Find sound version

[lilchris]

Hi there I have just purchased a s/h Class 47 n gauge loco with sound. Is there an easy way to find out what sound files are being used. On my Z21 it reports ESU and the seller told me it is a loksound V5 chip fitted. Most of the sound locos I have up to now are Zimo next 18 so I want to figure out the function list, but it would be nice to know which sounds too, any advice appreciated. I am wondering if JMRI will help, I have a sprog ,must admit I have not used it since I changed to the Z21 system. It will at least tell me what chip is fitted so should be worth connecting up.

Edited March 21 by lilchris
Additional text

[Tony Burgess]

I'm fairly sure ESU chips do not carry a reference to the .esux sound file loaded. The file may have been an ESU one S0407 in which case you will find the details and sample sounds on their website. 

You've already checked which sounds respond to the Function calls?  The info on the ESU file will help you with any you don't recognise. 

[Phil Bullock]

If you work out what the functions are and post them on here am sure someone will recognise the file structure….

[Bob83a]

On 20/03/2024 at 18:51, lilchris said:

Hi there I have just purchased a s/h Class 47 n gauge loco with sound. Is there an easy way to find out what sound files are being used. On my Z21 it reports ESU and the seller told me it is a loksound V5 chip fitted. Most of the sound locos I have up to now are Zimo next 18 so I want to figure out the function list, but it would be nice to know which sounds too, any advice appreciated. I am wondering if JMRI will help, I have a sprog ,must admit I have not used it since I changed to the Z21 system. It will at least tell me what chip is fitted so should be worth connecting up.

Changing from the Z21 to a sprog will not help, the chip is probably an ESU as the Z21 reports and it will not change.

There is no specific way to identify what sound file has been loaded onto the chip and the Z21 or sprog cannot help with the identification. Hence the advise to try to identify what functions the sound file supports, from this hopefully someone can suggest sound file providers who may have produced the file and have used that function layout.

 

if it is an older class 47 and pre-fitted with sound (item number suffixed DS) or a later version (item suffixed SF) then the provider of the sound file is or was probably South West Digital (SWD). SWD have stopped providing sound files and they are now available from ESU directly (they are now free to download). There may sound fitted moulded into the bottom of the loco which may help. But there is not guarantee that the chip in a s/h loco is the original as it could have been changed.

 

if the decoder was not pre-fitted then it was probably after market fitted and there is no way to identify the sound file provider from the Z21/sprog. There may be a label with a code of some sort stuck onto the chip, this may help to determine a short list of sound file providers. 
 

By reading some of the CV’s it is sometimes possible to identify the sound file provider but as with the functions it is a question of trying to see a pattern that might match.

 

one issue is that some sound file providers have issued several versions of their sound files and the functions/CV layout is different. We are talking CV’s specific to the sound file and not the generic ones used by the chip provider or that are part of the NMRA standard.

 

 

[Phil Bullock]

If the horn sounds like this … 2 mins in to 

 

This video 

 

then it’s a Howes sound file.

[lilchris]

Thank you guys the replies are appreciated. I will try and log the sounds that I can identify, like you say someone may recognise them. I found out my sprog will not work with my computer which is W11 without loading the older  usb drivers. I have decided I did not want to go there and am waiting for a new later sprog arriving. I also found out you can get the old sprog upgraded for a small charge, too late I had paid for a new one, no big deal. I found the sprog very useful for setting up decoders for locos, since I last used mine I have rebuilt my layout and changed to the Z21 system.

Thanks again. Chris H.

[lilchris]

Well I did find out which sound file, I nearly deleted it in error. I loaded my N gauge  Class 47 with my sprog 2/4 and fortunately I saved it in decoder pro.

The decoder is a ESU Loksound 5 micro, the  sound file is by Legomanbiffo , not sure who fitted the decoder it looks like it has been hardwired. Thanks to Charlie for advising me to try a reset, that seems to have worked so I now have the loco up and running.

Chris H.