Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => The "Black Arts!" ( Electrics & Electronics ) => Topic started by: BORIS on October 25, 2007, 02:41:01 pm

Title: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: BORIS on October 25, 2007, 02:41:01 pm
Can anyone reccomend a good one.....have done a google search, but there is hardly any around!!....a robbe one ..but i have this in another boat so am looking for something different.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: DickyD on October 25, 2007, 02:49:48 pm
JJC turbocat or Large ships diesels if you can get one. They are the best.

http://www.jjc-electronics.com/Propenginesounds.html
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: DickyD on October 25, 2007, 03:20:00 pm
JJC Turbocat unit for sale here:

http://www.modelboatmayhem.co.uk/forum/index.php?topic=6703.msg66300#msg66300
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: chingdevil on October 25, 2007, 03:23:59 pm
I have just brought an ACtion one, can be set for 4, 8 or 12 cylinder. Sounds good to me.

Brian
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: BORIS on October 25, 2007, 08:21:11 pm
JJC turbocat or Large ships diesels if you can get one. They are the best.

http://www.jjc-electronics.com/Propenginesounds.html
"site under construction".....that has been there website page for a few months now!! impossible to order from them..i will look at the "Action" ones.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: Chuffy on October 26, 2007, 07:13:10 pm
JJC seem to have sunk without trace, their voicemail box is full and nobody seems to stock the sound simulators any more. As they (to the best of my knowledge) are the only manufacturer to produce a unit with the engine starting up at the begining I don't want to buy any other type until I know JJc are no longer producing sound units. Can anybody help?

Paul.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: DickyD on October 26, 2007, 09:13:42 pm
Chuffy have you tried the phone. O0 Sorry missed the voicemail bit, its been a long day.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: justboatonic on October 26, 2007, 09:34:05 pm
Contact Dave or Liz at ACTion. I've bought some goodies off them recently and been well impressed with the service. Havent used the diesel sound unit though.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: DickyD on October 26, 2007, 09:40:40 pm
The JJC sound module runs off the main battery 6v and upwards, what are the limits on the ACTion ones anyone know ?
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: FullLeatherJacket on October 26, 2007, 11:16:40 pm
You could always look at the website.................www.action-electronics.co.uk
FLJ
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: DickyD on October 27, 2007, 10:07:03 am
FLJ as you will be the first to point out my knowledge of any sort of electronics is limited to what I have already carried out. So as I have never fitted one of your engine sound units, could you tell me, as I have no seperate receiver batteries and just run off the main battery, will your unit work in my boats ?
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: red181 on October 27, 2007, 11:47:01 pm
I too am looking for a couple of sound simulators, I had 2 JJC ones that sounded terrific, but unfortunately where faulty, anybody got a video of the action sound systems?
Thanks
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: FullLeatherJacket on October 28, 2007, 08:20:50 am
Guys
The bottom line is that if you're used to the JJC sound system then you'll probably be a bit disappointed with the ACTion one. Allow me to try to put the thing into perspective (any lapses into techno-babble will be strictly minimal!).
Jim's units are based around actual recordings of diesel engines which are held in digital form and reproduced through an amplifier. Moving the Tx throttle stick will modulate the recording to sound like the revs are increasing and decreasing. It's quite loud and very expensive. It will also operate from any ESC.
Craig Talbot designed the original P15 ACTion Diesel sound to be run from an ACTion ESC - quite naturally. It, too, changes revs with the throttle stick and it will run using any other ESC which uses a relay to reverse the motor e.g. the older Electronize one, but you can forget using a Viper or Proteam etc. Latterly he introduced a PIC-based diesel sound which avoids that problem by taking its signal from the Rx, not the ESC. This means it will run on most if not all ESCs.
Limitation No 2 is that the sound isn't a recording of a diesel engine; rather it's just a series of generated clicks which are modulated and filtered to sound a bit like a diesel. If you're after a start-up routine and the whistle of a turbo-charger then forget it, although you can adjust it to sound like either a 4, 8, 12 or 16 cylinder engine and also adjust what Craig called the "character" (i.e. the lumpiness"). There is also a version which reproduces the single cylinder pop-pop of a small workboat or canal narrowboat.
Limitation No 3 is that it was designed for small models so it's not very loud, The little on-board TDA7052 amplifier is rated only at a maximum of 1W on 6v into an 8 Ohm speaker, so if you run it constantly on full volume the amp chip gets VERY hot (they've even been known to crack). There's not enough room in the case for an adequate heat-sink to dissipate the power at this level. We are working on a 6W booster mixer/amp but it's early days yet.
Not that it's terribly relevant, but just before he died Craig was working on a Robbe truck kit. This was a wondrous beast with working lights, fifth wheel, hydraulic rams.........and a diesel sound sim. This had the key-start-up routine and a glorious bass burble. When I asked him if it was an ACTion unit he gave me a very old-fashioned look.........!
To sum up, if you're happy to have the engine sound more "character" than "actual", and you don't need it to be any more than background (like the real things) then you'll be happy with our units. If you're after a cut-price JJC job then forget it............and, no; we're not going to develop one either!!
Richard - you're more than welcome to try one and return it if you're not happy. Contact details are on the website or PM me here.
FLJ
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: 2772e on October 28, 2007, 08:21:35 am
If you phone around some of the JJC stockists you can still pick up sound units.

