Sorry for the slow responses, but life got in the way yesterday (Saturday) again!!!
RoyBoy: As both Darrell and Mike have stated, it is the other functions that will be lost doing this type of conversion, and I just love the sounds, and those protocouplers!!!
Darrell: Thank you for finding that extra light board, and adding it to the PS1 board. You still haven't told me how much you need to cover the cost of shipping it to me. Talk to me buddy.....please.
Mellow Hudson Mike: You are sooo right.....and funny as well!!
I have thought about E-mailing Mike Reagan.....I was in contact with him last year prior to purchasing the new PS1 top and bottom boards, and the now "infamous" AS-616 sound chip. I think I would like to just to let him know the new boards with the new AS-616 chip did not work, right from the get-go.
Bill Veale (MTH Tech here in Australia) was at my house last year when the new board arrived, when I was having trouble with them. He thought the problem was either a "dud" board, or a "dud" chip. As it turned out after extensive testing, the board was OK, but that new AS-616 chip......well, it didn't, and still won't work in any board!!!
Jon G: I am coming over to the States in June and July (another one of our big road trips), and was seriously thinking about calling into the MTH facility with my "dud" AS-616 chip, for proper testing in the workshop.
If it is found to be faulty, I would expect to have it replaced with a chip that does work, however my greatest fear is that any newly programed AS-616 chip may be just as useless, especially if the programming is the fault. Then I will have to wait till I get back home to Australia, insert it in any one of my three non-functioning AS-616 loco's, only to find it doesn't work either....AND HERE WE GO AGAIN!!
I sure hope you are able to locate a AS-616 chip, and do a test in one of your good PS1 boards, using either the Z4000 or Z1000 controller to get the board to come alive, just to satisfy my curiosity/paranoia.
And yes, I have been in contact with Bill Veale, and he is just as "stumped" as I am about this AS-616 dilemma. It was him who suggested that MTH may have either sold me a "faulty" PS1 board (top or bottom), or a "faulty" chip, and that MTH wouldn't care too much about it, as I was on the other side of the world, and it would be just all too hard to send it back to them. I'd like to think otherwise.
Anyway, as I said earlier, I am coming over in June/July so.......look out!!!
Peter......Buco Australia.
