Q&A
Dear Mike,
Am slammed at work right now, but in order of appearance:
Quote:
Instead of equipping individual freight cars with the Tsunami Soundcar decoder, what if several decoders were installed under the layout, or in a yard office or other building, or other stationary freight car in the yard? \
Depending on the effect you are going for, a Pricom DreamPlayer MK2, Pro, or MC,
(or a series of DP LITEs and a simple buffer/mixer),
may get you away cheaper,
with comparable "polyphony" (number of discrete simultaneous sounds occuring at once),
and far better audio specs...
However, let's follow the concept as stated....
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Could these decoders be powered directly from the bus wire, or other source instead of from wipers picking up off the wheels of a freight car?
Yes, "direct from track buss" is entirely possible. See Lance Mindheim's "DCC Headphone sound" for an example of such a system in operation.
However, it should be noted that these "stationary players" would then become a "constant load" on the booster, which could mess with your head if you run a previously-OK multi-loco consist into the power district, and the booster shuts down due to "over current" condition.
A better solution, as many modellers find when they deploy DCC-controlled turnouts and similar, would be to split the system. IE There is one booster powering the track "for the trains", and a 2nd aux booster powering the "DCC accessories". It potentially means more wire, but if you short the track due to derailment or other issue, everything connected to the "Aux Booster" will stay alive. (The LOLBooster from Railstars was designed with this kind of "distributed booster" situation in mind IIRC).
Alternatively, use a DCC breaker to feed a "sub buss" which powers the "Stationary Sound Players"
(which is what the Soundcar decoders would effectively be in this application).
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Could larger-size speakers be mounted under the layout, several speakers that would span the length of the yard,
Yes, using a buffer circuit such as the SoundTraxx "Tech Note #11", these decoders could each drive a powered (amplified) set of speakers such as cheap PC multimedia 2.1 speakers. However, such a situation runs a number of risks, particularly the oft-cited "uncontrolled migraine-inducing sonic malestrom" effect. Depending on the actual span of the yard scene, sonically it is likely only 1 or 2 speaker rigs are truly required to "cover the area with sound". Adding extra quantity of speakers above what is truly sonically necessary is technically and mechanically possible for sure, but will require self-control and discipline to configure and "mix" the resulting noisemaker's at appropriate levels...
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or maybe smaller speakers in deadlined freight cars/plows/cabooses etc. in various spots in the yard?
Certainly, simply run the "decoder"/digital-audio-player's "amplified speaker output" (the purple wires) direct to the speaker. It will force you to build a proper speaker enclosure in the "grounded car", and places the emphasis squarely on the installer to optimise the mix of "point sources" so they "sound right" and provide enough coverage without being too-loud, or too-point-source
("...The sound of the flange squealing is coming from the grounded, obviously stationary car, that's not right...")
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And say there were 4 or 5 decoders, mounted under the layout or wherever they could be hidden, each programmed with a different sound sequence, or whatever choices might apply and all were consisted to the yard switcher locomotive(s) using the intelligent consisting?
Do-able, just follow the instructions...
(Question: Will the switcher loco always be the same unit?
Between layout power-cycles, will the switcher and "players" remember they are consisted?)
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If I understand the Soundcar technology correctly, these decoders, when consisted with the loco(s) would begin making sounds along with the movement of the locomotive, correct?
From the provided examples and documentation, I got the same impression/"understanding" of the situation...
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I don't see why the decoders need to be INSIDE FREIGHT CARS. If done right and the speakers are spread out, sorta like Surroundtraxx, then the sound would be heard over the entire footprint of the yard or switching area With long cuts of cars, this would be realistic.
From a mechanical and electronic P.o.V, certainly no, they (the "Soundcar" digital audio sound-effect players) do not need to be installed in a physical freight car... Indeed, it makes hooking up the "Audio Players" and optimising the speakers singificantly easier.
However, final analysis, it is your ears which will be the judge/jury/executioner,
and you know what, They (your ears) are actively working against you
BY which I mean, they have been actively and diligently learning how to accurately locate a mosquito relative to your body in 3D space purely by the sound/movement/doppler, and/or be able to clearly-and-without-a-doubt identify and locate your mother's voice calling you by name in the middle of a crowded/noisy shopping mall, for as long as you have been drawing breath. This is not something you ever consiously trained your ears to do, they (along with the brain, which is doing the "processing") have the innate, inherrent, and dang-hard-to-argue-with ability from day 1 of most human's lives.
This relates to model RRing in that, we do have a partial ability to "suspend disbelief",
(...I "see" steam loco, I "hear" steam loco "chuff chuff" coming from somewhere nearby,
therefore the sound must be coming from the loco...),
but it takes work and effort to design and deploy sound is such a way that our automatic "where is that sound coming from?" nature doesn't override our "want to believe", and kill the effect of the gag dead...
(The difference between a convincing aural effect and a obviously-wrong/consciously-confusing aural effect is relatively small, but the viewer/listener will be automatically, instantly and absolutely convinced one-way-or-other, rest assured of it...).
Between the "prior art" RE DCC sound> Stationary deployment,
(thinking Lance M's work,
Google "Lance Mindheim Headphone sound", and you should get everything you need),
and your obvious enthusiasm to "get in and have a go" with the gear,
I'm pretty sure you'll be able to get something impressive working in short order...
Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
PS Quick question: Where are your ears?
A : Either side of your head
Q: Where are your ears NOT?
A: In your knees/feet
Ergo, Why are we mounting the speakers in the layout benchwork firing _down_ towards our Feet?
http://www.fantasonics.com/manual.pdf
/> (Start are Page 20, "Installing a Scale Sound System")