Mini bluetooth speakers for onboard sound

I think I just had an epiphany

No longer need a sound card in the engine or train at all.  An app could be designed so that the sound is programmed/resides on your handheld device.

Say for steam it could have a stationary hissing sound and when it starts to move the chuff would come on and increase as the speed increases.  Whistle and bell buttons/sounds could be added as well as any sound you wanted to be in the program and could make buttons for.

No sound card inside the tender would free up space for a bluetooth speaker, maybe even put it inside the boiler under the stack (instead of having a smoke unit).

I recently posted about a larger unit shown in the photo below that I placed in a MTH gondola, but the unit shown in the video is a lot smaller. I also think that phone app by Bachmann is very cool too. Any more information on both of these items?

I've tried two different brands, but the range was not nearly enough for anything but a tabletop layout.  The sounds kept cutting out due to lack of signal.  I won't buy any more until someone else tests them.

Hi Folks,

The Bluetooth speaker, "Pop-Drop" pictured here in my homemade O gauge shorty gondola, works at over 35 ft from my cheap tablet.  I think reception depends on the tablet or smart device's Bluetooth and some possible interference, but I have no problem on my basement layout in a space 30 ft by 24 ft.  There have been some electronics hobbyists who hack the speaker's antenna (lengthening it) and they get greater range.  I use a free soundboard app for Android for all sorts of sounds and music through the speaker: https://play.google.com/store/...eator.free&hl=en

Take care, Joe.

Where did you get that speaker?

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Where did you get that speaker?

Hi John,

   From WalMart: http://www.walmart.com/ip/i.So...er-Licorice/39364365 and I paid about $19,  6 months ago, now cheaper.

Take care, Joe.

You sucked me in, I'll try one.

The range on the 1" cube is 10 meters, approx 33 feet.  I got one from best Buy for $10 but it needs a micro USB charging cable which I don't seem to have at the moment

Well that is interesting. So for stationary back ground sound what are the possibilities?

place a few speakers around the layout and download and app and your good?

Joe Rampolla,

   OK now you have my attention, if the speaker works that far away on a constant basis.  What is the quality of the sound like, and is it loud enough to be heard over the chuffing of a few engines?  Can they be Daisy chained together for stationary use?

PCRR/Dave

I would think you could simply download a sound bite or even music.  I'm Googling for something as we type!

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Joe Rampolla,

   OK now you have my attention, if the speaker works that far away on a constant basis.  What is the quality of the sound like, and is it loud enough to be heard over the chuffing of a few engines?  Can they be Daisy chained together for stationary use?

PCRR/Dave

Hi Dave and Folks,

The sound is full and loud, and the charge lasts a couple hours.  I would say it is comparable to one amplified external desktop computer speaker (like the kind you'd get with Compaq or Dell).  

WalMart has a good return policy.  I bought an extra, tried it, and took it back because I was pinching my pennies.  So if it isn't for you, take it back.  (Temporarily tape it to a flatcar and run it around your layout.)

Take care, Joe.

P.S.  I don't know about the "daisy-chaining" or paring multiple speakers. J.

Thanks Joe,

   What about the Daisy Chain, can you use them in tandem, or just individually?

PCRR/Dave

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Thanks Joe,

   What about the Daisy Chain, can you use them in tandem, or just individually?

PCRR/Dave

Hi Dave,

I don't know, sorry!  (I added a P.S. a minute ago.)

Take care, Joe.

Hi Folks,

One issue I did have is that with one particular Lionel switch, evidently the solenoid produced some interference that caused the speaker's feature of answering a phone call to kick in.  So I lined the inside of the gondola with both heavy-duty aluminum foil and a lid from a tuna can to make a crude shield that didn't interfere with reception.  Just trial and error, don't know exactly what was going on.  Perhaps someone, if they decide to keep the speaker, would know how to disable that feature (in the speaker).

Take care, Joe. 

I don't think Daisy chaining is an out-of-the-box option under standard bluetooth audio. I understand BlueRail is working on expanded sound capabilities.

Opens up a plethora of Polar Express sampled conversation nuggets eh? Tickets Please!    At last the hobo can speak!  Hot Chocolate! 

A few years ago, I was working on an amplified speaker with an iPod nano connected to play the whole soundtrack.  We can now have individual cars with different segments.  Too Cool.

I did the audio with a prototype of my radio controlled audio board for my PE.   I have the sound boards in some boxcars as well.

GRJ,

the thing you're going to have to look for if you want to insure good range is what class of bluetooth device you are getting.  really low cost bluetooth speakers may use class 3, which is completely useless on a moving train.  

Class 1: 100 meter range.

Class 2: 10 meter range. (edited due to typo)

Class 3: 1 meter range. 

As far as I know any of the mass produced smart phones and tablets use Class 2, so that is really all you need if talking to them.  There is also some variance in quality between devices that barely meet the standard, and those that can far exceed it.  

