MTH PS3 Engine won't Stop Beeping

The board is doing a reset. Let have power for a few minutes. Cycle the power twice each time and it should be done. If it doesn't ever stop beeping, you have a problem. Talk to GGG.

Is the code you hear sound like the MP3 clip below?  If so, you have a bad FLASH load and need to try it again.

FYI, a good load sounds like this once, and then you won't hear the beeps again.

Your speed algorithm will be incorrect.

It sounds to be flash load. I noticed that is it beeps for about 6-7 times then does the long beep but then something shorts out the track. The engine seems to be fine. Is there some sort of recovery flash load I need to do or I just reload the original sounds back in?

Try reloading the chain files again.  You need to power everything down after loading the chain files, and wait a couple of minutes.  Then power up and you should get the "good" beep code if everything is correct.  If you still get the "bad" beep code, consider downloading the chain files again, perhaps what you have is corrupted.

Dumb question, why did you change the chain files in the first place?  I'd stick with the original RK chain files and just load the replacement sound file.

UPDATE: Tried it again and it didn't short out this time. 

I was under the impression the chain files must be changed as well as well as the soundset. Live and learn I guess. I'll try installing them again. 

Since the chain file matches the hardware, it's probably best to stick with the RK chain files.  I'm assuming you really wanted the improved sounds of the Premier sound file, right?

As I said above, the speed algorithm will be off.  Even in the case of an 0-8-0, there is a big difference between a RK and a Premier.   You can swap the sound files but not the chain files.

There was a member here who developed software to change the sound file and build a totally custom sound file. I have used it with success.  It takes some time but it does work.

Dave

This file has a decapod speed algorithm, kanawha whistle and pennsy bells.

David Minarik posted:

There was a member here who developed software to change the sound file and build a totally custom sound file. I have used it with success.  It takes some time but it does work.

 

It's not for the everyday novice but follow the directions carefully and you should be okay.  -  http://www.silogic.com/trains/ADPCM.html

H1000 posted:

David Minarik posted:

There was a member here who developed software to change the sound file and build a totally custom sound file. I have used it with success.  It takes some time but it does work.

 

It's not for the everyday novice but follow the directions carefully and you should be okay.  -  http://www.silogic.com/trains/ADPCM.html

Was this you?  If so, thank you for putting it out there.  I love it!

David Minarik posted:

H1000 posted:

David Minarik posted:

There was a member here who developed software to change the sound file and build a totally custom sound file. I have used it with success.  It takes some time but it does work.

 

It's not for the everyday novice but follow the directions carefully and you should be okay.  -  http://www.silogic.com/trains/ADPCM.html

Was this you?  If so, thank you for putting it out there.  I love it!

No it wasn't me but I have used it frequently and love it too!

Mark DiVecchio (@SanDiegoMark) takes all of the credit for this gem!!

In a Proto 3  I have the beep problem as well after changing the sound file.MTH says the chain files are integrated in the sound file.So how do I get just the chain file for this 2019 F7 premier unit.

we need your engine item number like 30-1195-1 which identifies what exact engine you have then a asc tech can answer your specific question.

Alan

@Domenic S maio posted:

In a Proto 3  I have the beep problem as well after changing the sound file.MTH says the chain files are integrated in the sound file.So how do I get just the chain file for this 2019 F7 premier unit.

If you just go to the product page in question and download the sound file from the Resources page, inside the ZIP file is the .MTH sound file and another .ZIP file.  The .ZIP file inside is the chain files, that's what you use for the FLASH loader.

Note that you do have to be aware of the version of the board in the locomotive and the chain files you're loading.  Around the 2016 timeframe, MTH changed the design of the PS/3 board to meet EMI specifications, and the chain files have to be at a specific version level to be compatible with the EMI boards.  Without knowing exact models, it's pretty hard to verify what you have.

This is why we ask for specific product numbers, the advice you get is directly related to quality of the information you give.

