Garden Railway Forum

You are sure you have a wire on P1, and not F1?

Phil.P

Phil.P wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2024 8:55 pm You are sure you have a wire on P1, and not F1?

Phil.P

Definitely P1, I tried P4 as well as a servo output too, that didn't take either? Does it matter that it's from the first batch of MR603's? The default on mine seems to be a forward LED for P1, no matter how I programme it, it seems to stay as a front LED as it supplies 3.3v when the throttle channel is moved forwards?

How 'early' is your board?
There were 'features' in the early iterations..

Can you post answers to the questions in the last post of page one, please?

Phil.P

Phil.P wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2024 8:31 pm What version of MR603 do you have?
Number etched on board:
Letter written on the chip:
Possibly, 4,14 output in programming?

Phil.P

Sorry Phil, I didn't see that post

Answers.... It's a very early one.

603a2
A


Possibly, 4,14 output in programming? I don't understand what you are asking me here?

-steves- wrote: ↑Sun Mar 10, 2024 10:23 am

Phil.P wrote: ↑Sat Mar 09, 2024 8:31 pm What version of MR603 do you have?
Number etched on board:
Letter written on the chip:
Possibly, 4,14 output in programming?

Phil.P

Sorry Phil, I didn't see that post

Answers.... It's a very early one.

603a2
A


Possibly, 4,14 output in programming? I don't understand what you are asking me here?

On the later software:
Going into programming, and entering 4,14
The onboard LED will then flash major, minor firmware-version numbers.

1. This may not be present in this early release.
2. Servo output might not be present (or not working).

I will check.
<Edit>
Even the earliest configurations and software tables, show this should have worked.
I think this may be a 'feature' of early code?

I don't think I have such an early board, but will give this a try on what I can find.

Phil.P

Tested with a 603b1 board, but with RC Trains configurations...

Works as documented.

I have asked the question of Andy, but I can't see this mentioned in our conversations when I tested early releases..

I will report back what Andy says, but this is:
1. A 'feature' of this early board. - most likely, IMHO.
2. A problem with your programming. - I don't think so.
3. A faulty output from the chip. - possible, but they usually fail 'on' or 'off'.

It may be a case of using your present receiver for something else, and a newer one for this particular job?

You could send me one of the Soundcards, and I can test..
I can return it with the Phoenix card I have from you?

Phil.P

Well it's working, but not the ideal fix I was looking for.

I pinched a Deltang RX65c from another loco and as it happens, they are default programmed for a CH1 servo output on pin 8. Low and behold, it worked straight out the box (well loco) even with a centre off throttle. Very pleased with the sound card

Does this card need a slight tweak (from stop) for it to start making a noise, and does it 'switch off' if you are stationary for 20-30 seconds?

Glad you are sorted.
Phil.P

Phil.P wrote: ↑Sun Mar 10, 2024 2:44 pm Does this card need a slight tweak (from stop) for it to start making a noise, and does it 'switch off' if you are stationary for 20-30 seconds?

Glad you are sorted.
Phil.P

The reaction time is pretty good to be fair, however there is no cut out with this setup as it is, it's on when you give it power and off when you disconnect the power. I guess you could programme an RX switch for the earth to turn it on and off, but there is no start up or shutdown, just a diesel sound and it varying the speed with the throttle, also no horn. I think for a such a small card and cheap price it's ideal. I will be fitting this into some of my diesel's.

If you want to try one out I am happy to post one off to you and as you say, just send it back with the Phoenix card?

Steve, glad you've got it sorted.

Quicky question. On my laptop it sounds very "thin", no appreciable bass, more like a lawnmower than a diesel loco. I'm not sure if that is actually the sound it produces, or an artefact of the the speaker you are using, or the recording system or the laptop output ( which isn't very good tbh) ora combination of all of those? Any comments?

philipy wrote: ↑Sun Mar 10, 2024 4:26 pm Steve, glad you've got it sorted.

Quicky question. On my laptop it sounds very "thin", no appreciable bass, more like a lawnmower than a diesel loco. I'm not sure if that is actually the sound it produces, or an artefact of the the speaker you are using, or the recording system or the laptop output ( which isn't very good tbh) ora combination of all of those? Any comments?

