irishthump

23 hours ago, BosKonay said:

Not sure if going bust is dodgy? Wasn’t aware people lost money?

Yes, I heard of  several people who were left out of pocket. One is a member here (they haven't posted in 5 years) who told me in PMs that he paid $650 to MSB for sound decoders. Got no reply for 6 months and after hounding them was finally told they were "dispatched". Needless to say they never arrived and MSB resumed radio silence.

This all happened mid 2013 - 2014. A full two years before MSB folded.

On 23/8/2023 at 12:11 AM, popeye said:

 Model shop Belfast is on there but closed years ago.

And they closed down under dodgy circumstances as well. Lot of customers were left out of pocket.

6 hours ago, Jonathan_RK said:

Thanks BosKonay. At least one other member on this thread is recommending to use the ESU Lokprogrammer. Might as well ask - have IRM tested this reset process using any non-ESU programmers ? Perhaps that's not a matter for IRM, but it is of interest to the audience. Those who use the Lokprogrammer will know the answer. I could try doing a reset using the Digitrax DCS52, but I will decide on that myself. If you are interested investigating this, I'm happy to collaborate.

I believe I recommended the Lokprogrammer, but just to be clear, that is for detailed CV reprogramming work such as remapping functions or loading sound files. Any good DCC system will allow you to reset a decoder without risk of  mucking anything else up.

19 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

To the re-mapping functions?

Yes you can remap the functions on any ESU Loksound decoder. However, it's best done with the Lokprogrammer. It can be done by reprogramming individual CV's but this is complex and risky. The Loksound V5 has over 2000 CVs many of which have to be accessed with indices.

30 minutes ago, Jonathan_RK said:

I have just noted a Digitrains video on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJHAZB-pft0

This looks like a demo of an IRM A Class loco with Crossley sound, sound decoder produced by Digitrains.

Presume this is a Digitrains project using their decoder complete with Crossley sound.

Has anyone posted a video of an IRM A Class loco running with Crossley sound, using the IRM ESU sound decoder ?

I actually commented on this video at the time and asked where they got the engine sound from. Apparently they used a generic file that was closest the could get to the Crossley sound.

On 23/7/2023 at 6:12 PM, Leyny said:

I'd be willing to spend up to €300-400 if it were worth it (as opposed to spending say €100-200). I've no experience of DCC but I'm confident I could figure out the Techie side of it quickly enough. 

If I were you I'd be looking at either Roco or Lenz. GeorgeConna mentioned above that he has the Z21 and I've heard nothing but good things about it and you can get it for around the €200 mark. I'm looking at the Lenz 101 for my own layout in the future but that's in the €300-400 range.

At the moment I use a Gaugemaster Prodigy 2 which I absolutely love, but it's getting on ow and it's very hard to source a new one from anywhere but the UK. The Lenz or Roco can be ordered from Germany and you bypass any Brexit shenanigans.

8 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Love the EZ Command. I hope that other controllers are so nice to use. The simplistic layout is great so far and the power dial feels excellent. Limited to ten functions but that's enough for me, for now.

To be honest you won't use that many functions when running trains, ten is plenty if the main ones are assigned to F0-F10

Yeah I standard all of my loco functions whether they be Irish, UK, US or whatever...

All my sound decoders are Loksound and I have a Lokprogrammer which makes swapping functions simple.

I put the most used functions on F0-F9

F0 - Marker lights (if separate to headlights)

F1 - Prime Mover

F2 - Horn 

F3 - Brake function (I only use the loco brake function)

F4 - Drive Hold

F5 - Load setting (simulates a heavy train)

F6 - Couple/uncouple and uncoupling cycle (Kadee Shuffle)

F7 - Headlight if separate

F8 - Flange Squeal

F9 - Rail clank

Like I said I really only use these functions so the more obscure sounds are on F10 and above

5 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

I'm getting the impression from reading online, that sewing machine oil is lighter than 3 In 1, circulates better, leaves no residue and contains no acids, but that it is also known as "light oil".

Just to complicate things....

My old man was a tailor so knows a thing or two about sewing machine oil. (I once used his machine oil on the gears of my BMX, that didn't go down well!)

There are actually different kinds of oil for sewing machines. The "light oil" version which is thinner than regular oil which is used on the needle bar and the bobbin spindles and a "stickier" oil used on the larger gears inside the casing which is like a very thin grease. 

Anyway, just some trivia for you...

Oh, and don't get me started on WD40. The most misunderstood product in the world! It shouldn't be anywhere near a model railway

Nice job. Very tidy!

I run a DCC layout but my points are still powered 24v AC supply through a CDU. I prefer to keep the train control and point control seperate.

6 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

 

Love it!

I've seen videos before where the loco revs up before moving off.

How do they do that?

Holding two buttons on the controller at once?

 

You can get that effect by either using the brake or Drive Hold feature.

1 hour ago, Tullygrainey said:

Thanks for this Noel. However,

1.  With the blanking plate in, the loco doesn't run on DC. (We tried it on Patrick's other layout Brookhall Mill which is DC)

2. With the decoder in, the NCE system can't make contact with the decoder. I think this is a electronic problem with the loco's own circuitry rather than a burnt out motor.

We know the decoder is ok because it's now installed and working in another loco.

 

My ears are burning......

It sounds like something in the PCB has gone kaput. The fact that you can't get the decoder to make contact with your controller would support that. If it was the motor you would still be able to communicate with the decoder be able to turn the lights on and off.  You can doublecheck the motor is ok by removing the shell and applying current directly to the motor contacts, if you can get at them. Long time since I took the shell off a 121 so I can't really remember the layout.  

4 hours ago, Georgeconna said:

The DC channel I think is number 0. Not a DC controller.

