Non-Sound Decoder MX600 - MX634 and Sound Decoder MX640 - MX658 Page 35
5
ZIMO SOUND
– Selection and Programming
Sound projects, Sound Collections, free and fee-based projects etc.
Specialties of the ZIMO sound organization over the traditional offerings from other manufacturers
Each sound decoder requires a
sound project in the decoder’s flash memory.
The sound pro-
ject is basically a file, composed of the sound samples of a real locomotive (or several locomotives in
the case of the "Sound Collection", see below), as well as playback instructions (in the form of sched-
ules, dependencies on operating condition, speed, acceleration, pitch, etc.) and assignments (to func-
tion keys, random generators, switch inputs, etc.).
Each ZIMO decoder comes loaded with a sound project (usually a “sound collection”, see below).
Other ZIMO sound projects for installation by the user can be downloaded from the ZIMO sound da-
tabase at
www.zimo.at
in the form of
“Ready to use” projects
(.zpp file) and often, in addition to
that, as
“Full featured” projects
(.zip file):
The “Ready to use” project is a
.zpp file,
which after downloading is uploaded to the decoder with
the help of decoder update modules such as the MXDECUP, MXULF, MX31ZL or MX10 command
station. The file is placed on an USB stick and the stick plugged into the USB host socket of the men-
tioned modules or sent from a computer (connected to the USB client socket with the software
ZSP
or
ZIRC
installed on the PC) to the decoder. After the sound upload, many assignments and settings
can be changed to suit individual tastes (even though it is a "ready-to-use" project), using the proce-
dures
and CV’s described in the decoder manual.
The
“Full featured” project on the other hand is a
.zip file
as downloaded from the sound data-
base; it cannot be uploaded to the decoder directly but can only be unzipped and edited with the help
of the
“ZIMO sound program” ZSP.
Assignments and settings can be determined within ZSP and it
is also possible to remove sound samples for external processing or exchange them with others; it is
therefore possible to create your own or highly individualized sound projects. The result is again a
.zpp
file that can be uploaded to the decoder.
ZIMO sound decoders come preferably with a
“Sound collection”;
this is a special type of a
sound project:
sound samples and CV parameters for several engines (i.e. for 5 engines) are stored
on each decoder. The preferred sound for a given locomotive can be selected with the cab (no need
to load a different sound sample from the computer).
The user is free to change acoustics of a locomotive to his/her own taste by combining for example a
chuff sound from 5 different chuff samples and one or several whistles (selection is made using the
“CV #300” procedure); equally select from bells, compressors, steam shovels, oil burners or break
squeals etc.
Note: Even normal sound projects ("normal" = for a specific locomotive) comprise the characteristics
of a "sound collection", by containing several whistles for example from which one can be selected
us
ing the “CV #300 procedure”.
Among the sound projects available from the ZIMO sound database it must be distinguished be-
tween the
-
“Free D’load” (= no charge) sound projects,
often produced by ZIMO and the
-
“Coded” (= purchased) sound projects
, from external sound providers.
The "Coded sound projects" are contributed by external ZIMO partners (= providers, for example by
Heinz Däppen for the Rhaetian Railway and American steam locomotives), who get reimbursed by
the sale of "load codes". These fee-based projects can be downloaded for free from the ZIMO Sound
Database, but can only be used in
"coded" decoders,
i.e. those in which the appropriate
"load
code"
has been programmed beforehand.
“Encoded decoders" can be purchased with the “load
code” pre-installed (subject to a charge, see price list) or the load code is purchased later and entered
to the appropriate decoder CV’s (CV's # 260, 261, 262, 263). The "load code", which authorizes the
use of sound projects of a specific sound supplier (i.e. the sound projects of Heinz Däppen) applies to
one specific decoder which is identified by its decoder ID (CV 250, 251, 252, 253).
In addition to the "Free D'load" and "Coded" projects, both of which are ready for download on the
ZIMO Sound Database (see above), there is also the
-
“Preloaded” sound projects;
these are exclusively available as pre-programmed decoders and this
in t
urn often only installed in new locomotives. “Preloaded” sound decoders are not usually provided by
Zimo, but by model railroad manufacturers and distributors, who are also responsible for setting the
prices. These sound projects are merely listed in the ZIMO Sound Database as reference.
Decoders with sound collection
– How to select a loco type with CV #265
using the example of the “European steam/diesel collection”:
CV
Designation
Range
Default Description
#265
Loco type selection
1
2
…
101
102
…
1 or
101
Steam =
1
Diesel =
101
= 0, 100, 200: Reserved for future applications
= 1, 2 … 32: Select among various steam sounds stored
in the decoder, i.e. for loco BR01, BR28,
BR50, etc... Chuff sounds as well as other
sounds (whistle, compressor, bell…) will
be matched.
= 101, 102 … 132: Select among various diesel engines
(if several diesel sounds are in the collection).
Operating the sound decoder for the first time
with
“Euro steam/diesel” sound collection:
As delivered, the decoder comes with a typical engine sound activated and function-sounds allocated
to function keys:
Function F8
– Sound ON/OFF
sounds played back with a function keys remain active regardless whether F8 is on or off (a separate function key can be
assigned with CV #311 to turn the function sound ON/OFF, which could of course also be F8)!
By default, the
“European steam/diesel collection” plays back the sound of a 2-cylinder engine (the
chuff rate can only be approximate without further tuning) with automated water drainage and brake
squeal as well as some randomly played stationary sounds.
The
function keys
are allocated to the following function sounds
:
F2
– short whistle F7 – coal shoveling or oil burner
F4
– water drain (blow off…) F9 – compressor
F5
– long whistle (playable) F10 – generator
F6
– bell F11 – injector
The
random sound generators
to … stationary sounds:
Z1
– compressor Z2 – coal shoveling Z3 – injector
The
switch inputs:
S1
– nothing S2 – nothing S3 – nothing
