Despatcher Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Greetings. I have a Bachmann Warship with a Loksound decoder (3.5 I think). The model is the old one but was modified to have switchable marker lights (red rear) and directional marker lights/headcode lights (white front). Just sent it away as red lights not working at one end. Now have F6 operating dispatch platform whistle and one set of rear marker lights. Have managed to turn sound off from F6 so can turn lights on without platform whistle BUT how do I transfer the platform whistle from F6 to another Function Key. Have read the Loksound decoder manual which is how I turned the sound off (both directions - quite proud of this acheivement) but cannot understand how to transfer the sound to another Function Key. SIMPLE answers please. THANKS. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 Which user sound slot is the whistle in? Initially, it might be easier to re-allocate the marker lights to another function. Who's sound project is this? Do you have a Lokprogrammer? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Despatcher Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Thanks for reply By user sound slot do you mean Function Key if so F6 Sound project is Keytes of Essex although Olivas assigned the marker lights. Got a Lokprogrammer but cannot get the computer to acknowledge it exists. Software won'r run on laptop and need a cable between laptop and lokprogrammer I think as cannot get laptop to load USB software from disk. Using a Bachmann Dynamis to programme meantime. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 By user sound slot do you mean Function Key if so F6 No I don't. The sound project as the facility to have two types of sound slot. one is random and the other user controlled which are then assigned to function keys. you have to know which sound slot this sound is in to stand any chance of re-assigning it without changing other sounds. Sound project is Keytes of Essex although Olivas assigned the marker lights. As I say, it will be easier to re-allocate the lights as they are not in the sound flash memory. Got a Lokprogrammer but cannot get the computer to acknowledge it exists. Software won'r run on laptop and need a cable between laptop and lokprogrammer I think as cannot get laptop to load USB software from disk. Using a Bachmann Dynamis to programme meantime. There is some conflict then. Which version of Lokprogrammer is it and does it attempt to access the ESU website when you load it? You will need the USB to serial connector supplied with a Lokprogrammer and a new driver from Prolific which the programme may well prompt you to search the net for. This won't work for 64bit running although windows 7 will run both 32bit and 64bit quite happily in my experience. A lot more help is available on the yahoo group for Loksound as there were many issues with drivers during the Vista debacle. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted June 29, 2011 Share Posted June 29, 2011 The allocation of sound slot to function key can be done with CV programming. The allocation of lighting outputs to a function key can be done with CV programming. Both are equally hard/easy to achieve and use pretty much the same CVs. LokProgrammer not required in either case. Despatcher has two difficulties in working out the sound slot.. a ) has changed the value in the relevant CV to nullify the sound, so the slot value has been lost, b ) in using a Dynamis wouldn't have been able to read the value to find the sound slot number. Two ways out... 1 ) Ask supplier of sound file which sound slot was used for that noise. Write it down ! 2 ) Systematically work through the sound slots, there are only 16 of them, until you find it. This can be done on the Dynamis with CV settings. To allocate a sound to a function key, requires setting two CV's, see the LokSound 3.5 manual for the numbers - these are in groups of six, with three in each direction. The group of three control function outputs, effects and sound slots. They start at CV129-134 (loco stopped), through CV141-146 (for headlamp or F0 key), to CV231-236 (for F15 key), and then a few more CV's for sensor keys which are appropriate to the XL decoder. For Sound slot allocation to F6 you would use CV179 for the forward direction and CV182 for the reverse direction. Similarly if you go through the long table at the rear of the manual, you'll find the pair of CV's for allocating sound to any other function key in each direction of travel. These two CV's are given a value between 1 and 16, corresponding to the sound slot (or 0 for no sound slot), so if doing things by systematic guesswork, try a value of 1, then 2, then 3, etc. until the sound you want is played by that key - worst case is 16 attempts, which is not a crazy number. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Despatcher Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Just read lots about cables and Vista. No wonder my Lokprogrammer doesn't work. I was hoping it was more plug and play! Is it too much to expect something to work in this day and and age without having to have an advanced PhD in "not for mere mortals computer science"? It may well appear on eBay tomorrow! So how do I move the lights the lights to a different Function Key. Although as they are attached to 1 of the two additional aux possibilities I might mange to do that tomorrow if I read the Loksound decoder manual. Although if anyone can provide simple instructions that would be good too. I have two old Triang/Hornby locos on ebay at the moment. 40 Years old, worn, used, very dirty wheels, run perfectly at any speed. Where did we go wrong? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Despatcher Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Nigel, I think I can manage that. I will have a go tomorrow. Sounds like a two cups of tea task. Many Many Thanks Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Despatcher Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 The allocation of sound slot to function key can be done with CV programming. The allocation of lighting outputs to a function key can be done with CV programming. Both are equally hard/easy to achieve and use pretty much the same CVs. LokProgrammer not required in either case. Despatcher has two difficulties in working out the sound slot.. a ) has changed the value in the relevant CV to nullify the sound, so the slot value has been lost, b ) in using a Dynamis wouldn't have been able to read the value to find the sound slot number. Two ways out... 1 ) Ask supplier of sound file which sound slot was used for that noise. Write it down ! 