Problems with Loksound 4, Olivia Sound file and my Hornby County of Flint

[johnashp]

My Hornby County of Flint blew its DCC chip so I sent it off to Hattons and I decided to go overboard and have them fit a Loksound 4 & speaker, and they installed Olivia's steam A4 sound file http://www.oliviastrains.com/trains/mt/olivias-trains-sound-function-sheets/olivias-steam-sound-functions/

 

I was not that happy with the way it had been set up and, to avoid having to post it back from Spain to UK again, am trying to adjust things myself. I have downloaded the Loksound 4 manual, a lot of which is impenetrable to me, along with the Olivia soundsheet.

 

The chuff and other sound volumes are out of balance, the chuff being far to quiet. I read elsewhere about changing CV 31 to 16 (was already) and CV32 to 1, which I did. The separate sounds start at CV 259 but Railmaster via Elink won't read beyond CV255 despite setting CV range to read from 1 to 400. It does not get beyond 255. Is that a limitation of Railmaster? Which would mean I cannot balance the various sounds.

 

Something else I've been trying to overcome by adjusting acceleration rate is the fact that it gives a very long burst of steam as the brake is released and sets off quite fast with the steam still gushing; any slow chuffing can't be heard. Once the steam stops, the chuffs are then too fast for the speed. 

 

My 2 Hornby TTS locos are much more user-friendly and sounds and implementation are much better. Steam brake off, loco starts with chuffing at the correct rate. I think I have wasted quite a lot of money and, in future, will be waiting for the standalone TTS decoders etc to become available. I'd welcome suggestions, thanks.

[wiggy1]

Sent you a PM 

 

Wiggy.

[Nigelcliffe]

 

 

The chuff and other sound volumes are out of balance, the chuff being far to quiet. I read elsewhere about changing CV 31 to 16 (was already) and CV32 to 1, which I did. The separate sounds start at CV 259 but Railmaster via Elink won't read beyond CV255 despite setting CV range to read from 1 to 400. It does not get beyond 255. Is that a limitation of Railmaster? Which would mean I cannot balance the various sounds.

 

 

Yes, that's a limit of Elink/Railmaster.    There is a work-around in the ESU manual, where you can program some off-set values first which then allow systems which don't go above CV255 to access the higher CV's.  (255 is a key number in binary maths, hence it being the limit). 

 

Hopefully Wiggy has sent you specific advice on how to adjust things.     A well setup ESU decoder is in a different league to a TTS decoder - like comparing a 1990 Skoda with a current Skoda Superb. 

 

It's unfortunate that Hattons didn't setup the decoder properly for you, but it may reflect the price charged for installation and setup.  Other smaller providers might have done things properly (setup the chuff sync, the steam blow-off, etc..) and ensured it ran correctly before dispatch. 

 

 

- Nigel

[johnashp]

Thanks Wiggy & Nigel.

 

I´m sure Nigel is right, if the ESU is set up correctly. But I guess there's more to get wrong and it needs skill and knowledge which does not seem to have been applied in this case.  I do know, however, that in this case, my TTS locos are performing much more satisfactorily than this ESU one.

 

Hattons have offered to take the loco back and set it up again. Can I expect it to be any better, I wonder? To send it off from Spain to UK again and be without out it for several weeks with no guarantee it will be any better is all rather a pain.

 

I'm going to video its current performance and put it on Youtube for Wiggie to look at. I'll also share it here.

 

Thanks again. 

[MikeParkin65]

 

My Hornby County of Flint blew its DCC chip so I sent it off to Hattons and I decided to go overboard and have them fit a Loksound 4 & speaker, and they installed Olivia's steam A4 sound file http://www.oliviastrains.com/trains/mt/olivias-trains-sound-function-sheets/olivias-steam-sound-functions/

 

 

 

 

Someone has to ask - by what convoluted route did Hattons come to the conclusion that the best project for an Edwardian  GWR 4-4-0 was from a) an A4 Pacific and b) from Olivia's?

[Albie the plumber]

Hope the A4 sounds good!!

Locoman

 

Penso di No !  

[johnashp]

I have been chatting with Wiggy and he agrees the sound is awful. At least, I assume he thinks that, as he said he was speechless when I sent a video of poor old County of Flint's sound behaviour!! 

 

All agree, it has to go back to Hattons to give them another chance and it is being posted off this morning. I'll report back when I get it back but Hattons are still muttering "Olivia sounds" and not sure they will use anything else. We'll see what they say and do.

 

Thanks for the support here, guys!

[RAF96]

One would like to think Hattons sent it back with a sound set that resembled the model type given it is a 2 cylinder machine and the A4 has 3 cylinders.