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class 08 TTS sound decoder


SHerr
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I notice that these are being advertised as in stock in most areas. has anyone attempted (and succeeded) to fit the unit as it comes to a standard Hornby 08?

 

I struggled to squeeze a normal decoder in and the speaker looks like the normal large round one so wondering if any butchery is required before I buy one.

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Changed the speaker to one of Richard's which filled the cab.  The transformation was incredible.  Definitely move the supplied speaker to the spares box.

 

The 08 tts is their best diesel yet.  Cold start is great and the gentle idling of the loco is lovely.  The child in me loves the toot toot

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Has anyone got a video, or pictures, of fitting one of these to a Hornby 08 please, What size sugar cube is appropriate?

 

I've ordered the TTS decoder and some guidance would be good, thanks.

 

Rob

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I’ve fitted a Zimo 20x28 3D speaker into the front of my Bachmann 08. Don’t know if the same room exists in the Hornby, but I did have to chop a bit out of the chassis as well. I am expecting my 08 TTS to arrive today and can post a few shots if it would be of any help/use to anyone.

 

Izzy

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Okay a few shots taken as I installed the TTS 08 decoder. Not brilliant but they may help someone anyway.

 

This is what you get, along with comprehensive documentation which some other decoder makes expect you to go searching online for.

 

1079513036_RMwebTTS0801.jpg.f45d9086b65014e44ec69d029aaafc83.jpg

 

The sound from the smallish supplied speaker I found a bit 'tinny' when I gave it an intial test to make sure it all worked before installation. As stated I have adapted my Bachmann 08 to take a Zimo 20x28 3D speaker. This is a sugercube in a 3D soundbox, so the output is nice and clear and clean and more rounded, deeper, richer overall sound. As can be seen it's about the same size as the Hornby speaker, which for some reason is stuck on a foam pad orientated to it at right angles. Perhaps this is a ready fit into a Hornby 08.

 

1201965698_RMwebTTS0802.jpg.b5ae586ddef75407b8627ddedaeaecda.jpg

 

This is the Zimo slid up into the front behind the radiator.

2068380576_RMwebTTS0803.jpg.1953fd3fdfa957f25a140619c68f25cb.jpg

 

Because the Bachmann chassis is taller here I had to cut a section out to give enough room. This was done (previously) using a hacksaw - an easy job as part of the general conversion to P4 when it was taken completely to bits.

1790032360_RMwebTTS0804.jpg.59f2f3ada6d23cba7745554d5d18809e.jpg

 

At the time I was preparing for fitting sound either using a Zimo or a TTS if one arrived, which it now has, and just thought I would get all the work done in one go in readiness. I had a spare TTS class 31 decoder - one which was a bit iffy due to me playing around with it - I think I had damaged the amp a bit - so I used it until a 'proper' one could be fitted.

 

This turned out to be very useful because firstly the motor failed and I shoved in a spare Mashima 1833 I had from my 7mm days, and less than totally reliable running led me to fit a stay-alive in the cab. This is a simple electrolytic 2200uF capacitor + diode/resistor etc which it is easy to add to the TTS decoders. Makes a big difference. This could all be tried out using the duff-ish TTS first, which was handy.

1776747648_RMwebTTS0805.jpg.d49d7fccc4807cb7c411660b4dc30fc0.jpg

 

And this is with the speaker + decoder where they sit with the body on. The decoder is inside the bag type sleeve provided with the original class 31 decoder to insulate it against shorts.

 

51067066_RMwebTTS0806.jpg.fdbec1ecb3f405b3b5d3e94578fdbf4a.jpg

 

I should really replace the capacitor with a bank of tantalum ones, which would be smaller, but it doesn't show too much, and it works, so is a job to do sometime/never.

 

24470918_RMwebTTS0807.jpg.c0911cbccb979f9eb814a4a2d0e1855c.jpg

 

529176432_RMwebTTS0808.jpg.8bb9af9e25053e5ee50e3b090f4f8cc3.jpg

 

2007578371_RMwebTTS0809.jpg.b60a762232f7ef086bf6a803f9f73920.jpg

 

All done.

728921428_RMwebladders01.jpg.d07183df5397b0c8b83071b501bf9f66.jpg

 

Extremely pleased with the sound. Easily as good as any other diesel I have whether Zimo or TTS.

 

One interesting thing though, motor control. With the 31 decoder I used the first option - cv 150 = 0 along with cv's 151&152 = 1 and acc/dec at 30. Lovely and smooth slow starts and control on 28SS. So... set the 08 decoder the same. Nowhere near as good. Minimum speed step almost a run... what the heck? Found with this one I needed to set cv 150 = 1 & cv 153 to 255 with cv 154 to 0, acc/dec to 40. Just about as good, but not quite. Not Zimo quality, but acceptable, especially for the money. I thus take it the motor control might use the same basic cv's but is tuned to suit each individual decoder variant, which isn't what I would have expected.

 

Izzy

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3 hours ago, RedgateModels said:

I'm using an express models lighting kit but will wire it so that the red and white lights work off f0 and the cab light off F1. It's a to fit though.... 

Thanks for the quick reply .

