PS2 sound file vs. upgrade sound file question?

Let me try to eliminate some of your confusion. The first PS2 boards operated on 5 volt power and as such the PS2 sound files were written to run these 5 volt boards. The later PS2 boards operate on 3 volt power and the sound files were written as such. Now hwen you look at the sound files in the product selector there is an ICON for the sound file and and ICON for the UPGRADE file. In most cases the loco will only have an UPGRADE if it was first released with he 5 volt boards otherwise you can use the standard PS2 sound file which should be 3 volts. You can identify this by the file name p091qf3yellstonall090406ff2x.mth. This is the sound file for the PS2 DMIR Yellowstone.. My first upgrade and the f3 before the Yellowstone in the filename indicates this file is suitable for use in an upgrade

The replacement I'm working on now is a 5V kit.

From my experience you must use the sounds that fit the 5V board then.  The Megabyte storage was my issue.  We messed around with an older SD70MAC with a 5V board and tried to put some of the newer SD70ACE sound files on it.  If I tried to grab a later PS2 or PS3 file the program would not even let me load them.

 

Here is a link for an RS3 from 2001.  Almost certainly a 5V board and should probably work.  http://mthtrains.com/content/30-2237-1

 

I noticed they made RS3's in 2005 also.  Not sure if those are 5V or 3V boards.  Here is a link for that one.  http://mthtrains.com/content/30-2610-1

 

Good Luck.

Ron

 

 

 

OK,  I thought an "unprogrammed" board required a special "upgrade" file, now I see that "upgrade" signifies a file that is appropriate for a 3V board.

Here is a reply I got from Barry a while back after asking about the different sound files. Maybe it will be of some assistance.

 

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The "rules" for swapping sound files are:

· You can put a 5 volt PS2 file only in a 5 volt PS2 engine

· You can put a 3 volt PS2 file in a 3 volt PS2 engine, or in a PS3 engine

· You can put a PS3 file only in a PS3 engine

· You cannot put a PS3 file in any PS2 engine (3 volt or 5 volt).

Barry

DCS Ambassador & author of "The DCS O Gauge Companion 2nd Edition"

Train-Ca-Teers - All For O and O For All!

 

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Here's some more info I found, attached below is a file posted by Dave Hikel to another question I asked about the sound file names.

 

Sure are a lot of good folks around here with a lot of good information (and I don't mean me, I just try to collect the information).

Knowing the the "f3" in the file name signifies a 3V file is a big help.

Legend on sound file names added to post above.

That's incredibly helpful, although some sound files don't follow that exactly, for example I just downloaded rk_rs3_001116_final.mth   Does that mean this file has no announcements?

So you have a 5V PS2 upgrade kit?

No, it's a used replacement 5v board from a 3rd party, but it's flashed "clean" just like an upgrade 3v board (no sound, just a test tone for a horn) which is why I equated it to an upgrade kit.

Okay as I never seen a 5V upgrade kit...to be honest with you I think the 5V boards have better/ louder audio than the 3V boards.  

I don't know, but I believe at the time Dave posted this he said he didn't quite have them all figured out yet, but this covered a lot of them. Maybe if someone else knows they will reply. It is by far the best info I have ever seen on the sound file names.

The loader will protect you from using the wrong file.  The first DCS files where for the PS-2 5 boards.  This is the one piece board that uses the 8.4V battery.  Only PS-2 5V sound files can go into a PS-2 5V board.

 

When MTH revised the board to the PS-2 3V board.  A two piece board that uses a 2.4V AA like battery, the processor and memory are different so the file type is also different.  Any 3V file can go into a PS-2 3V board.

 

The upgrade term is used to  identify a file that was posted to support the Upgrade kit so it is a PS-2 3V sound file.  PS-1 engines that did not have sound files will have upgrade sound files.

 

Since the PS-2 3V is a replacement board for the PS-2 5V they needed to upgrade the sound file for the replacement board.  So a PS-2 5V engine will may have two sound files posted.  One is the original 5V file.  The second is the Upgrade sound file.  This is the original 5V file reformatted to a 3V format.

 

Newer 3V sound files have date codes at the end of the file name.  Any PS-2 3V file can be loaded into a 3V board with one caveat.  Early PS-2 3V only had 1Meg of memory.  Some later 3V sound files are larger than 1Meg.  They won't fit.  All the latest PS-2 3V boards come with 2Meg memory and can load any 3V sound file.

 

If you liked the sounds of your original 5V board than load the "Upgrade File" listed under your engine.  Otherwise do a search under "Service" and "Files and documents" and load a newer 3V file.  G

My personal problem with that is that I don't have DCS at home, so I have to haul my laptop and my engines to the club layout to program them, but there's no wifi there, so if I don't have the right files downloaded, I've wasted a trip, so it's helpful to me to know I've downloaded a file that will work instead of doing trial-and-error.