I have just got two diesel sound units from Scoonies and i think Westbourne may have some others.

Hope this helps

Simon
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: DickyD on October 28, 2007, 10:36:38 am
Richard - you're more than welcome to try one and return it if you're not happy. Contact details are on the website or PM me here.
FLJ
Thanks FLJ, very generous, I will bear that in mind.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: pakirk on October 29, 2007, 06:32:56 pm
Hi all.
I am in the process of developing NEW sound units. They will be similar to the JJC.

The more feedback I get the quicker they will be developed.

PLEASE let me know what YOU want in the sound units. I have already made improvements both to the robustness and sound quality.

services@rcmodelworkshop.com
Regards
Anthony Kirk
RCMW
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: Martin (Admin) on November 13, 2007, 09:16:14 am
Quote
I am in the process of developing NEW sound units. They will be similar to the JJC.
The more feedback I get the quicker they will be developed.

Realistic Steam engine. Large & Small.
Modern Diesel Large, small , fast.
Random Naval sounds - single unit.(whoop, whoop, Klaxon, Lines from films ie. "All hands to stations!", "Mr Bligh, report to the ward room." etc, etc. )
Random Battleship sounds - gunfire etc.
Random Merchant ship sounds - single unit. (engine, horn, winches, seagulls, deck hands shouting, metal, hawsers scraping decks etc.)
Random Pleasure craft sounds - single unit. Seaside, harbour clamour, seagulls, 'I do like to be beside the seaside', children playing.

Must be loud.
Must be realistic.  O0
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: DickyD on November 13, 2007, 09:46:46 am
If you make them as realistic and as easy to fit as the JJC units they will be great.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: Colin Bishop on November 13, 2007, 10:46:58 am
Expensive crunching sound triggered by proximity detectors whenever other boats approach too close or you hit the bank agaim.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: pakirk on November 13, 2007, 12:14:53 pm
I am making progress  O0. keep the ideas coming please.
Thanks
Anthony
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: Bunkerbarge on November 13, 2007, 05:10:24 pm
1) German national anthem for u-boats entering port.

2) Loudly shouted german orders for alarm, dive, schnell, achtung, etc.. etc...

3) German music that may be heard coming from a u-boat on patrol as they pick up home stations.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: Sub driver on November 13, 2007, 06:01:15 pm
Jet engine turbines winding up then full throttle when model moving and slow idle and shut down when reqd Linked to motor speedo etc .
( don't want much do I ???)  :)
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: Roger in France on November 14, 2007, 06:34:37 am
Seagulls; sea shanties; cursing seamen; singing mermaids.......

Roger in France.
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: red181 on November 16, 2007, 11:42:00 pm
seriously... start up cranking, proportional throttle, LOUD!! light, waterproof.
Anthony, we have mailed each other, I want MTB sound and fast v8, just like the jjc units. I think we would all agree that if it wasnt for the disappearance and therefore poor service of JJC we would all be using his kit, so if you can replicate JJC you are on to a winner, BUT.... not too expensive, and a web site where we can hear samples please!, and a guaranteed back up service 
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: pakirk on November 17, 2007, 01:41:34 am
Hi all.
I am making progress.
I will be needing SOUNDS soon.

Any recordings VERY WELCOME.

Thanks
Anthony.

Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: ministeve on November 17, 2007, 08:24:39 pm
please record your sounds as we the public would hear them (IE outside the vessel) i am the first to say jjc is fantastic but two things botherd me 1st they shut down alot have the start up but not the shutdown. 2nd the sound was as if you were stood next to the engine which unfortunately we rarely got to do other than that you can't really improve them a lot O0


thanks steve
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: pakirk on November 18, 2007, 10:11:49 am
Hello there.
I intend to give the option for an internetl or external sound. this will be user selectable.
The startup and shutdown, will also be user controlled NOT AUTOMATIC as the JJC unit was.

Thanks
Anthony

Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: Martin (Admin) on November 18, 2007, 11:32:44 am
What about incorporating a facility to update sounds via the internet / USB?
Therefore one unit does all !  :o
Title: Re: Diesel engine sound simulator
Post by: pakirk on November 18, 2007, 01:09:36 pm
Thats a cool idea  O0 BUT,
the more I incorporate into the system the more it costs and to be hoist people just don't want to pay.
I lot of the designe time is taken up by trying to keep the price to £39.99 for the master, and thats not easy.
Thanks
Anthony.