Loksound 5

[uk_pm]

I have just acquired 3 Loksound 5s. 2 are for Deltics. On the Loksound 4, I set CV3 to 255 and immediately have a fantastic slow departure and leisurely acceleration to a scale 100. The same setting on the Loksound 5, and the loco races away and is doing a scale 50 before the train is off the platform.  It appears that CV6 does not operate at all, and CV23 appears in the mix as well - but lack of decent English instruction manual complicates matters.  Any suggestions as to how I manage a slow take off and acceleration without the tedium of a speed table?

 

PM

[cravensdmufan]

Will be following  this thread with interest - I have just aquired my first v5.0 loaded with Legomanbiffo's class 40 sound.

 

My experience with the decoder is the exact opposite!

 

I fitted the v5 to a new Bachmann model and  I noticed that it hardly moves off – even on speed step 40/128 it is just crawling.  Almost if it is in a shunting or yard mode.  Also top speed is much reduced compared with the v4.

 

I tried changing CV5 to max 255 and also reducing value in CV3 without much effect.  I also tried the CV54 to 0 trick but no effect either.

 

I know the loco is OK because I tried it with a cheap Hattons non sound decoder and it behaves perfectly!

 

I have contacted Bif and asked his advice, in the meantime would be interested to read any others' experiences on here.

[Hamburger]

46 minutes ago, uk_pm said:

I have just acquired 3 Loksound 5s. 2 are for Deltics. On the Loksound 4, I set CV3 to 255 and immediately have a fantastic slow departure and leisurely acceleration to a scale 100. The same setting on the Loksound 5, and the loco races away and is doing a scale 50 before the train is off the platform.  It appears that CV6 does not operate at all, and CV23 appears in the mix as well - but lack of decent English instruction manual complicates matters.  Any suggestions as to how I manage a slow take off and acceleration without the tedium of a speed table?

 

PM

 

There has been a bug in the V4 which caused a data overflow if CVs 3 or 4 were set to very high values.

This resulted in long acceleration and deceleration times. 

Customers were satisfied with that and so they never claimed.

 

For the V5 the bug was sorted, so you now have a max. acc/dec. time of just 64 seconds.

As a workaround you can activate CVs 23 and 24 which are then added to CVs 3 and 4, just set CVs 23 and 24 to 127 (values above would be subtracted from CVs 3 and 4 !).

 

Long acc/dec times (up to 342 seconds) as well as the CV 6 are now only available on the Loksound 5 DCC which is unfortunately sold only in the US.

 

By experience it helps if as many customers as possible would claim this directly to ESU.

I already did and some other people, too, so dont hesitate...

 

Wolf

 

 

 

 

 

[Jim]

I’ve just got a loco with a V5 decoder.

im having similar issues with the acceleration and matching my V4 locos.

On the V4s, I set cv 3 to 252 giving a really nice slow acceleration.

 

I have found on the V5, that setting CV3 to 252 does nearly match the V4s but it’s the cv6 setting that I need to set, which I can’t access.

I normally set cv6 to a midway value.

 

The other thing I do is on a class 33 sound is reduce CV 60 to 100 from 128 to “slow down” the full power engine speed sound.

This I have done on V3.5s and V4s. However, I can’t find a way of doing this on the V5, there doesn’t seem to be a CV59 or CV60 listed in the manual?

is three a way of slowing the maximum speed sound?  This I feel I need to sort 

 

I will experiment with the cv23/24 in relation to acceleration and braking.

 

Here’s a link to the English manual I’ve found today:

http://www.esu.eu/en/downloads/instruction-manuals/digital-decoders/?no_cache=1&tx_esudownloads_pi1%5BdownloadItem%5D=0ca34842dad5f01e2f8cc3d52aad32a5

 

Thanks for the advice so far

jim

 

[Pete the Elaner]

On 13/04/2019 at 12:49, cravensdmufan said:

 

I tried changing CV5 to max 255 and also reducing value in CV3 without much effect.  I also tried the CV54 to 0 trick but no effect either.

 

Be wary of the CV54 trick. It gave my HST a maximum speed more appropriate for a class 08.

[Pete the Elaner]

On 13/04/2019 at 13:22, Hamburger said:

 

There has been a bug in the V4 which caused a data overflow if CVs 3 or 4 were set to very high values.

This resulted in long acceleration and deceleration times. 

Customers were satisfied with that and so they never claimed.

 

For the V5 the bug was sorted, so you now have a max. acc/dec. time of just 64 seconds.

As a workaround you can activate CVs 23 and 24 which are then added to CVs 3 and 4, just set CVs 23 and 24 to 127 (values above would be subtracted from CVs 3 and 4 !).

 

Long acc/dec times (up to 342 seconds) as well as the CV 6 are now only available on the Loksound 5 DCC which is unfortunately sold only in the US.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So a 'bug' caused the decoder to give performance many found more desirable & extra features have been made unavailable to UK users?

Sounds like I may now be favouring Zimo where possible.

[Roger Sunderland]

23 minutes ago, Pete the Elaner said:

So a 'bug' caused the decoder to give performance many found more desirable & extra features have been made unavailable to UK users?

