I'm looking to buy my first sound decoder installed N scale loco.
I wanted to get recommendations for which decoder manufacturer to consider. I use Decoder Pro but have read that some sound decoders require additional hardware etc. to program/download sound files.

Thx

Which decoders to buy has nothing to do with JMRI and your question should be taken to a general DCC forum.

--
Peter Ulvestad

JMRI Users Group Moderator ( )
Tam Valley Group Moderator ( )
Sprog-DCC Group Moderator ( )
Edmonton Model Railroad Association ( )

Are you saying decoder pro has no issues with ANY brand sound decoder?

On Fri, May 5, 2023 at 11:57 AM, Lawrence Varady wrote:

Are you saying decoder pro has no issues with ANY brand sound decoder?

Lawrence,

DecoderPro is basically a very smart throttle connected to your DCC (or other) system. What matters is whether your DCC system and the decoder in question will play nicely together. If, for example, your DCC system's programming track output isn't robust enough for a particular sound decoder, well, JMRI can't change that.

HTH,
Steve
"Breezlys"

If you are looking st ESU equipped locos and want to change sound files, then you will need an ESU LokProgrammer to change the sound files. ?As well, some of the paging for CVs in ESU decoders gets very complicated, and a LokProgrammer makes that easier. ?The LokProgrammer does not connect to a DCC system so one less interface, you can also test the engines with its built in engine driver. ?

I am in HO and prefer to deploy Soundtraxx Tsunami2 decoders where ever possible, and Decoder Pro is a champ for programming these. ?My best days are working on locos with DecoderPro and Tsunamis.

I have a Power Cab system running N scale .
Will Tsunami be programmable and Sound files downloadable with out any extra hardware?

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Yes (if you mean programming cvs) and No respectively

SoundTraxx Tsunami decoders are ordered based on the type of loco you have, EMD, GE, Alco, etc. ?each decoder will have several prime mover choices, several bell and horn types, several headlight types, etc. ?These options are selected by changing CVs or in the case of using JMRI, through a plain English (or your chosen language) menus once JMRI has read the decoder information. ?It is important to order the correct decoder for your locomotive because you cannot change a SoundTraxx GE decoder to EMD for example.

So are you saying that all the sounds available for a "particular Loco type" come preloaded in that decoder and can be "customized" by choices with CVs?
That certainly sounds like an acceptable option for someone like myself who is not a diehard prototypical person.
Thanks for the info.

On Sat, May 6, 2023 at 07:04 PM, Lawrence Varady wrote:

So are you saying that all the sounds available for a "particular Loco type" come preloaded in that decoder and can be "customized" by choices with CVs?
That certainly sounds like an acceptable option for someone like myself who is not a diehard prototypical person.
Thanks for the info.

Depends on the decoder brand.

As mentioned, newer Soundtraxx decoders come with a "family" so to speak of loco types. But they may have more than one decoder to cover all the variations within that family. So for example an EMD decoder, and an EMD-2 decoder with different sets of EMD sounds. It's up to you to pick the one with the sound set you need.

ESU (LokSound) decoders, on the other hand, come blank and need to have a sound file for a particular loco installed. That can be done for you by most dealers, or you can do it yourself with a LokProgrammer.

Digitrax sound decoders come with one or two sound sets (usually a diesel and a steam), and can have a different sound file loaded with a PR3 or PR4 using either JMRI or preferably Digitrax's SoundLoader.

Etc...

HTH,
Steve
"Breezlys"

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To be a little more detailed, the Soundtrax decoder has 9 engine sounds, about 60 horns, 9 bells to start with. Then a selection of brake sound, selection of dynamic brake sound and plenty of assorted sound from the loco.

TCS WOW has all the diesel on the one decoder, 60-80 horns, 10 or more bells and plenty of other sound - it uses an micro SD card of 8gb for the sound storage.

Gerry

?

On Sat, May 6, 2023 at 07:04 PM, Lawrence Varady wrote:

So are you saying that all the sounds available for a "particular Loco type" come preloaded in that decoder and can be "customized" by choices with CVs?
That certainly sounds like an acceptable option for someone like myself who is not a diehard prototypical person.
Thanks for the info.

Depends on the decoder brand.

As mentioned, newer Soundtraxx decoders come with a "family" so to speak of loco types. But they may have more than one decoder to cover all the variations within that family. So for example an EMD decoder, and an EMD-2 decoder with different sets of EMD sounds. It's up to you to pick the one with the sound set you need.

ESU (LokSound) decoders, on the other hand, come blank and need to have a sound file for a particular loco installed. That can be done for you by most dealers, or you can do it yourself with a LokProgrammer.

Digitrax sound decoders come with one or two sound sets (usually a diesel and a steam), and can have a different sound file loaded with a PR3 or PR4 using either JMRI or preferably Digitrax's SoundLoader.

Etc...

HTH,
Steve
"Breezlys"

-- Gerry Hopkins MMR #177 FNMRA Great Northern Downunder

Are any sound decoders "drop in" for DCC READY locos?
I understand that the speaker needs to be mounted and wired in.

What decoder to get has nothing to do with JMRI and needs to be taken to a general DCC forum.

--
Peter Ulvestad

JMRI Users Group Moderator ( )
Tam Valley Group Moderator ( )
Sprog-DCC Group Moderator ( )
Edmonton Model Railroad Association ( )