Can any Proto 2 sound file be downloaded to any vintage Proto 2 engine?
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There are 2 types of proto 2 sound files 3volt and 5 volt, early version was 5 volt . Proto 3 sound file are 3 volt and can be used. If you try to load the wrong one, the program will tell you. That been my experience with down loads
Al,
Proto 3 sound file are 3 volt and can be used
Actually, that's incorrect. the 4 Meg PS3 files are too large for a PS2 board's memory.
From page 143 of The DCS Companion 3rd Edition or page 161 of The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition:
The rules for which sound files may be loaded into which DCS engines are as follows:
- A PS2 5 volt Sound File may only be loaded into a 5 volt PS2 engine
- A PS2 3 volt Sound File may be loaded into a 3 volt PS2 engine or a PS3 engine
- A PS3 Sound File may only be loaded into a PS3 engine.
Additionally, there are various types of 5 volt PS2 boards. One is the "standard" 5 volt board that can handle most diesel, electric and steam 5 volt sound files. Another type of 5 volt board can handle all of the above 5 volt sound files, as well as the expanded 5 volt sound files for subways, trolleys and articulated steamers. If one attempts to load a 5 volt sound file for a subway, trolley or articulated steamer into a "standard" 5 volt board, it will load. However, the transit station announcements or articulated chuffing sounds will not play, although all other sounds will work.
Further, early PS2 3 volt boards had only 1 Meg of memory for sound files while later PS2 3 volt boards had 2 Meg. The 1 Meg boards can accept only 1 Meg files while the 2 Meg boards can accept either 1 Meg or 2 Meg files.
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MTH ether pulled the sound file or something is wrong with the page, it’s for a Proto 2 from 2005. Maybe that’s too old. It takes forever to come up, if it does come up. When it does it’s not what you exspect. It’s something that only a computer programmer would understand. Being what I would call very computer illiterate. It’s past me. I can muddle through but this is something I’ve never seen before.
What is the MTH product number (XX-XXXX-1)?
20-2579-1
20-2579-1
I don't understand why you couldn't download the file, unless you didn't know to go to the web page for the engine and click on the Support tab.
Regardless, I downloaded the file and attached it to this post.
Attachments
Files (1)
You can not just click and open with newer Windows. Must right click file and then use the Save Target on the drop down box. Just make sure you know where it goes. (Download folder). I also have had recent problems where windows wants to add an html extension which loader does not recognize. So I just download it and then rename it using the ".MTH" extension. G
Well I think I have determine that it is something on my end with the computer. I keep getting a error message stating that the file type is not supported. Not being a computer guy that leaves me to try and figure out what’s up. Thanks for all the help guys.
I got it figured out and everything is fine now. I should say I got it figured out with the help from Barry and G.
Thank you Gentlemen
Ah ha more hidden gems oh my God they are all over. D
Trying to load a PS2 3V file but my loader claims I have a PS3 with 4M of memory??? Shiukd have done a reset??? 5 minutes to complete. D
I'm not sure what your problem is. Any PS/2 3V file will be smaller than the memory on the PS32 board in the upgrade kit, so just grab the file and send it to the engine, it'll work fine. It's only when the sound file needs MORE memory than the board has that you have a problem.
OK I sent the file and it loaded, Now, no chuff, whistle is tinny and still no smoke or headlight. I thought i read that the PS23 boards were PS2 with a Daughter board PS3 interface and only had 2M. I guess i am nuts. I need to read more and try to find a file that will work best. Maybe do a reset 1st. Can i load PS3 files? I mean i did and the almost worked, I loaded the firmware update but no significant change, then i read PS2 3 volts are correct. I load them and lose even more function and still no smoke or headlight. I have a PS3 Steam in my wives NYC Express and have all the functions head light and smoke. Look I am sorry to appear dizzy but i have done this before for some reason this exercise for my GI Guy is not workign very well. And i only have 78 days left to complete the project. I will steal my wifes board set maybe that is the way to validate the boards are OK. Thank You for helping. D
What SPECIFIC sound file did you download. There is a known issue with some of the files converted from 5V files that results in losing the chuff.
The PS32 boards have 4megs, at least all of the 40-50 or so that I've worked with.
FWIW, with the PS32 board set my standard operating procedure after receiving one is to take it out of the carrier, break out my 3/8" Kapton tape and SECURELY tape the two boards together right at the inter-board connector. The pin engagement between them is very small probably no more than about a millimeter, and I've had a few that didn't make good contact without help. If you do this, make sure you press them together and the connector is fully seated before taping.
