All sound on PS3 engine cut out during signal test (Solved)

when signal isn't perfect, the test won't shut off properly. On older DCS versions, I swear it reset itself better.

Anyways whatever the reason, try using the feature reset to restore sounds. 

Thank you Joe, I started with a feature reset, still no luck. I then did a engine reset and had no issues adding it back. Lights work, direction and speed worked, just no sound. I then put the engine by itself with no lighted cars on a small section of isolated track and connected the small limited feature DCS remote commander. I had to do a engine reset to get it to read commands and was able to accomplish that on the first try using the combination of SND, DIR, - buttons. The subway powers on, lights up, goes forward and back. But still no sound. 🤔

something else seems to be going on here then. Maybe the speaker leads are loose? I think it might have been coincidence that the softkey #1 press brought back the sounds, or maybe the speaker is failing? Have you looked for flaking around the magnet?

 You could also try it with conventional power and see if the sounds respond to the volume pot.

Yes. I checked the speaker and took the shell off last night to do a visual inspection of the wires. The wires to the speaker seemed intact as well as the wires to the volume pot. The braided wire isn’t grounding to the speaker frame either. I didn’t want to probe around with an ohm meter yet or start taking the connectors off of the board since it’s brand new. I figured I’d start least invasive and easiest first. 

you mentioned you were playing with the remote buttons trying to restore the sounds. Like the doppler, etc. Could the mic button be stuck on?

Did you contact the seller?

First, thank you for all your replies and time. I did press the mic button trying to restore the sound. When I press and hold the mic button the screen reads “DISPATCH” in bold capital letters. When I release the button that goes away. Also, when the sounds were working I seem to remember a quick microsecond blink of the LCD screen when I pressed the horn or bell button. When the sound doesn’t work I don’t see a quick blink. However, I’m super new to all of this and I have no way to test or confirm that until the sounds work again. 

I did contact the seller for the other subway (Red bird) because that one is a complete disaster. They said they would forward my email to MTH. This one seemed to work fine for a while so I started here. Thank you again. 

Some times even after  a factory or feature reset check the volume on remote for engine   sounds it may be low  and have found you have to press the volume up key  several time before you hear any thing. If horn and whistle work the speaker is ok. just need to hit the volume up button.  good luck

Occasionally, I've seen all the individual sound levels at zero, restoring them all restores the sound.  I can assure you that you can't physically break the hardware by putting buttons on the remote.

Thank you. Yes. I pressed the volume button upwards of 20 times with no change each time I try something new. 

Additionally, I plugged the whole track back into the TIU and tethered the controller to it. No change. I then tried each of the following individually and a combination of each. Remote in Normal mode and speed mode. TIU in normal and Super TIU. I also did a track signal test with all of the combinations of modes and still received 10s throughout. After all that, the Lo-v subway still runs perfectly although with no sound. For giggles I put the finicky Redbird subway back on the track and sure enough it ran near perfectly! The horn still got stuck on a few times. But all direction and speed control functioned. I took the red bird off and put the Lo-v back on with no change. It listens to commands but still no sound. 

For clarification, there was no change in behavior with super TIU or speed mode so I reset everything back to factory defaults  when I ran the Redbird and my final test with the Lo-v. 

Scott Ca posted:

Thank you. Yes. I pressed the volume button upwards of 20 times with no change each time I try something new.

Not what I said.  Menu, Sounds, and increase the four volumes individually.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Scott Ca posted:

Thank you. Yes. I pressed the volume button upwards of 20 times with no change each time I try something new.

Not what I said.  Menu, Sounds, and increase the four volumes individually.

I apologize. I was responding to Al who wanted to make sure I pressed the volume + button on the remote as well. With your recommendation I went to sounds, defaults were...

Bell: 100

Horn: 100

Eng: 70

Accent: 70

I cycled all of them to zero then set them at 100. Still no sound. 

I realize you visually inspected the wiring of the harness, speaker, etc..  If you still have the shell off, I suggest taking a wooden popsicle stick, chopstick, or similar high-tech "tool" and poke at the wiring, connectors, and even the PS3 circuit board itself when power is applied.  I'm imagining an intermittent connection in the audio path which would exhibit as a pop, click, or similar audible indication as you poke around.

Oh well, it was worth a shot.

Ugh. I was hoping to not have to do that to something brand new. Although I’m running out of options now. The lighting in the room isn’t great where it’s set up. I’ll try this option tomorrow afternoon with plenty of sunlight in the room. Thank you and I’ll report back after I try it. 

Engineer-Joe posted:

 

 You could also try it with conventional power and see if the sounds respond to the volume pot.

 I'm also just wondering if a factory reset using the horn and bell buttons would do anything here? When the board gets scrambled, regular things don't seem to work. Of course it could very well be something like the audio amp, but without the magic smoke, I'm hoping for a good outcome.

I don’t have a conventional power transformer. At least not for 3 rail with horn buttons. I do have a DCS remote commander and I did a reset with a button sequence on that. Is that the same reset or is using a conventional transformer performing a different reset? 

Another final update for the night. I went back at it and figured I’d move the no sound subway to the outer loop and play with the recently functioning Redbird on the inner loop. The remote wouldn’t recognize the Redbird, it kept saying it’s not on the track. I did a remote reset and took the no sound subway engine off the tracks leaving the 3 remaining cars on, then added the Redbird to the remote. It added fine and started forward very slowly and wouldn’t listen to any commands again. Is it possible that 2 subways with 4 lighted cars each is tapping out the TIU? 

Scott,

Is it possible that 2 subways with 4 lighted cars each is tapping out the TIU? 

The transformer is what may be overworked, not the TIU channel.

Thanks Barry, your book has been a big help so far. Though I admittedly haven’t had time to read it cover to cover. I pick subjects I’m currently working on. 

I’m using a Z1000 I believe. When I did the signal test I also checked voltage and that read 17.9. But I can’t remember if all the cars were on the track then or not. I’ll also check that tomorrow. 

Long story short after trying a few ideas today I disconnected the speaker and tested the ohm reading. It read open line at the solder joints and at the braided lines inside of the frame. I then took the speaker out of the Red bird at probed that. It was right at about 4 ohms as expected. I put the good speaker in the Lo-v subway and everything works perfect! Thank you to all of you for your suggestions. Now a new topic for the finicky Red bird. 

Engineer-Joe posted:

...or maybe the speaker is failing? 

I win! 

Just kidding. I'm glad you got one working. Now on to the other.....

Engineer-Joe posted:

Engineer-Joe posted:

...or maybe the speaker is failing? 

I win! 

Just kidding. I'm glad you got one working. Now on to the other.....

I’m glad it’s working now as well. Thank you for the advice and help. Any idea what would cause a speaker to fail within a few days of use? I doubt the speaker even functioned for a full 2 hours. 

A defect can show up at any time. I would also check the leads also as they can get pinched, or not have the ends attached properly at the factory. Maybe the speaker is good and the leads aren't?

Try taking a single AA battery and tap wires against the speaker very fast for a click test. Don't touch them long or you'll burn the voice coil. Hook it up to something if you can to test for sound, or just use your meter right at the speaker.