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January 5, 2011 - FREE Warranty support of M.T.H. O Gauge products equipped with original Proto-Sound technology (typically referred to as Proto-Sound 1 and manufactured in the 1990s) concluded as of December 31, 2010. Products equipped with original Proto-Sound technology will continue to be serviced by M.T.H. Electric Trains and M.T.H. Authorized Service Centers on a per-charge, billable basis.
It’s been more than ten years since M.T.H. began producing its original Proto-Sound system and support from the manufacturer of the circuit board chip has concluded. The manufacturer has informed us that they will no longer manufacture this chip so M.T.H. has ordered our final quantity of chips required to support the Proto-Sound 1 circuit board. This particular chip is included in our Proto-Sound Reset Kit (M.T.H. part number 50-1023) and is programmed to reset all original Proto-Sound circuit boards in the event of a software conflict (as identified by 3 cainks of the bell upon startup). The chip can also be programmed by M.T.H. to control other aspects of the original Proto-Sound circuit boards functions and support.
Most original Proto-Sound-equipped locomotives don't require a circuit board or chip replacement to get them working properly. M.T.H. and our network of Authorized Service Centers will continue to provide billable service support for original Proto-Sound equipped locomotives. When our supply of circuit boards and chips is exhausted, consumers suffering from an original Proto-Sound circuit board or chip failure will have to consider a Proto-Sound 2.0 or higher upgrade as a service option for these older locomotives. (It should be noted that often, a PS2 upgrade is comparable in price to replacing the original Proto-Sound system.)
It’s crucial for customers to remember that if you have not charged the battery in an engine equipped with original Proto-Sound, you must replace the battery before trying to operate an original Proto-Sound-equipped locomotive that has never been run before. If the engine was run previously, but has not been run in the last 3-5 years, M.T.H. recommends installing a new battery (use M.T.H. part number BG-4000005 when ordering).
As always, M.T.H. Customer Service Representatives are happy to answer any questions or address any concerns our customers may have during this transition. Customers can contact M.T.H. by completing our CONTACT FORM