legomanbiffo

I will check out your suggested changes to bass and treble and amend my source file so that others will benefit. My plan is to do this for every sound set in my range but there are only so many days in the week… 🙄 Sounds like the MPV could have particular benefit though, so I’ll do that asap. Bif

I don’t think that’s one of mine. Your F11 sounds like manual notching which I generally never program, choosing to do things a different way. The function key layout doesn’t ring true with mine either. I don’t ever recall putting cab lights on F7, or putting priming on its own function key. Bif

My Class 59 file for the Dapol model was developed and tested in a Dapol model with smoke and worked fine. From memory we’ve sold quite a few, with no reported problems. The smoke is very, very basic, using a driver circuit on the PCB and no auxiliary outputs from the sound chip. It simply senses the motor voltage and produces uncontrolled smoke for the first few seconds when the motor is first energised. That’s it! So you get smoke when you pull away but none at any other time regardless of how hard you drive. The only way to get more is to stop the loco and move off again. Your chip is probably fine but please get in touch if you have any further problem. Bif

Yes, we can put the Thumper sounds onto a six-pin chip for you. I can adjust the motor settings to suit your chassis so it should run smoothly out of the box. If you order from Charlie (DC Kits) and state that it’s for the six-pin chip we’ll do the rest. Bif

Oh, and I missed F28 which is night-time running (F0 being day time running) on the locos fitted with WIPAC lights. And of course you can turn off the red tail lights when pulling a train, with F19 or F20. Bif

Chris, The lighting on the Accurascale model, being so comprehensive requires a considerable amount of function mapping on the chip to make full use of its capabilities. If you simply transfer a chip mapped for the older Bachmann model with its more basic lighting to the Accurascale model then no, the majority of its lighting functionality is not going to work. Even transferring a chip from the newer Bachmann model with its improved lighting wouldn't work either because all of the lights are on different auxiliary outputs to the Accurascale model. Whilst you could in theory make all of the necessary changes via CV, the list would be extensive and error-prone. Far easier to have the chips reblown with the correct file. The latest file will have more functionality than your existing chips as well, as my files for the new Bachmann and Accurascale models have had new sounds added and improvements made. If you have a lot of chips with my sounds on already please get in touch and we'll look at how we can reduce the cost of reblowing them for your Accurascale models. If you have a Lokprogrammer the process would be even easier. The lighting functionality you can expect from the correct file would be; F0 Directional headlights F14 Directional, auto-extinguishing cab lights F19 & F20 Train modes (tail lights disabled) / push-pull modes (for General Manager's Saloons etc) F21 Parking mode (reds at both ends) F22 Engine room lights F27 Top headlight (where fitted) These have been tested extensively on the Accurascale models (both types) and work fine. A full list of the Functions and user-configurable options is below. Similar functionality is on my files for the new Bachmann models too. Hope this helps, Bif 370 wh reblow v13 for v5 for accurascale loco-Bulletin.pdf

Kaput, I will refresh myself with the 68 project settings asap and get back to you. It’s always a balancing act when setting such things as some people will have a 6-foot plank and others a huge garden layout so there are inevitably compromises. Plus everyone’s idea of what’s right can be different. I’ll do my best to help you though. Bif

The hoover sound you are referring to will be a feature of the sound project I am updating in readiness for the Accurascale model. This comes from an original recording made at New Street circa 1978.

Here is the ESU bulletin for my latest version of the 37/4 WH sound file. As you can see it goes well beyond F12 as do most of my v4 projects. Due to my policy of continuous improvement we felt it was better to maintain up to date function key lists on Charlie's website but with well over 100 different sound files available, all being improved on an ongoing basis these can sometimes take time to catch up. A quick email is all that it takes in the event of any query. The only significant change to the function key layout was when I moved spirax valves to F15 to make room for drivelock on F8, which I felt needed to be in the range of every DCC controller. Hope this helps, Bif. 374 wh reblow v10 for v4-Bulletin.pdf

Just a quick note to say that the 59 sound file has been edited since the video was made, to remove the erroneous start-up klaxon; 59’s don’t have them.

Odin, My SR EMU sound file has been improved several times over the years and no-one has flagged these issues to me before? If you would like to contact me offline I’d be happy to discuss your reservations with a view to improving it. I wasn’t well travelled on the Southern back in the day so I can’t bring the same experience to bear as with other classes. There are many authentic sounds in my project, most recorded from a 4-CIG. Bif

Does anyone have a spare coupling for an early Bachmann Voyager that they don’t need? Just need the one.

