Hornby 2023 - Bluetooth decoders and control system

[jonnyuk]

I might be being thick here, picked up my turbomotive today, put a txs in and set it up like my others, no issues with control, however there is no sound. The turbo already has a speaker, my assumption is that this speaker could be used rather than putting the txs included speaker in?

[LMSfan72]

I don’t know how the built in speaker connects but the txs needs the speaker to be plugged into its socket - does it do that?

[jonnyuk]

If I plug the speaker in then we have sound. Just seems abit daft, this is my first loco with built in speaker that I’m using a txs chip mill

[newbryford]

13 minutes ago, LMSfan72 said:

I don’t know how the built in speaker connects but the txs needs the speaker to be plugged into its socket - does it do that?

 

The 21 pin TXS decoder does have the speaker connections on pins 9/10 of the 21 pin plug.

 

10 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

If I plug the speaker in then we have sound. Just seems abit daft, this is my first loco with built in speaker that I’m using a txs chip mill

 

Maybe the speaker in the turbo isn't connected to pins 9/10?

[jonnyuk]

I’ve not read up yet but I wonder if you need to tell the chip not to use the speaker socket

[newbryford]

24 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

I’ve not read up yet but I wonder if you need to tell the chip not to use the speaker socket

 

Not that I'm aware off.

Fitted a 21TXS to a Hattons 66 and soldered the speaker to the SPK solder pads on the loco circuit board with no problems.

 

[SteveM666]

The Turbomotive comes with a preffitted speaker that needs no additional wiring, nor does it need to be ‘told’ not to use the plug.

The usual checks need to be done regarding making sure the decoder is in the right way up/round and seated properly. Try plugging in the speaker that came with the decoder but don’t let it touch the track - it will almost certainly go bang. I suggest temporarily sticking it to the tender innards with blutac.

If the sound works with the replacement speaker then the profited one is either duff or the terminals are not making contact with the PCB.

[jonnyuk]

The speaker that comes with the decoder works, I’ll need to take the inbuilt speaker encloser apart today and have a look

[Tony_S]

I have got a Mehano HO scale Class 66 diesel. It is fitted with an 8 pin socket and I have an eight pin TXS decoder. I didn’t want to dismantle the model today so I plugged the decoder into my decoder tester. Everything went well, it did a couple of Bluetooth updates and downloaded the class 66 sound profile. Then everything went wrong. It lost Bluetooth connectivity and on DCC was giving random cv values for manufacturer ID. I was concerned the decoder had failed but no smoke had been released! Then I touched the 8 pin plug and got a response from the DCC system (Sprog and Decoder Pro. The decoder was quite loose in the tester socket. I think the Hornby pins are quite fine and the decoder tester sockets are perhaps “generous”. Anyway very, very gently bending the pins outwards made it a more positive fit and everything was fine on Bluetooth and DCC. 

[jonnyuk]

Spoke with Hornby support in regards the Turbomotive, no pre fitted speaker so that clears that up!

[E100]

37 minutes ago, jonnyuk said:

Spoke with Hornby support in regards the Turbomotive, no pre fitted speaker so that clears that up!

 

I guess they do include one with every HM7000 at least

[Chrisr40]

On 06/10/2023 at 00:36, Marcoblanco said:

Anyone got vids of the 37 sound scheme? Better than TTS version is my main curiosity[?]

 

I had a go at capturing my installation. Hope it helps show some of its features.

 

 

[letterspider]

Sorry if this is in the thread elsewhere but cannot link my decoder 

It shows up as resettable decoder but I can't reset it without a pass code and I don't have that unless it links and its won't link. 

Here is the screen shot

[cravensdmufan]

Further to Chris's Class 37 video, I thought I'd do a very quick one of the Class 47 I installed last night.

 
My very first venture into TXS - a 21 pin into a Bachmann 47, using the supplied second smallest speaker.  Sound is very good, though I will be experimenting with speaker upgrades in due course.

I'm really delighted with it.  A very easy 15 minute upload with no glitches whatsoever.  A real breeze, the app was so easy to follow.

Motor control is fabulous - no adjustment of CVs required at all.  I was amazed.

The overall volume default of 50 is just right for my layout.  Already I have adjusted some of the spot sounds to my liking, for example spirax valves right down to level 1 - absolutely perfect. The app on the tablet makes CV adjustments quick and easy.  I also reduced the brightness of the loco lights to better suit a 47.

 
You can do so much.  I shall definitely be buying more and uploading more loco classes to replace some TTS.

Can't fault anything at all.  Quite honestly it's now one of the best sounding (and running) Class 47's in my fleet - and I have Loksounds and Zimos from most sound suppliers.

 

So well done Hornby.
 

 

[PeterStiles]

9 hours ago, letterspider said:

resettable decoder but I can't reset it without a pass code a

Call Hornby customer services. I had exactly the same and it took nearly a whole minute for them to sort me out with a code.

 

 

[RAF96]

This has already been covered by Steve - power down the decoder and app and restart and it will appear as a linkable device.

