Skip to main content

Replies sorted oldest to newest

You cannot simply change the horn sounds in an MTH PS2 or PS3 engine. Rather, you'll need to swap out the engine's entire sound file with one that has the horn that you want.

It's not all that difficult to do so. Either of the two books listed below will provide you with detailed instructions of exactly hw to do it,  as well as what are the required cables and any caveats of which you need to be aware.


DCS Book CoverThis and a whole lot more about DCS is all in MTH’s “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!"

This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

DCS Book Cover

This and a whole lot more about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition!"

This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Last edited by Barry Broskowitz

I also don’t understand why this post went to DCS, because I’m running 2 rail DCC. I’m not able to program thru DCS.

You didn't state that you were running DCC, not DCS. Further, this forum is for PS2 and PS3 engines, as well as for DCS.

Regardless, unless you use a DCS TIU, you cannot change a PS2/PS3 engine's sound file.

Gandpa63445 posted:

I’m wanting to change the horn sound on a MTH 2 rail Proto 3 engine. If so what is needed to do so? Thank you 

Well actually there is a way to change just the horn if you really want to. @SanDiegoMark details the information on his website: http://www.silogic.com/trains/ADPCM.html

This procedure is for those who savvy with computers and the process works well when you follow his instructions carefully. I can credit Mark for being able to add quillable whistles to some of my cheaper Rail King engines with the information he has posted on his website.

I've even modified a sound files with the horn sound from other sound files to create my own custom sound file for an engine, just as you want to.

Last edited by H1000

TIU's in the o-gauge circle are pretty easy to locate. I'm sure we all know at least one person who has one. No purchase necessary as he would only need it for the time it takes to upload the file. Much like tool rental at the local auto parts store, borrow it, use it, return it.

Contradictory to what you said earlier, it is possible to swap & interchange specific elements of a sound file(s) if one so chooses without changing the entire sound file. Works awesome when adding quillable whistles to RailKing engines.

Barry Broskowitz posted:

You cannot simply change the horn sounds in an MTH PS2 or PS3 engine. Rather, you'll need to swap out the engine's entire sound file with one that has the horn that you want.

 

Last edited by H1000
H1000 posted:

Contradictory to what you said earlier, it is possible to swap & interchange specific elements of a sound file(s) if one so chooses without changing the entire sound file. Works awesome when adding quillable whistles to RailKing engines.

Yep, but it's not an "MTH Approved" procedure.   However, the ADPCM program is slick, and I've added a couple of "custom" sounds to an engine with it.  Mark deserves a large "pat on the back" for his efforts on that one.

Contradictory to what you said earlier, it is possible to swap & interchange specific elements of a sound file(s) if one so chooses without changing the entire sound file.

Good luck to the OP with that. I sincerely doubt that he's up to the challenge,

Further, anyone who does it for him, takes on a liability. Then, there's also the issue that MTH will not support it.

Regardless, I would be interested in seeing how well DCC works with a modified sound file. While I expect it wouldn't be an issue, one never knows.

Barry,

Follow the instructions, Step by step to the letter and it won't be an issue. Test the file, if it doesn't work, you can always reload the original. MTH will never know if you place the original file back on the engine.

There are lots of things on this forum (and even some in your book) that are not supported by MTH that have become common work-arounds to everyday questions and/or common problems.

Last edited by H1000

H1000,

Follow the instructions, Step by step to the letter and it won't be an issue.

First, not everyone anyone can follow directions, particularly the first time..

Further, you're asking a guy with no knowledge of DCS, no DCS hardware and no experience using DCS, no understanding of how DCS works or what is a sound file, to learn how to do something he's never done before and is unlikely to have to do again, all to change a horn sound in one engine.

Hence my statement that it would be a "challenge" for him to do so.

Test the file, if it doesn't work, you can always reload the original. MTH will never know if you place the original file back on the engine.

Not necessarily. If things go wrong computer-wise or a TIU-intensive process fails through misadventure, he could, potentially, brick his engine. It's hard to mask that fact. Further, if he is able to attempt to restore the sound file, add that to the list of what he has to do.

I, for one, wouldn't be comfortable recommending to this person that he attempt to use this method to modify his horn sound.

There are lots of things on this forum (and even some in your book) that are not supported by MTH that have become common work-arounds to everyday questions and/or common problems.

"Lots of things" depends upon your definition of "lots".

Regarding my book, I clearly spell out, generally in bold print, what isn't supported by MTH, sort of like the well-worn "don't try this at home" advice.  

For example, in a recent addition to one of my books, using the DCS App on a Kindle, I let people know that it's neither supported nor sanctioned by MTH and that they're proceeding at their own risk. In another example from my books, I also issue strong warnings about opening a DCS Remote and refer people to an authorized MTH tech to do so.

