|
Question: Which sounds are implemented in the ThinkTank Blaster?
Answer: - Start of the engine (up to 10 different samples will be played at random). There is a difference between cold and warmstart.
- Stop of the engine (up to 10 different samples will be played at random)
- Motor sounds
- Chain squeak (several different samples will be played at random and at a speed dependend rate)
- Shot, MG
- Turret rotation
- Barrel moving
- Up to four user defined sounds (RC-system with 6 channels is requied for this feature)
- Sounds which are used with battle units (reloading, hit, dead, ressurection)
Up to 5 sounds may be played simultaneously.
^ Question: How can I connect the Blaster? Do I need any other modules?
Answer: A control unit like the ThinkTank Tank Module is always necessary.
The Blaster is simply stacked on the designated socked on the Tank Module.
The Blaster may also be used with our discontinued modules ThinkTank Booster and ThinkTank TLS. In this case, assure that the modules are equiped with actual firmware versions (Booster 1.20 or higher, TLS 1.15 or higher)
^ Question: Will the Blaster use original sounds?
Answer: We will do our best!
^ Question: The tank keeps not moving after installation of the Blaster. The turret works fine!
Answer: If a Blaster is installed, the engine has to be "ignited". Move the left stick to the uper left corner for HL-electronics (down-left for proportional) to turn the engine on and off.
^ Question: How can I edit the samples / add new sample sets? What are the technical details?
Answer: The samples are stored on a common SD-card as standard wave files (22 kHz, mono, 8-bit). You can find a document which describes the format details on our support pages.
^ Question: What sample sets are provided by default?
Answer: See our support page where all available sets are listed.
^ Question: What is the capacity of the SD card?
Answer: It depends on the availability of our suppliers. The cardīs capacity is at least 64MB.
^ Question: What is the issue with the user defined sounds?
Answer: When using a 6-channel proportional RC set, you will be able to use up to 4 free defined sounds like different noises or songs. Move the controls of the channel 5 or 6 to its end position to activate one of the four clips.
See our support pages for information how to create and copy your samples to the SD-card (will be finished in the next days)
^ Question: How can I stop playing a long user defined sample?
Answer: Move the controls of the channel 5 or 6 in the opposite direction.
^ Question: How to modify/create sample sets?
Answer: On the support pages, you can find an instruction which describes all details.
^ Question: The the engine gooses too late/early / the chain squeak is played too late/early. What to do?
Answer: These parameters depend on the composition of the ground, type of tank, quality of the motors and friction in the drive system.
Modify the corresponding parameters in the configuration file on the SD-Card. How this can be done is described in the document about internal format of the sample sets, which can de downloaded from the support area (available in the next days):
- The moment of engine goosing is too early: increace the first parameter of the "CFG M" entry in the blaster.ini.
- The moment of engine goosing is too late: decrease the first parameter of the "CFG M" entry.
- The moment of playing the chain squeak sounds is too early: increase the first parameter of the "CFG C" entry.
- The moment of playing the chain squeak sounds is too late: decrease the first parameter of the "CFG C" entry.
Good values for the parameter are between 30 and 55.
^ Question: How are the samples stored and in what format?
Answer: The SD-Card can contain up to 8 directories for up to 8 independent sample set. Each name of a directory corresponds to the position of the first three jumpers on the Blaster PCB. For example: there is a sample set on the SD-Card in a directory named "011". It will be active if the jumpers are set in the same way: first jumper open, second and third closed.
The directory contains all samples (wav-files, 22kHz, 8-bit, Mono, PCM) hat are used by the sample set and a configuration file with the name "Blaster.ini". This file assigns corresponding action to each sample and defines all other driving parameters.
Finally there is an executive file for windows computers named "fchecker.exe" which lists the content of the sample set an checks the configuration for errors.
All data on the card can be read and modified with a personal computer. The details of the format is described in documents available in our support area.
^ Question: I downloaded a sample set from your website. What to do now?
Answer: - Remove the SD-Card from the Blaster and insert it in a card reader for your personal computer
- Open the proper drive and look in its root directory
- If you wish to overwrite an existing set with the new one, delete the directory with the data for the set which you wish to remove.
- Create a new directory. The directory name corresponds to the position of the first three jumpers on the Blaster PCB. For example: creating a directory named 001 causes the sample set to be active if the first two jumpers are removed an the third one is set. The directory name must consist of three binary digits.
- Change the directory to the new created.
- Extract the downloaded zip-archive in the new directory.
^ Question: I don\'t understand how to set the jumpers. Please explain it!
Answer: -On the Blaster PCB you can see four jumpers below the CPU PCB. Only the three in the left (near the edge of the board) are from interrest. The fourth has no function yet.
-There are 8 possible positions for the three jumpers. Every position activates another sample set on the SD-card.
-On the SD-Card every sample set is stored in its directory. The directory name always consists of three binary digits which correspond to the jumper position.
Here is a list of all possible directory names and the proper jumper positions:
'111' : all jumpers are set (default setting)
'110' : Jumper 1 and 2 are set, Jumper 3 is removed
'101' : Jumper 1 is set, Jumper 2 is removed, Jumper 3 is set
'100' : Jumper 1 is set, Jumper 2 and 3 are removed
'011' : Jumper 1 is removed, Jumper 2 and 3 are set (altenative standard sample set)
'010' : Jumper 1 is removed, Jumper 2 is set, Jumper 3 is removed
'001' : Jumper 1 and 2 are removed, Jumper 3 is set
'000' : all jumpers are removed
We ship the SD-card with at least one sampleset which is active when all jumpers are set (default position).
If a sample set is not available, the Blaster shows an error message after power up (a special blinking patern of the Power LED)
^ Question: What exactly is fchecker.exe and what dös it do?
Answer: The file fchecker.exe should be find within every sample set. It's an executive file for windows personal computers, which lists the content of a sample set and checks it for consistency. Double click on this file to execute it.
The programm dös several passes:
Pass 1: Checking and listing of all physically existent wav files in a sample set
-Listing of all samples with their names, file length and playing time
-Listing of all samples which have incorrect format (wrong sampling frequency, resolution, channel numer, compression, too long file names....)
Pass 2: Checking of the content of the configuration file 'Blaster.ini'
-Checking and showing of all 'CFG'-Entries in readable text
-Listing of all samples which are assigned to an event
-Listing of all defined events and its parameters
-Checking for defined but missed samples
-Summary of the number of defined samples in the particular categories
-Checking for exceeding of the storage capacity of the Blaster
Pass 3: Listing of all unused but stored sample files and summary of all warnings and errors
A correctly built sample set must not contain any errors. Some warnings aren't function critical and can be ignored.
Please read the corresponding documents in our support area for further information!
^ |
