What would you do differently with sound value?

[Trainman203]

If you had your choice, what would do differently with  the Sound Value steam decoder?  I'd :

1.  Omit headlight dimming, a diesel era affectation not needed on steam locomotives.

2.  Include the turbo generator sound.  A headlight without a turbo is odd.

3.  Include the coupler crash, really need it when switching.

4.  Include cv 113, the silence timeout, really good with a room full of of engines.

5.  Omit the "consisting" CVs, a diesel MU thing and beyond beginners.

6.  Omit the speed tables.  They are beyond beginners and hardly anyone uses them.

[rogertra]

If you had your choice, what would do differently with  the Sound Value steam decoder?  I'd :

1.  Omit headlight dimming, a diesel era affectation not needed on steam locomotives.

2.  Include the turbo generator sound.  A headlight without a turbo is odd.

3.  Include the coupler crash, really need it when switching.

4.  Include cv 113, the silence timeout, really good with a room full of of engines.

5.  Omit the "consisting" CVs, a diesel MU thing and beyond beginners.

6.  Omit the speed tables.  They are beyond beginners and hardly anyone uses them.

Comments.

1.  Forget headlight dimming on steam.  No, steam could dim headlights.  There are two large switches above the cab windows above the engineer's right shoulder on most steam with three positions  Centre "Off", forward "On Bright", back On Dim".  One switch for the forward headlight and one for the rear.  See my note below regarding headlights

2.  Turbo generator.  Good idea.

3. Coupler crash.  Never use it but what the heck. 

4. CV133 the silence time out.  Good idea but as I have all the sound on my locos turned down so that diesels idling and steam panting away can't be heard from more than four feet away, it doesn't bother me.  I can have a dozen engine around the turntable and from six feet away, you cannot even hear that many. 

5.  Consisting on steam.  I'm of two minds about that.  I will eventually, once my major staging is complete, be adding steam helpers to all east bound steam hauled freights and removing them from west bounds.  Diesel hauled trains won't require helpers.  As a mainly solo operator, consisting steam, although not prototypical, would be really helpful.

6.  Speed tables.  Never really looked into them so no comment.

Headlights. 

One of things that does bother me is the inability to have both headlights on at the same time. Not only "on" at the same time but the ability for both to be "On" but also on "Dim".  This is how switchers usually run.  The other annoying "feature" is headlights automatically changing direction as the loco changes direction.  Real railroads do NOT do this.  The engineer does this manually and so should modellers.  Many of you have never been in the cab switching at night, or in daylight for that matter.  I can tell you nothing is more annoying and dangerous to both the ground crew and the engineer to have the headlight blasting away at full power.  It's dazzling for the ground crew and for the engineer, especially when you are coming up to a joint and your headlight glare is bouncing back from the car you are trying to couple up to.

However, it's not just Bachmann who is guilty of this, it's also some of the more "advanced" decoder suppliers as well.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Trainman203]

I like the brake squeal / air brske too, CV 198 and 196.

[Hunt]

An aside --

Trainman203,
Sound Value decoder
Want LED equipped headlight on all the time then
Program
CV 33 = 3
CV 49 = 143

[rogertra]

I like the brake squeal / air brske too, CV 198 and 196.

\

That's on my 2-10-0 along with coupler clash, which I don't use.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Hunt]

an other aside:
Roger T.
For a Bachmann factory installed SoundTraxx decoder (Tsunami or Sound Value)

Both head and backup light all ways on and dimmable
Program
CV 33 = 3
CV 34 = 3
CV 49 = 129
CV 50 = 129
CV 41 = 16

Pressing F7 will simultaneously Dim or On both head and backup  lights.

[rogertra]

an other aside:
Roger T.
For a Bachmann factory installed SoundTraxx decoder (Tsunami or Sound Value)

Both head and backup light all ways on and dimmable
Program
CV 33 = 3
CV 34 = 3
CV 49 = 129
CV 50 = 129
CV 41 = 16

Pressing F7 will simultaneously Dim or On both head and backup  lights.

Obviously I didn't know that.  Thanks.

Cheers

Roger T.

[Hunt]

an other  aside:
Roger T.
For a Bachmann factory installed SoundTraxx decoder (Tsunami or Sound Value)

Both head and backup light all ways on and dimmable
Program
CV 33 = 3
CV 34 = 3
CV 49 = 129
CV 50 = 129
CV 41 = 16

Pressing F7 will simultaneously Dim or On both head and backup  lights.

[Trainman203]

The point is that this decoder tried to cut back on functions to save money, but left in some useless  ones while excluding a few very useful ones.  If trade out can happen in the future, the decoder would be much improved. 

[Bucksco]

There are no plans to change the functions of the Sound Value decoders.

[Irbricksceo]

I didn't know sound value HAD a dim function. what is it? I know f1 is dim on Bachmann standard decoders. as an aside, do those CV's work on standard ones to have both headlights on or off?

[Hunt]

I didn't know sound value HAD a dim function. what is it?

F7

I know f1 is dim on Bachmann standard decoders

F1 through F8 can be set as Dim Function on the Bachmann standard (Lenz based) decoder.
Click Here for decoder info.  The standard decoder Dim Function key is determined by value in CV 51. Study CV 51 and CV 52.

as an aside, do those CV's [33, 34, 49, 50, 41] work on standard ones decoder to have both headlights on or off?

No, refer to the Bachmann standard decoder info.

[thewizard]

I'd be happy with brighter light bulbs, personally.

[Irbricksceo]

I'd be happy with brighter light bulbs, personally.

Depends on the loco. Some of mine (especially the 2-10-0) have bulbs that are barely noticeable while others such as my 4-4-0 and one of the 2-8-0's are really bright

Edit: Also, f7 appears to be a coupler clank of sorts, not a dimmer. I just tested

[Hunt]

. . .
Edit: Also, f7 appears to be a coupler clank of sorts, not a dimmer. I just tested

Irbricksceo,
You asked about Sound Value decoder Dim.

What Bachmann HO locomotive did you use for the test,  a Bachmann Spectrum HO 2-10-0?
Yes, F7 is Coupler Sound effect for the decoder in that locomotive.

To date - HO locomotives with factory installed DCC sound in Bachmann Spectrum line do not have a Sound Value decoder installed.