Understanding MTH Sound Files

@Trainlover9943 posted:

In my search of making the perfect sound files for my E6 (made up of clips from various engines) has me looking at sound sets puzzled. For example the extended startup sounds for one file start at clip 63 (my E6) and another a blue goose, starts at 55. The same holds true for the announcement played when the PFA key is pressed (in this case, arriving sounds for a passenger train) on the E6, that clip is #105 on the blue goose its 100. Also, the clips on the blue goose appear to be in some kind of order (ie clip 100 is the arriving sound, 101 is departing ect. Clip 91 is the departing announcement on the E6) on the goose file starting at 103 it has the sounds as they'd play during the PFA sounds. Not sure why this is and if the different numbers means anything. Side note, I tried to extend the extended start up passed clip 63 and it didn't work. Any ideas on this? 

It's likely due to PS2 3v vs 5v

I used both original 5v files. 

@Trainlover9943 posted:

I used both original 5v files. 

It's likely just differences in the files

Could be but why? Also why can't I extend the start up sequence on the E6? (Well, what'd I want to do it extend the end of the sequence to include some crew talk at the end.)

@Trainlover9943 posted:

Could be but why? Also why can't I extend the start up sequence on the E6? If the sequence starts on 55 on the goose but starts on 63 on the E6. 

I honestly don't know. I would email the gentleman who made the program.

@Sid's Trains posted:

I honestly don't know. I would email the gentleman who made the program.

I'll have to. 

@Trainlover9943 posted:

I'll have to. 

I think the 5-volt sound files have more limitations than the newer ones

It could be. @SanDiegoMark

Matt, changing these sounds files get to be a bit of an art and there things that can and can't be done. With enough experimentation, you'll get there.

The way I understand it (and Mark can correct me if I'm wrong) that the clip number merely exists as a reference point and the thing to really pay attention to is the "Start" & "End" memory addresses.

I think that the firmware in the boards look for specific memory locations to play when initiating start up and shut downs. These location are predetermined and it may not be possible to insert a clip in between and fool the board into playing those extra inserted clips. I know when modifying Railking PS3 engines to include the quillable whistle, Clip 3 had to be empty otherwise the whole addition of a quilliable whistle wouldn't work.  On my older RK big boy with PS3 I actually had to grab a whole new file from a newer RK big boy just to have this clip location open and then I inserted a quillable whistle from a newer Premier big boy file. Worked awesome!

It may be a matter of modifying the actual audio of  clip you want to insert using other softwre (Mark discusses this on his website also) to directly insert those extra sounds.  That makes two problem for you though. These are 5v files which only have 1MB of storage and you'll run out of space fast. The next issue is that if you modify the audio in the clip, that audio will be played like that for other sequences where that same clip is used.

Again, Mark knows this much better than I and he is the top resource. Good luck with your experimentation, I am sure you are only a few engine uploads from a break through!

@H1000 posted:

Matt, changing these sounds files get to be a bit of an art and there things that can and can't be done. With enough experimentation, you'll get there.

The way I understand it (and Mark can correct me if I'm wrong) that the clip number merely exists as a reference point and the thing to really pay attention to is the "Start" & "End" memory addresses.

I think that the firmware in the boards look for specific memory locations to play when initiating start up and shut downs. These location are predetermined and it may not be possible to insert a clip in between and fool the board into playing those extra inserted clips. I know when modifying Railking PS3 engines to include the quillable whistle, Clip 3 had to be empty otherwise the whole addition of a quilliable whistle wouldn't work.  On my older RK big boy with PS3 I actually had to grab a whole new file from a newer RK big boy just to have this clip location open and then I inserted a quillable whistle from a newer Premier big boy file. Worked awesome!

It may be a matter of modifying the actual audio of  clip you want to insert using other softwre (Mark discusses this on his website also) to directly insert those extra sounds.  That makes two problem for you though. These are 5v files which only have 1MB of storage and you'll run out of space fast. The next issue is that if you modify the audio in the clip, that audio will be played like that for other sequences where that same clip is used.