Sounds like I may now be favouring Zimo where possible.

 

Confirms what I've thought all along. Zimo decoders produce fabulous running and are far more "user friendly" than ESU. Couple that with a price comparison. LOksound V5 micros still not available in UK, and won't be for another month or so.

[cravensdmufan]

On 15/04/2019 at 07:45, Pete the Elaner said:

Be wary of the CV54 trick. It gave my HST a maximum speed more appropriate for a class 08.

Yes,  after doing the CV54 to 0 then f1 thing, my Class 40 wasn't much faster than an 08!

 

Bif has come back to me suggesting trying different values in CV54, which I've started to do without much success yet.

 

I read somewhere that there is an adjustment for "load control" so I need to study the manual for that. 

 

I must say I'm disappointed with the Loksound v5.0. It's my first one and I'm certainly not inclined to buy any more until problems are ironed out.

 

I've spent more time fiddling around with CVs on this one than I did with any of my TTS! Never had to do any adjustments with previous v4s.

 

EDIT: Update - now happy with the decoder having tweaked some CVs - see my post further down.  Thank you Bif and Wiggy for advice.

Edited April 16, 2019 by cravensdmufan
To add a further comment

[cravensdmufan]

I'm also now wondering if v5 decoders behave so differently to v4s whether sound suppliers will have to make adjustments to their existing files, which I should imagine would be a major headache! 

[Jim]

7 minutes ago, cravensdmufan said:

I'm also now wondering if v5 decoders behave so differently to v4s whether sound suppliers will have to make adjustments to their existing files, which I should imagine would be a major headache! 

I’m wondering the same thing.

Im just about to start fiddling with CVs on my Crompton to try and match it with my others with V4s.

 

I am a little concerned about the actual “max speed” diesel sound as it sounds like a wasp on speed..!

i normally reduce CV60 a little to slow the sound down but this decoder is reproducing the max sound very strangely.

cv60 is no longer an option on the V5.

ahhhhhg!

jim

[cravensdmufan]

11 minutes ago, Jim said:

I am a little concerned about the actual “max speed” diesel sound as it sounds like a wasp on speed..!

Yes, exactly the same on my Biffo class 40.  Whose sound are you using Jim?

Edited April 15, 2019 by cravensdmufan
Spelling

[Jim]

1 hour ago, cravensdmufan said:

Yes, exactly the same on my Biffo class 40.  Whose sound are you using Jim?

I’m using Howes. I use his sounds for all my locos with no issues.

 

I can’t find any way of altering the max diesel sound. I’ve even tried to mess with cv57/58 steam chuff sync as a desperate move...!

 

Im battling with this decoder as I write this.

 

I've set cv3 to 252 and cv4 to 120. The same as my v4 locos.

I can match the maximum speeds and the intermediate steps seem close. But I can’t fine-tune the acceleration.

since cv6 can’t be altered.

At lower speeds it accelerates quicker to each step and runs slightly slower then at higher steps it almost matches  the other locos.

 

So I can’t use the loco in a consist.

 

Jim

[Jim]

Well that’s a few hours bashing my head against the proverbial brick wall.

 

I’ve kinda worked out the relationship between cv3 and cv23 but still can’t get it right.

 

I really think these V4s and 5s are not compatible.

 

I cannot recommend these v5s if you run V4s and want all your locos to be trimmed with each other.

 

So now I have an engine that can’t run with the rest of the fleet and sounds different

 

Very disappointed..

Jim

Edited for further info.

  

Edited April 15, 2019 by Jim
Edited for further info

[cravensdmufan]

43 minutes ago, Jim said:

I’m using Howes. I use his sounds for all my locos with no issues.

 

I can’t find any way of altering the max diesel sound. I’ve even tried to mess with cv57/58 steam chuff sync as a desperate move...!

 

Im battling with this decoder as I write this.

 

I've set cv3 to 252 and cv4 to 120. The same as my v4 locos.

I can match the maximum speeds and the intermediate steps seem close. But I can’t fine-tune the acceleration.

since cv6 can’t be altered.

At lower speeds it accelerates quicker to each step and runs slightly slower then at higher steps it almost matches  the other locos.

 

So I can’t use the loco in a consist.

 

Jim

Sounds as if we're having same type of problems. It will be interesting to hear if anybody else has issues.

 

Can't understand why CV6 adjustment for mid speed is no longer available to us in UK but it is in USA.  It is listed in the user manual!

 

I don't think it's nearly as good as the v4 - quite what is the advantage?

 

Maybe the importers / distributors, or ESU themselves could comment? 

 

 

[cravensdmufan]

9 minutes ago, Jim said:

Well that’s a few hours bashing my head against the proverbial brick wall.

 

I’ve kinda worked out the relationship between cv3 and cv23 but still can’t get it right.

 

I really think these V4s and 5s are not compatible.

 

I cannot recommend these v5s if you run V4s and want all your locos to be trimmed with each other.

 

So now I have an engine that can’t run with the rest of the fleet and sounds different

 

Very disappointed..