The reason for the Kapton tape is it's very thin and strong and doesn't affect the fit of the board set back into the plastic carrier.
Thank You GRJ i used 4 or 5 files from a number of train numbers. All the same result. Just now I took a known PS 3 Upgrade Board set from my wife's train a NYC Express and plugged it into my tender chassis, It ran but still NO SMOKE OR HEADLIGHT. Now that would tell me a harness issue. I grab my ohm meter and begin chased the smoke and headlight wires. I have discovered a most weird thing on the brown Smoke heater wire. Continuity from the board connector to the Harness connector. Continuity from the Smoke heater to the back of the Female connector plate. BUT Not one pin has continuity to the solder blob on the back side of the female plate. The purple Heater wire YES! Continuity end to end. The head light turquoise wire doers NOT show continuity thru the female connector either.???? Do you know if this can be cleaned out and resolder effectively? Several blobs look like cold joints but there is a lot of solder there. What a mess. help, D
I just checked the same connection points on the NYC Express and they are good .3 Ohms All of the pins should good to the logically placed solder blobs.
I will try to repair one with little heat from my welder.
D
You do know that there are two diodes on the locomotive 10-pin harness connector to reconstitute the PV voltage. That being the case, you won't get continuity from PV (purple wires) to any of the pins on the 10-pin engine tether connector, only to the cathodes of the two diodes that connect to the motor leads.
The brown wire goes directly to a clearly visible connection on the harness connector, it should be obvious if that one is not connected. I'd be real careful soldering on that connector, if you short any of those pins, you WILL have a board problem!
Headlight pins were lose on the board cleaning out and resoldering, moved the heater wire up to the output pin seems good now. I may order a need connector and harness for the Steam engine how would i find that part number? I have only installed it to the motor so far.
Ask George (GGG), I believe he knows the part number. I have never ordered the board with the diodes as I've never had an upgrade kit with bad parts in that harness. Unless it's physically damaged, hard to imagine that board being an issue. Also, unless you're a decent hand with the soldering iron, you can create more issues than you solve hacking away on that harness.
If the harness is really bad, the smart money would be on replacing the whole thing, they're not that expensive.
BC-1000003 - Stream Upgrade Kit Engine Wiring Harness.
Thank Gunner i found the part using the part number you listed, $15 cheap insurance, Appreciate it. Dennis
John New harness arrived today totally fixed headlight and smoke
That was really quick, I wish I could get MTH parts that fast! 
i live about 20 minutes away. I have learned a bunch here thanks. Now I need a 8 ohm heater, MTH Can fan motor and impeller. I get a sense my home brew Smoke stuff is geared to Lionel not MTH. I still had a time finding a decent sound file. the best one yet is the NYC Empire Express. In PS3 all the sounds are glorious. But in all the PS3 484 Norfork and Western the sounds for half the stuff is missing. Uncouple, chuff and descent Whistle are key to a fun. train. Spend two days loading and testing sounds. PS2 3 V and PS3. This NYC Empire Express is PS3. I have it in my wife's Loco and it is awesome. When i get this done i am gonna go back and install that PS3 Diesel upgrade, I have a American Models NYC Alco PA PB I am retrofitting the B unit dual drives into the American Flyer 360 a 1950s Alco and he will need some good sounds. Hey you take care and have a great weekend, THANK YOU ! D
John learning more about MTH and Smoke. I have an 8 ohm heater from my box of stuff but it has very thin leads and it melting to solder off. I gets 5 volts AC at idle but when running jumps up to 12 -14 Volts AC. I tried my 10 Ohms Heater i use and it went to 223C and this is too hot. I saw very little different o min to max smoke ranges. would need a voltage regulator to get any reliability out of my smoke system is the the best i can do? Settled on a 12 Ohm heater at least the leads don't fall off. Posted on Face Book
The issue you're running into is that the full sized MTH smoke unit has two three watt 16 ohm resistors to make 8 ohms. They'll handle quite a bit of power. MTH also has a PS32 board FLASH file for small smoke units with a single 8 ohm resistor, doubtless that's what you need if you're not using the stock MTH smoke unit.
So how would i go about finding that single 8 Ohm Flash for the PS32.
3 watts is a little nuts for O gauge isn't it. Wow. Thanks you are like MTH Google Sorry to bug you.
Dennis