 

On an unrelated note, all this 5v vs 3v talk got me thinging... if I wanted to replace a faulty 5v board with a 3v board, is it a direct plug&play swap, or did the connectors change (i.e. would I need a full upgrade kit and to re-wire everything?)

 

The sound on my I8SB Camelback (that is build on a Railking 0-8-0) has been intermittently losing sound when running at the club, and I'd love to update it with some 3V Imperial sound files instead of the generic RK 0-8-0 sounds.

but there's no wifi there, so if I don't have the right files downloaded, I've wasted a trip, so it's helpful to me to know I've downloaded a file that will work instead of doing trial-and-error.

Wowak,

 

I agree, that file key code reference is great to have.  I'm in a sort of in a similar situation in that we are a Apple house and the loader program works with Windows which I refuse to put on the home network.  So we will download a bunch of files at once that look appealing and then put them on a USB drive so we can play at the Windows machine.   You could try that so you can bring a whole bunch of files to the club to try.

 

GGG or other experts can answer your upgrade compatibility question better.  My upgrades have all been from donor engines, so I complete a 100% swap of electronics.

 

Good Luck and Have fun!  I just noticed your tag line, "Kitbashing Reading Company steam engines...".  My son loves Reading.  If you have a chance could you share a picture or two?  My email is in my profile. 

 

Thanks!

Ron

 

if I wanted to replace a faulty 5v board with a 3v board, is it a direct plug&play swap, or did the connectors change (i.e. would I need a full upgrade kit and to re-wire everything?)

The connectors are different, and the battery and speaker need to swapped, as well.

 

However, as has been noted on many threads previously, you can swap the headers between a 5 volt and 3 volt board (except leave the battery header in place) to avoid having to rewire the 5 volt engine.

 

http://mthtrains.com/search/ap...m&docsearch=true

 

Above is the MTH service--product file search link for your RS3.  Notice SF Icons and ones with 3V to help identify.  You can further refine your search by the functions on the left side.  Premier/RK, Road Name, Catalog, etc...

 

Click on the sound file icon and look at the name.  The 5V are normally simple and short.  The 3V have the PF3 in the name.  Look at file size.  Pick a few and load them on your laptop.

 

Here is the link for 2-8-0

 

http://mthtrains.com/search/ap...2-8-0?docsearch=true

 

If you do a search, you will find plenty of post on how to identify SF and how to properly search for sound files on MTH website.

 

G

Ron, check the link in my signature, brianwowak.wordpress.com 

You are Welcome.  G

Related:  is there a 5V soundfile for the MTH 0-8-0 that doesn't have the generic "railking" whistle?  There are some nice ones for the new Premier 0-8-0s but they're all 3v.

Do a product search on the MTH site for 0-8-0 and pick products between 2000 and 2005 and check the file names.  I just download them all, sort out the duplicate file names, and then try the sound files.  Here's a video of a Premier with 5V, hows that?

 

Premier 0-8-0 Video Link

 

 

GRJ What did you do????!!!! I just open the thread, and your blankety-blank video overrides my beautiful Pandora music without my clicking on your post.

 

Wowak:  If you are installing a 5-volt board, other than to replace a failed 5-volt board, you are totally wasting your time, for its days are numbered.  Failures are now rampant as the components age.  All but two of mine have failed, and I have 3-volt kits on the shelf waiting for them.  On the other hand, if you're retired and looking for make work projects.......

I can't open the video on my phone,  I'll have to check later on the PC.

I just linked the file from the MTH site, apparently it plays automatically.  All I really wanted to do is show what the sound for this file was.

 

Actually, I installed an insidious virus on your machine, I now have complete control.   Just kidding...

Yeah, that's the "generic railking whistle" I have now.

Oh, well.

 

You could download the other possibilities and see if any of them have a different whistle.

 

GRJ will you please revise the thread to shut off the noise?

It really is a trial an error issue to find something you want.  Some times a google search can get you some videos with sound, but you have to hope they tell you what engine model or sf they are using.  G

Has MTH ever considered putting some sample sounds online next to each file so that the user can test a few PRIOR to download and install?

 

Ron

 

That would make way too much sense.

Yes, but only select engines have it.  Unfortunately not enough to make it useful.

 

They do need to get their website upto date, but we have been waiting for that for over 5 years.  G

GGG, I wasn't aware that MTH had any sample sounds on line.  I'll have to look for them.

On the product page, you will see a speaker with sound waves.  If you put the mouse over it and it highlights it can be used to hear a sample.  I think when the speaker is black it is an active link.  G