Questions about LGB 0-4-0 Porter with factory DCC and Sound. (Model 24772)

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Lylat1an

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I have the title's locomotive on order, but I want it to have different chuff and whistle sounds.

Can anyone tell me whether this model's decoder supports different sound files, or will I need to replace the decoder to do so?

(I'm new to LGB products, so if the sounds can be changed please inform me how?)

If I have to change the decoder, might a Soundtraxx TSU-4400 be small enough to conceal within the Porter's body?

Additionally, might someone be able to tell me what the electrical rating of the speaker is on this model in case I need to swap that as well?


Thank you.
 
You need to be careful with Sountraxx, they will not run at the NMRA DCC specified voltages, you must run at a lower voltage. I strongly recommend against this brand in G scale DCC voltages.

Zimo makes a great range of decoders. Are you trying to save money by using a HO scale decoder, or is it just space that is a concern?
 
Greg Elmassian said:
You need to be careful with Sountraxx, they will not run at the NMRA DCC specified voltages, you must run at a lower voltage. I strongly recommend against this brand in G scale DCC voltages.

Zimo makes a great range of decoders. Are you trying to save money by using a HO scale decoder, or is it just space that is a concern?
Click to expand...

I'm accustomed to using Soundtraxx in On30 locomotives, and their TSU-4400 is for larger scales; But from what I've read, it's a tad longer than what might be in the LGB model.

Might a Zimo decoder be 'plug and play' with LGB's sockets?
 
Well, if you are really having severe space issues, you would pull out the main board, but that's a last resort in my mind.

I believe the main board has pins that you can slip connectors on and wire up.

This loco might have low enough current draw to use a Zimo HO decoder, there's one up to 1.8 amps if I remember right.

All Zimo units will handle the NMRA max voltage of 27 volts, the Soundtraxx will crap out at 20-21 volts.

But what are the priorities? Ease of installation, cost? Size? Put them in order of importance.

In my case, I start with the biggest and best speaker I can get in the loco, and then work from there, giving sound quality priority.

Greg
 
This is my first G gauge project, I still have much to learn.


My priorities for this installation are:

1: Hidden from external view, without using a tender.

2: Sound Quality. (Including the ability to add a capacitor to keep sounds going over bad track, if one isn't built-in already)

3: Ease of install. (I don't want to accidentally break something and I'd prefer not to use special tools)

4: Compatibility with a NCE Power Cab system.

5: Easy to program the decoder, a point-and-click computer interface is preffered.

6: Cost.

I was looking at Zimo's offerings and saw that their MX699LM decoder is designed to slot into LGB boards. I'll have to read up on that one.
 
Well, finding a sound card that has a point and click interface limits you normally to the manufacturer's special software, which normally means you need their programmer, or you use JMRI and make sure they have a definition for the decoder.

Sound decoders are somewhat hard to tweak, since all the tweaks usually want a form of indexed CV's.... For example I use QSI Titans, and the manual is 436 pages long. You can do almost anything with it, but that means lots of CVs.

So, looking at what you have asked, is to find a decoder that comes with a harness that will connect to your main board. That severely limits your options. I cannot recommend Massoth in the USA due to the very limited dealers, the historical quality of support here and some other factors that I won't put in print. If you go Massoth, you need to buy all their stuff, down to the DCC system really.

ESU might be a way to go, there is a US gentleman who does installs that frequents this forum.

I'd go Zimo, because of the quality, and the number of knowledgeable people that are willing to help for free, but I don't think you will find a plug and play situation, you will probably have to solder some wires.

I have NCE and Zimo systems, but fancy sound tweaks are done with JMRI since it has a menu system, but you may not want to set that up (software is free, and it connects to your NCE system)

There's more to the story, but dinnner is coming.

Perhaps Dan P. and/or Tom W. will comment.

Greg
 
I currently use JMRI on my NCE system, it works really well for my HO-size Soundtraxx decoders.

I'm grateful for your assistance thus far, and I'm willing to listen further.
 
Good to hear you are not JMRI-adverse, there's a lot of people who don't want to use it, but being open source, seems to be the most compatible over all brands, and continually getting updates.

I have the Zimo programmer for the sound files, but do programming manually or with JMRI. On my QSI decoders, they have a really nice software package to do all the sound and light and special features, that is even better (more complete) than JMRI.

Greg
 
I use the Zimo MX645 wired version (1.2 total amps) and place it on the bottom side of the cab in the Stainz engine. The P22 version is bigger (stacked pair of boards) and this unit has the 1.8 total amps and 300ma of 5 volts DC.
 
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