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Sprog 2 or Sprog 3


woodenhead
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4 hours ago, Suzie said:

Get a loco with a PluX-16 or Next18-S socket and you should be able to just plug in a sound decoder.

 

You possibly might need to add a speaker too, but it will make for a simple sound installation.

Not yet - Probably pick up 40012 when it comes out and get a youchoos or biffo decoder for it, then early 2021 there will be the class 31 of course.

 

Looking inside my class 24/25 there isn't much space and I am not about to start hacking at metal so they will remain silent.  This is not just about a project with sound I wanted to overcome my fear do doing something and to make wiring a terminus and stabling area less about isolators and switches.

 

The locos sound a little noisier than on DC - I am guessing that is a CV thing, which is a future thing to learn about and then resolve - need a layout first not a 40cm test track.

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2 hours ago, Suzie said:

The 40 has a NEM651 6-pin socket so not such an easy installation unfortunately, but the 31 is Next-18 so easier, especially if you buy the sound fitted one!

The latest 40s are all Next 18 & speaker fitted like the 31, with 371-184 all I need to do is buy 40012 and stick in a suitable sound decoder.

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3 hours ago, Suzie said:

Best I don't use Hatton's as a reliable source of info any more!

 

https://www.hattons.co.uk/432172/graham_farish_371_184_class_40_40012_aureol_in_br_blue/stockdetail.aspx

 

They are saying 6-pin socket.

Don't use Kernow Model Centre either.  http://www.kernowmodelrailcentre.com/p/63838/371-184-Graham-Farish-Class-40-Disc-Headcode-40012-‘Aureol

Edited by Free At Last
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From the horses mouth at Bachmann https://www.Bachmann.co.uk/product/category/161/class-40-disc-headcode-40012-'aureol'-br-blue/371-184.  The 31 is the same as are the 8fs, the Castle is Next18 but there is only provision for a speaker - which according to youchoos is a simple fit as a result of this.

 

Where it gets messy is with the Class 108 - it doesn't indicate on the sound fitted version what they have used, the non sound versions remain 6 pin and I don't know if the non sound versions are speaker fitted - they were Farish's first sound output it may be only the sound versions have the speaker.

 

Does anyone know what they have done in the sound versions of the 108?

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The original DCC-ready 108's had a fairly crude moulded bit at the corridor end of the chassis to take a small round ESU speaker.  Fairly tinny little thing, and quite difficult to seal it to get decent sound.  There was space for a six-pin decoder.  Long+thin sound decoders fitted, with dangly wires to the speaker.  

 

It could be upgraded at manufacture to newer take newer speaker shapes, and a N18 socket, but no idea if it has been.  

 

 

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On 26/11/2020 at 20:58, Suzie said:

The 40 has a NEM651 6-pin socket so not such an easy installation unfortunately, but the 31 is Next-18 so easier, especially if you buy the sound fitted one!

Managed to get the last centre headcode blue 40 (371-182) from Arcadia, happy chappy.

 

It is speaker fitted so I just need to purchase the Next18 sound chip from youchoos and away I go.

 

I can add a disc 40 when it arrives in March, will have to think if I go Bachmann sound or youchoos on that one.

 

Having looked at the hacking to get a speaker into a 24 or 25 I will leave them silent.

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Cobalt IP issue

 

I've wired in a Cobalt IP to the Sprog, gone to Panel Pro, Tables/Turnouts/Add, IP is set to 'Set' but when I throw the points nothing is happening.

 

Checked the speed steps on the SProg console, it is set to 128.

 

Using Panel Pro  - Power is set to On and the power light on the Sprog is flashing, the receiver light flickers whenever I click on a button on the turnout control but no response from the motor involved.

 

Am I doing something wrong?

Edited by woodenhead
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Update: I am somehow programmed the point motor, but whilst it works in normal mode it doesnt fire under the set mode - this is wierd.

 

At least I know the motor is working and the Sprog is creating points but it's not how I expected and I dont know how I have managed it.

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12 hours ago, woodenhead said:

Update: I am somehow programmed the point motor, but whilst it works in normal mode it doesnt fire under the set mode - this is wierd.

 

At least I know the motor is working and the Sprog is creating points but it's not how I expected and I dont know how I have managed it.

 

Is it supposed to fire when in set mode? It may be a feature that all it does it register the address, only actually firing when in run mode?

 

Maybe DCConcepts can answer?

 

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My thoughts were that they do fire, but I've just watched back a video and it didn't actually appear to fire in set mode - only after it is set to run.

 

So it appears I correctly programmed it.

 

I should be quite pleased - in the space of 2 weeks gone from zero DCC to setting up a Sprog and JMRI, programming a couple of locos, using app based throttles, bought and tested a sound loco and now programmed an accessory.

 

Time to build the layout I guess and bulk buy chips and motors - luckily I have some funds coming to me to pay for it all.

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  • 2 weeks later...

So just over a month since I began this thread and last night I had two locos operating within the station limits, one with sound, one without, controlled by JMRI via a Sprog 3.