The sound card actually sounds really good in true life, but obviously going through a video, YouTube compression and then out through a small speaker I agree it does sound a bit pants. I think with the bigger speaker they sell it would sound extremely good indeed. I would easily compare it to the MKTronics one that I usually use, but much smaller just unfortunately no horn, start up / stop etc.

Honestly, seriously impressed especially for less than £8, well 40p for one of them.

Pretty sure Rik will have his shortly and can confirm the same.

No Steve, don't go to the trouble of sending one..

A video on one of the listings, does show a couple of different speakers being used and the difference in 'tone' is very marked.

I think I might have found one that is silent until you Twitch the speed from zero, and will shutoff if the Speed is zero for 20 seconds, or so.
You can also set the 'zero' point, though the instructions have lost something in translation.

I will send you a PM..

Phil.P

Phil.P wrote: ↑Sun Mar 10, 2024 10:16 pm

I think I might have found one that is silent until you Twitch the speed from zero, and will shutoff if the Speed is zero for 20 seconds, or so.
You can also set the 'zero' point, though the instructions have lost something in translation.

Phil, can you share that link here as well pease?

philipy wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 8:24 am

Phil.P wrote: ↑Sun Mar 10, 2024 10:16 pm

I think I might have found one that is silent until you Twitch the speed from zero, and will shutoff if the Speed is zero for 20 seconds, or so.
You can also set the 'zero' point, though the instructions have lost something in translation.

Phil, can you share that link here as well please?

I think this is the link, but it's no where near the £8 of the other one. Unfortunately the sound in the video they give is the "gasoline" one and not the diesel one. Hopefully Phil has found this much cheaper somewhere?

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005005 ... ry_from%3A

I know, bad video quality again, but does this sound any better on a larger speaker?

I will update when I have done more searching..

Yes, it is that one, and the module looks similar to something else I was investigating.

If I can get something that can stop /start, and give a horn, that I can make a profit on with a retail of £20-25 I think I will progress it further..

We have a number of things in the pipeline, but life gets in the way of progress.

Phil.P

Hi
I've received my sound modules and tried programming P3 to servo on my MR603a. There's nothing written on any of the chips so I assume it's one of the first batch of Rxs which Andy released.

I've programmed the Rx to provide servo output on P3 following Ch1. However, I can't get the sound module to respond to the servo output on P3. In fact, if I connect both the motor and the sound module to the Rx, the motor ceases to respond as well. However, if I connect the just the motor to the Rx, then it works ok.

I remember having a similar problem with a Deltang Rx65. In that case, I could get servo output on one of the pads and it controlled the soundcard ok. But as soon as I connected the motor, the servo output stopped working. I solved the problem by installing both an Rx65 and an Rx102 in the loco, both bound to the same tx, with the Rx65 controlling the motor and the Rx 102 controlling the soundcard.


That loco, #7, still has that installation and is still working well after nine years - https://riksrailway.blogspot.com/2015/1 ... e.html?m=1

Now, it might be that later versions of the MR603 can be programmed ok for servo output on a pad and will work with a motor attached, but if not, using a separate Rx for controlling the soundcard is a viable workaround.

Rik

There is a bug in the 'A' & 'B' servo code..

Changes / fixes were thick and fast, in those early days.

We are now up to v1. 7* on the firmware, have gone through a number of different processors, and now have a totally in-house Micron solution.

*As of when I last checked!

Phil.P

Phil.P wrote: ↑Mon Mar 11, 2024 2:58 pm There is a bug in the 'A' & 'B' servo code..

Changes / fixes were thick and fast, in those early days.

We are now up to v1. 7* on the firmware, have gone through a number of different processors, and now have a totally in-house Micron solution.

*As of when I last checked!

Phil.P

That's reassuring news. Firstly that the bug has been fixed but also that it's not something stupid I did (I'm a past master of the stupid mistake .... )

Rik

I've installed the card into my HGLW loco and linked it to the servo output from the Deltang Rx65c. But as you can see, there is very little variation in the rise and fall of the engine note. I've found this before with the Rx65. Whilst the servo output from the Rx65 is fine when bench-tested, as soon as the motor is wired in, the range of servo output seems to be adversely affected.




I'll try to see if I can tweak the range of the servo signal being outputted from the Rx. I've also got a new Micron MR603 on its way, so might try seeing if that performs any better.

Failing that, I'll install a separate Rx to drive the sound card (as above) - that worked well on the bench.

Rik