# Quantum Aristo Sound Decoder



## Bob Small (Jan 3, 2008)

The Quantum Aristo Sound Decoder mentions an addon for additional lighting.


_"An alternate design of the Quantum Aristo that includes additional lighting options. Besides the default operation of Headlight and Reverse Lights, a separate plug is available for 10 additional lamp drivers including 5 settable voltage outputs using software controlled PWM and five binary toggled (on/off) drivers. The total of all drivers must not exceed 500 mA. This allows configurable and variable intensity operation of dimmable Headlight and Reverse lights, Overhead Blinking lights, Mars Lights, Ditch Lights, and on/off operation of other lights such as Marker Lights, Cab Lights, Number Board Lights, Step Lights, Truck Lights, and Engine Room Lights."_

Anyone got one of these?


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob,

I tried to find 1 on there web site, got nowhere with the part #..
It must still be in engineering..

BulletBob


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Hi guys. I'm doing some testing/evaluation for Tony.

The plug in aux lighting board is planned, but will not be out for a few months. QSI Solutions has a lot going on right now, with an HO decoder coming out. The board is definitely planned and going to be soon. Also, the board will most likely have a relay in addition to the lighting outputs. I also expect that the power rating will probably be higher. The rating (non inductive) for the lights on the current board is 1 amp max, although you need to derate for some incandescent bulbs, due to their "cold" inrush current values.

I've been very happy with my Aristo QSI's and while I cannot share exactly what I have been evaluating, exciting stuff is coming soon.

My best guess is March or April, but this is just an educated guess.

Regards, Greg


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes this sounds like some really good stuff comming down the road.  The 4 QSI boards I have in my AC locos are the greatest.  Can't wait for the new system for the USAT locos.  Later RJD


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Iam planning on ordering a couple of QSI sound decoders very soon, so let me see if I have this correct.  At this time I will only get head light, and reverse in say a    Aristo Dash-9, with the plug in instalation.
Mike


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike,

That is correct!!

BulletBob


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Is that what you would consider DCC ready.
Mike


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Mike,

The DCC QSI decoder was designed to go in the Aristo-Craft "P-n-P" socket..  It has for inputs ( track, 2 sets ) & outputs ( motor/headlite/tailllite )..  There are no other lite connections in the socket..  Hope this helps..

BulletBob


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## Bob Small (Jan 3, 2008)

Posted By Greg Elmassian on 01/24/2008 10:39 PM


QSI Solutions has a lot going on right now, with an HO decoder coming out. The board is definitely planned and going to be soon.

Regards, Greg



About the HO decoder.

Will it have sound?
Will it have a GWire interface?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Ask Tony about the HO unit... I only have Z scale and G... too busy to keep up to date on any more scales! 

I believe the HO unit will be identical in functions, I would be surprised at the GWire interface, but go to the source. 

Regards, Greg


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## hudrail (Mar 16, 2008)

Hello Chaps
       A question from your homelands . I am now the owner of  18 QSI  boards and have fitted them into all my Aristo locomotives and using the Magnum board into my USA trains locos.  I am however nonplussed that I cannot make all the functions work.  How do I wire the ditch lights to flash and where do I connect the smoke unit to there seems to be a shortage of connections and instructions ?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The add-on light board is not available yet, see the 3rd post in this thread. 

The current programmer software references the lighting "ports" but, as you said, they are not on the board. 

Pretty soon now, but I'd contact Tony at QSI Solutions / Tony's Trains to get the current estimate. 

Regards, Greg


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I just recieved a couple of the QSI sound decoders, they were for Aristo Dash-9's. The install is like a dream come true. From the top of the loco it is six easy screws to remove the switch board, remove the jumper plug, line up the pins to the socket, and push it in, plug in the speaker plug, replace the switch board, reinstall the 6 screws and its done. Hooked it up to a Digitrax system and every fuction worked on address 3. This type of plug and play is what DCC users have been waiting for in a modern loco. 
But.... I was unable to get the address changed, I normally use the loco's road # for the address, but did not get it done thru the Digitrax. I see in other threads the QSI Programer may be the way to go if you can get it to connect. I hope to see other manfactures to go this route. 
Another suprise was that all of the Dash-9's lights worked. Not DCC control of them but the cab lights, step lights, porch lights, and dich lights all come on. The head light dims in reverse and visa versa. 
I also thought the sound quility is very good. The part I did not like was no automatic bell, crossing horn at a set speed, and again no bell at near stop. I like the way Phoinex does these sounds, at start moving and slowing to a stop.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Mike, I change the address of my QSI's all the time, and no problem. I am using the QSI and programming on the main... 

You talk about setting the address, so you must be running DCC. Why would you want automatic and "no brains" bell if you have a pushbutton on your DCC controller? Just curious. 

Regards, Greg


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## blattan (Jan 4, 2008)

Mike, 

I have the Quantum Programmer and an NCE system. Even though my computer seemed to be "talking" to the Quantum Programmer and locomotive, I could not get 3 changed to the locomotive number with the Quantum Prgrammer. Ditto with the NCE programming track. I finally used programming on the main to make the address and other changes that I wanted for three different locomotives. 

Bert


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Really sounds like you are going about it wrong. Now I am making the assumption the address you wanted was a 4 digit address. That makes it a "long" address. Short addresses are 2 digits, and the default decoder setup is short address 3. 

