# TCS WOW Steam Sound Decoder, reviews?



## musicwerks

Hi,

I was searching for decoders when I chanced upon TCS WOW Steam Sound Decoder.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeJO8IbGQtA

One decoder can be adjusted for light, medium and heavy steam...and youtube demo shows it has quill able whistles...and a computer voice repeats your selection.

Anyone has tried this decoder before? 

a) How does it compare to Tsunami?

b) Do we need resistor's for stepping down for LEDs in TCS wow? Or are they built in like Tsunamis? 

Anyone?

Musicwerks


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## rrgrassi

I know nothing about the TCS decoders.


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## blackz28

i talked to my son whos was a die hard soundtraxx guy & after he heard the tcs wow sound decoder for steam he loves it , he told me to do 2 of my big boys with them


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## blackz28

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TCS-WOW-Sou...l_RR_Trains&hash=item58a8b029b4#ht_1997wt_797


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## rrgrassi

About the same price as Soundtraxx...might be worth a shot.

Musicwerks, just get the electrical problems fixed first...


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## feldon30

TCS' claim to fame is *Back EMF*.

Back EMF means that the decoder will compensate for load. If you set your throttle to 50%, then the loco will pull at the same speed whether you're on a flat or on a 6% grade (up or down). It just compensates for all of it.

The nicer TCS also have a keepalive which is a capacitor to provide power to the decoder for up to 5 seconds. This is great if you have a power blip, short, or dead spot in your track. Otherwise, if your engine has a lengthy startup sequence programmed into it, then that process will start over with even the briefest power drop. The only drawback to a keepalive circuit is, if you lose communication with the engine, it will maintain speed for 5 seconds whether you've got track for it or not. 

TCS mid-grade decoders have a lot of functions like flashing ditch lights, mars light (it convincingly fluctuates the brightness of the light to emulate the figure-8 movement of a real mars light), etc.


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## musicwerks

*Thanks guys *

Thanks guys. I wonder if the lights need resistors using Wow decoders


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## blackz28

Im throwing a wow decoder in my Allegheny now i need to
Figure out the best speakers to go with


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## GN.2-6-8-0

blackz28 said:


> Im throwing a wow decoder in my Allegheny now i need to
> Figure out the best speakers to go with


Hope your plannIng on posting a video when it's done.....&#55357;&#56835;


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## GN.2-6-8-0

musicwerks said:


> Thanks guys. I wonder if the lights need resistors using Wow decoders


Yes resistors are required when using LEDs


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## feldon30

Poking around the WoWSound installation guides, it seems a number of steam locos already have a light board that gets connected to the Wowsound decoder. Not my area of knowledge though.


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## blackz28

Update on my WOW sound decoder in my 2-6-6-6, sound chip 
Blew out TCS replaced it &;turns out that one had the same issue
I've come to the conclusion,that wow sound decoders are junk


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