I changed the sound file in a SP F7 from passenger to freight. The upload seems to work fine, as as the correct sounds are present, but the engine will not function properly. It will startup and shutdown. On startup lights do not come on. When speed is increased from to 0 to 1 it takes off at full speed, moveing back to 0 and it stops. Tried both feature and factory resets but does not help. What may have gone wrong?
Ed
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Load a different sound file and see if it returns. Also, please give us the exact product number, we don't really know what we're dealing with here.
gunrunnerjohn posted:Load a different sound file and see if it returns. Also, please give us the exact product number, we don't really know what we're dealing with here.
First off it is product 20-20390-1, a SP F7 A-B-A SET. It is PS3 with 4MB memory. Before I uploaded a new sound file I made sure that I downloaded (saved to my PC) the original sound file. I used the sound file from 20-20558-1, a SF F7 also a PS3 with 4MB memory, to upload to the SP F7. The SP F7 has passenger sound file and I wanted freight. I have tried reloading the original sound file but get the same results.
Did you change the sound file and the chain file, or just the sound file?
mrmacher posted:Did you change the sound file and the chain file, or just the sound file?
Just the sound file. To be honest don't know what a chain file is. Used loader version 5 to do the sound file.
When you un-zipped the download from MTH, it became two files. The Zip file that you didn't use was the Chain file.
To load it, use the "Flash" button in Loader Program 5.0 and follow the on-screen instructions. Do not un-zip teh Chain file - the loader will take care of that.
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Barry Broskowitz posted:When you un-zipped the download from MTH, it became two files. The Zip file that you didn't use was the Chain file.
To load it, use the "Flash" button in Loader Program 5.0 and follow the on-screen instructions. Do not un-zip teh Chain file - the loader will take care of that.
Everything that you need to know about DCS is all in MTH’s “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!"
This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!
Everything that you need to know about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition!"
This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!
Barry, thank you for the reply. I am a little confused by what it takes to upload a new sound file. I have you DCS Companion 2nd edition book. In the section on changing the sound file there was no mention of chain files. Is it always necessary to do the chain file, and is there a proper sequence? I have also noticed that the file size of the *.mth file is different between what is created when the sound file is gotten from the engine using the loader program, and the one that is downloaded from MTH's web site. The one created by the loader program is larger.
I have you DCS Companion 2nd edition book. In the section on changing the sound file there was no mention of chain files.
The 3rd edition has all of the relevant details regarding Chain files.
Barry Broskowitz posted:I have you DCS Companion 2nd edition book. In the section on changing the sound file there was no mention of chain files.
The 3rd edition has all of the relevant details regarding Chain files.
Barry,
Instead of pointing to the book that I don’t have. Please answer the question.
You unpack the two files from the ZIP file, the sound file and another ZIP file that contains all the chain files. Do NOT unpack the second file, instead just use the FLASH function to upload the chain files, the loader will unpack the files internally.
Important! After each load function, you will want to totally power down the locomotive and fire it up again. PS/3 takes a couple of cycles to get it's mind right. Once you load everything, the next power down and up you'll get a Morris Code beeping, just ignore that and let it get fully powered up. If you get it loaded and some functions don't work, another power cycle may be needed.
gunrunnerjohn posted:You unpack the two files from the ZIP file, the sound file and another ZIP file that contains all the chain files. Do NOT unpack the second file, instead just use the FLASH function to upload the chain files, the loader will unpack the files internally.
Important! After each load function, you will want to totally power down the locomotive and fire it up again. PS/3 takes a couple of cycles to get it's mind right. Once you load everything, the next power down and up you'll get a Morris Code beeping, just ignore that and let it get fully powered up. If you get it loaded and some functions don't work, another power cycle may be needed.
John,
Thank you for the reply. I now know to to load the chain file. But this does not answer my question as to is it always required. Let’s use this as an example: let’s say you have two of the same type of engines, both F3 or F7, one is passenger sounds the other freight. I download the sound file from the freight to my PC and use it to up to the passenger. The download did not create a chain file, just the *.mth file. So in this example, am I wrong in thinking it can be done this way (both engines are PS3).
I don't know that it's "always" required, but if you're experiencing control issues as you describe, clearly I'd load the chain files to see if that doesn't fix it. When I'm setting a new board up, or even swapping a different board in, I just load the chain and sound files, it's simply much easier to do that than to puzzle over oddball issues.
Which native PS/3 sound file package did you download that only has the .MTH file?
gunrunnerjohn posted:I don't know that it's "always" required, but if you're experiencing control issues as you describe, clearly I'd load the chain files to see if that doesn't fix it. When I'm setting a new board up, or even swapping a different board in, I just load the chain and sound files, it's simply much easier to do that than to puzzle over oddball issues.
Which native PS/3 sound file package did you download that only has the .MTH file?
John,
Like I said in my original post. I created the *.mth file by doing a get sound file from engine. I used that file to upload to another engine. No chain file is created in that process.
I missed that, but clearly the next step is to get a clean sound file with a fresh download.
if you download the correct download from your item number from the mth web sight you will get the correct sound file and chain file as well the just flash with mth consumer loader as John has been telling you ,you cant get the chain file from downloading the sound file from the engine!!!!!!!!!!!
Downloading a file from the engine is a waste of time especially if it is on the MTH website. For PS-3 it only down loads the SF, not flash code.
Do not know what year SF you are using, but there was some coding changes MTH was making, and there are also EMI boards that require a certain later version of flash code. But I do not think that is your problem.
You should have been able to just change the SF of a similar model and it should have worked. Was there any errors during load? Did it complete? Did you take shell off or just load on a test track?
Hard to say why it is not working with either SF now. But it would be best to go back to the original SF and load the flash code, followed by the SF to see if it restores itself. If not, need to go to tech who can test board separately. G
gunrunnerjohn posted:You unpack the two files from the ZIP file, the sound file and another ZIP file that contains all the chain files. Do NOT unpack the second file, instead just use the FLASH function to upload the chain files, the loader will unpack the files internally.
Important! After each load function, you will want to totally power down the locomotive and fire it up again. PS/3 takes a couple of cycles to get it's mind right. Once you load everything, the next power down and up you'll get a Morris Code beeping, just ignore that and let it get fully powered up. If you get it loaded and some functions don't work, another power cycle may be needed.
John, this bit of information was extremely helpful. I just loaded the sound file, and the corresponding chain files and all was well. Once I powered off the TIU, I heard the Morse code beeping. I applied power again and got "Engine not found". I then reloaded the chain file with the same result.
I figured I would check here before calling MTH and found this thread. Power cycling the engine several times after loading the files did the trick. Thank you!
Yep, first time I loaded the chain file, I thought I broke something, I didn't get motor function. It took a couple of power cycles and it got it's mind right and all was well. 
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