Out of my comfort zone >ESU

[Tjack757]

I am currently using JMRI and a Digitrax PR4 to program my decoders.
My current decoders are:
1 - Digitrax DN136D
6 - Digitrax DN163K1C
2 - TCS K1D4
2 - SoundTraxx TSU-KN1
1 - Broadway Limited Paragon 4

With that said....
I just purchased 2 Atlas GP35 Gold Series with ESU LokSound decoders and a blank ESU 58420 for a Kato Bigboy DCC conversion.
It appears I am about to go down a new rabbit hole.
Any advice would be helpful.

[GaryHinshaw]

Welcome to the club - they make a fantastic product line.  For the GP35s you can get by with JMRI Decoder Pro, but reading and writing to/from the decoder is a bit slow, and some features can be obscure.  On the other hand, if you want your blank 58420 decoder to produce sound, you'll need a LokProgrammer to upload the sound file to the decoder, or find a friend or a dealer who will do it for you.  You will also need a LokProgrammer if you want to update the decoder's firmware.  For example they recently introduced the ability to separately adjust bass and treble levels with their latest firmware release (a big improvement for N scale sound).  These upgrades are available at no cost, but the LokProgrammer does require a Windows system.

[Dwight in Toronto]

ESU’s 58420 appears to be for HO and O scale locomotives - do you think it will fit in the N scale Big Boy tender?

Never mind - I revisited Kelley’s post where he does indeed use the above “full size” decoder, as he calls it. 
Just curious - would any of the conventional N-sized decoders work just as well, or is the HO-sized unit required because it needs to power two motors?

[GGNInNScale]

Hi  The current draw from n scale engines is really small.  I run 6 diesels simultaneously (with NCE, TCS, Lenz/Atlas, ESU, DigiTrax, and ESU/Atlas decoders).  I can have 6 to 8 engines idling around the layout, and the 6 running, with a total current draw of less than 900mA (I use the NCE PowerCab- 2Amps output).  So, I would say the large decoders are not necessary.  Do pay attention to how the decoder is covered (or not) with Kapton or similar tape- you need to allow the heat to get away from the chips.

[peteski]

ESU’s 58420 appears to be for HO and O scale locomotives - do you think it will fit in the N scale Big Boy tender?

Never mind - I revisited Kelley’s post where he does indeed use the above “full size” decoder, as he calls it. 
Just curious - would any of the conventional N-sized decoders work just as well, or is the HO-sized unit required because it needs to power two motors?

No need, especially with those efficient coreless motors. Even Kelly mentioned that he used the larger decoder because he had it handy, and otherwise he would have used smaller decoder.

Quoting:
I have Micros here, but recently they've cost me more.  The full sized ones fit just fine in the tender.  That said parts is parts, so if I had to get some Big Boys done and all I had were micros or someone provided it with a big boy, they'd be getting installed.