ESU 58941 Kato Widebody

[peteski]

While it does not answer your question, I just want to mention that the widebody board is just a motherboard which hosts a standard V5 nano decoder on it.  Speaker traces go directly from the solder pads to the E24 connector.

The problem is likely with the nano decoder plugged into the widebody board.  If you have another nano with a wire interface, you could unplug the nano from the widebody board and snap on the wire adapter, then see if the problem remains.

Either way, these are sold as a set of the widebody adapter and the nano piggybacked onto it.  If it is defective, you will likely have to return the complete set.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Can the decoder be easily snapped out of this board and used in another board?
What’s the E24 connector? Next18?

[peteski]

Can the decoder be easily snapped out of this board and used in another board?
What’s the E24 connector? Next18?

Yes, the nano decoder can be snapped off the motherboard but it will only snap onto another E24 connector.  E24 is E24.  Not Next18 or any other connector. It is proprietary to ESU, but I've heard that they are trying to add it to the DCC standard.

So the answer is: No it cannot be used anywhere else but with ESU motherboards or wire adapter boards which have E24 connectors on them.

Post https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=54278.msg773328#msg773328 provides a photo of the connector.

[peteski]

So Kato Widebody Decoder has arrived
Only criticism so far (in first 5 minutes) is the lack of documentation

Here is some additional documentation by peteski: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=54278.msg773328#msg773328

[ryan_wilkerson]

Thanks Peteski.

Looking around, I don't see any hard wire adapters with the E24 connector. Am I missing them?
I'd like to see if I could pop out the decoder and snap into a hard wire installation.
Also is there a non-sound motor decoder with the E24 connector?
-Ryan

Here is some additional documentation by peteski: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=54278.msg773328#msg773328

[peteski]

Thanks Peteski.

Looking around, I don't see any hard wire adapters with the E24 connector. Am I missing them?
I'd like to see if I could pop out the decoder and snap into a hard wire installation.
Also is there a non-sound motor decoder with the E24 connector?
-Ryan

When you buy the LokSound 5 nano decoder it comes as "wired" decoder with the adapter board with wires included.  That is the only way the nano decoder is sold. No need to buy the widebody version just to strip off the nano decoder.

Here is the decoder's web page: https://www.esu.eu/en/products/loksound/loksound-5-nano-dcc/
That page shows that ESU is planning on selling the E24 wire adapter separately, but I have not yet seen it for sale. Not even sure why they are doing that since the adapter is included with the decoder in the first place.

Only LokSound 5 comes in the "nano" format (with E24 interface). There are no LokPilot nanos - only micros, so no, there are no LokPilot's with E24 interface. Here is the LokPilot 5 page: https://www.esu.eu/en/products/lokpilot/

[ryan_wilkerson]

Thanks Peteski for the link and details.
I'd be interested in the E24 wire adapter, with the cost of decoders, it would be economical to have two installations sharing a single decoder. Just pop it into the E24 and reprogram the decoder address (assuming the same sound file for both).

[peteski]

Thanks Peteski for the link and details.
I'd be interested in the E24 wire adapter, with the cost of decoders, it would be economical to have two installations sharing a single decoder. Just pop it into the E24 and reprogram the decoder address (assuming the same sound file for both).

I would not  recommends constant (or even occasional) swapping.  Those connectors are designed as interconnects between circuit boards inside devices such as smart phones.  Something that that is mated only once or just few times during its life. They are not designed for being plugged/unplugged multiple times.  Not only that, but the very fine pitch of the pins makes even more prone to accidental damage.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Good point! I'll discard the idea

I would not  recommends constant (or even occasional) swapping.  Those connectors are designed as interconnects between circuit boards inside devices such as smart phones.  Something that that is mated only once or just few times during its life. They are not designed for being plugged/unplugged multiple times.  Not only that, but the very fine pitch of the pins makes even more prone to accidental damage.