Yes , I know what you mean about the Express models kit, I did one with a Zimo a couple of years back, had to fit a stay alive too ! not easy .

I prefer to use the Stickswipe lighting kits from that certain auction site. 

 

Albie 

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9 hours ago, Richard Croft said:

Impressive work there. Thats a nice, neat way of getting it all in.

 

Richard

 

Thanks Richard. The advice to use/fit the Zimo speaker came from my (fairly) local go-to DCC supplier Kevin at Coastal DCC (v clever & helpful bloke) when I popped in one day. It’s lucky the TTS decoders are quite a bit smaller than my first-port-of-call Zimo MX645’s which just wouldn’t fit in the space available - besides being somewhat cheaper! Should apologise for the spaghetti wiring. It was tidied up, but I am loath to cut wires too short in case of problems arising needing a bit of wriggle room to put right.

 

Izzy

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When adding lighting to TTS be aware of the 100mA current limitation on the function outputs which are not self protected like the motor circuit is. Make sure you keep within the limits else you can damage the decoder. I had to add an additional 1K resistor to the blue wire in my Class 37 Express Model lighting kit as I was trying to run 2 x reds, 2 x markers and a headlight directional, just on the limit enough to make it protest and go awry.

 

Also be aware directional lighting is on F0 with F25 being the switch for the Aux function output on diesels that could be used for cab lighting, etc.  Steam TTS has this Aux output on F18 if you were say fitting firebox glow.

 

Edit - Hornby support told me a future plan was to pre-tune each decoder (motor algorithms and PI values) to suit a particular loco characteristics or sound set, e.g. there are a few FS variants to cater for with 3 or 5 pole motors and then the HSTs with MTU or Valenta, etc. These settings could be further identified by one of the higher 150 range CVs (156/7/8/9) in conjunction with the generic loco ID  value in CV7.

 

Rob

Edited by RAF96
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29 minutes ago, RAF96 said:

Also be aware directional lighting is on F0 with F25 being the switch for the Aux function output on diesels that could be used for cab lighting, etc.  Steam TTS has this Aux output on F18 if you were say fitting firebox glow.

 

Good to know and stored away for the future. I'm fitting lights to an existing ESU (Loksound) decoder at present where F7 operates Fo1 and F8 Fo2 (dimly). I'm using the green wire for the cab light :)

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19 hours ago, Izzy said:

Okay a few shots taken as I installed the TTS 08 decoder. Not brilliant but they may help someone anyway.

 

Very useful information, and excellent photos to illustrate the installation.

 

Thanks very much for posting.

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4 hours ago, RAF96 said:

Hornby support told me a future plan was to pre-tune each decoder (motor algorithms and PI values) to suit a particular loco characteristics or sound set

Good to know - I'm delighted Hornby are doing further work on their TTS decders. I've been pleased with mine so far. Sounds are getting better all the time (especially the diesel ones)  I'm certainly looking forward to the class 50 which I believe is imminent.

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3 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

Good to know - I'm delighted Hornby are doing further work on their TTS decders. I've been pleased with mine so far. Sounds are getting better all the time (especially the diesel ones)  I'm certainly looking forward to the class 50 which I believe is imminent.

Next two weeks for the 50.  It's been brought forward

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I couldnt quite fit the decoder in to my dick hardy 09 which is one of the original 'new' of the Hornby model from when it was first released around 2003?..so not sure how much the configuration has changed since then..  I hacked out the cab detail and put the decoder in there and lengthened the speaker wires. The speaker is ok but sounds far better sealed up with blu tack and fits in snugged in between the screw housings at the front grill. I will upgrade to a sugercube sooner or later but for £40 this is incredible! 

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Collected an 08 TTS decoder from my local model shop this morning - last one out of the 12 he received from Hornby.

 

Told me they sold like hot cakes!

 

Hope to fit it tonight and if all goes well and I like the sound I'll have to order quickly online as I have two more to do.

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On 07/05/2019 at 17:15, Ouroborus said:

Fitted one with its own speaker (behind the radiator) at the weekend, but the sound was extremely quiet and hissy, so as Richard suggests, perhaps upgrade the speaker to something audible

Recommend sealing the back of the speaker with a lump of blue tack.. Sounds quite good. Ultimately upgrade to a sugercube. 

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On 10/05/2019 at 23:34, Richard Croft said:

The only difference between older and newer Hornby 08’s is the position of the motor, on the older ones the flat surfaces of the motor were on the sides, on the newer ones they are at the top and bottom, this means the decoder can go on top of it. If you are are converting an older one take the front bracket off, rotate the motor 90 degrees then glue the bracket back on to hold it in place.

 

Richard

I've got green D3509 and whilst I'm not sure what constitutes the 'older 08' model the motor in mine has the flat sides vertical yet I still got the decoder to mount on top of the motor secured to the top of the bonnet. I have hard wired tho using the the former location of the of the  8 pin socket for a sugarcube.

 

I think this is the best Hornby TTS project to date matching the models running characteristics very well.  Of course my wife, hearing the regular 'toot toots' is asking whether I've finally bought Thomas The Tank Engine :)

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