# QSI and the Tsunami system



## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

Is the QSI systems for G scale the old Tsunami system that is no longer available for G scale? I thought the tsuami system was the latest greatest thing at the time, just cant seem to find it in G scale anywhere.
I was just wondering because if I remember correctly the G scale Tsunami system sure looks like the QSI system.
I was also wondering if the QSI system will expand to offer more steam sounds in G scale. It seems like a pretty small system and will fit into tighter places with will allow an RC receiver and even battery placement in the loco area.

KC


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Well....









There was a large scale Tsunami promised years ago, never materialized. The HO versions are out. They are made by SoundTraxx. (I waited on this product for at least 4 years, not buying any sound cards)

The QSI board is manufactured by QS Industries (QSI), and oem'd to QSI Solutions, owned by Tony Parisi of Tony's Train Exchange. 

There is no relationship between the companies nor hardware. 

The entire HO Revolution (QSI) sound library will be migrated to the large scale hardware. There are also hardware updates/enhancements in line for the QSI board as you know it, and also another form factor to plug and play into a USAT loco. 

Here's the QSI plug and play for Aristo and Bachmann locos:









Here is the same hardware with the universal adapter board Magnum) which has no extra electronics, just screw terminals:










And here is the prototype hardware for USA Trains:












Adding the Gwire receiver to a QSI board gives you wireless DCC, which can be operated from the AirWire cabs, or the new NCE wireless cab. 

Visit my site for more info, and also more pictures of the upcoming USAT version. 


Regards, Greg


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, 

On your website you show QSI installed in a USA train loco.. That board is a lot different than the board you show here.. Which is the latest Rev?? Also my friend @ the other end of the state says the switches on his NW-2 are behind the radiator, new board will not work.. 

BulletBob


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have had several revisions at my house at the same time. Slight differences and do not have a real history on that aspect. 

Yep, NW-2 might have to solder and remote the switches, USAT has no socket, nor complete standardization. 

The GP's, the SD's, the F unit, S4, PA's should be the first. 

When you run DCC, the only switch I use would be the smoke unit... and I'd like to remote control that anyway. 

We will see what transpires. I've given some input, had 4 of them here at once. 

Regards, Greg


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## Road Foreman (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, 

Hope the 44 Tonner is in that group!! They are my USA Trains loco's.. But I due hope to get a GP 7/9 one of these days.. Will chop the nose & add a Topeka cab.. 

BulletBob


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I've not made a complete list of what will work, I need to look at the footprint of the locos. Basically, all locos that have the 4 switches across will "fit". The S4 has the same spacing, but the shell is narrower, so the little "wings" of circuit board you can see outboard of the outer 2 switches will be removed, then it fits the S4. I need to check the 44 tonners, I do have 2 of them myself! This will also match the switch hole spacing of the F3, but the F3 has one additional switch for a backup light. 

Nothing that cannot be worked out. My current units are in a GP7/9, and 2 GP38-2's . 

Regards, Greg


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## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

Updated my USA NW-2 cow and calf to onboard battery power, GWire receiver with QSI soundcard. I am using the AirWire 9000 for transmitter.
I almost completely gutted the wiring on these locos, eliminated the smoke units and took out the switches that are factory.
I wired the two loco to run combined or individually, depending on need. I used an All Electronics CON-640 6-wire plug between the two for power, motor, directional light or trailcar battery power. this is running 4 motors together as combined unit. 

The cow unit has the QSI card and GWire and sound. The power out from motor power goes to cow trucks and through the 6-wire plug back to the calf unit to power those trucks also.
2 more wires in the 6-wire connection feed light power to the calf unit from the QSI board. This way the cow and calf have directional lighting. 

Placed the QSI receiver where the cow center weight is suppose to be, put that weight in the parts bin. I put the GWire receiver in the upper cab of the cow by removing the interior, then gluing the receiver to the cab rood and then reinstalled the interior. You cannot see the receiver unless you look for it.