Thank you for helping guys, This a F7 20-21241-1 from 2019 vol 2. I was changing to F3 2019/vol 1 sound set. I found it like John said in product and down loaded zip, now it starts the flash but when it gets to ems or somthing it's stops and a error comes up.left the file zipped. I am thinking the board is bad .

you might have better  luck flashing engine using DC instead of AC less inference if you use  dc ! when you flash with the dcs loader program !

Alan

To anyone else that is trying to load custom/new sounds, I have found that after loading a different/modified sound file, you need to reload the engine's original chain file, followed by powering it off, waiting for the beeps, powering it on and waiting for more beeps, and finally a DCS factory reset and re-adding the engine to the remote. I just successfully changed the whistle with ADPCM on my new RK 0-6-0.

I was having issues with the whistle/chuff sounds not working correctly initially after loading the file, and the steps I described after loading the sound file fixed everything.

You are right, when you load a changed chain file, you have to do several power cycles before things get sorted out.  I've noticed even after all the beeping and power cycles that sometimes things like smoke still don't work right.  Usually, a couple MORE power cycles seem to beat those into submission.

@jaketrainz posted:

To anyone else that is trying to load custom/new sounds, I have found that after loading a different/modified sound file, you need to reload the engine's original chain file, followed by powering it off, waiting for the beeps, powering it on and waiting for more beeps, and finally a DCS factory reset and re-adding the engine to the remote. I just successfully changed the whistle with ADPCM on my new RK 0-6-0.

I was having issues with the whistle/chuff sounds not working correctly initially after loading the file, and the steps I described after loading the sound file fixed everything.

So just for reference and I am not saying that you are wrong, but I have also modified sound files with ADPCM (changed the whistle and added quillable effects to a RK) without experiencing any beeps, or having to reload the chain file. I only uploaded the the modified sound file. I have done it this way for a few engines.

Did you download the original sound file from the engine, modify and then upload back to the same engine? (that's how I did it)

PS-3 only go through the morse code beeps or Led flashing when it recognizes a different flash code being loaded.  It then compares the two.  This happens on a power cycle.  So if you load a new chain file, and turn power off it does the comparison.  But it runs out of super cap power.  When you reapply power it finishes the comparison and then loads the new chain file.  You need to let this happen.  When it is done it starts up.

When a PS-3 board starts up it looks not only at the hardware table, but at the Sound file characteristics especially for lighting.  MTH made a change in software to account for using PS-2 3V SF in PS-3 and PS-32 boards to get this info from the Sound File vice the hardware table.  So that you get the correct attributes for the PS-32 boards.

So even though the chain file becomes new, it started up on the old chain file looking at the sound file.  If you now directly load a new sound file, those attributes will not be used until the next power cycle.  Since the chain file is changed, no more morse code, it just uses the new sound file data.  If you change the flash code and then sound file without a power cycle, on the next cycle it will load the new flash code and start up.

If the board loads incorrectly for some reason, it can get a corrupted FPGA file and no longer know where to look for data, at which point you get the continuous beebing.  If this happens only MTH with a special fixture for loading files can correct the memory error.   G

Yes that is what is going on with my F7 ps3 unit , no one answers the phone @MTH Service.I did tried what Alan said use Dc but still no luck..

@H1000 posted:

So just for reference and I am not saying that you are wrong, but I have also modified sound files with ADPCM (changed the whistle and added quillable effects to a RK) without experiencing any beeps, or having to reload the chain file. I only uploaded the the modified sound file. I have done it this way for a few engines.

Did you download the original sound file from the engine, modify and then upload back to the same engine? (that's how I did it)

That's exactly what I did, which is why I was surprised when it didn't work. The engine still ran, but the chuff sounds did not play and the whistle only played the looping part. There was also an occasional static noise coming from the speaker that would play every minute or so. Reloading the chain file seems to fix everything, at least on this specific engine.