# Phoenix now has Cab Chatter



## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Phoenix recently updated all of their sound files with the following changes, plus they have added “Cab Chatter”, which can be accessed on P5 boards and up. *Version -R9 (2K2: 1.90; PB11, PB9, P8 & P5: 2.95)* ROM File Notes Updated and standardized the configuration of all ROM files across board types.Added ERBus - European RailbusRe-release of SFX[/list]Common (2K2, PB11, P8, PB9 & P5) 2.95 Revised blowdown play rules.Restored stop toot to make hold off function properlyResolved conflicts in simultaneous sound play through dynamic pointer allocationFix DCC error handling (Massoth)Adjust DCC speed calculationsEliminate spurious generator rev ups.New chuff technology Chuffs continues to play through to the end once a new chuff has begun resulting in a more prototypical blending of the chuffs at high speed and reduces the consecutive sound bit (machine gun) effect.The pitch of each chuff is randomly altered by a small amount to eliminate the repetitive nature of a looped string of chuffs [/list]Update all boards with new short toot routine (P5, PB9, P8 & PB11) Removed the 'Volume Fade In' option[/list]PB11 2.95 Delay turn on in battery charging to avoid feedbackRemoved the 'Peak Wattage' adjustment - not applicable to this board type.[/list]P8 2.95 Fixed voltage scaling to match PB11[/list]PB9 2.95 Removed the 'Peak Wattage' adjustment - not applicable to this board type.[/list]2K2 1.90 Fix manual second horn pointers.Add bell decay to steam[/list][/list]


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## steam5 (Jun 22, 2008)

I like my Phoenix sound cards, but do they really need to have Cab chatter. I’m sure it can be turned off using the software? 

In real life you wouldn’t hear the crew talking over the prime mover or all the steam noise when the train passed. 

Cab chatter will be permanently turned off here. 

Alan


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## TonyWalsham (Jan 2, 2008)

Dunno about cab chatter. 
I would like to see Phoenix offer a "putt putt" engine sound for small diesel and gas mechanical locos.


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

This part is much more interesting to me:

New chuff technology


Chuffs continues to play through to the end once a new chuff has begun resulting in a more prototypical blending of the chuffs at high speed and reduces the consecutive sound bit (machine gun) effect.


The pitch of each chuff is randomly altered by a small amount to eliminate the repetitive nature of a looped string of chuffs[/list][/list]


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

I assigned F3 to "Cab Chatter" and turned off the random option.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

I remember when AC first sound boards had this did not care for it then and sure don't care to have it used in the Phoenix boards. Later RJD


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

If you're going Phoenix, you owe it to yourself to get the programming software. You can customize a TON of stuff, including turning on and off the cab chatter to suit your particular preferences, customize the chuff cadence and pitch, etc. I've got two systems waiting for me to have time to install them, so I'll be sure to use the latest sound files to take full advantage. 

Later, 

K


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

The cab chatter is ok. Just a matter of taste. It can easily be turned off.


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## paintjockey (Jan 3, 2008)

I thought the cab chatter only went off when the loco was sitting idle?


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

The cab chatter cab be triggered like other sounds,assigned to a DCC function key and/or set to play on auto at whatever interval you set. There are I think about five or six different sound recordings. I can test the idle or running. My GP9 is still sitting on rollers. I loaded the R9 file into it yesterday to get the dynamic brake feature which was missing on the R8 file,but there is a problem with it that I refered to Phoenix yesterday. Still waiting to hear back.


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

Turned it off. You cannot hear it in real life. Sort of a "Lionel" feature.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob,
I turned off the auto play and just assigned it to a key so it only plays when I want. It's kind of like the hot box recordings or the "all aboard" station announcement. You like it or you don't. Oh,track noise too. I always turn that off.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

From all of this it is easy to see that the Phoenix software is very versatile. Except that it does not see the motor load.


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## Jim Agnew (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike, that's what the "working", "rev up" and "rev down" functions are for. Plus you can turn on "rev wandering" to break the monotony.


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I don't see a problem with it, but their has been a lot of discussion about the sound decoders being able to see motor load. I would like to check out the new QSI, hope to soon.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Mike, did you see my video on the new QSI? It's on my youtube site "gregeusa" is the user name. Yes, I wish the Phoenix would see the true motor load since they seem to be the only people with quality sound recordings of certain locos, like the Geese... 

My take on the cab chatter is like Bob's, you would have to really be in the cab of the loco to hear it, i.e. no one standing 203 feet away (10 foot in NG) could hear this... would like Phoenix to concentrate on other features, like more DCC capability, more functions, higher "resolution" sound files. 

Greg


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