Sound or no sound?

Sprintex · March 21, 2013, 04:53:51 AM

Interesting view Phil

I would guess it wouldn't be too hard to engineer in a Doppler effect as you dedcribed

If you had the recording then surely you could have it activated by a function button.
So you have normal sound as it comes towards you, press the button as it passes you and the alternative sound file kicks in? Who knows about sound enough to give it a go then?

Paul

trainsdownunder · March 21, 2013, 05:15:32 AM

Nice idea, but not quite as easy as it sounds (Sorry) to apply as the increase/decrease in volumes would vary depending on approaching and disappearing speeds. Probably almost as bad as getting "chuff" speeds right.

Newportnobby · March 21, 2013, 01:16:23 PM

To my mind, no one has done sound better than Chris (former owner of Old Warren TMD) who recorded real railway movements and then set them to train movements on the layout (or vice versa) such that full Doppler effects etc created a superb effect. A small sample here........

Old Warren TMD - N Gauge Layout Update - 15/09/2012

Karyn · March 21, 2013, 02:02:17 PM

I was really excited about putting sound in my Class 43, (yeah, I know, it doesn't take a lot) and running it around my test oval at the speed of light is great fun and very effective.

However... It occured to me very quickly that while it would sound great idling away at the platform and the whine as it powers up to pull away over the level crossing, it would still be blasting out at full volume and fully audible once it had left the main scene and was supposed to be hidden in the fiddle yard.

There is an on/off command for the sound, but that is a literal on/off. It needs to be a fade in / fade out with a programmable fade time so that as it leaves the fiddle yard and approaches the station the sound fades up.

Do any sound chips have this function? Could we petition the manufacturers?

EtchedPixels · March 21, 2013, 09:25:40 PM

Digitrax can be made to do it although I don't think the standard programs do it. The Zimo I believe its CV 314 to get a fade. CT I don't think can fade just mute, ESU lets you set a choice of 3 volumes & mute on a function.

I believe the US Soundtraxx stuff can also do a fading mute.

Chetcombe · March 24, 2013, 01:43:13 AM

Quote from: newportnobby on March 21, 2013, 01:16:23 PM
To my mind, no one has done sound better than Chris (former owner of Old Warren TMD) who recorded real railway movements and then set them to train movements on the layout (or vice versa) such that full Doppler effects etc created a superb effect. A small sample here........

The sound from these is quite magnificent and you really benefit from the doppler effect - it really sounds as though the train is going right past you.

How has he done this? My understanding is that you hear the doppler effect from the position in which you are watching/listening. How do you ensure that the sound from the DCC chip syncs with the usual viewing point on the layout? My DCC sound fitted locos vary the sound according to the throttle speed or to sounds eg a whistle or horn pre-programmed to a specific function key on the DCC controller. How has Chris managed to sync the sounds to the viewing point?

Newportnobby · March 24, 2013, 10:21:26 AM

Hi Mike,

Chris is the best one to answer your question, but I do know he spends a lot of time making recordings at stations etc and then, I am just guessing here, maybe edits the recordings he has made and runs the N gauge layout trains to fit the sound

I'm not entirely sure. I have repeatedly asked Chris for a DVD of his clips as I think they are stunning, and if you have some spare time hop onto YouTube and look at some more

Caz · March 24, 2013, 10:26:42 AM

I've managed to create a distance effect by having tunnels at both end of the layouts, you get a lovely new burst of sound as each train emerges out of the tunnel, the sound having been previously deadened by being in the tunnel, helps break the layout up audibly.

Sprintex · March 24, 2013, 11:14:02 AM

We seem to be confusing the issue here!

Chris has merely dubbed sound over video clips, which doesn't really have any relation to DCC sound in locos?
Interesting about the tunnels Caz and I can see how that would work

Paul

MikeDunn · March 24, 2013, 12:46:52 PM

I doubt I will go the sound route for N ... various reasons : expense being the big one; space needs and the wiring up being another; and only having a small layout being a third ...

OTOH, I do have several sound-fitted locos in 'another scale'

. I do enjoy them, used properly, and try to limit the number in use at any one time. Too many and/or too loud is very off-putting, I find. I will be fitting sound into others, but on an as-&-when basis when I can spare the (horrendous level of) cash required.

Now ... if you can set up a system such that when you pass a certain location the sound decreases to a preset and vice versa, also sounding the whistles/horns at the right places, starting & shutting off sounds when you pull out / go into stations all without having to remember to press F3 here, quick now do an F5, swap to another loco & do an F3 on it ... !

trainsdownunder · March 27, 2013, 12:14:19 PM

Loco noises. and whistles etc.

Found another source for prebuilt units - Manually and auto driven, but not DCC. Reasonable prices, for limited sound options I think

http://www.mrrails.com

Might suit some.