Good day - for those of you who have been looking for more information on the new Revolution receiver with sound I have posted a review of the diesel and stem sound units on my web page.
See:
http://www.trainelectronics.com/ART5700TrainEngineerRevolution/RevoWithSound/index.htm
Please let me know if you have any questions
dave
If you’re using the auxiliary switch to turn on an LED is there a voltage limitation that you can run through the board?
Terry - there is - I have done some experimenting and have put my notes on my web page here:
http://www.trainelectronics.com/artcles/Relay_Revolution/
See if that answers your question and let me know if you need more info.
dave
It probly does answer my question but I can’t figure it out. I may be ignorant or maybe just tired either way I can’t find it.
If I have a 14.8v (16.8 fully charged) battery to use as my power source can I run a lamp using the revo accessory?
Terry
Thanks Dave.
AC is a little skimpy in details. This helps greatly.
Terry Burr said:
It probly does answer my question but I can’t figure it out. I may be ignorant or maybe just tired either way I can’t find it.
If I have a 14.8v (16.8 fully charged) battery to use as my power source can I run a lamp using the revo accessory?
Terry
I did my testing with a 12 volt power source so yours should work - you may need a higher value resistor on your LED(s) - I used 1000 ohms - start with 2000 or so and reduce the value if the LED is too dim. This diagram shows how to wire it - just make sure that you orient the anode and cathode of the LED properly.
(http://www.trainelectronics.com/artcles/Relay_Revolution/images/Schematic_LEDs.gif)
dave
1000 ohms will work just fine with a 14.8 volt battery. I’ve been using that with the Revo’s auxiliary outputs for my stuff for a long time without any troubles. (Fall 2009 on my earliest install with the lights.)
Dave, if I may pick one nit with your review, the steam whistle–to my ears–does sound like a grade crossing signal, with a low, short whistle immediately after the second long one, before going into the third long one.
Later,
K
Pick away, Kevin - I can see where you might get that from the sound but it doesn’t sound like a true crossing signal to me - not by a long shot, at least to my ears!
dave
Very informative and well documented article. Thank you for posting it.
Doc Tom
Both grade crossing sequences (diesel and steam) are not correct, and this was not even contested by Aristo.
To be clear you CANNOT use the horn or whistle as a short toot, but only these (incorrect) sound sequences.
Also the bell is not a continuous ring but 5 rings and then stops and needs to be retriggered to ring more.
Strange stuff all revealed in the first days of the product. It’s important that the truth is told here since nowadays many people have to buy products “sight and sound unseen”.
These details may not be important to some, but were quite a surprise to many when the products were released.
Greg
I agree, Greg. The information that came out about them before was a lot of speculation and all, and I held off getting ANY new receivers until the sound ones came out. I have one steam and one diesel, and, while they’re nice, the whistle and bell is an issue. Combined with the generic sound (These were supposed to be programmable, no?) I’m a bit annoyed. There were a bunch of them for good prices at York (single RXs at the multipack/each price), I didnt get any because I want to see how things shake out.
Not to belabor the point or auger into Aristo, but this should be just a simple software item… just “loop” the bell sound forever and use it as a “latching type”, like all other sound cards.
On the whistle / horn, just re-record it… The system is advertised as firmware upgradeable, so even existing stock could be corrected.
Every other sound card out there except the Tsunami can be updated.
(Of course now it turns out that older Aristo TX units apparently cannot be upgraded to handle the sound versions of the receivers).
I’m so surprised because they had the prototypes a long time ago (I posted a youtube of the steam unit in May 2011.
Greg Elmassian said:
…snip
(Of course now it turns out that older Aristo TX units apparently cannot be upgraded to handle the sound versions of the receivers)…
Someone should tell Aristo. Just as little as an hour ago I was told by Aristo to send my transmitter in for an upgrade…They did not mention it could not be done. It’s going out tomorrow.
I am surprised that some people are complaining they cannot upgrade their old throttles. My alpha testing throttle predates any commercially available, and I do not have a problem with it. Both my throttles have version 2.0.7 and work fine with either the diesel or steam sounds receivers.
In his seminar at the ECLSTS Lewis asked for suggestions on how to improve the Revolution Train Engineer.
A couple of our members have already done so. Here are my suggestions.
A key to lock the cab number while operating. Accidently changing the cab number and losing control of the locomotive is still the most common mistake made during our railway operations. Perhaps the number sign (#) key could be used as it has no functionality at this time. If not, perhaps a lock/unlock function could be added to the ASSIGN FUNCTIONS menu.
Adding FWD and REV indicators to the direction arrow display on the operating screen would be great. Our members have found the arrows are misleading depending on which side of the track you are on. I added small FWD and REV labels on my throttle, but they tend to get in the way when using other screens.
Eliminate the need to enter both a cab number and linking number. I have trained our members to use the same number for both, as it is less confusing than have two different numbers. If it is a programming requirement, the software should be able to apply both when the cab number is chosen in the ASSIGN FUNCTIONS menu. This would eliminate the extra step of having to use the ADD MU/SU CAB menu when adding a new locomotive to the throttle. The second most common error our members have made.
