Train-tech sound module

[ge_rik]

Just wondered if anyone had come across one of these anywhere?

http://www.train-tech.com/index.php/sound

As it is completely self-contained, from the installation point of view it looks great - but of course there's no direct synchronisation. Not as cheap as those self-contained USB sound devices but a lot smaller and it does vary the sound from stationary to moving. It's a pity they can't be loaded with your own sounds, but maybe it would be difficult then to arrange the change from stationary to moving.

Rik

 

[Mobi]

Someone should develop a smartphone app for this. Just keep the phone inside loco and app should sensor speed and sound appropriately.

 

[TheMartin]

I've recently been looking at these, but surely with speakers so small they wouldn't be much use i the garden?

 

[dunnyrail]

Just wondered if anyone had come across one of these anywhere?

http://www.train-tech.com/index.php/sound

As it is completely self-contained, from the installation point of view it looks great - but of course there's no direct synchronisation. Not as cheap as those self-contained USB sound devices but a lot smaller and it does vary the sound from stationary to moving. It's a pity they can't be loaded with your own sounds, but maybe it would be difficult then to arrange the change from stationary to moving.

Rik

Very interesting Rik. No doubt these may be enhanced at some time, but for many of us they will be somewhat limited.

However when available I will certainly be looking at one or two of the Coach Modules.

JonD

 

[TheMartin]

I've exchanged a few messages with David from Train Tech. He believes as they stand they are not going to be loud enough for garden railways. However he did say that with his latest model of the capsules you can swap out the speaker and battery. However doing so would invalidate the warranty.

Train Tech are going to be at the GCR next weekend. Sadly even though it's just down the road for us it coincides with our village garden walkabout!

 

[PhilP]

I've exchanged a few messages with David from Train Tech. He believes as they stand they are not going to be loud enough for garden railways. However he did say that with his latest model of the capsules you can swap out the speaker and battery. However doing so would invalidate the warranty.

Train Tech are going to be at the GCR next weekend. Sadly even though it's just down the road for us it coincides with our village garden walkabout!

How big is your village??
The GCR show is on from Friday to Sunday inclusive.. Perhaps you will be 'ill' on the Friday, so no work!!

 

[TheMartin]

How big is your village??
The GCR show is on from Friday to Sunday inclusive.. Perhaps you will be 'ill' on the Friday, so no work!!

We have a shop in the village and as the walkabout is for Cancer Research we feel we have to stay and fund raise. Our garden railway is in the shop garden and we serve teas and coffees, all profits go to the charity... I spend the entire weekend stuck behind a coffee machine but it's worth it!

http://www.friendsofcruk.org.uk/events/garden-walkabout-2015/

http://suttonboningtongallery.com/the-gallery-garden-railway/

I can't get cover on friday

 

[PhilP]

Ah, the joys of running your own business!

 

[CoggesRailway]

This looks promising. Box car with a small amp. Might be fun

 

[PhilP]

This looks promising. Box car with a small amp. Might be fun

My thoughts entirely..
Also, possible 'cheapy' answer to the Playmo-based diesel for me youngest Grand-Daughter to play with..

Just need to distract SWMBO, on Saturday, at GCR.. ???

 

[dunnyrail]

We have a shop in the village and as the walkabout is for Cancer Research we feel we have to stay and fund raise. Our garden railway is in the shop garden and we serve teas and coffees, all profits go to the charity... I spend the entire weekend stuck behind a coffee machine but it's worth it!

http://www.friendsofcruk.org.uk/events/garden-walkabout-2015/

http://suttonboningtongallery.com/the-gallery-garden-railway/

I can't get cover on friday

Sadly if you go by Train the Vil looks to be a good way from Loughborough, certainly not within 20 Minutes Walk.
JonD

 

[TheMartin]

Its just walkable from East Midlands Parkway... sadly no bus connection!

 

[PhilP]

Its just walkable from East Midlands Parkway... sadly no bus connection!

? Is that the 'new' one by the power station ? - Why ask! I will be driving the A453 a little later!! :

 

[TheMartin]

? Is that the 'new' one by the power station ? - Why ask! I will be driving the A453 a little later!! :

Yup, that's the one! We're a 3-5 min drive from there

RE Train Tech. I have picked a capsule up now and have been testing it. Photos and thoughts later!

 

[TheMartin]

So i picked one of these up.

Overall the recorded sounds and the way they've been edited together are very good, especially considering the size and provided you drive somewhat realistically the sounds sync well enough (if you ignore wheel rotation)

Certainly for our purposes on a railway seen mainly by children and casual observers the type of sounds and syncing is very good.

However as it stands it's not loud enough to use outdoors, the unit just cannot overcome environmental noises (And we live in the countryside with neighours to only one side of us). Additionally once a train has travelled a few metres away you just cannot hear it. I'm not a fan of loud sounds in model trains but even for me it's not loud enough for the garden. I tried different mounting postions and faced the speaker to the side, the ground and up, there were small improvments.

Our railway runs on a mixture of Filcris (post & ladder), Plywood boards, ballast on concrete and a Cain Howley Viaduct. The sound quality on the Plywood was the worst, then the Filcris and best on the concrete. But again stand a few metres away and if you didn't know it was there I doubt you'd hear it at all.

I made some (warranty invalidating) modifications to increase volume, add AA batteries and changed to a bigger speaker and while it made a difference it's still not enough. But an even bigger speaker probably would help. At which point the product loses its simplicity and might be a pain to locate easily in Thomas.

The whole thing is rather neat and I found myself wanting to make it work. I do like that with just one unit I can add audio to almost any loco just by "throwing it in".

It's worth mentioning that indoors on a home layout (not in a large exhibition hall) the unit is much, much better and would be fine from N up to G and G1