 

Your saying it aint moving under DC either so something has gone kaput, either the motor or PCB, any Smell of Burn off it when you take the bonnet off?

 

Yeah I'd strongly advise to not use the "DC option" that some DCC controllers have. It works by "stretching" the AC waveform of the DCC signal so it is not true DCC. It can fry motors very, very quickly. Older motors like the Lima and Hornby pancake and ringfield motors can go bang in the blink of an eye. Some modern motors can also be susceptible to damgage.

3 hours ago, derek said:

Never heard of the stuff. Happy enough with the clay. Its fine as long as you can keep it in shape until it dries. Do you use it?

Yeah I use XPS all the time now. It's insulation foam, either the blue or pink kind, NOT the yellow kind from builder's merchants. It's easy to carve and not as messy as clay or plaster.

Here's one of the last things I built on the layout....  

https://irishrailwaymodeller.com/topic/71-grahams-workbench/?do=findComment&comment=163727

Did you buy the culvert or make it yourself?

Just scrolled up and 

Just now, irishthump said:

Did you buy the culvert or make it yourself?

Just saw you made them from clay. Have you tried using XPS foam instead? 

Very sorry for your loss. RIP.

I built a Silver Fox A Class kit a few years ago and I used the chassis from an Athearn F7. However I had to replace the bogies with ones from an Atlas U36C which required A LOT of fiddling about.

Some bargains there! Also shipped without any Brexit bullshit!

Just preordered!

Only need a couple of coaches for my small layout but always happy to support IRM's excellent products.

Would also happily purchase a the BR and Dutch vans if they were produced.

Oh yes I think the budget will stretch to a couple of these beauties!

On 12/3/2023 at 3:02 AM, Sean said:

I'm looking to purchase a couple of loksound FX's for experimentation purposes,  can anybody tell me a good retailer for this at the moment? eu preferable or pre paid customs if UK. I also do not have any kind of programmer at the moment, so ideally i would like to find a retailer who will program the chip before sending it out to me with one of the free projects.

 

not asking for much am I?  

 

anyone able to point me in the right direction on this.

 

Sean

Hi Sean, sorry this is such a late reply.

I find Modellbahn Lippe the best source for blank ESU decoders. No Brexit  and free shipping on orders over €100.

https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/Digital+_sp_+Digital+boxes/Digital/gb/liste.html?spur=H0&hersteller=ESU&grup=Decoder+with+sound

Unfortunately I don't think the can program them for you.

22 hours ago, Sean said:

Just to clear up on a few points here, ive bought a heap of sound decoders lately from all of the irish manufacturers.

All LS5 chips function the exact same, there is no difference bar the loaded software telling the chip how to function.

I got 3x 121 chips, a 645 and a pair of 567's, all from different retailers

I am very pleased with the the 645 and one of the 567's as they contain the high quality prime mover files and come with a very comprehensive function map and accompanying pdf to guide the user through things. all of the full throttle features are there and are enabled and seem to be implemented quite well. the braking suite is also there

the second 567 that i got turned out to be a bit "meh" but it was the first one that i purchased so i probabaly missed the returns window on this one. this one has the non high fidelity prime mover sounds and the functions do not at all match up with the supplied pdf to the point that i suspect i might have been sent the wrong chip (although its definitely a 567 mover with irish sound effects). full throttle does not work on this one, I had no drive hold, idle or run8, unsure about braking as the function map is messed up. after probing the function map in JMRI I have been able to access drive hold and the braking features no problem however I cannot get to the idle and run8 functions  without the use of a lokprogrammer as they seem to be tied intrinsically to sound slots in the project that i cannot access or may not be present.  in fairness this works well now but i am not totally satisfied and will aim to have it reblown with a better sound file at some stage.

Ive also gotten 2 A class chips and its my understanding that these sound projects were developed in house by a company sound engineer to suit the actual duel speaker set up that is shipped with the loco. These sound files are second to none and are well programmed with all of the full throttle features and a few that are unique to the loco already set up and good to go out of the box, these chips really do work great and seem to have captured the unique sound of an EMD motor blowing out through metrovick exhausts fairly well. as much as people dislike paying a little extra for pre flashed chips, its kinda hard to justify not recommending them considering the amount of work it would take to come close to this type of project by yourself.

You're right about the IRM A Class decoders. The file for these included a bespoke recording of a real A Class and they really are excellent so I didn't mind paying a little more and you can't get that prime mover sound anywhere else.  Although I did use my Lokprogrammer to rearrange the function buttons on the decoders.

The 567 and 645 MM decoders on the other hand contain sound files from ESU's library of US soundfiles, all of which are free to download. But these are still very high quality and are the correct prime movers in each case.

13 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

On blank decoders only?

Or also MM decoders?

On MM V5 Loksounds only, which means the 121 decoders. Same for the IRM A class decoders.

With older V4 decoders you need to load a new soundfile which is relatively easy to do.

3 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

Sorry.

The post just seemed very disparaging of ESU techs, the files themselves, the performance etc, so I mistook it.

Oh was absolutely being disparaging to the ESU techs and the files. The point to remember is that ESU produce primarily for the European HO market and they have different preferences to Irish,UK and US modelers. They use a lot of automation and other programming features that we don't bother with so prototypical driving of locos is not something they care about. However when ESU went after the US market they had to change and set up a US based team. That's then they really improved and now have a substantial chunk of the US market. 

ESU decoders work fine out of the box. To really get the full advantage of ESU decoders you really need a Lokprogrammer. Then you can create your own soundfiles using the superior US sounds which are free to download from ESU's website. You can also unlock and tinker with the prototypical driving and braking features. 

7 minutes ago, DJ Dangerous said:

 

Are all of the MM decoders terrible?

No they're not.

Please learn to take Noel with a pinch of salt, he has a talent for..... hyperbole shall we say.