Chata86
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| 29 Nov 2011 03:35 PM |
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I can certainly appreciate the difficulty in recording the real sounds well.
I read your page on Zimo DCC sound again Greg - did you reorganize your website? Anyway, it led me here...
http://www.zimo.at/web2007/content/...htm#Stainz
The Zimo .zip has a bunch of folders with standard WAV files. For the Stainz, there are 16 sound effects and 16 more various engine loaded chuffs. Most are 11025Hz and 22050Hz 32-bit mono WAV files. And the .zpr file isn't even binary. It's not XML it's just a text file with some codes to tell the DCC what the file names are, how long they are and how to use them, LOOP=1, plus a big CV table. So... it would seem to me that you could easily replace or add sounds on your trains if you understood the .zpr well enough. Might even be kinda interesting to make a tool to edit the ZPR if one doesn't already exist?
Serious modeling aside, It'd be fun to make some custom sounds for the Hand Car or even other locos for use at club events or shows. How about F10- "(Conductor voice) Please keeps hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times".
I believe I've found a document talks all about how to make your own Zimo sound files (but it's German - and Google Translate is telling me the file is too large). http://www.zimo.at/web2007/pdf/soun...eminar.pdf
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Greg Elmassian
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| 29 Nov 2011 09:22 PM |
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Cut the pdf into separate pages, then translate. Of course, Axel is the helpful reference for this.
The link on my site was old, Zimo updated their site, and changed the link.... my site is updated now...
Regards, Greg |
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Be sure to visit my site, lots of technical tips and modifications, and you can search for topics and key words.
Click here for Greg's web site
Note: I'm tired of the acrimony too, so I may not respond or participate in these types of threads. You can email me privately so I can help you without conflict.
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stanman
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| 29 Nov 2011 11:02 PM |
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I installed a small Lenz decoder in my LGB 2001. It must have been an older one; it was red.
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Stan Silverman
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www.StansTrains.com
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Axel Tillmann
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| 30 Nov 2011 05:21 AM |
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To create a sound project you use the free software ZSP (Zimo Sound Programmer). WHile the documentation is a little sketchy, poeple typicaly get quickly the hand of it. Like any other sound board you need a so called J-tag loader to program the programmable interface. In short terms all of them called it a programmer. ZIMO offers two ways to do it:
A seperate programmer (was MXDECUP will be MXULF)
the new MX10 (central station) has a build in programmer
The software program ZSP offer a huge variety of programmable areas, inlcuding attaching sond foile for up and down sound of Pantographs for electrical engines. You can become as granular as you want to be, meaning do you want to reach top speed sound from standlstill in 3,4,5,6,7.... steps. Each step has a plataeu file and an acceleration and decelleration file. Files need to be created in such a way that you don't here that they are looping. Example on a Diesel engine if you press the start button you can get as the startup file the starting of a Dieselmotor (which you can synchronize with the smoke unit's strong output). THe sound has to go then into the idle sound file which will run in loop mode until you move the enigne. Of course precission is required to get tot he same amplitude so that you don't hear blips. Some professional providers, such as SoundDesign, spent over 100 hours in cutting up sound file and tuning engine behavior.
Download ZSP and start experiementing. Do to the various register modes it is basically impossible to convert sounds from one manufacturer to another. |
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| Axel
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Dave Meashey
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| 30 Nov 2011 06:24 AM |
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Stupid piece of handcar trivia that I learned from a retired N&W roadmaster. Most of our models are inaccurate in that they depict the handcar operators standing and cranking with their arms. Charlie told me that when there was any significant distance to cover, the MOW crew would sit on the crank handles and pump with their legs like children on a seesaw. This way they rested their arms for doing the work they would have to do once they got to the maintenance site.
It's another steam-era technique that has been lost to us, but it makes good sense.
Yours,
David Meashey |
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Chata86
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| 30 Nov 2011 09:09 AM |
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Stan- Cute video. It'd funny that your hand cart guy keeps pumping the cart forward even after "the explosion" :)
Dave- What you're saying about legs vs arms makes sense. I fear that the real reason the models aren't setup like that is because it would look so goofy - what's that guy *doing* there?!
Axel- I have a half dozen different JTAG programmers, they're all for different chips though. The Zimo MXDECUP looks like an old fashioned serial to ISP dongle - requires a KeySpan to operate with a modern PC - no wonder it's canceled. Is the MXULF is out yet? Seems like it should be more like $40 not $175 though. I'm familiar with sound looping - and yes it's hard work to make it sound clean. Am I correct in saying that currently no one is currently offering a HandCart ZPR file (free or otherwise)? I'll give ZSP a try.