I am pleased to announce that despite a number of setbacks and challenges, my sound file for the Dapol 59 is just about ready for release into the wild. My first model got lost in the post. Then when a replacement finally arrived I’d been struck down with manflu. Absolutely no fun whatsoever then trying to wrestle with the most complex logic puzzle I’ve ever been set by a model manufacturer. The model does indeed have on-board logic between the auxiliary outputs of the chip and the lights. This ultimately limited what I could do in terms of lighting configurations. After literally hours and hours of experimentation and hair pulling I have achieved the best results I can given the limitations of the circuit board and design. So you have (Dapol’s interpretation of) daytime running, night time running, and yard mode (markers only). You can also disable the tail lights in any of those modes (which I refer to as train mode). It wasn’t possible to program parking mode (reds at both ends). Furthermore, no amount of CV changing would improve on any of the lighting configurations that Dapol have enabled; hardware changes would be required. As well as extinguishing the tail lights, train mode also switches from loco brake sounds to train brake sounds. This is a feature that I’m retro-fitting to all sound files when time and recordings permit. Another notable feature of the 59 sound project is the ability to park the loco with the correct sounds of the hydraulic parking brake going on and off. Also featured are; the whirring sounds of the reverser each time you change ends, the driver’s safety device (DSD), battery isolator and so on. I have yet to investigate the smoke generator so the sound project is not yet ‘smoke enabled’.

I do a generic Southern Region slam-door EMU chip which is demonstrated here; We can bring one to listen to at Stafford or Milton Keynes show if you’re at either of those?

Yes, there are a handful of sound fitters in N gauge that use my sounds and excellent results are possible as you’ve found. Some locos even have room for two speakers in the right hands. Any of the sounds I do in 00 are also available in N (and 0 etc). I’m pleased to hear that you’re happy 😀

I’ve done this twice in the past (in OO at least) and I can confirm that, despite Nigel’s valid reservations, it is very effective indeed. In each case one loco was sound fitted and the other turned into a ‘mobile speaker chamber’ effectively, with most of the innards removed. The latter was connected to the former by a two-pin micro connector so the chip played through speakers in both locos. It sounded for all the world like you were listening to two sound-fitted locos. From memory there are videos of both pairs on my You Tube channel. Just search for legomanbiffo 86 and 25 and you’ll probably find them. Bif

Resetting puts the CV’s back to how they were at the point of sale and keeps the sound file intact. Worth a try in this case. It’s worth pointing out that the symptoms of a dead decoder (no lights, movement or sound) are no different to a mismatch between the chip’s address and the one you are trying to control it with so check and double-check both just in case.

I am making enquiries about Flirt recordings with an operator. I have some recordings of a 180 but they are not up to my latest standards. So in both cases chip releases are some way off yet.

I will look into whether the kadee shuffle can be incorporated and get back to you asap. Bif

Just to confirm that, as Neil suggested, it is CV179 to adjust the brake severity. I try to choose values that suit as many people as possible but inevitably they won’t work for everyone. Pleased to hear that you managed to amend the values to suit. Bif

Just to confirm that, as Neil suggested, it is CV179 to adjust the brake severity. I try to choose values that suit as many people as possible but inevitably they won’t work for everyone. Pleased to hear that you managed to amend the values to suit. Bif

DVT sounds include but are not limited to; Hydraulic parking brake on/off Ticking spirax valve Horns Buckeye coupling Brake application and release Driver’s door slam Driver’s air conditioning Sliding side door open/close Guard to driver right away signal Despatch whistle Mk3 airbag suspension sounds Flange squeal ’Running’ sounds Detonators Cab light switch on/off The latest versions of my Mk3 DVT is set up as a ‘matched pair’ to run with my 67, 68, 86, 87 and 90. My Mk4 DVT is similarly set up to run with my 91.

The projects have been designed like that to give the user control over when the second engine starts. Some dmu engines start simultaneously, some require and / or allow the driver to walk round and start the engines separately. So, use F1 as normal to start the first engine. You can then start the second engine at a time of your choosing by one of two methods; 1. Briefly open the throttle and close it again, or 2. Briefly turn F1 off and then on again. The error with the 153 has since been corrected and it now features a single engine start. Hope this explains things. Bif

No you don’t, just set CV155 or whatever to give the desired horn etc, there’s no need to touch the indexing CV’s.

Directional lights are on F0 as normal, plus you have F21 to disable the tail lights if required (the disabling action always works on the trailing red lights). The top headlight is on F24 and reverses automatically with the main head and tail lights. The cab light is on F19 and reverses automatically with the main head and tail lights. It also turns off automatically when you move off. Interior lights are on F25. Any of these can be remapped to lower function keys if required, via simple CV changes. Hope this helps, Bif