Hacks (it's what this is and its not a dirty word) such as the one that's being proposed are, by their very nature, risky. Those of us who give advice to use "unauthorized" methods to do stuff have a responsibility to spell out the risks as well as the rewards of doing so, while gauging the likelihood of success in specific instances, before responding appropriately.

End of soapbox rant.  

Last edited by Barry Broskowitz

MTH will not do this, and I have repaired one engine were after a period that procedure corrupted a PS-3 Diesel board and it stopped working.  $220 part.

MTH Will load a different sound file, but they will not do that type of editing.

Now if for some reason the wrong horn was used for a production engine, they may go back and fix that with the Sound engineer and release an update; but they are not going to do editing with that third party software to just customize what a customer wants.  G

gunrunnerjohn posted:
Gandpa63445 posted:

I also don’t understand why this post went to DCS, because I’m running 2 rail DCC. I’m not able to program thru DCS. Thank you 

Because you posted it in the DCS forum!  They don't magically change forums.

Well, originally he posted on the 2-Rail SCALE Forum, and since it was PS3 related, it obviously got moved "magically" to the MTH DCS PS2/PS3 Forum. Plus, He originally did NOT state/indicate that he was using DCC.

Last edited by Hot Water

Simple fact, it can be done. You suggested it can't when others have done so successfully. I agree with you on a lot of things Barry and have great respect for your knowledge and experience, but Mark has also spent extensive amounts of time & research on this procedure. He details all aspects of his research & findings and puts it out there for everyone to see. His page on the MTH sound file is more than a user manual, it goes into technical aspects of the file that are not required knowledge to complete this procedure. I also give him an awful lot of credit respect for his knowledge and experience.

MTH might not do it, but an authorized MTH tech might with with Mark's program and instructions could do it for him much like GRJ has. And MTH might not honor the one year warranty but if the engine outside of that warranty period anyway why does MTH care. It's your engine run it (or ruin it) anyway you want but be aware of the risks.

Everything we do on any engine from any manufacture is risky anymore and should pretty much come with a warning, even everyday running. There are no guarantees that a voltage spike, faulty transformer, nasty derail or a meteorite won't destroy your electronics even with a few dozen TVS diodes in place and a the best circuit protection on planet earth. Does MTH warranty cover bricked engines when operator runs it in conditions that are out of MTH specifications? How do they know the engine wasn't a dud or was it abused? (Don't answer, these are rhetorical questions) When it comes to warranty, MTH puts a lot of trust in the hands of the consumer to be honest with them.

Last edited by H1000

H1000,

Does MTH warranty cover bricked engines when operator runs it in conditions that are out of MTH specifications?

I never said that MTH would or would not cover it under warranty. I simply rebutted your statement that they'd never know if he screwed up his engine doing something that's out-of-bounds. I stand by my rebuttal.

Everything we do on any engine from any manufacture is risky anymore and should pretty much come with a warning, even everyday running.

"Everything"? I disagree. Further, there are categories of risk. For example, it's riskier to cross in the middle of the street than in a crosswalk, although, admittedly, one can be injured doing either. The risk, however, is not equal and the former is riskier than the latter, and is deemed an "acceptable" risk.

There are no guarantees that a voltage spike, faulty transformer, nasty derail or a meteorite won't destroy your electronics even with a few dozen TVS diodes in place and a the best circuit protection on planet earth.

That's true, however, so what? Stuff happens. Most people tend to protect against high-risk issues a lot more than low-risk ones.

MTH puts a lot of trust in the hands of the consumer to be honest with them.

Yes, it seems that they do and that you're advocating being deceptive, if necessary, in furthering one's self-interest. While I find that a little disturbing, however, let your conscience be your guide.

Since you didn't really take much exception to my points, I'm respectfully removing myself from this debate, unless anyone deems it necessary to continue.

Last edited by Barry Broskowitz
Barry Broskowitz posted:

MTH puts a lot of trust in the hands of the consumer to be honest with them.

Yes, it seems that they do and that you're advocating being deceptive, if necessary, in furthering one's self-interest. While I find that a little disturbing, however, let your conscience be your guide.

I would just like to see some basic safe guards put into place so that MTH (and others) can protect themselves against that very behavior.

I work in the IT field and one my primary tasks is to study "cool" new technology and learn it's faults & weaknesses before it is implemented in an environment. I am often instructed to learn how to exploit that technology, how to patch those exploits if possible (and inform the manufacture) and then protect company assets if something is still able to defeat that device. All along the way tracking how the bad guys did what they did when/if that happens.

This is a small market we play in but now with the inclusion of WiFi and networking protocols, you just need to find the right bad guy with time to kill to make our cool technology work against us instead of for us.

Add Reply

Post
The DCS Forum is sponsored by

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×