DCSRC Volume Adjustment

One possible thought:

Is the track a loop or do you have a break in the middle rail somewhere?

DCS really need blocks, at least one, so the signal does not loop and overlap itself.

This looping can cause all sorts of weird effects.

As far as the not holding the volume setting:

Is this a PS2 or 3 engine?

If PS2, Test battery by killing power to track while engine is running. Sounds should go through shutdown and should last at least 6 to 7 seconds.

Failure to complete sound series indicates an bad or uncharged battery.

If the engine has not run for over a month it can take several hours to build a good charge.

If PS3 I'd call MTH Tech Support, something odd there.

There have been report of faulty smoke on-off control in PS3 engines;  I don't recall seeing a similar report for PS2 engines:

https://ogrforum.com/t...ke-will-not-shut-off

As for volume, it should "stick" so something is odd.  When a setting doesn't get saved it's usually because of a faulty battery (PS2) or super-cap (PS3).  If your engine is started up with lights and sounds...and you remove track power, does the engine go silent/dark instantly or does it run for several seconds (i.e., powered by the super-cap)?  I'd think that's something the MTH Tech support might want to know if you call them.

That's an interesting observation about a possible correlation of volume and smoke POT settings.  Try the following experiment - turn the manual/conventional volume POT to MAX and see if the engine's starting volume is affected by the POT.  If PS3 engines have an issue starting with the "correct" smoke setting when using the DCSRC, perhaps there's a related issue with the starting volume.

Stan, 

Thanks for that link, sounds kind of like what I'm experiencing, very occasionally does the smoke come on. Won't come on at all in conventional leading me to believe there is no issue with a bad POT but will try the sound POT after dinner this evening. Thanks. 

Russell, 

As stated, it is a PS3

Played around with adjusting the volume pot under the tender earlier and the engine definitely responds to adjustments there and remembers them. Adjusting via remote doesn't seem to work well but via Pot on tender, works fine. Also tested my other PS3 (Amtrak Dash-8) and a PS2 (Imperial K4). Same results. 

The DCSRC doesn't send commands to the engine the way the DCS TIU and remote do.

The DCSRC doesn't change the settings in the engine, rather, it is only able to change sound levels on the fly, for that operating session only. When  the engine powers down, no settings are saved.

Barry, are you sure about this?

I just got the following on a PS2 engine using a DCSRC:

1. Set volume to MAX.  Remove power.  Let shutdown sounds play to completion.  Wait a bit.  Apply power - engine is silent.  Press SU and engine starts up with MAX volume.

2. Set volume to MIN.  Remove power.  Let shutdown sounds play to completion.  Wait a bit.  Apply power - engine is silent.  Press SU and engine starts up with MIN volume.

Barry:

Thanks for that post, interesting to that it won't hold settings although I do find that rather surprising, especially considering the language of the owners manual (it alludes to the settings holding like a standard remote/tiu). I always thought the DCSRC was a "watered down" single channel TIU type device. 

Stan,

My understanding, from a long-ago conversation with MTH R&D, is that the DCSRC doesn't really send commands, per se. Rather, it sends strings of data that resemble data packet commands. It's akin to recording a voice saying something and a voice actually speaking. For some reason it means different things to the engine.

Make sure that you let the engine stay off long enough to completely shut down the board before powering it up again. It's also possible that different "generations" of DCS engines (PS2 5 volt, PS2 3 volt, PS3) amy react differently to the DCSRC volume commands. I've never been interested enough to do any formal (or informal, for that matter), evaluation.

I tried multiple PS2 engines with the DCSRC and the volume indeed "sticks".  By "sticks" I mean the volume level when pressing SU starts at whatever it was when power was removed after the last operating session. Like turning on a television, I want/expect it to be at the last volume setting when I turned it off.

If as Barry says the volume behavior possibly varies between PS versions then I guess all bets are off for your stable.

In any event, I think it's useful to document this as you've done.  Like the other thread on DCSRC smoke on/off control in PS3 engines, perhaps this thread may help someone else...pay it forward as one might say.

Stan, 

My apologies for not getting back here sooner. My engines respond to the POT under the engine/tender far better. Perhaps Barry is correct that it is a "generational" thing. Regardless, the insight is appreciated as I was sure either (A) I was doing something wrong (B) Something was screwy with the engines and remote/base (C) A combination or (D) I was going crazy and imagining these things... I do appreciate your testing and posts...helped a lot!