 

Wiring has not involved any soldering and apart from the point motors I have everything I need to plough on over Christmas and lay down the station throat and fiddleyard.

 

Driving a loco from a PC or other interface is a little bit different but I feel I've really accomplished something this past month.  My plan was going to be either a Bachmann Dynamis or an NCE Powercab as they looked the most simple entrances to DCC, but after the suggestion of saving some money by going with a Sprog I decided to just give it a go and see what happens and I am really pleased so far.

 

Next step is to order some more Cobalt IP motors though MERG is now a consideration, if I've overcome my fear of DCC and gone all in with JMRI perhaps I should give myself a new challenge of using MERG stuff next for the point control.

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3 hours ago, woodenhead said:

My plan was going to be either a Bachmann Dynamis or an NCE Powercab as they looked the most simple entrances to DCC, but after the suggestion of saving some money by going with a Sprog I decided to just give it a go and see what happens and I am really pleased so far.

 

It will always be useful for programming decoders if you get he DCC bug and decide to "upgrade" to something else.

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12 minutes ago, Crosland said:

 

It will always be useful for programming decoders if you get he DCC bug and decide to "upgrade" to something else.

I'm wary of going down a hardware route now, as chips get more and more functions you want something that can grow with you.  Never imagined I would hear myself saying that.

 

In terms of Merg the one thing that the Cobalt IPs have that I like is that it's all contained in the one box - accessory decoder and the motor and just the two (or three if I choose) wires, of course I will be paying for such convenience.  

 

I think the Sprog still has a long way to go before it runs out of steam for me as my railway won't have that much going on at any one time.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 27/11/2020 at 12:41, Nigelcliffe said:

The original DCC-ready 108's had a fairly crude moulded bit at the corridor end of the chassis to take a small round ESU speaker.  Fairly tinny little thing, and quite difficult to seal it to get decent sound.  There was space for a six-pin decoder.  Long+thin sound decoders fitted, with dangly wires to the speaker.  

 

It could be upgraded at manufacture to newer take newer speaker shapes, and a N18 socket, but no idea if it has been.  

 

 

Never realised that all 108s had space for a speaker, even the very old ones in the older style GF boxes - just been unpacking mine to put 6 pins in and read the DCC blurb and a paragraph about the speaker enclosure.  So I guess I will be upgrading these at some point, I am sure Youchoos or Digitrains have some newer small speaker I can use.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 08/12/2020 at 23:50, woodenhead said:

Update: I am somehow programmed the point motor, but whilst it works in normal mode it doesnt fire under the set mode - this is wierd.

 

At least I know the motor is working and the Sprog is creating points but it's not how I expected and I dont know how I have managed it.

 

On 09/12/2020 at 12:16, Crosland said:

 

Is it supposed to fire when in set mode? It may be a feature that all it does it register the address, only actually firing when in run mode?

 

Maybe DCConcepts can answer?

 

 

Apologies for not picking this up sooner.

 

A Cobalt Digital IP does not move to DCC commands when in the SET mode.

When the switch is placed in the SET position, it is "listening" for an accessory command and then remembers that number as the switch is returned to the RUN position

 

The SET/RUN procedure is the same for our other accessory decoders/controllers, such as the ADS, AD and CBSS series.

 

 

Best Regards.

The DCCconcepts Team

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11 minutes ago, DCCconcepts said:

 

 

Apologies for not picking this up sooner.

 

A Cobalt Digital IP does not move to DCC commands when in the SET mode.

When the switch is placed in the SET position, it is "listening" for an accessory command and then remembers that number as the switch is returned to the RUN position

 

The SET/RUN procedure is the same for our other accessory decoders/controllers, such as the ADS, AD and CBSS series.

 

 

Best Regards.

The DCCconcepts Team

Thanks, I think I just got into my head it should be moving whilst in test and a lack of movement then threw me.  I got my test purchase working on my bench - new to DCC, but got to say having it all in the one unit should make installation a dream.

 

I still need to formally program the other 12, it seems best to do it off the baseboard, number them and then install - all the clips are in place on the power bus I just need to get around to installing them.  I am undecided about whether to power the frog and drop the spring on the points which I think it stopping me getting on with it - but it's not as though I cannot install these with the frog unpowered and retro fit that wire/pull the spring later - it's only another wire.

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  • 2 months later...
On 13/11/2020 at 21:42, BoD said:

By all means experiment with the Rails and Bachman decoders but, if you can, try to give one of the higher end (eg Zimo or Lenz) decoders a go too.

I've gone for Rails mini 6 pin decoders for my non sound locos - they work quite nicely for me, no issues and the locos are smooth running.

 

I've gone with Zimo and Digitrains sounds for anything I can put a speaker into (or already has one) - Class 40, Class 31 (bought sound decoder fitted), Class 50 plus 4 DMUs.

 

My Dapol 121, thought may be a contender for a speaker, no chance - there was only just room to get in the Rails decoder, they put it facing the bulkhead and very close to it.

 

I've still to wire my 08, I was going to simply add a chip, but I might get brave and consider getting a speaker in too - it does seem there is space.  Not ready to carve up my other locos yet to fit speakers.

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