Is it possible to have battery powered R/C with full digital sounds ? - Yes !

zman50

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Easiest solution for sound:

1. Get a portable bluetooth speaker with built in rechargeable battery.
2. Pair with your smartphone.
3. Download appropriate sounds from internet.
4. Run trains and control sound from phone :D

You can even move speaker among locomotives as and when wishes.
When you say download appropriate sounds from internet do you mean with an app? I had this idea and could not find an app with great sounds that was easy to use. So where do you get these sounds from and how do you trigger them with your phone? Thanks
 

rusty spike

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I have taken a punt and gone for the Train Engineer revolution DCC system for battery R/C of DCC equipped locos. It comes with a 5A mobile booster receiver which has easily fitted inside my Bachmann C-19 including batteries. I haven't had the chance to try it yet as I'm waiting for a plug and play Zimo with the C-19 file added to arrive.
To be honest, the instruction manual isn't particularly user friendly, but i was swayed by the handset's F0-F28 capability. I had almost bought another system by Fosworks which is excellent, but I think it could only manage 12 functions, which would have limited the functionality of my decoders.
If anyone has set up their loco for this system, I could appreciate some instruction in layman's terms please. :)
 
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wow zman, you responded to a 3 year old post. Yes you will NEVER find the level of sophistication in some app and free sounds that match what has been done with the latest DCC decoders. Again, it might have seemed like a great idea 3 years ago, but nowadays the state of the art is sound generated and modified by actual load and speed of the loco.

rusty: the instructions are not great, but the connection is really simple, if you have never installed a DCC system, then start slowly, i.e. hook up the power and motor leads first, and get the loco running from the throttle. Then hook up the speaker, and play with the sounds to confirm the F0-F28 mappings (that is in the sound file in the decoder)... then attack lights...

do it step by step....

Greg
 

rusty spike

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wow zman, you responded to a 3 year old post. Yes you will NEVER find the level of sophistication in some app and free sounds that match what has been done with the latest DCC decoders. Again, it might have seemed like a great idea 3 years ago, but nowadays the state of the art is sound generated and modified by actual load and speed of the loco.

rusty: the instructions are not great, but the connection is really simple, if you have never installed a DCC system, then start slowly, i.e. hook up the power and motor leads first, and get the loco running from the throttle. Then hook up the speaker, and play with the sounds to confirm the F0-F28 mappings (that is in the sound file in the decoder)... then attack lights...

do it step by step....

Greg
Thanks Greg :)
 

dunnyrail

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I have taken a punt and gone for the Train Engineer revolution DCC system for battery R/C of DCC equipped locos. It comes with a 5A mobile booster receiver which has easily fitted inside my Bachmann C-19 including batteries. I haven't had the chance to try it yet as I'm waiting for a plug and play Zimo with the C-19 file added to arrive.
To be honest, the instruction manual isn't particularly user friendly, but i was swayed by the handset's F0-F28 capability. I had almost bought another system by Fosworks which is excellent, but I think it could only manage 12 functions, which would have limited the functionality of my decoders.
If anyone has set up their loco for this system, I could appreciate some instruction in layman's terms please. :)
Look at my Battery Description of this and the Fosworks. It is in the Battery Section ofvthe Forum earliervthis year.
 

rusty spike

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Look at my Battery Description of this and the Fosworks. It is in the Battery Section ofvthe Forum earliervthis year.
I had seen them, thanks. I really wanted to use the Fosworks equipment and Steve spent a considerable amount of time explaining the system to me. I had looked at mapping some functions together such as cab light, marker lights and fire box flicker but I would have lost out on several ‘key’ sounds which, for me would have spoiled my enjoyment. The only reason I run DCC is for sound and switchable lights.
I think your description of the Revolution system was the previous system to what I now have.
 
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The Revolution DCC system is mentioned in that thread, but not reviewed or compared. I see the Fosworks uses a shift key to "multiply" 4 switches to 12 functions, but still not the 29 functions possible in DCC (0 through 28).

Greg
 

rusty spike

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That is why I reluctantly changed my mind over the Fosworks kit.
The Revolution set looks well made but as I mentioned previously, I find the instructions are lacking.
Once I have my decoders it may all become clear, but for instance:
The loco needs to be assigned to a ‘cab’ number then assigned a name, which is used to call up the loco. The instructions don’t really tell you how to do this. For instance, if I wish to name my loco C19, the letters are on the keys but I don’t know how to access them. (If That makes sense)
 

rusty spike

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Thanks Greg.
I haven’t even popped the batteries in the handset yet.
I will try to give an objective update on progress over the next couple of weeks :)
 
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Yes, the instructions are a bit sketchy, but the user interface is pretty straightforward, and very similar to the Revolution TE system.

If you get stuck, I can get to the support group, been friends with them a long time.

Greg
 

rusty spike

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Yes, the instructions are a bit sketchy, but the user interface is pretty straightforward, and very similar to the Revolution TE system.

If you get stuck, I can get to the support group, been friends with them a long time.

Greg
Thanks Greg,
Thats very kind of you!
Richard
 

dunnyrail

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I guess that when I reviewed the Revolution System I had been quite used to the non DCC System having 4 Locomotives fitted so was familiar with the setup. My DCC Revolution was a very early one and I believe that it has been up graded somewhat to make access to the 29 Functions leases Klunky. In truth I find that the 12 offered by Fosworks (also the first 10 on the Revolution) is more than adequate for me, in fact with my 00 DCC Sound I find that I never use more than 3 or 4 functions.
Long Whistle
Short Whistle
Bell
Blower

Drain Cocks if accessible are nice however some chips replicate that on starting anyway. I put the 12 sound functions on my Fosworks Controller with a small sticker I find that the 4 above suit my needs. I have messed about with Function Mapping and have found the process somewhat traumatic and sketchy at best. But these are my personal choices and views of course.

Below you can see how I have put notes as to the Functions available with a Zimo Decoder on a Trainline 45 Loco. Note that I also use Personalise Lanyards as well, when Operating to Timetable with a Shunting Knife and Clipboard for Instructions it is all to easy to drop a Controller. Oh to fit a Lanyard to a Revolution is also quite easy, less so those notes for the Functions and therein perhaps lies the problem - remembering all 29 of them!

7E6C3E24-6549-46CD-ACFE-278C1D11EDCE.jpeg
 

rusty spike

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Thanks for the update Dunnyrail. I took a while to decide not to use the Fosworks kit. Steve was extremely patient and informative. I have used his batteries, charger and wiring looms which are great value and save a lot of faffing with soldering bits and bobs together.
I probably don’t use more than 6-7 functions on my 0 gauge layout, and it may eventually turn out to be the same with the garden layout.
However, the Sound project/decoders have been set up for auto decoupling and smoke which I may be interested in dabbling with.
As I said to Greg, I will try to give a review of the Revolution kit once I get the decoders delivered.