[cravensdmufan]

As mentioned above, I have recently installed my first HM7000 TXS.  I immediately received an automatic email from Hornby giving the Device Reset Passcode for the decoder, which I have now saved.

 

I was impressed with that. 

Edited October 12, 2023 by cravensdmufan
Spelling

[letterspider]

Thanks everyone. I did try the app reset. Even uninstalled the app. Didn't work

Did receive a reset code today. Hopefully it will work

[cravensdmufan]

A comment from a viewer of my Class 47 video reckons that, apart from enhanced selection of horns, the basic sounds are the same as those on TTS.  In which case are the 31, 37 and 60 etc also the same?

 

I have to say that my untrained ear thinks they are different, but wondering if anyone could clarify?

 

IMO the new TXS are a significant improvement over TTS.  I have found that motor control is way up there with the premium products, and the ease of adjusting CVs with the app is great!  I'm enjoying fine tuning the spot sounds. 

Edited October 12, 2023 by cravensdmufan
Spelling

[Chrisr40]

1 minute ago, cravensdmufan said:

A comment from a viewer of my Class 47 video reckons that, apart from enhanced selection of horns, the basic sounds are the same as those on TTS.  In which case are the 31, 37 and 60 etc the same?

 

I have to say that my untrained ear thinks they are different, but wondering if anyone could clarify?

 

IMO the new TXS are a significant improvement over TTS.  I have found that motor control is way up there with the premium products, and the ease of adjusting CVs with the app is great!  I'm enjoying fine tuning the spot sounds. 

Hi Cravensdmufan, from what I have read elsewhere there is zero carry across from TTS to the new TXS but I think one of the team involved in developing will confirm.

[MikeParkin65]

6 minutes ago, cravensdmufan said:

A comment from a viewer of my Class 47 video reckons that, apart from enhanced selection of horns, the basic sounds are the same as those on TTS.  In which case are the 31, 37 and 60 etc also the same?

 

I have to say that my untrained ear thinks they are different, but wondering if anyone could clarify?

 

IMO the new TXS are a significant improvement over TTS.  I have found that motor control is way up there with the premium products, and the ease of adjusting CVs with the app is great!  I'm enjoying fine tuning the spot sounds. 

Only tried the 31 so far and its an interesting question you pose because I too think  it sounds different but I dont know that its a new recording. Having said that the way the project responds is light years away from TTS, it feels as good as a typical Zimo or Loksound in terms of running quality, sound quality and the match to movement (diesel and electric only of course). 

[ColinB]

I suppose the big question is did they go out and get new recordings for the TXS. I assume the TXS has better hardware than TTS and on my P2 it does sound better but could be just because of the improved hardware. We already know if you ditch the standard TTS speaker and replace it with a better one the sound is substantially improved. When I tried the original software in my P2 , it kept stopping on bits of track that a similar model with a Zimo decoder in didn't but the new software improves it a lot. The big pain I have with TXS is the programming time, i have tried it on two locos and on both it took about 20 minutes plus. Now I am used to it I just set it going and go for a cup of coffee.

[meatloaf]

6 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

A comment from a viewer of my Class 47 video reckons that, apart from enhanced selection of horns, the basic sounds are the same as those on TTS.  In which case are the 31, 37 and 60 etc also the same?

 

I have to say that my untrained ear thinks they are different, but wondering if anyone could clarify?

 

IMO the new TXS are a significant improvement over TTS.  I have found that motor control is way up there with the premium products, and the ease of adjusting CVs with the app is great!  I'm enjoying fine tuning the spot sounds. 

Some of the horns were the same, as was the moving off sound. The startup sound was similar to the newer TTS version. Not the same as the original TTS chip.

 

The 37 sounded ok, but the warning sounds on startup must mean its intended for later liveried 37s. 

 

The 08 is pretty much the same as the TTS file, but it does sound richer. Having said that i too k it out of my 08 in the end as the loco got very hot where the speaker was at the front.

Edited October 12, 2023 by meatloaf

[meatloaf]

6 hours ago, Chrisr40 said:

Hi Cravensdmufan, from what I have read elsewhere there is zero carry across from TTS to the new TXS but I think one of the team involved in developing will confirm.

Listen to the original Hornby mag review of the original large logo blue 47 ( and the shenker 08 for that matter ) and youll see they are very similar - especially the horns

[SteveM666]

5 hours ago, ColinB said:

I suppose the big question is did they go out and get new recordings for the TXS. I assume the TXS has better hardware than TTS and on my P2 it does sound better but could be just because of the improved hardware. We already know if you ditch the standard TTS speaker and replace it with a better one the sound is substantially improved. When I tried the original software in my P2 , it kept stopping on bits of track that a similar model with a Zimo decoder in didn't but the new software improves it a lot. The big pain I have with TXS is the programming time, i have tried it on two locos and on both it took about 20 minutes plus. Now I am used to it I just set it going and go for a cup of coffee.

It has been said many, many times before, the TXS soundfiles are all new - nothing has been carried over from TTS. Wherever possible they have been created from original recordings of the actual class of locos.