hornby are also reluctant to give release dates for any product this year, thus far anyway, as tight scheduling is being stuck to after the supplier's production issues are virtually resolved. So the catalogue has no dates for release as it had in past volumes. So, if volume demands it then the TTS chips WILL go on sale on theeir lonesome. Hurrah!!!!!!! So what makes you of all that guys? Good news in part at least. :-) How will Hornby gauge demand? Also bodes the Q of will retro kits be specific to loco class or be generic steam/diesel and/or re-blowable. I shall have to wait and see. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ_model_trains Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 RAF96 said: How will Hornby gauge demand? A very good question. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooped Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 I expect they'll look at how well the fitted locos sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulleidboy Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Where ever the decoder is being produced, I can't see any problems in producing a few hundred/thousand extra, and sending our to their main suppliers. Packaging would be very straightforward, with a few articles in the model railway press, they would sell like hot cakes (chips?)- especially if the price is as mentioned recently. I suppose the additional equipment would be a speaker and a wiring harness. Sooner or later someone would produce diagrams as where the speaker could be fitted. Seems a winner to me, Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fishmanoz Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 The chip, a speaker, a speaker mounting bracket, wiring harness to loco DCC socket and to the speaker. Also given there will likely only be room to mount in the tender of a steam loco, a plug and socket in the middle of the loom, unless you are comfortable with having loco and tender permanently connected once installed. No problem with diesels as it will all fit in the body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJ_model_trains Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 I have just read this on another forum... Posted 13 Jan 2014 - 16:12 We have a bit of a wait to find out how good the TTS system will be. Hattons have just added expected delivery dates to their website for the Hornby 2014 range. Most TTS loco's are due 5 Sept but the Class P2 "Cock O' The North" is due 6 June. Obviously these dates could move & based on Hornby's recent performance I might have a bit of a wait for my pre-ordered Network Rail class 37........ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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