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Post by edwardsutorik on Jul 20, 2024 5:57:49 GMT -8
Other than putting it on the track or what's printed on the box, is there a way to tell if an engine is dcc/sound or straight dc? Weigh it. Sound engines weigh a bit more. On some locos, the manufacturer places a weight where the speaker would go. So the non-sound is heavier. I think I'd put it on the program track and try reading CV1. Ed
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Post by elfan on Jul 24, 2024 15:39:46 GMT -8
Just received mine today, won’t have a chance to put them on the layout until this weekend at the earliest. Hoping I don’t have the decoder issue described above. Curious, did that non decoder o wrong decoder equipped B unit show up for any others? How do you determine that the decoder is DCC sound equipped by reading CV1 on a program track?
Tom
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jul 24, 2024 16:29:18 GMT -8
Just received mine today, won’t have a chance to put them on the layout until this weekend at the earliest. Hoping I don’t have the decoder issue described above. Curious, did that non decoder o wrong decoder equipped B unit show up for any others? How do you determine that the decoder is DCC sound equipped by reading CV1 on a program track? Tom Because you should be reading the short address, if there's a decoder. It's typically "3". No reading = no decoder. Ed
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Post by elfan on Jul 24, 2024 18:56:42 GMT -8
Ok. I do understand a decoder can be read if it’s there or not, but can you determine if it’s a sound decoder just by reading CV1 on a program track or does one need to actually press F8, the usual mute function, to see if sound starts?
Tom
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jul 24, 2024 19:34:15 GMT -8
Ok. I do understand a decoder can be read if it’s there or not, but can you determine if it’s a sound decoder just by reading CV1 on a program track... No. Yup, if it doesn't already start on its own. Keep in mind that my statements are based on the assumption that, whatever you're testing, it's in good working order. In this case, NOT getting sound when you press F8 does NOT mean that there is not sound decoder present. It may be present, but not working. The same is true for the CV1 decoder test. You MAY have a decoder that isn't working, and thus it appears there is no decoder. Ed
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Post by lvrr325 on Jul 24, 2024 20:31:39 GMT -8
FWIW the Bowser RS3 I got a while ago came with the sound off as default out of the box. ESU decoder.
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Post by locochris on Jul 25, 2024 5:48:37 GMT -8
I received a UP set. Both and A and B units had a full LokSound 5 DCC. The default DCC settings in the B unit were a bit different than the A; but nothing I couldn't change.
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Post by elfan on Jul 25, 2024 7:01:01 GMT -8
I received a UP set. Both and A and B units had a full LokSound 5 DCC. The default DCC settings in the B unit were a bit different than the A; but nothing I couldn't change. What did you need to change? Did it involve function mapping or just simple CV adjustments? When I get the time, and I’m not sure when that will be, I will be speed matching and MUing them so I will need them to run and respond seamlessly. Thanks Tom
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Post by locochris on Jul 25, 2024 17:34:16 GMT -8
What did you need to change? Did it involve function mapping or just simple CV adjustments? When I get the time, and I’m not sure when that will be, I will be speed matching and MUing them so I will need them to run and respond seamlessly. Thanks Tom Oh it was just some simple things. I think In LokProgrammer the A unit was set to use the three value speed table but the B unit was set to use a speed curve, so I had to make them the same. Then I had to enable RailCom.
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jul 25, 2024 19:22:13 GMT -8
I think In LokProgrammer the A unit was set to use the three value speed table but the B unit was set to use a speed curve, so I had to make them the same. I wonder why Rapido chose to treat the A's and B's differently. It would seem they should be the same. Ed
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Post by snootie3257 on Jul 26, 2024 4:59:31 GMT -8
I think In LokProgrammer the A unit was set to use the three value speed table but the B unit was set to use a speed curve, so I had to make them the same. I wonder why Rapido chose to treat the A's and B's differently. It would seem they should be the same. Ed Given who were talking about,it could be as my dad would put it: “One hand doesn’t know what the other hand is doing.” Steve
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cn2240
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Post by cn2240 on Jul 29, 2024 19:22:59 GMT -8
$340 USD for a DCC/Sound A-unit? Paying a Rivet Counter or Genesis price for a model from a not-so-reputable company? Yeah, I'm good. Was never interested in this but I did consider potentially getting the C40-8M but given Rapido love scoring in their own net, I'll be sticking with my Prime Movers models, at least back then they did have the word "quality" in their dictionary. I put a bunch of work into my early run C40-8Ms to raise them to a detail level that I liked, I'm not getting rid of them and paying however much extra for a model that is essentially exactly the same except with etched metal steps and a bunch of underbody cables you can't really see anyway. And maybe some extra lights. There is still a lot of details that will need adding/changing on the new ones. Especially on the BC Rail units - which still are coming with incorrect CN style antenna placement, but much more importantly, wrong radiators on the 'late' appearance versions. While antennas are not hard to fix, redoing the radiator is pretty major surgery, AND you need to have a donor part. Considering this is being touted as the 'be all, end all, 'fixing everything we didn't do the first time'' version of the C40-8M (a statement which is blatantly wrong, in the model's current state) they should be correct from the factory. It's not like there aren't tons of photos out there of BC Rail units which show the antenna placement and radiators. As far as I'm concerned the 'upgrades' they made are not nearly worth the 'upgrade' in price. In the end, I bit the bullet and got a pair of the new C40-8Ms (BCOL 4609 and 4618). I ordered them through my LHS just so that if I discovered they were lemons, then I could get a refund on them. Having had a couple of operating sessions with 4609 and one with 4618, I'm mostly happy with the pair. The main issue with them is the motor noise, it's loud enough to be heard over the prime mover especially for 4618. It's certainly not as bad as with my Aurora SD60F but it's still a bit disappointing given my other Rapido models haven't had issues with noisy motors. The only other issue is there's a bit of light bleed from the engineer-side number board on 4609. I do like that they have the functioning factory-installed rock lights and as my first models with the Mo-Power keep-alive, the new C40-8Ms are certainly much more reliable compared to the older Prime Movers models. Having watched a review beforehand, I was concerned that the pulling power of these would be underwhelming but neither had any issues pulling a decently long train even on uphill grades. The sound is also pretty good. All in all, whilst they're not perfect, the new C40-8Ms also aren't epic fails compared to other recent Rapido models.
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Post by voyager989 on Jul 29, 2024 20:30:35 GMT -8
Update: Got return authorisation but no shipping label to send cross country...
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