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mbendebba
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| 30 Nov 2011 10:56 AM |
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Posted By Axel Tillmann on 27 Nov 2011 06:35 AM
We converted several of these handcars to DCC and DCC w. integrated custom sound, granted there is not much room for huge speakers, but it is very fun.  Chata: What is wrong with replicating what Axel has done or using his custom sound files? |
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Chata86
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| 30 Nov 2011 11:32 AM |
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It's probably more fun to make my own sounds. |
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Greg Elmassian
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| 30 Nov 2011 12:01 PM |
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That's what I was thinking too, it's really not that difficult and then you can have exactly what you want.
As an aside, one problem with all the "european" sound decoders is that they rely on contributed sound files (and some that cost $$) as opposed to what we enjoy from Phoenix, SoundTraxx and QSI, a much richer library of sounds, and of course a much larger library of USA sounds.
Greg |
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Be sure to visit my site, lots of technical tips and modifications, and you can search for topics and key words.
Click here for Greg's web site
Note: I'm tired of the acrimony too, so I may not respond or participate in these types of threads. You can email me privately so I can help you without conflict.
PLEASE NOTE: I have disabled Private Messaging, please use regular email: greg@elmassian.com
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mbendebba
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| 30 Nov 2011 01:10 PM |
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Posted By Chata86 on 30 Nov 2011 11:32 AM
It's probably more fun to make my own sounds. Of course it would be more fun to make your own sounds, but since he has already done several times, it would not be any less fun if you were to use his stuff as a template. |
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Axel Tillmann
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| 30 Nov 2011 02:55 PM |
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I don't know if every is interested in fun projects such as "Here comes Santa Claus" or other funny song implementations. I think Chat is more looking at a realistic handcar implementation, and no I didn't have any sounds for that around. Our customers view these more as gimmicks than prototypes.
A realistc handcar could be fun. We did other fun projects juch as the flight of the bumblebee for the eggliner. Real sound projects we seldomly do, there are people more calfied who spedn the 100s of hours to make it perfect.
No MXULF will not be that cheap, becuase now this thing is beefed up can you can test you engine already which you couldn't do with the DECUP and many more function, display and buttons on there. Just got a prototype without instructions however.  |
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| Axel
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Chata86
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| 30 Nov 2011 09:41 PM |
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Does Phoenix, SoundTraxx or QSI have a realistic Hand Cart sound file?
I don't know what the licensing for those sounds might be... but looking over this Zimo sound programmer manual it all seems very doable to bring sounds into Euro decoders from wherever they might be sourced.
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Greg Elmassian
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| 30 Nov 2011 09:45 PM |
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Nope, although Phoenix has a nice galloping goose file, and the galloping goose one from Zimo might have some useful sounds, there is one of a chain drive, kind of a chain making a bit of a ringing sound on sprockets.
That one would be good for the hand car.
Greg |
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Be sure to visit my site, lots of technical tips and modifications, and you can search for topics and key words.
Click here for Greg's web site
Note: I'm tired of the acrimony too, so I may not respond or participate in these types of threads. You can email me privately so I can help you without conflict.
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Chata86
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| 30 Nov 2011 09:50 PM |
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If you look back at that sound sample I found on the net, it seems the hand car should mostly be making some wheels rolling on track noises (something you'd imagine most "locos" do but usually you can't hear over the steam and diesel generation). Plus some noises from the pump handle being a bit loose in its fitments - like a metal pipe squeaking around a bearing - high pitch / low pitch - repeat. Then for fun... maybe a bit of grunt when first starting - because I'd imagine that's a strain on the muscles. :) Handcars can be fun too! Take for example the Sonoma County Hand Car Regatta |
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allisonmyl
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| 06 Dec 2011 08:31 AM |
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I'm having the same problem. Thanks I drop by on this thread. |
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Greg Elmassian
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| 06 Dec 2011 08:58 AM |
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Axel, can you "cut sounds out" of a full featured project?
Might be able to assemble a good set of sounds from various places.
Greg |
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Be sure to visit my site, lots of technical tips and modifications, and you can search for topics and key words.
Click here for Greg's web site
Note: I'm tired of the acrimony too, so I may not respond or participate in these types of threads. You can email me privately so I can help you without conflict.
PLEASE NOTE: I have disabled Private Messaging, please use regular email: greg@elmassian.com
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Axel Tillmann
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| 07 Dec 2011 10:14 AM |
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Typically you use Adobe Sounbooth (or any other sound editing file) to take WAV or MP3 and cut sounds out store them into individual WAV files and then "assemble" the whole thing with ZSP. |
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| Axel
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