The ADD MU/SU CAB menu could then become the ADD MU CAB menu, and be used only for adding or removing a locomotive from a consist.
Perhaps new selections could be added to the ASSIGN FUNCTIONS menu to choose: bell programmed or bell manual, and horn programmed or horn manual. I think this will be necessary in the future, as you plan to add a lot of sound function choices: bells, whistles, horns, etc.
Paul Norton said:
I am surprised that some people are complaining they cannot upgrade their old throttles. My alpha testing throttle predates any commercially available, and I do not have a problem with it. Both my throttles have version 2.0.7 and work fine with either the diesel or steam sounds receivers.
Paul, did you have to send them in for an update? I thought it odd that Aristo made no mention of this “problem” over the phone, glad I can have mine updated. Where does one find the software revision? I must be blind.
I’ll get more information from the person who reported the problem on updating his throttles.
Apparently he bought 20-30 of the original “sets” and is pretty upset that they cannot be upgraded.
Since I got this information second hand, I will go directly to him and find out exactly what the story is. I do know him and have talked to him, and many of you probably would recognize his name.
I’ll get to the bottom of this and report back, especially if I am in error.
Greg
When I tested the Revo diesel board for my review in GR, I was able to control it with all three of my Revo throttles. My oldest is still running the v.1.something Beta software, my second is 2.0.4, and the third being the latest release sent with the diesel sound receiver. I was quite surprised, and pleasantly so.
Not sure what the story is on the upgrades. According to what I’m reading on the Aristo forum, you can still send in your Tx for upgrading to v.3.0.0, but apparently 3.0.0 supports the yet-to-be-released DIY upgrade interface, so subsequent upgrades will be done by the user via the web site. Anticipate. (Wait, that’s Bachmann’s line…)
Later,
K
Kevin Strong said:
When I tested the Revo diesel board for my review in GR, I was able to control it with all three of my Revo throttles. My oldest is still running the v.1.something Beta software, my second is 2.0.4, and the third being the latest release sent with the diesel sound receiver. I was quite surprised, and pleasantly so.
Apologies for being dense…You did NOT send in your Tx for an update and still ran the new Rx?
I guess the easy thing for me is to just try it before I send it in (I have rev 2.0.5). I would prefer to keep it at home rather than risk mailing it! Need to buy a 2nd set anyway for back-up…and the fact I like running multiple trains on more than one Tx. Time to order a diesel set!
That’s correct. I’ve never updated any of my transmitters, and all appear to work quite well with the sound Revolutions. I’ve got a friend for whom I do installs, and he’s running 2.0.5 on his transmitters. Works just fine with the diesel boards I installed in his FA and two Shays. (Though–mercifully–I left the sound off on the Shay installs.)
Later,
K
Some of our members had their throttle firmware updated at the ECLSTS. Navin is there at the Aristo-Craft area every year and is quite willing to do this for you.
Last winter I asked a few friends if they wanted their throttles mailed to Aristo-Craft for updating. The word got around and I had $3600 worth of throttles to ship. After packing them up and taking them to the local Canadian postal outlet, I found I could only buy $1000 worth of insurance. I sure was glad when all those throttles came back undamaged.
Two Revolution throttles will fit in a small, USPS, Priority Mail box which are free at a US Post Office. The postage is $5.35 to anywhere in the U.S.A. and includes tracking. Insurance can be added for a small fee depending on the value of the goods. A signature service can be added for $2.70. The Ogdensburg, NY Post Office is only 45 minutes from my home and is well used by our club members.
I keep telling people to buy a second throttle because they can be sold out for months at a time. If you drop and break your throttle, you may not being able to run trains for months if it cannot be repaired.
The version of the throttle firmware is momentarily displayed on the top left hand corner of the screen when it is turned on. Unfortunately it disappears so fast it is difficult to read.
The star key on the bottom right hand corner of the keypad will bring up the QUICK MENU LIST. Scroll down to the last item ABOUT SYSTEM and press the STOP/ENTER button. The version of the throttle and receiver firmware is momentarily displayed. Unfortunately it disappears so fast it is difficult to read. However it will remain displayed as long the STOP/ENTER button is held down. In order for the receiver firmware version to be displayed, the proper cab number must be displayed on the throttle and the receiver powered.
At this point in time the receiver firmware version is moot point. However while at the ECLSTS I was show the engineering sample of the Aristo-Craft programmer. This is not the USB drive with the Revolution antenna daughter board taped to it I saw last year, so progress is being made.
BTW: My previous complaints about the sound being to loud, was my own fault. I installed a Phoenix Sound speaker which buzzed the coal load and tender shell of my vintage Pacific even at the lowest volume setting. When I installed a Revolution receiver with steam sounds in a friend’s Pacific which had the Aristo-Craft speaker in it, the sound was quieter and would not buzz the coal load or shell.
