Sound options for my Polar Express baggage car

[Lemosteam]

Hello electronics freaks!   (I mean that in a very good way!)

I want to put a sound decoder in my Polar Express baggage car:


I will be changing the trucks to Kato for better rolling and conductivity.

Some desirables:
mid-range price point between $40 and $70
ability to add sound files (partial songs from the movie, locomotive sounds from the movie, telltale sounds from the movie, etc)-
decent speaker with reasonable price <$40

 Recommendations on the above?

Some questions I have:
should I make a connector between the tender and baggage car and have it run the loco? (I don't want to do two decoder installs)
how does one add sound files to a decoder?
I like the sound from my bachmann K4 speaker- they are cheap- good enough?
How does one program DCC controller buttons to specific sounds on the decoder using a digitrax system (assuming I can figure out how to add them?

Is this even worth my time and money?

[Lemosteam]

Anoybody?  lol! 's?

[peteski]

LOL John, I never thought of using a mobile sound decoder for non-RR sounds.  I haven't even messed around with uploading any sound projects to sound decoders.

I don't know what is the maximum length of a sound which can be stored in a decoder to be activated by a function key on a throttle.  Usually those are fairly short (often looped) (whistle, bell, coupler clank, wheel or brake squeal).  Not sure how it would deal with a song.  Plus of course the sound of diesel or chuff is tied to the speed commands from the throttle.

My friend installed special sound decoders in 3 passenger cars of the Kato UP excursion train.  Those might be better suited for what you want.  They provide special sound effects such occurring in rolling stock, as occasional wheel squeal and rail clicking.  The frequency of the rail clicks can be tied to the speed step. I think that other random sounds can be assigned to happen eithe3r automatically or activated by function keys. I think Tsunami makes that decoder and it is much less expensive than standard sound decoders. If you really want to mess around, with non-RR effects then that is probably a way to go. Or install even less expensive sound chip (not controlled by DCC) from Ngineering: http://www.ngineering.com/little_sounds.htm

[Lemosteam]

I have heard of folks adding or changing bells and sounds.  I think my songs would be maybe just the refrain- nothing too long. when you think about it it is no different than pushing the bell button on the throttle- it just activates a sound on the chip right?

The sound has to get loaded on there somehow?

But all of your points are valid for sure!

Hmmm maybe you could design a circuit!  LOL!!!  Just Kidding- don't even try- I know how you operate!

[Lemosteam]

@jdcolombo HELP!!  The Polar Express needs you!!! 

[glakedylan]

just within the last couple of weeks
I saw a video, online, with the train
having sound in car that played
Xmas music.
I am trying to find the link, but no
luck thus far.
will keep looking as time allows...
sincerely
G

[glakedylan]

sorry, John, I did find it but it will unlikely be of any help
it was an advertisement for the new Bachmann EZ App
train set in HO scale.

nonetheless, I suspect that there must be a sound decoder
that will accept programmed sound, just needing to know
what format. I would guess the HO version by Bachmann
is a larger size decoder allowing it to have more songs than
an N scale size decoder would. but, it should still be possible

I hope you find more definite and specific information
sincerely
G

[peteski]

Could they simply be using a recordable sound board, not a full decoder, similar to the one I mentioned in my earlier post?

[jdcolombo]

@jdcolombo HELP!!  The Polar Express needs you!!! 

Well, I don't think I can help on this one.

I'm pretty sure that the LokSound Micro v.4 could do everything you ask.  It's a bit pricier than you want, but it is completely customizable as far as sounds are concerned.  According to ESU's web site, the v.4 decoder has 32mb of on-board memory, good enough for 274 seconds worth of sound.  But to do this, you'd need not just the decoder, but a LokProgrammer (about $180), the free LokProgrammer software, and familiarity with how to build a sound project from scratch.  I've never done that myself, so I can't help you there.  But I'm pretty certain you could do what you want with this decoder.

It may also be possible to do what you want with the Digitrax Soundbug or one of the other FX sound decoders, but I quit using Digitrax decoders years ago, so I have no idea what its capabilities might be (although I do know that it is programmable with custom sound files).  Here's a link to the Digitrax Sound FX page that explains some of the capabilities of its SoundFX decoders:

http://www.digitrax.com/sound-depot/

You're going to have to adopt a Star Trek attitude here, and boldly go . . . etc.

John C.

[nscaler711]

If you can find a small enough Bluetooth speaker you could rip out the internals throw away the case, and put them in that car and use your phone to play the sounds you want instead.
I did that in a HO Athearn Blue Box kit.... Was pretty cool could play music or whatever, and the battery lasted a good 4hrs. But in N you might have to draw track power and drop the voltage, unless you are using DCC then I have no clue... Lol

[Lemosteam]

@jdcolombo , that was more helpful than you might think!  Thanks!

@nscaler711 that is a very interesting idea as well.  Total flexibility there. Hmm.

[Lemosteam]

Well, with the Bluetooth idea, I am thinking of tearing these apart and using them inside the car.  Data claims the speakers are 14mm dia and likely have a decent sound range.

Anybody know how to borrow sound from a movie?

http://www.amazon.com/SoundBot-Behind-Wireless-Bluetooth-Headset/dp/B00M244JRW/ref=pd_sim_107_11?ie=UTF8&dpID=411GTgwSMQL&dpSrc=sims&preST=_AC_UL160_SR160%2C160_&refRID=04EW7SFKVTP24YWBJTA5

[jdcolombo]

Anybody know how to borrow sound from a movie?

Using Bluetooth is ingenious.  Just remember that range is limited for bluetooth.  In theory, you should get about 30 feet, but I've found the range is more likely 20 feet or so.

As for borrowing sound from a movie, get a DVD (regular DVD, not Blu-Ray) and rip it to your computer (there are various ripping programs available).  Then use a movie editing program to find the scene you want, save the clip (only) with the sound, then save the sound separately.  I know this is possible in  Apple's iMovie, which has an "export sound to AIFF" option, but I'm pretty sure it's possible with other kinds of video editors.  Then if you need the sound in a different formate (e.g., mp3, wav, whatever), use a file converter program to get what you want. 

John C.

[Lemosteam]

John, do you think the amplifier in those headphones is strong enough to drive a decent volume of sound or is it all about the speaker?

Headphones tend to rely on the relative distance to the eardrum, so that the power does not have to be as significant, no? 

Would I be essentially be making sound as though one laid the headphones on a table on full volume?

[jdcolombo]

John, do you think the amplifier in those headphones is strong enough to drive a decent volume of sound or is it all about the speaker?

Headphones tend to rely on the relative distance to the eardrum, so that the power does not have to be as significant, no? 

Would I be essentially be making sound as though one laid the headphones on a table on full volume?

That's a good question.  Most headphone speakers are 32 ohms or higher (my Sennheiser HD650's are 300 ohms).  The speaker in the headphones is almost certainly designed for near-field applications, and the amp may be designed only to supply low-current to that impedance.   If that is true, then you will blow up the amp by trying to connect it to an 8-ohm speaker designed for far-field use, like a Knowles Wildcat or Grand.  I didn't see any specifications for the driving amp at the page you linked (not surprising - the headphones are self-contained, so why would they publish specs on the amp?).   But it is a legitimate concern.  What you'd really need to know is if the amp is capable of putting out 1 watt into 8-ohms.   I'm not sure you will be able to find this information anywhere, however . . .

John C.