Again, Mark knows this much better than I and he is the top resource. Good luck with your experimentation, I am sure you are only a few engine uploads from a break through!

Thanks for your input and info. I'm really enjoying this program, I'm really hoping I can get what I want in my sound file.

I added the crossing sound to the engine. While it works when using the soft key on the remote. I had to replace clip 42 which was a steam idling sound that plays in the extended start up and shut down sequences. Well, you guessed it, it (the xing sound) now plays in the extended start up/shut down sequences. More than I bargained for. Looks like I can't have the crossing sound. (I tried to put it in clip 255 alone and it didn't play on the softkey). 

If you had PS2 3 volt or PS3 engine there would be a lot more flexibility. You might have to change the entire 5v file for one that does have a crossing horn in order to get that feature.

@H1000 posted:

If you had PS2 3 volt or PS3 engine there would be a lot more flexibility. You might have to change the entire 5v file for one that does have a crossing horn in order to get that feature.

Might have to. If that's the case, I'm not sure of a file I could use. No 5v file has a factory preset crossing sound (that I know of). 

A little update tonight. I tried to use a RK berk as a base for the sounds I want. While it worked, I got the crossing signal to work correctly, it just wasn't the same. The E6 file had some personality that I really liked. I'm back to using that file (without the crossing signal). So far its alright. Although I'd still like my list above if possible. 

@Trainlover9943 posted:

A little update tonight. I tried to use a RK berk as a base for the sounds I want. While it worked, I got the crossing signal to work correctly, it just wasn't the same. The E6 file had some personality that I really liked. I'm back to using that file (without the crossing signal). So far its alright. Although I'd still like my list above if possible. 

As said before, I have noticed that PS2 3v  and PS3 files have more flexibility than ps2 5v. Honestly, for you to have that list, you might have to covert the engine.

@Sid's Trains posted:

As said before, I have noticed that PS2 3v  and PS3 files have more flexibility than ps2 5v. Honestly, for you to have that list, you might have to covert the engine.

They do, theres no denying that. Especially if I want quilling whistle, PS3 is the way to go. I'm thinking of giving the northern (or blue goose) base file a try since those truly have what I'm after. 

@Trainlover9943 posted:

They do, theres no denying that. Especially if I want quilling whistle, PS3 is the way to go. I'm thinking of giving the northern (or blue goose) base file a try since those truly have what I'm after. 

Hope they work for you 

@H1000 posted:

Good luck with your experimentation, I am sure you are only a few engine uploads from a break through!

You're correct. I redid the file again (this time using the FEF as the base) and I'm getting VERY close to what I want! I got my welcome and now arriving on the advertised sounds. I also got the crossing sound and short whistle added correctly. Still would like more of a shut down sequence with the 6 key (the goose file offers that) so I'm really close. If I was to keep this file, I'd still have some small edits to make, on the PFA arrival and departure sounds, the end of the clip is cut off. On the FEF and the goose file, the arrival/departure and the train name are two different clips, on the E6 file it's one long clip. Also, I left some of the oil adding sounds which I'll have to replace since this is a coal burner. I think if I used the blue goose file as a base that'll do it. 

Matt, Once you find a file that has the features you want, You should be able to swap the audio clips to get the features with the desired sounds. The engine name will be wrong but that is easily changed in the remote or app.

@H1000 posted:

Matt, Once you find a file that has the features you want, You should be able to swap the audio clips to get the features with the desired sounds. The engine name will be wrong but that is easily changed in the remote or app.

The trouble is that I have to combine clips from various files to get the specific sounds I want out of the engine during the extended start up/shut down sequence and PFA. The name has been the name programmed into the board originally when I readd it. (Scale Atlantic it shows up as which works for me.) 

Update: used the blue goose file as a base and with using it, I basically have my list as good as it will be with a 5v board. Thanks everyone for your insight and help!