sharpshooter Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Hi Folks, I just purchased a new Bachmann 44005 (32-652DS) for a good price and wondered if it contained the V.4 chip as the sound is disappointing to say the least. The paperwork does not mention any details of the chip type and I have not been brave enough to open her up yet to see if a visual inspection gives any clues. Is this perhaps another case of 3.5 files on a 4.0 chip? In which case I will probably get it reblown anyway. Anyone had similar experience?? Cheers Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
legomanbiffo Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 If the loco was manufactured in the last nine months or so it will almost certainly be a v4. It's not easy to tell by looking at them which type they are, some v4's look identical to v3.5's. Bif Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharpshooter Posted June 14, 2012 Author Share Posted June 14, 2012 Thanks Bif....most likely coming your way soon anyway.......I do have a "Sprog II" programmer that I have yet to get to grips with, but when reading decoders, it is never very precise and appears to throw up several options as to the type fitted...maybe I need to update the software to read the latest chips. Cheers Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted June 14, 2012 Share Posted June 14, 2012 Thanks Bif....most likely coming your way soon anyway.......I do have a "Sprog II" programmer that I have yet to get to grips with, but when reading decoders, it is never very precise and appears to throw up several options as to the type fitted...maybe I need to update the software to read the latest chips. No, the problem isn't JMRI (DecoderPro) or Sprog, its ESU's lack of information. ( I would recommend an update to JMRI, but hold on for a few weeks - JMRI 3.0 should be out in early July and has a lot of minor tweaks to the Roster (locomotive decoder) management.) The JMRI software identifies chips by reading CV8 (manufacturer) and CV7 (version number). Manufacturer is usually reliable as its one of the NMRA defined CV's, and makers are allocated a unique value. Unfortunately, ESU don't have a consistent scheme for using CV7 in their decoders, so uniquely identifying which with this method doesn't work, hence being offered lots of choices (basically, "anything by ESU"). With a few other makers (eg. Zimo) some other CV's are also read as this can get very precise decoder software version numbers. You can get clues to which LokSound, by reading back the volume setting on the decoder. With older 3.5's they only went up to volume 64, with factory default of 64. Newer version 4's go up to 192, and the factory default should be 180. This is in CV63. You would be able to tell a 3.5 from a 4.0 by setting the volume to 60, 64, 65 and 129. With a 3.5, the volume will be loud on 60 and 64, probably almost silent on 65, and 129 (and even if it were loud, it would be no louder). With a 4.0, the volume on 60,64,65 will be fairly quiet, 129 will be significantly louder, and 180 or 192 much louder again. You can read the volume with JMRI/DecoderPro. Either use the SingleCV Programmer, or just pick either the LokSound V3.5 or V4.0 decoder type and find the main volume setting, and read that. If you have picked the "wrong" decoder type for this check it won't matter, and you can just discard the decoder file, start again with the right decoder type. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
sharpshooter Posted June 16, 2012 Author Share Posted June 16, 2012 Thanks Nigel....I will give the volume settings a try and see what I come up with. Cheers Rich Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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