Model Boat Mayhem
Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => The "Black Arts!" ( Electrics & Electronics ) => Topic started by: Norman Castle on September 03, 2016, 01:52:33 pm
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Just found the Action Electronics site with the sound cards on it which look jolly interesting, but is it me? How is anybody expected to buy these without hearing what they sound like?
Are there similar things available online from suppliers who do provide sound samples?
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I have the Technobots diesel sound generator - it works
exactly as per the petrol version shown here (see link)
and the sound is fairly similar but a bit 'harder'.
Technobots Marine Engine Sound Unit (petrol version) (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX3biLUAtkI)
The YouTube video shows Alan Bonds development unit
now marketed byTechnobots.
Model Engine Sound Effects (http://www.technobotsonline.com/model-engine-sound-effects.html)
Richard
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Thanks Richard, but I should have made it clear that I'm after sirens/horns/whistles ...
:embarrassed:
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If it is a recorded sound, it will depend on your chosen amplifier, speaker and method of mounting. As a result, a sample over the web might be very little like what comes out of the model.
If a "simulated" sound, the same applies except that the likeness to the real thing is going to be a bit stretched before it gets amplified and speakered.
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Norman - you can download your own sounds (mp3 or wav format) from the web and put them on a microSD card to use in this sound unit - that way you will know what you're getting - but note Malcolm's comments about web sounds on your PC not necessarily sounding the same in your boat installation!
http://www.forge-electronics.co.uk/index.php/boats/16-ch-sfx
However it does come with a variety of example sounds on the supplied 4G card - various horns, steam whistle, klaxon, whoop-whoop, guns, asdic pings, helicopter, ww2 flyby, narrowboat engine loop . . .
You can store 16 different sounds, accessed from a spare proportional channel by pumping the joystick 'N' times to get sound N (two banks of 8, either side of neutral to reduce the amount of pumping required). It has a built-in 3w amplifier which will drive a speaker directly.
A token 8 ohm speaker is supplied to get you started but a larger speaker is well worth the investment - I highly recommend this one.
Alan
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The speaker itself is only part of the sound, it needs to be baffled properly too. If you take any small speaker and cup it in your hands to make a reasonably airtight seal round the back, with just the front showing, you will probably hear a dramatic change in the sound and volume, particularly the lower notes which are vital to a decent engine sound (probably not so much of a loss for some other effects although big hooters, guns, etc, will benefit). So try and allow for building a box round it (or fitting it in an existing box like superstructure) regardless of what speaker you use.
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Good advice Plague - you will note the speaker I recommend is in a sealed box with a small port - quite a current of air issues from that whilst it is operating! So this sounds quite good in its own right - I guess from its shape it's intended for 00/H0 locos.
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Thanks chaps :-)