I removed the center weight of the calf unit, put in a little floor and put two Aristo Li-Ion batteries in the calf with a little hot glue, wired that battery power to the cow unit.
I placed the removed center calf weight and put it in the fuel tank below to keep weight.
I also have trailcar battery feed wires (all electronics CON-240) on the long nose of the cow and the light end of the calf, that way I can disconnect the onboard batteries and power feed the unit with other batteries. This gives me the availably to run the cow as a single unit with trailcar batteries or run the combined unit with trailcar batteries from either end or run combined unit with onboard batteries. No dead batteries.
I know the amp output of the GWire/QSI card is only about 3.5 amps, but believe it will do everything I wish to do with it as a yard switcher with no trial car for control. i put the combined unit on my outdoor track and held them statonary untill all 4 motors slipped on the track with thier own weight. i think it will do what I want.
It will also pull my log train around my layout. 

KC


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

KC, does your QSI have the orange polyswitch? The output transistors are rated for 5 amps, but the board cannot dissipate that. 

You can also read back the temperature to see how it handles the load, but you have to calibrate the reading once. Once calibrated it's pretty accurate. 

I agree with you, for the duties you seem to have for the cow and calf combination you will probably be fine. 

The interesting thing that many people do not realize is that if you are pulling a load with a loco, and you are drawing 2 amps, adding a second loco to the SAME load will probably only total a bit over 2 amps for BOTH locos. 

So, based on your usage and the above, I think you are fine. 

Regards, Greg


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## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

Greg.
I don’t believe my QSI magnum has the poly switch, but I don’t know for sure.
Side note: do you know what other receivers work with the AirWire 9000 transmitter?

KC


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## rpc7271 (Jan 2, 2008)

The only receivers that respond to the Airwire throttle are the Airwire receiver and the GWire receiver from QSI. The QSI Magnum isn't a decoder just an adapter board. When you order the Magnum set you get the Magnum adapter board and a QSI Aristo sound decoder. The QSI Aristo sound decoder no longer has the polyswitches installed in them. You can also order the Magnum board separately if you want it for something alone.


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## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

OK, dummy me what is the difference between the Airwire receiver and the GWire receiver?
can’t seem to find information on the differences

KC


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

The Gwire is a radio receiver module that plugs into a QSI controller (which has brains, motor, light and sound) 

The AirWire "receiver" has a radio receiver, motor and light controls. You add sound with another boards, like a Phoenx. (There is NO sound in an AirWire unit by itself). 

The QSI also works on DC and on track power DCC (without needing the Gwire add on) 

If you total the costs for motor control, lights, radio receiver AND sound, you will see that the QSI combination is much cheaper. It is also easier to use because you have to sort of run a "split" battery setup or add a regulator when you go over 18 volts in your battery system. The QSI will handle up to 35 volts. 

Hope that helps. 

Greg


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I'll take a crack at this too

CVP products makes the Airwire throttle. They also make a full line of DCC products including an Airwire onboard decoder. The decoder has motor and lights control but no sound. The decoder has a chip on it that receives signals from the Airwire throttle. Is this what you mean by the Airiwre receiver? **


QSI also makes a decoder. But QSI's decoder does motor, lights and sound. It works with DCC or with the Airwire throttle if you buy the "Gwire" add on card, which is basically the same chip that's on the Airwire decoder. 


NSE has just announced a new throttle that will work with the QSI "GWire" card. As far as I can tell, I could buy one of these new NCE throttles and run my existing QSI/Gwire-equipped locos











**To complicate things, CVP also makes an airiwre reciever that (I believe) is desgned to take the signal from the Airwire throttle and relay it to a DCC booster.


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## kcndrr (Jan 7, 2008)

Thanks much all, appreciate the information.now have two of the QSI/GWire setups, one steam one desiel.
I talked to Tony’s the other day and they indicated they were coming out with a new transmitter that will be very easy to use compared to the AirWire 9000
You won't need to do all the code and CV settings to program the throttle and accessories or individual sounds

KC


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

There's a picture of the throttle on this site. It looks just like my NCE wireless throttle, it just has new firmware to also work directly to a Gwire / Airwire. 

It is much easier to use, in my opinion, but I would not say that you do not have to do CV settings. Any customization of the QSI will have to be done through CV's as usual. 

Regards, Greg


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