Programming Charger SC-44

[bruizer]

Hello!  Wondering if anyone has any pointers on programming these beautiful new models.  I have two of them that arrived this week and last.

I want to remap a number of functions so that it matches the standard throttle layout that I use with the rest of my fleet.  JMRI DecoderPro doesn't yet have a decoder definition for it, but I have been able to do some basic programming using the decoder definition for the ACS-64 which is similar, but that decoder definition doesn't give access to much of the controls, such as the multiple "pages" of functions that you get when double-pressing F8 (in fact, the double-press F8 is one of the functions I need to change as I use F8 for Front Marker Lights).

I have reached out to Bachmann Support and to TCS, the decoder manufacturer, but have heard no replies as of yet.  TCS offers a "programming" tool called Depot but it is still in beta and it doesn't actually have any capability currently other than to update firmware in their products.

Somewhat related, I've been unable to find the precise model number or specs of decoder in this model as well so far.

Any help or guidance would be much appreciated!  I am so excited to work with these locomotives but I really want their throttle setups to match the rest of my fleet.  I would seriously configure re-wiring it to have a NEM-21 connector with a Loksound decoder if I weren't in awe of the sounds that this TCS unit makes, and given that ESU Loksound doesn't have a sound set for the Charger (and probably won't for some time), I'd really like to avoid going this route.  However if I cannot get the functions/throttle configured to my liking I will go that route and install the Loksound instead as the function layout is most important to me.  Rewiring the electronics in new locomotives is something I've done many times and am quite familiar with doing, but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

Thanks for reading!!

[bruizer]

UPDATE - I did receive a rather unhelpful response from Bachmann Tech Support this afternoon.  They said "Please download the WowSound decoder with electric sounds for list at this time.
Please google TCS Wowsound decdoers."

Not terribly helpful as I was already using the electric sounds (ACS-64 decoder definition) and I thoroughly searched Google before reaching out to Bachmann, TCS or posting here.  So the saga continues.  I will post updates here when/if I discover anything of interest related to this concern.

[Hunt]

UPDATE - I did receive a rather unhelpful response from Bachmann Tech Support this afternoon.  They said "Please download the WowSound decoder with electric sounds for list at this time.
Please google TCS Wowsound decdoers."

Not terribly helpful as I was already using the electric sounds (ACS-64 decoder definition) and I thoroughly searched Google before reaching out to Bachmann, TCS or posting here.  So the saga continues.  I will post updates here when/if I discover anything of interest related to this concern.

Click Here The content of this TCS document contradicts the reference to use "WowSound decoder with electric sounds" you received from Bachmann.


After more discussion with TCS, perhaps with additional accurate information you will conclude to leave F8 as is.

[bruizer]

Hi There!  Thanks for sharing that link, I saw that too when they posted it last week.  Sadly that wiki/document doesn't include quite a bit of information I need such as which wires control the front markers, which control the rear markers, which the engine room lights, which the strobes etc.

The more I dig into it the more I am feeling like I will rip the guts out and put a different decoder into it.  I do love the sounds of the TCS decoder so my plan is to wire up a temporary external sound jack to the decoder so I can connect it to the microphone in input on my computer and then re-record each individual sound one at a time so they are saved on my computer as sound files and then I can build a new sound project for the ESU Loksound using those recording files.

I am not sure how well it will work but I'm gonna give it a try.  The first step is to temporarily reprogram the loco so it makes no sounds at all until I press F4 (or any F key) and then play the one and only sound I am interested in.  Then reprogram F4 to the next sound, play & record it to the computer, and so on until I get all the ones I need.  It's definitely gonna be a long process but I'm excited to give it a try.

The TCS decoders are highly engineered and impressive pieces of technology and they sound fantastic, its just that the configuration options are too limited for my preference as I like to micro-manage/detail program every aspect of my decoders.