Zimo ASL sound on NCE PowerCab

[Liddy]

Am I being unrealistic?

I have a Zimo MX decoder in a Farish loco. PM sounds are fine, but this project should have manual brake on F2 and brake squeal just before coming to a complete stop and I can't get either to work.

So far I have tried the F2 button, but as is commonly known on the PowerCab it is a momentary switch.

The Option button is set as the default Brake and instantly sets the speed to zero. The Horn/Whistle button (by default set as a trigger) activates the brake sound without any effect on the loco speed!

Whatever control I use there is no brake squeal before stopping!

My next step is to try a WiFi throttle via a USB interface/PC/PowerCab set up, but if going via a PowerCab will I experience the same frustration?

[pauliebanger]

3 hours ago, Liddy said:

Am I being unrealistic?

I have a Zimo MX decoder in a Farish loco. PM sounds are fine, but this project should have manual brake on F2 and brake squeal just before coming to a complete stop and I can't get either to work.

So far I have tried the F2 button, but as is commonly known on the PowerCab it is a momentary switch.

The Option button is set as the default Brake and instantly sets the speed to zero. The Horn/Whistle button (by default set as a trigger) activates the brake sound without any effect on the loco speed!

Whatever control I use there is no brake squeal before stopping!

My next step is to try a WiFi throttle via a USB interface/PC/PowerCab set up, but if going via a PowerCab will I experience the same frustration?

The PowerCab F2 key is not momentary, it's latched as are all F keys.

The Horn/Whistle key is  momentary and will play/activate whatever is assigned to F2 for as long as it is held 'ON'.

The default set up on the PowerCab is just daft, and is not the ZIMO brake feature you are seeking, but the manual explains how to assign it to something useful.

However, that has no effect on your reported problem, Digitrains and the Farish rtr default setups work fine out of the box. So something's wrong.

Reset the decoder, CV8 = 8, probably all good after. If not, come back.

Let us know the values in CVs 4, 309 and 349.

The model, sound project name and from where it was sourced are all relevant details that would help us to help you.

 

Paul 

 

 

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by pauliebanger

[Liddy]

Thanks Paul, your advice is always very welcome. 

I will do a reset and post those details later tomorrow

Best regards

Ian

[Liddy]

Hello Paul, 

Thank you again for responding.

CV8 = 8 has been done. Responses are still as before, neither F2 used repeatedly or Horn/Whistle has any effect on loco speed, they both just play the air release sound.

CV4 = 080, CV309 = 002, CV349 = 005

The decoder is an MX649R loaded with ZS20ASL sound project from Digitrains hardwired into a Farish Class 20 (DCC ready)

Your assistance is hugely appreciated, any further information that would help or any adjustments you suggest, whatever, please ask. I know it can work, I'm frustrated as to why it doesn't work in this instance.

Best regards

Ian

[pauliebanger]

Hi Ian,

 

Ok, those CVs show that whatever the sound project loaded, it's set up with significant momentum, CV4, Brake Key on F2, CV309, and high brake efficiency, CV349.

So it should be working.

Of course it's set up to simulate real brake action, not toy train brakes like some other brands efforts.

That means that in order for the brakes to have any actual retardation, the operator (driver) must first reduce the regulator/throttle. This can be set to any speed step below the current one, including to zero.

With the throttle reduced, the brake feature will reduce speed in a progressive curve until the new speed is reached or the loco halts if at zero. The way the operator uses the Brake Key determines how the curve is modified in real time, so the operator is always in control of the braking simulation.

This is all explained in the project's User Notes.

Incidentally, if the brake key is engaged without first reducing the throttle, the feature still has a useful purpose. The loco cannot increase in road speed until the brake key is released, even if the throttle setting is increased and whatever may happen to the engine sounds as a consequence. Use this to traverse speed restricted sections, a sort of upper limit cruise control.

You can see why this multi-use feature is so popular with ZIMO users.

 

I didn't comment earlier on the brake squeal which you believe to be missing. It's not. It's just accurately selective.

If the brake key is not active at the time of stopping, there will be no brake squeal. The attention to detail in these projects is there in order to produce realistic effects. As Paddy M might have said, No brakey, No squeaky!

If other projects produce a brake squeal when the brakes have not been applied, that says more about their lack of realism than ought else. Lol.

I can't think of any adjustments which are necessary, or possible.

I can see only one circumstance (with a fault free decoder) in which the reported CVs can be in place and the feature not operate in exactly the way I described above, is if the decoder software (not the sound project) is ancient.

Versions prior to my introduction of the Brake Key Feature, will accept values in CVs 309 and 349 but will have no effect.

 

Paul 

Edited April 8, 2023 by pauliebanger

[Liddy]

Hi Paul,

I now have manual braking and brake squeal 'nailed', I further increased CV4 and CV578.

Thank you for all your help.

 

I'm going to ask a further question; Is there a way to turn off Flange Squeal when speed equals zero?

Thanks in advance

Ian

[pauliebanger]

Flange squeal in this project is a simple on/off function. There's no native way to stop this sound automatically.

Later versions have speed related flange squeal which does automatically cease when movement stops, but that requires special scripting to be added during project creation/ sound loading. So, to get that, you'll need a re-blow.

PM me if you wish.

 

Paul 

[SRman]

On 08/04/2023 at 22:10, pauliebanger said:

...snipped...

 

I can see only one circumstance (with a fault free decoder) in which the reported CVs can be in place and the feature not operate in exactly the way I described above, is if the decoder software (not the sound project) is ancient.

Versions prior to my introduction of the Brake Key Feature, will accept values in CVs 309 and 349 but will have no effect.

 

Paul 

For what it's worth if anyone else has a similar problem, I did once run into this with an older Zimo decoder, where the firmware was so old that the brake function wouldn't work. A quick update to the firmware fixed that problem, with advice from either Paul or John Guymer of YouChoos (I've forgotten which project was involved, now) to set me in the right direction at the time.

Edited April 11, 2023 by SRman