DCC & EZ- Command

[Cody J]

I was reading a post on here by "New ChooChoo" during school earlier today about HO locomotives and DCC and it got me worrying about if what I intend to do will work:
I currently own the Bachmann EZ-Command system with Bachmann Spectrum DCC Equipped CSX C40-8W. In the near future I intend too buy an Athearn CSX SD40-2 #8888 which has "DCC Ready wiring harness installed" (Athearn product number: ATH95188).
I want to take out the current decoder in the Dash 8 and replace it with Tsunami TSU-AT1000 "Plug & Play Sound Decoder". The number for the SD40-2 is: 828041 and for the Dash 8 is: 828046. I also want to add speakers for each which is product number: 810113 which will both work with the Dash 8 and SD40-2.

Will all of this work with the EZ-Command? What else will I need to buy or need to know?

Thanks,
Cody

[Cody J]

Oh, and I forgot that the decoders and speakers were found on the Soundtraxx website

-Cody

[Jim Banner]

The Tsunami decoders work with the E-Z Command but you cannot fine tune them with the E-Z Command.  Fine tuning includes such things as selecting the correct type of horn for the railroad you are modelling, adjusting the sound synchronization so that the diesel engine sound ramps up properly with the locomotive speed, turning on the BEMF control and setting it to work properly with your locomotive, if you plan to use it as a single locomotive, or turning it off if you plan to double head your two locomotives.  These are only three of many examples.

To be able to fine tune the decoders, you need a DCC system that can change CVs.  CVs, or Configuration Variables, are where we store codes to tell the decoder exactly how we want it to behave in various situations.  E-Z Command can only change 2 of the many, many CVs.  It can change CV01 where the locomotive's address is stored and it can change the part of CV29 that tells the decoder which end of the locomotive is considered the front.  But it cannot change any of the CVs that need to be changed to fine tune a sound decoder.

Having said that, installing Tsunami sound decoders without fine tuning them will give you sounds but not necessarily the exact sounds you would like.  It would be like installing generic decoders that produce sounds but give you no choices.  However, there is a big advantage of installing a really good sound decoder like the Tsunami even if you cannot at this time fine tune the sounds.  And that is, some time in the future when you can upgrade your DCC system, you will be able to fine tune the Tsunamis.  If you install generic sound cards now and later upgrade your DCC system, you will be wanting to upgrade your sound cards too.  Staying with the good sound cards now can save you money in the long run.

Jim

[Cody J]

Okay, thank you Jim.

[Doneldon]

Cody-

Try a friend, your LHS or a model railroad club for someone with a DCC system who will let you program your Tsunami decoders.  Once they're programmed/tuned, you won't need to have the more sophisticated system again unless you want to change the programming.  Should you expand in the future, be sure to get a system which programs.  I think every one does but the EZCommand.

                                                                                                                                                             -- D

[Cody J]

Thanks Doneldon!

-Cody