 

Edited for further info.

  

Jim, maybe get back to Howes and let them know the problems.  See what they say.  Especially as you have purchased previous decoders from them.

 

I have emailed Biffo and let him know abot my 40.  He is always helpful and I'm sure will sort it out.

[Jim]

8 minutes ago, cravensdmufan said:

Jim, maybe get back to Howes and let them know the problems.  See what they say.  Especially as you have purchased previous decoders from them.

 

I have emailed Biffo and let him know abot my 40.  He is always helpful and I'm sure will sort it out.

Let us know what Biffo suggests. 

I’ll email Brian. He replied last night with the excellent idea of downloading the manual.

Its early days with these v5s but I feel they’ve introduced more capabilities but stepped back in the tweaking area.

 

jim

Edited April 15, 2019 by Jim
Spell check turned Biffo into Bigfoot..!

[wiggy1]

7 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

Yes,  after doing the CV54 to 0 then f1 thing, my Class 40 wasn't much faster than an 08!

 

 

 

Hi Vivian,

 

After you have done the CV54=0 and F1 thing reset CV53=140 and try it then.

Let me know how you get on.

You have my email address.

Neil.

[Jim]

Well,

I’ve been trying all day.

The v5 for what I need a decoder to do  is no better than a v3.5.

 

It seems the “bug” in the v4 was what I really liked about it, prototypical acceleration. I just can’t achieve that with the brand new v5.

 

I can’t sync the speed steps either even though I can match the max speed.

 

I can’t change the max diesel sound to stop it sounding like an angry wasp.

 

I don’t think I’ll be buying any of these retro-stepped decoders from anyone again. 

I will ask what decoder then ask if they do anything else, otherwise, that’s me done.

 

jim

[cravensdmufan]

1 hour ago, wiggy1 said:

 

Hi Vivian,

 

After you have done the CV54=0 and F1 thing reset CV53=140 and try it then.

Let me know how you get on.

You have my email address.

Neil.

Thanks Neil - I'll try that.  Will message you later.

 

Vivian

[uk_pm]

A huge thank you to Wolf for replying to my original question so promptly on Saturday.  

 

I was not expecting what was said in that reply and share the frustration, disappointment and incredulity of others on here to discover that the wonderful, prototypical acceleration achievable on the Loksound 4 was a mere bug which has been expunged from the new generation of decoders.  I'm afraid that I consider the loss of that function as serious retrograde step.  There was no discernible increase in acceleration times when I adjusted CV23 to 127, as advised above.  

 

As matters stand, I will steer clear of the Loksound 5, at least whilst I can.

 

PM  

[SRman]

Looks like I have dodged a bullet here! I recently upgraded a Hobbytrade Danish ME diesel to sound, and was offered a LokSound 5, but I expressed a preference for a LokSound 4, as I had downloaded the sound project from the ESU website (I found out later that a project for v. 5 was also available). It works just the way I want it to with the v. 4.  

[cravensdmufan]

20 hours ago, wiggy1 said:

 

Hi Vivian,

 

After you have done the CV54=0 and F1 thing reset CV53=140 and try it then.

Let me know how you get on.

You have my email address.

Neil.

Quick update on the v5 in the class 40 folks:

 

Having taken Neil's advice. the loco is behaving well now - I ended up with the following;  CV3=170   CV4=120    CV5=150    CV53=140    CV54=48.

 

The only thing now is I've lost the nice brake squeal just before she comes to a standstill.

[wiggy1]

30 minutes ago, cravensdmufan said:

I ended up with the following;  CV3=170   CV4=120    CV5=150    CV53=140    CV54=48.

 

The only thing now is I've lost the nice brake squeal just before she comes to a standstill.

 

Try increasing CV4=200 just to see if it comes back.

If so start reducing CV4 until it stops then up one to bring it back.

Not knowing Bif's file if it has the braking function on,CV4 maybe set high so you use the brakes to stop.

Wiggy.

[cravensdmufan]

7 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

Quick update on the v5 in the class 40 folks:

 

Having taken Neil's advice. the loco is behaving well now - I ended up with the following;  CV3=170   CV4=120    CV5=150    CV53=140    CV54=48.

 

The only thing now is I've lost the nice brake squeal just before she comes to a standstill.

Update:

 

Found the answer to the brake squeal sound problem by consulting the Loksound v5 manual!   Reduced value of CV64!

 

So my final settings are: CV3=170    CV4=75    CV5=150    CV53=140    CV54=48    CV64=12

 

The Bachmann class 40 runs and sounds absolutely perfect now.

[charliepetty]

The V5 issues are purely down to how the sound files are set up, the various projects out there on V4 are set up in slightly different ways, because the 'Options' on the V5 are far greater than the V4 these older projects need tweeking and options Ticking or Un-Ticking.

 

More work for the programmers initially but this results in a far better overall project with the yet to be used 'brilliant' features.

 

Our first 'Full Fat' projects are the S Stock, Realtrack Class 156 EMT & Provincial & Hattons Class 66.

 

Charlie  (Legomanbiffo Team)