Page 44 MS-SOUND decoders MS440 to MS990
Key arrangement on the ZIMO MX31:
(((((
1
F0
(((((
2
F1
(((((
3
F2
(((((
4
F3
(((((
5
F4
(((((
6
F5
(((((
7
F6
(((((
8
F7
(((((
9
F8
A more convenient procedure (w/o manual CV #300 programming) is available with MX31/MX32
A sound project is composed of…
... sound samples, schedules and CV settings.
To produce the sound of a locomotive, the sound project contains the following components:
1) the
"main engine"
sound
: this is the central sound, such as the chuff or diesel engine sound, or
the cooling fan (which is the key sound in electric locomotive projects).
This "main engine" sound is the only sound component associated with a
schedule
, which defines
important properties, especially the transitions between different sound samples in various speed,
acceleration and load situations.
This schedule can only be changed in the "ZIMO Sound Programmer" ZSP, not by CVs. However,
there are numerous possibilities for
fine-tuning
the main engine sound
through CVs
(e.g. relation
between chuff frequency and speed, lead-chuff accentuation, coasting/notching functions, etc.)
2) Other
scheduled sounds
(often inaccurately called background sounds): these are boiling, drain-
ing, turbocharger or brake squealing sounds and many others; also, in the case of electric locomo-
tives the actual primary sounds of the thyristor unit and the electric motor.
"Scheduled" sounds - both the "main engine" and "other" - are characterized in that the decoder
plays them automatically, based on the driving situation, while the "function sounds" (see below)
are activated with the cab’s function keys.
These "other" sounds (i.e. all except the "main engine” sound, see above) are NOT played according
to a schedule, i.e. they are
fully defined by CVs
,
and can be modified
directly by the relevant CVs or
CV #300 - procedures, even in operation (speed, load dependence, etc.). Only the underlying original
recordings, that is, the sound sample or a selection of samples, is stored in the sound project (or in the
sound collection).
3) The
function sounds
, which are played back by pressing the corresponding function keys includes
acoustic signals such as whistles, horns, bells but also other sounds like coal shoveling, coupler
clank, lowering of pantographs as well as station announcements.
The volumes of each sound and whether it is “looped” (for continuous playback as long as the func-
tion key is pressed) is
defined by CVs
but can also be
modified by these CVs
or with the CV #300
procedure. Here too, only the sound samples of the project or selections of several projects are pre-
defined.
4) and 5) the
switch input
and
random sounds
are normally sounds that can also be used as function
sounds but are triggered by switch inputs or random generators.
The occasionally used term "driving sound" refers to a subset of all the sounds, namely the "main en-
gine" sound and most of the "other" sounds; the "departure whistle" sound for example is not included
because it is not dependent on driving data.
The term "CV #300 - procedure" means the use of CV #300, which allows the
modification of the
currently loaded sound project
during normal operation, in relation to:
- the selection of sound samples within the various sound groups (i.e. “short whistle”), if it is a “sound
collection” (which has several sound samples in some of its sound groups) or a “normal” sound project
with several sound samples in certain groups.
the
volume
and the sound
loop
behavior of individual sounds; for example, setting the whistle volume
different to the driving sound volume (i.e. chuff beats).
NOTE
: If setting the volume of individual sound classes is the main concern, it is more convenient to
use the direct CVs, see chapter "Drive-independent basic settings"; in many applications the CV #300
procedure is therefore NOT needed.
Selecting a chuff set
(if several sets are present in a sound collection):
(only possible for steam projects, not for diesel or electrics)
The following procedures are always used in the same way in spite of the flexible decoder layout with
different sound sample compilations. It is also worth mentioning that the sound samples can be lis-
tened to and evaluated under actual operating conditions (with the engine running), not just on the
computer.
The
selection procedure
is started with a “Pseudo-Programming” in operations mode (“on-the-main”):
CV #300 = 100
The “Pseudo-Programming” (meaning that the entered value is not really stored in memory) has the effect
that the
function keys F0 to F8
no longer actuate function outputs but instead are now available for
spe-
cial tasks
within the sound selection procedure. The function keys should be set to momentary, if possi-
ble, which would facilitate the procedure.
CV #300 procedures must be done in Operational Mode (on
the main), NOT in Service Mode!
The function key identifications (and the MX31/MX32 controller displays) shown are typical for a ZIMO
controller during the selection procedures (and for other sound adjustment procedures) but
is analog
to the function keys of third-party controllers,
although the keyboard layout may be different.
The function keys have the following special meaning during the selection procedure!
Planned for the display;
F0
= play: plays back the current chuff sound for evaluation; only possible with the engine at a stand-
still; the chuff sounds are played back automatically when the engine is moving.
F1, F2
= prev, next: plays back the previous or next recording, which is stored in the sound decoder
F3
= CLEAR + end: The
selection procedure
is
stopped
and the selection is cleared, that is,
no chuff sound will be played (but boiling and blow-off sound remains).
F8
= STORE + end: The
selection procedure
ends
and the current chuff set
is replaced with the selected chuff set.
The
selection procedure
is also stopped when programming anything else (e.g.
CV #300 = 0,
or any
other value or any other CV) or by interrupting power. In these cases, the
current chuff set remains.
Such “forced endings” are also useful when the “old” sound should remain as the current sound with-
out first having to locate it again.
The selection procedure is supported with
sound signals:
The
“cuckoo jingle”
sounds when….
…. the last stored chuff sound is reached; use the key to scroll in the opposite direction (F1, F2) to
listen to the other stored chuff sounds,
. . . …. play-back attempted (with F0) but no sound sample is available,
…. a wrong key is pressed (F4, F5 etc.)
The
“confirmation jingle”
is played after ending the allocation procedure with F3 or F8.
The engines can be
operated normally
during the selection procedure: with speed regulator, direction
key and MAN key (the latter only with ZIMO cabs); functions cannot be actuated until the selection proce-
dure is terminated with F3, F8 or by other programming steps, see above.
SOUND SELECTION
.
Steam chuffs --- SAMPLE ---
((((( play ((((( prev ((((( next
CLEAR
((((( + end ((((( (((((
STORE
((((( ((((( ((((( +
end