2 ) Systematically work through the sound slots, there are only 16 of them, until you find it. This can be done on the Dynamis with CV settings. To allocate a sound to a function key, requires setting two CV's, see the LokSound 3.5 manual for the numbers - these are in groups of six, with three in each direction. The group of three control function outputs, effects and sound slots. They start at CV129-134 (loco stopped), through CV141-146 (for headlamp or F0 key), to CV231-236 (for F15 key), and then a few more CV's for sensor keys which are appropriate to the XL decoder. For Sound slot allocation to F6 you would use CV179 for the forward direction and CV182 for the reverse direction. Similarly if you go through the long table at the rear of the manual, you'll find the pair of CV's for allocating sound to any other function key in each direction of travel. These two CV's are given a value between 1 and 16, corresponding to the sound slot (or 0 for no sound slot), so if doing things by systematic guesswork, try a value of 1, then 2, then 3, etc. until the sound you want is played by that key - worst case is 16 attempts, which is not a crazy number. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Despatcher Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Nigel, the value I changed in the relevant block of 6 for the CVs for Function 6 to stop the platform whistle was 5. I changed it to zero which the manual said was no sound. So does this mean that if I enter 5 in the relevant block of 6 for another Function, the platform whistle will appear there? If so this is easy and I am part way through the tunnel but the light at the end has started to appear! And it will only be a one cup of tea job! Thanks. I will try this in the morning. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Despatcher Posted June 29, 2011 Author Share Posted June 29, 2011 Nigel, You have changed my life! You are a STAR. Just changed my platform whistle to F4 then F14 then F17 just to prove to myself it was that easy. And it is. You are a genius. Thank you so much. Have you ever thought about rewriting the Loksound decoder manual so that us mere mortals can understand it? There will be no stopping me tomorrow. All 12 of my sound locos will have the same Function Key for the same sound. No more air brakes instead of horns. No more uncoupling instead of platform whistle. And there will be a Lokprogrammer on eBay tomorrow (correction - today) with a starting price of 0.49p for anyone who understands gobbledegook. Only used 5 times and subject to much verbal abuse!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Glad its working. The LokSound CV's are quite powerful once you understand what is happening. Go slowly on your re-allocation of things around your other locos, particularly with the Dynamis which cannot read-back the original values (unless you've got the ProBox). Make thorough notes of every change, and its probably worth trying to put the effect you want onto an un-used key (as you did above with the sounds) before trying to put it onto its final key. Allocating lights to function keys in the LokSound 3.5 uses a similar approach. In the "group of six CVs" described earlier, there are a pair of CVs for allocating output wires to a function key, one CV for forward, one for reverse. For function outputs the CV's are set using a bit-wise allocation: Headlamp (white wire) = 1, rear lamp (yellow) = 2, aux 1 = 4, aux 2 = 8, etc.. Add together the outputs you require to work on that function key to give the total. Thus, aux2 and rear lamp working on the same function key would need a value of 8+2=10. A number of people who own a few ESU sound decoders seem to end up buying LokProgrammers in the mistaken view that they will help with configuring the decoder and then never use them. I think the LokProgrammer is of very limited value unless your interest is in building new sound projects from your own audio recordings. If all you want to do is to change some CV's in the decoder, then I think that a Sprog is a far more useful device. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 Is it too much to expect something to work in this day and and age without having to have an advanced PhD in "not for mere mortals computer science"? I There have been and still are many a good make of sound decoder that is held back by software that has not been updated by the manufacturer to keep up with modern hardware and operating systems. Many of the early decoders and their programmers were designed to operate on serial connection and then only up to COM port 4. The concept of USB with virtual COM ports in double figures is completely alien to them and requires updated drivers and USB to serial leads with chipsets. Plug and Play is a myth invented by MS to force both hardware and software manufacturers to pay their license fees. Most of the stuff we now use is old enough to be license free which keeps the cost down but forces the sound decoder manufacturer to write there own software, pay someone to update it or rely on others to offer free upgrades. It is considered by many that ESU is probably the best available software at the moment but I would agree with Nigel about the Lokprogrammer being best for the DIY sound project. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Despatcher Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 Thanks for the comments about the Lokprogrammer. I do have a probox with my Dynamis and I have written down the existing CVs as I have gone along and all is ok. I assume the process for Loksound V4 decoders is different as I have just tried to reallocate one Function on what I believe is a V4 decoder and although I have done exactly the same procedure it has not made one jot of difference to the Function Button outcome. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 V4 decoders have a new CV pattern, and one which looks to be designed by a sadistic teacher of computer logic I've not yet got my head around what goes on to give a clear simple explanation, other than you need to set CV32 first (which is used to select modes), then set the relevant CV for various effects and mappings. My initial reaction would be to run over to the JMRI webpage and see if anyone has written a V4 decoder file yet; this stuff really does look like it needs computer support. The next might be to try to write a spreadsheet to work out which CV's are required for a given combination (I've done this before for a particularly complex accessory device). - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Despatcher Posted June 30, 2011 Author Share Posted June 30, 2011 I thought V4 may be different. I have had one for a while that would not switch off the sound. Wouldn't go off until mains/track power was was turned off. Just looked at the manual for V4 and by setting CV 32 to 2, instead of the 0 it was on, it now switches off. Cannot see it has changed anything else. Yet. Cannot understand at all how to move F Keys though. I have now changed all my 10 V3.5 Loksounds though. And written every thing down in an excel spreadsheet. Just have 1 V4 at present but 3 more on way. I need to go on a course. I already know 1000 times more than I did at this stage yesterday. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady_Ava_Hay Posted June 30, 2011 Share Posted June 30, 2011 The next might be to try to write a spreadsheet to work out which CV's are required for a given combination - Nigel I think the nation would be grateful if you were to volunteer, Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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