Push Button Sound Box
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Contents
Overview
The Push Button Sound Box from Train Control Systems is a standalone product capable of playing sounds from TCS' massive library of bells, horns, whistles, and more! Equipped with an internal 2 Watt speaker and adjustable volume control, the Push Button Sound Box can deliver clear and powerful audio to your train room or around the Christmas tree. Also included is a 3.5mm mono line out for externally amplified speakers.
The Push Button Sound Box can also play TCS' entire library of motive sounds, but requires an external power pack. See the section below for Setting Up Operation With a Power Pack for more information.
Features
- Integrated 2 Watt speaker
- Volume control knob
- Mono-channel Line Out for outputting audio to externally-amplified speakers (PC speakers, home stereo system, etc.)
- Includes TCS' complete library of Steam and Diesel sounds! (See List of Sounds for comprehensive list)
- # Horns
- # Whistles
- # Bells
- # Steam Chuff Sets
- # Diesel Prime Movers
Setup Instructions
Basic Setup
The Push Button Sound Box includes a 15V power supply. Simply plugging in the power supply is all that is required to begin using this product. In this mode, the Bell, Horn, Whistle, and Change Sound buttons will operate. If no audio is heard, ensure that the Volume Knob on the rear is not turned to the Off position. The volume control only affects the internal speaker, unless set to the Off position.
The Push Button Sound Box can be connected to external speakers using the included Line Out jack on the back. You will need to supply your own cable to adapt the 3.5mm Mono Line Out to whatever input jack is used by your speakers. PC speakers often also use 3.5mm stereo cable, which can be connected directly. Home stereo systems may require an adapter to change the 3.5mm output cable to RCA/component in. Consult your stereo's user manual for available input options. The input chosen must have an internal-amplification in order to be audible.
Setting Up Operation With a Power Pack
The featureset of the Push Button Sound Box can be expanded to include Diesel Prime Mover and Steam Chuff sounds when used in conjunction with a DC or AC power supply. Out of the box, only bells, horns, and whistles are playable; however, with a connected DC or AC power supply, the Push Button Sound Box can play diesel prime mover or steam chuffs, along with other peripheral sounds such as air compressors and others. These sounds will start up once an external power supply is detected, either DC or AC. It is not possible to use DCC to control the Push Button Sound Box.
To integrate the Push Button Sound Box into your layout or display, follow these steps:
- Turn off your power pack.
- Connect one wire to each of the track output terminals on the power pack.
- Locate the screw terminal plug on the back of the Push Button Sound Box. Disconnect if necessary.
- Connect both wires from the power pack to the terminal block. Ensure the screws are tight. Reconnect the terminal block to the back of thePush Button Sound Box if it was removed in the previous step.
Recommended Practices:
- It is recommended, but not required, that you tin the wires before connecting them to the terminal block. Ensure that no strands of wire are protruding from the terminal block.
- For DC-powered layouts, particularly with older power packs, it is recommended that you use an analog filter to stabilize the voltage output from your power pack.
- For power packs that have more than a single output, DO NOT connect both outputs to the Push Button Sound Box at the same time! If you would like to be able to use each output with the Push Button Sound Box, you should connect a double-pole double-throw switch (break before make or center-off) switch to change the input to the Push Button Sound Box between the controls.
| NOTE: The track input is high-impedance. Without the load from an actual locomotive on the rails to dissipate the energy from the power pack, the throttle response will not be accurate. |
Calibrating Sound Operation
The Push Button Sound Box can store configurations for up to three different locomotives. Each of these locomotives can have the throttle/sound response individually calibrated to provide the most realistic operation. In order to use this feature, you must have already followed the steps above to connect to your power pack.
To calibrate the throttle response for a locomotive, follow these steps:
- Run the locomotive you would like to calibrate for a minimum of three minutes before calibrating to warm up the motor and ensure it is working.
- Place the locomotive on a straight and level piece of track (if possible).
- Turn on your power pack.
- Slowly turn up the voltage on your power pack until the idling sounds start.
- Press the "Rotate Sound" button until you hear the correct prime mover or chuff set you would like to use for the locomotive.‡
- Enter calibration mode by pressing and holding both the BELL and CHANGE SOUND button for ten seconds.
- Select a "locomotive" by pressing the HORN button.
- Follow the steps as given by the audio prompts to perform the calibration process.
- Exit Calibration Mode by pressing the CHANGE SOUND button.
| NOTE: Avoid removing the power supply while in calibration mode. |
‡ The calibration process can be repeated for up to three different locomotives. The calibration process will save the active prime mover or chuff set, as well as the relevant voltage levels.
| NOTE: The reliability and accuracy of the calibration is affected by the stability of the voltage from your power pack. Using a power pack with poor regulation will affect the accuracy of the calibration process. |
It is a good idea to have saved profiles for the locomotives you run frequently. Once you have saved profiles, you can select the active locomotive by entering calibration mode, using the HORN button to select the locomotive number, and then pressing the CHANGE SOUND button to exit. Doing so will load the profile for the selected locomotive number, including the calibration levels and engine sounds.
Out of the box, the factory calibration levels are set based on TCS' testing of commonly-available power packs as follows:
- Locomotive 1: Bachmann Regulated 16V DC Power Pack (PN 44211)
- Locomotive 2: Lionel Chief 16V AC Power Pack
List of Sounds
| Bell 1 |
| Bell 2 |
| Bell 3 |
| Bell 1 |
| Bell 2 |
| Bell 3 |
| Bell 1 |
| Bell 2 |
| Bell 3 |
| Bell 1 |
| Bell 2 |
| Bell 3 |
| Bell 1 |
| Bell 2 |
| Bell 3 |