Anyway, I'm thinking the speakers you've tried  are probably class 3, and only designed to be reliable up to about 3 feet.  they will go further in open air, but become susceptible to interference quite easily.  

JGL

Actually, they were supposed to be class 2 speakers, but they acted more like class 3.   I don't know of many devices that are class 3.

I suppose there is room in the standard today for a class 2.5 designation, as most high quality bluetooth devices seem to be good for 2-3 times the 10 meter range requirement of the class 2 standard.  the problem is that where your phone's class 2 transceiver is good for 100 feet or so, a cheap speaker will die at 33.5 feet.  Probably stuck with trial and error unless you get into the higher end products.  

Perhaps it would be worth while for the manufacturer of the BlueRail boards to consider adding a line level audio-out to their boards in a future release, or simply offering a second board for sale using the same bluetooth board as the engine control, thus making sure the range is the same.  

As a side question, anyone know if BlueRail uses true bluetooth, or if it uses the bluetooth Lite protocol?  

JGL

I have tried to figure out a way to get the Hot Chocolate song to play from my 18" PE Dinner, but have failed thus far.  I hope you guys continue to post your progress.

The question I have regards charging.  If the speaker is in a dinning car I suppose the charging port is positioned towards the floor and a hole is drilled in the floor to allow the chord to be plugged into the speaker.  Is that how you are doing it?

thanks

T4TT posted:

I have tried to figure out a way to get the Hot Chocolate song to play from my 18" PE Dinner, but have failed thus far.  I hope you guys continue to post your progress.

The question I have regards charging.  If the speaker is in a dinning car I suppose the charging port is positioned towards the floor and a hole is drilled in the floor to allow the chord to be plugged into the speaker.  Is that how you are doing it?

thanks

Hi T4TT,

    You would need access to volume and on/off buttons in addition to the charging port.  Can you insert the speaker in an adjacent car (perhaps the PE boxcar with an opened door) where you can easily remove it for charging and turning it on/off ?  You'd want the speaker in a place where the sound isn't muffled and can emanate. 

Good luck!

Take care, Joe.

I haven't done this in cars but I do have a few of the speakers in houses with original Lionel, flyer, erector, Noma station songs along with polar express recordings that I play.  

Stationary stuff is a lot easier to do with BT than moving stuff.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

Stationary stuff is a lot easier to do with BT than moving stuff.

Stationary stuff is a lot easier to do with WIRES... remember them?

Just kidding John!  Wires also let you feed different audio to different speakers easily.

Ed

Yep, my point with moving stuff is the propagation of the RF signals adds an element of complexity into the mix.  However, your point about wiring the stationary stuff is certainly valid!

Gentlemen,

   I am now with Guns on this one, until somebody refines this a might I will leave it alone.  The guy we need to look at this is Willygee (Billy)  he is on vacation right now, down in Florida, of course when he called me, he let me know he was standing in a business parking lot in shorts, near the RR Track, he let me hear the big SD's horn as it ran thru.

Some peoples Children, I tell ya.

PCRR/Dave 

The future of toy train sound:  Rolling Thunder

Pete

That probably won't work well at the NJ-HR club.

After I saw this thread, I decided to give it a shot.  Picked up an ANKER brand speaker from Amazon.  Cute 2" cube with decent sound, but it is class 3.  I have a small around the wall layout so distance should not have been a problem.  Copied some Polar Express songs to my Fire tablet and put the speaker in a gondola.  Sound was OK, but had quite a few sound cutouts.  Decided to try again with my android phone and sound was good all around the loop.  Go figure?  Expected the tablet to have greater strength than phone.  Anyway it does open up an easy way to get different sounds onto a layout and the BT speakers are easy to conceal.  Grandkids should like it next time they come over.

SWANKO posted:

After I saw this thread, I decided to give it a shot.  Picked up an ANKER brand speaker from Amazon.  Cute 2" cube with decent sound, but it is class 3.  I have a small around the wall layout so distance should not have been a problem.  Copied some Polar Express songs to my Fire tablet and put the speaker in a gondola.  Sound was OK, but had quite a few sound cutouts.  Decided to try again with my android phone and sound was good all around the loop.  Go figure?  Expected the tablet to have greater strength than phone.  Anyway it does open up an easy way to get different sounds onto a layout and the BT speakers are easy to conceal.  Grandkids should like it next time they come over.

I have wondered if the transmitter in the smart device was the issue for those having trouble with a speaker dropping out.  I haven't had any problems at more than 30 ft away.   Good that you didn't give up and solved your problem.  Smart thinking!

Take care, Joe.

I just added a small bluetooth speaker to a cattle car, using the "Railroad Companion" App on Google play. I can make all the train sounds I want. I do wish there was an iOS app that did the same thing.  (I might have to do a little work and make one). here's the link to the app.  https://play.google.com/store/...G.Railroad_Companion.

I think it's pretty great.  Using it for my limited sounds locomotives.