QUOTE (Expat @ 7 Jul 2008, 03:28) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi Guys,
Having researched it pretty thoroughly I have, reluctantly, come to the conclusion that, due mainly to space constraints but also due to the sound quality from sub-miniature speakers, it's just not possible to fit a sound decoder and speaker into an N Gauge steam loco. Someone suggested just playing a CD of sound effects, which strikes me as a pretty poor alternative but it set me thinking.
Is it possible to have sound decoders mounted other than actually in the loco ?
My idea is to have sound decoders and decent sized speakers positioned at strategic locations beneath the base board which would somehow provide sound effects for each loco. This would require, I think, to have the sound decoder somehow synchronised to the loco chip, possibly by giving it the same address as the loco. Alternatively, would I need a second loco decoder with the same address and connect the sound decoder to that.
Am I just fantasising or is this possible ??
Expat.
***Its possible but so is fitting sound to N scale steam locomotives - I do it often.
A bugger of a job and there are limits, but I've added sound to crab, duchess, A4 with ease, others with a little more stress... including some electric passenger stock.
It can sound good if well done. It can be B awful if not done well - and its always expensive to do. I will no longer do it with ANY loco that doesn't run perfectly expecially if its one of the GF loco's, which I frequently say no" to.
as to synchronising sound outside the loco, not really practical without lots of technology. such synchronising requires a transference of back EMF data, not drive information so it needs tp refer to the loco effort reallu.
General sound around the layout can easily be done though.
Sound and UK prototype N are well... not exactly perfect bedfellows unless you'll be satisfied with one or two - and GWR loco's do make it hard due to their low sided tenders. BEST answer.... go to EU or US N scale - or HO or OO
Richard
DCCconcepts
Having researched it pretty thoroughly I have, reluctantly, come to the conclusion that, due mainly to space constraints but also due to the sound quality from sub-miniature speakers, it's just not possible to fit a sound decoder and speaker into an N Gauge steam loco. Someone suggested just playing a CD of sound effects, which strikes me as a pretty poor alternative but it set me thinking.
Is it possible to have sound decoders mounted other than actually in the loco ?
My idea is to have sound decoders and decent sized speakers positioned at strategic locations beneath the base board which would somehow provide sound effects for each loco. This would require, I think, to have the sound decoder somehow synchronised to the loco chip, possibly by giving it the same address as the loco. Alternatively, would I need a second loco decoder with the same address and connect the sound decoder to that.
Am I just fantasising or is this possible ??
Expat.
***Its possible but so is fitting sound to N scale steam locomotives - I do it often.
A bugger of a job and there are limits, but I've added sound to crab, duchess, A4 with ease, others with a little more stress... including some electric passenger stock.
It can sound good if well done. It can be B awful if not done well - and its always expensive to do. I will no longer do it with ANY loco that doesn't run perfectly expecially if its one of the GF loco's, which I frequently say no" to.
as to synchronising sound outside the loco, not really practical without lots of technology. such synchronising requires a transference of back EMF data, not drive information so it needs tp refer to the loco effort reallu.
General sound around the layout can easily be done though.
Sound and UK prototype N are well... not exactly perfect bedfellows unless you'll be satisfied with one or two - and GWR loco's do make it hard due to their low sided tenders. BEST answer.... go to EU or US N scale - or HO or OO

Richard
DCCconcepts