independant sounds CKT-SQUEAL: User-Programmable Sound Player

[shortliner]

http://www.iascaled.com/store/CKT-SQUEAL No - I haven't used one - just found this and thought it would be useful to members

[Prof Klyzlr]

Dear Jack,

 

These units compare favourably with the previously-noted Pricom DreamPlayer line
http://www.pricom.com/indexold.shtml

 

in terms of digital audio performance and overall specs.

 

Compared to even the base-model "DreamPlayer LITE" however, the CKT-Squeal does _not_ have:

- stereo output (only mono) :-(

- dedicated Control Output per track :-(

 

What it _does_ have over the DreamPlayers is a 3-part "loopable" playback mode, which allows a sound to be played for as long as required,
(think of a horn blast, or as the name of the unit suggests a tight-curve-flange-squeal), which may have variable duration.

 

It achieves this in a similar manner to most sound decoders, in that there is:

- a "start" WAV file with the beginning of the "horn blast"
- a looping/sustaining "middle" WAV file
(this is looped for as long as the trigger switch is pressed, thus the "as long as required)
- and an "end" WAV file for the tail-off+reverb of the horn-blast,
(which is played once the trigger is released)

 

I'm aware of a number of modellers who have used a basic buffer to mix the outputs of both a DreamPlayer or other audio player device (MP3 player) with a CKT-Squeal to form a complete "scene" sound system.

 

Definitely a useful tool in the Scale Sound Modeller's arsenal... :-)

 

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

[Prof Klyzlr]

Dear Doddy,

 

Given that the Pricom offerings pre-date the CKT-Squeal by over 10 years (The original CD-spec 16bit 44.1kHz DreamPlayer was released pre-2005),

 

it's not that it (the audio spec) was forgotten, but rather
"oh, finally something else purpose-built for the model RR market has caught-up..." ;-)

 

(which is all the more sad when we consider that fully-frequency-response digital audio in PCM WAV format has been "normal" in the Joe Public domestic audio world since the 80s...)

 

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

 

PS Please note that the CKT-Squeal uses a raw PWM output as it's "analog audio out",
which explains why despite using 44.1kHz 16-bit sound files it's frequency response is limited to 45-16kHz.

 

In contrast, even the cheapest DreamPlayer uses a dedicated audio grade D/A converter independent of the core microprocessor,
(Burr Brown DAC in the case of the DP, DPMk2, and PRO units),
and can achieve 20-20k from the self-same 44.1kHz 16-bit files... :-)