Specs?

Dear Engineer,

Any chance of some audio specs on the device? Or the trigger I/O configuration?

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

It plays WAV-files 8 or 18

It plays WAV-files 8 or 16 bit, mono or stereo, 8 kHz to 48 kHz, up to 4 GB.

There are four buttons: button one plays sound one, button two plays sound two, ...

Each sound is repeated as long as the button is pressed.

Obvious Q

Dear Engineer,

Thanks for that, sounds like a pretty broadly compatible little device. Any ideas on cost?

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

As shown

As shown here

http://www.h0fine.de/Joomla/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage.tpl&product_id=326&category_id=5&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=55&vmcchk=1&Itemid=55

the price is 42 €.

Interesting, but....

Dear Engineer,

Thanks for that, Google Translate is making up for my lack of German...

I note however, that there is
- no mention of the analog side audio specs, 
(D/A converter? Using the raw PCM output of a typical microprocessor is a poor approximation of a Burr-Brown Audio-spec D/A converter...)

- no obvious facility to connect to larger/external speakers
(PC Multimedia speakers? Cheap and connects using a 3.5mm minijack)

- no External Input triggering terminals
(How to bring the trigger buttons out to the layout fascia, or interface with any external triggering system,
JMRI/DCC/Viewer-proximity/train-detection/etc,
esp when the player-unit/speaker is mounted in/under the layout?)

- no External Control Output terminals
(Interfacing to lighting circuits, animation mechanisms, etc)

- no "Randomised" capability for each of the 4 "triggerable" files/tracks
- no "Background" soundtrack capability

As such, for around $10 difference, I can see a Pricom DreamPlayer Mk2 as a worthy alternative...
("Sound Fred" at Euro42 = approx US$58 <> $69 for the DreamPlayer MK2,

NB both prices MSRP without MicroSD card media, or shipping)

http://www.pricom.com/Trains/DreamPlayerMK2.shtml

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

PS Insert usual disclaimer here

Thank you for your

Thank you for your posting!

Indeed, the DreamPlayer is a very interesting product - new to me; I'll give it a closer look for my next project.

As I understand the SoundFRED is primarily intended for portable use during FREMO-meetings: You walk along with your train, track length is often 50 m to 100 m and even more. You are in need of sound (horn, bell) at every grade crossing, at every station, but your loco has no sound - that's where the SoundFRED is coming into play. It is designed as simple as possible: button 1 -> sound 1; button 2 -> sound 2, ...

The players at a FREMO meeting are busy with their loco, the car cards, train orders, radio connects to the dispatcher, aligning switches and so on - so there isn't needed anything more than pressing button 1 for horn or button 2 for bell for example. Therefore a small, battery operated item with only four push buttons is well suited.

If somebody needs a stationary sound player for a stationary layout I think other products like the DreamPlayer you mentioned will be a better solution.

Horses for Courses...

Dear Engineer,

Having used a number of DreamPlayers for exhibition layouts,
I'm not sure I'd think of them as limited to "stationary layouts",
but I do appreciate that the SoundFred is a tool for a specific application,
which it obviously suits very well...

Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr

Got it!

You're right, "stationary use" isn't the same as "stationary layout". You can have a stationary useage on a portable module layout - as I also do. I have an ITTC sound module under my grade crossing module on my "Industry Ave Modular Layout".