TXS Sound Chips and Hornby Select controller?

[The Doc]

I have just bought a Deltic with the TXS sound chip fitted. I had it on order for more than 2 years, when it had previously been announced with TTS sound. My query is - are the new TXS sound chips compatible with the Select controller? The moment I put the Deltic on the track it makes a terrible din, which sounds like brake squeal, buffering up, clanking and various other sounds, before I have even switched F1 on.

Switching F1 on gets the engine sound started, but all the other noises are still there virtually drowning it out (which says a lot considering the roar from a Deltic). I can only suppress them by turning on F10 (compressor sound).

My Select works correctly with my TTS sound chipped locos, and also with a Loksound chipped loco, so I assume it is working correctly.

The Deltic sound chip works correctly with a Gaugemaster digital controller I borrowed.

So the question I ask is, has anyone else had an issue with the new TXS sound chips and a Select controller? If not, then either my chip or controller has a fault that makes the two incompatible.

[SteveM6]

TXS and the Select are perfectly compatible. What you are describing is that the factory fitted decoders have been loaded with v1.0 of the Deltic sound profile which is a) a bit loud and b) has attracted some criticism of some of the sounds.

Both of these issues have been addressed with a new version of the sound profile available as a free download from the app.

Download the app to a suitable phone or tablet (refer to the guides at the top of the forum), link the decoder (instructions are in the manual - also available from the links above) and load the revised Deltic profile.

Try not to run it with the sound on until you have done this as the higher volume can damage the speaker.

[The Doc]

Thanks Steve, but I'm not sure it's just a volume thing. On the Gaugemaster controller, nothing is too loud (apart from F3 Horn), and when I switch off F1, the loco is silent. With the Select controller, it makes a din even when F1 is switched off. I've never come across this before. With my Deltic it is impossible to run this loco silently on DCC with my Select.

[LTSR_NSE]

@Doc - which firmware version is your Select at? (when you switch the select on you get a sequence of 3 numbers, xx (version number) followed by 30 followed by 03 (xx is a number between 10 & 20.)

I concur with Steve, first step is to load new profile - just in case there is a glitch with the factory loaded copy.

[SteveM6]

TXS has a function called AFC which keeps sounds running and provides a number of spot sounds automatically on start up and under braking. It stays on unless disabled independently of F1 - if I recall correctly it’s F28 and I’m not sure all versions of the Select reach that far.

As suggested, load up the app and see what you can adjust. Of course you can adjust the relevant CVs via DCC but I am certainly not the one to advise you which ones.

[Fishmanoz]

Mods, if you move this to the correct HM | DCC forum, then Steve’s suggestion to look at the stickies at the top of the forum will make sense. And I think all the latest in that forum appears to have bypassed Doc so far.

Doc, a conundrum that the decoder is behaving differently with the Select. It should be compatible and work with the Deltic out of the box. However, to emphasise two points already made:

• Select firmware revision - should be v1.6 (old hardware version) or 2.0 (new hardware version). If lower, return to Hornby for upgrade
• Decoder sound profile upgrade. Unfortunate timing that a considerably improved sound profile has just been released and the only way to access it is via the free App on a phone or tablet to download and install it via wi fi and Bluetooth. Otherwise, it works as a DCC decoder with no need for the app.

And once this is in the correct forum, look for the sticky with all the documentation in it including the manual. Well worth a read and will take more than 5 minutes.

[Aussie Fred]

I will have to keep an eye on this for when my Deltic arrives - oh dear. I use my Select to program so may have to transfer my programming track to my NCE Power Cab for that programming.

[Fishmanoz]

Fred, many examples of TXS working with Select have been reported here. This is the sole reported problem to my memory.

And given the decoder is working differently and more correctly with other controllers, points to a particular Select fault or revision state.

So I expect yours will be ok but interested to hear.

[96RAF]

Until we know the Select version number, some of this speculation.

If Select has DC running (loco zero) enabled and at any point loco zero has been selected and the speed dial turned up (maybe by accident) then the controller is sending a stretched zero bit signal to the track. This can interfere with normal DCC running. How do you fix it, simply perform a reset of the Select and when you get to the bit about DC (loco zero) running you turn it off. See the correct version of the manual for how to do this for your Select.

The only other possibility is some of the spot sounds are turned on - now as the Select doesn’t have an on-screen indicator for functions it is a case of laboriously selecting each function and checking it is on/off as it pops up on screen. This is where the Select version is important because version 1.0 (10) can only access functions F0-F4, version 1.1 (11) can only access functions F0-F8 and version 1.5 (15) and upwards can access all functions F0-F28. If a function is on and out of range of your Select capability then you will have to resort to using the app.

If your Select is version 1.6 or 2.0 (16 or 20) then you can write to CVs to change their values. An update to the Select if required is by return to works upon payment of £15.

[The Doc]

Hi and thanks for all your replies. The Select version is 1.6.

 

I posted in the general DCC forum (rather than HM section) because I ordered a TTS sound loco to run with standard DCC equipment, Hornby then changed the spec and my loco doesn't seem to work properly with my Hornby standard DCC controller. I shall now have to go through the rigmarole of uploading the HM7000 app, that I don't particularly want to have to do, and follow guidance about how to change CVs etc. My day job involves lots of science and tech, and in my time off I just want to play trains and enjoy the added bonus of sounds.

[SteveM6]

BIte the bullet and set up the decoder sounds via the app then switch the decoder to DCC mode in the app then programme any other CVs that you may want to change from the Select .

You can then use the decoder as if it were a TTS but with better performance and functionality.

[The Doc]

@SteveM6,

Thanks, I'll give it a go!

[96RAF]

Select v1.6 means you can change CVs using the Select, but if you need a different sound profile the app is the only way forward, then while you are there explore the ease of changing CVs by graphic selection rather than punching numbers. The best way forward is to change things from the app and run trains from the Sekect all at the push of a button to swap modes.

[The Doc]

Well, after much fiddling, I have come up with a solution of sorts. I got the Deltic working on the phone app, and reset CV8 to 8 as Hornby support advised, and on the HM7000 app the sounds all seemed to be working okay. Then I switched back to DCC (Select version 1.6) and immediately the din began all over again. Back to the drawing board.

So I switched back to the app, went through all the sounds, and realised that the permanent din I was hearing on DCC was F14, flange squeal. So on the app I adjusted the volume of F14 to zero, switched back to DCC and low and behold, no din. Hopefully it has gone for good. I can happily live without a bit of flange squeal in my life. Still, it is a bit of a mystery why that sound should have been permanently On even when I tried to run on DCC without any sound.

While in the app I also took the opportunity to turn down the volume of some of the other sounds (like F3, which is a very distorted horn sound).

[The Doc]

Thanks for your suggestions, everyone.

I should add that I also downloaded the newer version of the sound profile before any other tinkering, but it was only after reducing flange squeal to zero that the problem went away!

[96RAF]

Others have found the odd sound on by default in error and without screen indication. Cycling the associated F-key has gotten rid of it so far.

[SteveM6]

I posted that same reply last night - has anyone been deleting my posts?

[Brew Man]

I posted that same reply last night - has anyone been deleting my posts?

I've noticed a couple of posts going missing lately.

 

 

[96RAF]

We had a tidy up but that was the duplicate power source threads, not this one. This forum doesn’t have a historical log of events so no way to find out where they went and by who’s hand. If they had been ‘hidden’ by accident we mods would still be able to see them. Are you sure they were not in a similar thread. Check your profiles.

[Brew Man]

None of mine have gone missing, well not lately. I've just noticed one or two of other people's have.