So, if you are doing this, there are 2 steps, one is setting the long address in the decoder, and the second is telling the decoder to use it. Doing only one step is not going to do it. Setting a new long address leaves the short address 3 untouched. Also merely setting the long address does not make it the "active" address in the decoder. 

In the NCE you do these 2 steps separately. 

Could this be your guys' problem? 

Regards, Greg


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

Greg As far as the automatic sounds. We are planning on automating our DCC layout with Bit Switch, we use it for a demo to show coustomers. We will be running 6 trains at a time. My wife and I have the problem of getting talking and not paying enough attention and pretty soon we have a problem. We will have the option to flip a switch to go manual operation on DCC, or switch to Analog DC, so we will be able to run most anything, even Battery or Live Steam. 
As far as the QSI programming, I tried it with a Digitrax System, I always have a problem with programming w/ Digitrax. I have been using JMRI software and do pretty well with it. I think I will order the QSI software, for the best option.


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## blattan (Jan 4, 2008)

When I set a long address using NCE's programming on the main, I set CVs 17, 18 and 29. I use an online CV 17 & 18 calculator to determine those values and the G wire instructions for CV 29. 

Bert


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

So, you hear confirmation of the settings of 17 and 18 by the decoder, they are what you expect, I assume... 

what are you setting cv 29 to? 
Does the decoder announce 29's setting? I think that is what is happening, it should announce also. Does it? 

Regards, Greg


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## blattan (Jan 4, 2008)

The decoder is silent after the CV 17 entry, but after the CV 18 entry it announces the long address. Like many DCC users, I use the locomotive number. Based on the G wire instructions, I am setting CV 29 to 34: 28/128 speed steps; analog mode OFF, normal direction of travel FORWARD; 4 digit address. The decoder announces the value (34). The G wire instructions also give values for REVERSE (35) and for 2 digit FORWARD (2) and REVERSE (3). The key is that for all four values analog mode is OFF. 

Bert


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Sure sounds (no pun intended) right. What address does the unit respond to after that? 

If it is the short address, I would investigate what is actually in the decoder, on a programming track. If it's the long address, the CV29 operation is in question. 

I think the answer to the first question will lead to what the problem is. 

Will be interesting. I could also try simulating this myself this weekend if it's helpful. I know the QSI guys pretty well, and if there is a bug, they will fix it. 

Regards, Greg


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

What hardware would be required to use the QSI programer. A computer, and power supply, I would guess. Do you need a DCC control in place.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The programmer comes with everything you need except a computer, a locomotive, and wires from the programmer to the programming track. It comes with it's own power supply... 

Regards, Greg


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## blattan (Jan 4, 2008)

The unit responds to the long address, which is what I want and expected. 

Bert


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## Treeman (Jan 6, 2008)

I read in reference to a program track, and programing on the main. Are both of these features within the QSI programer.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Bert: 
Ahh. So the only problem was changing the address on the programming track? programming on the main works fine then if I am reading your response right. 
I will try the programming track on my NCE system to see if I can "See" the bug. I know the QSI guys will want to fix it. 

Mike: 

You are confusing DCC components with the QSI programming hardware. 

DCC: 

In DCC, you have a number of components, normally: 
a power supply 
a command station (which formats the DCC commands) 
a booster (which combines the power with the DCC commmands and puts them on the rails) 
a throttle (which tells the command station what commands you want) 

Sometimes the above components are packaged together, but ALL FOUR functions exist. 

To program a decoder in a loco: 

You can use POM "Programming On the Main (line), where you have your loco sitting on the layout, and you can program it. 

There is also a special output on your DCC hardware to a dedicated "Programming Track". This is just 2 wires to an ISOLATED section of track. You can do more things here then via POM above. You can read back values, and if you don't remember the address of the loco, it does not matter. 

now, the QSI people use some similar terminology: 

The QSI "programmer" needs to be connected to it's OWN DEDICATED piece of track. They call this a "programming track", so that helps the confusion. 

In addition, there are two software programs with the QSI. One is for downloading firmware to the decoder, changing sounds etc. 

The other software package lets you configure the decoder, just like using the dedicated DCC programming track on your DCC system. 

So, the whole thing is confusing if you are not familiar with DCC. 

hope this helps, 

Regards, Greg


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## blattan (Jan 4, 2008)

Greg, 

When I tried to use my NCE programming track (my preference for changing an address), my system could not "read" the decoder. Since I don't have a "booster" on my programming track, I concluded that the system did not have enough power to work properly. Since programming on the main works, I probably won't invest in a booster for my programming track. 

Bert


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Right you are Bert, virtually ALL motor/sound decoders require a programming track booster. They are only about $45-$65 bucks, so I bought one, but have not had to use it yet. 

I actually prefer changing the address via POM, but I have to be honest, I can't remember the last time I tried it on the programming track! Is it the same straightforward procedure, or do you need to calculate the CV's? 

Regards, Greg


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## blattan (Jan 4, 2008)

I recently upgraded from Sys 1 to NCE and as noted earlier I haven't been able to get the NCE programming track to read a QSI decoder. With Sys 1 and an NCE G decoder, I just input the long address and the system did all of the CV calculations. AFAIK NCE works the same way. 

Bert


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