I know from reading on these forums that MRC is not the decoder of choice. However, I purchased one of their Brillance Sound decoders more than a year ago before learning of their problems.
In any case I decided to install it in an IHC 2-10-2. Installation went fine. Programing it wasn't as easy as it should have been.
I have the DCC Specialties Power Pax programing track booster for use when programing sound decoders. Even with the Power Pax it took me 4 times to set the long address. Then when running it around the track which I had just cleaned, it ran very erratic.
It started off with the bell constantly ringing which I stopped by pushing the bell button on my NCE Power Pro throttle. Then while running at speed step 50 the engine would run approximately 20 feet then just stop. Without doing anything it would take off at the posted speed and run another 20 or so feet and stop again. It did this for three laps around the layout before I took it off and decided to remove the decoder.
In a different loco, an Athearn Genesis F7 with sound, the loco would run at the posted speed then slow way down then take off again and keep doing this all the while it is on the layout. Again another MRC decoder.
My question is: Outside of buying new decoders is there anything I can do to get the MRC decoders to work right or have MRC correct the problem?
Any help is appreciated
Bill
Bill,
if you follow David B.'s advice and not contact Tech Support, it would be akin to purchasing a new car that David does not like, and if you have problems with this new car, he would tell you cut your losses and do not bother with the car companies service department.
however do not cut your losses, contact me at MRC Tech Support, [ rrtech@modelrectifier.com ] for assistance or call 732-225-2100 ext. # 224.
we can solve most issues by getting the decoder back and either repairing it, updating the software, or replacing it with a newer version, but we need to hear from you first, so we can help you.
why someone would give out advice as not to call a companies service or tech support department if you have a service issue is beyond me???
Frank- Model Rectifier Corp.
You're lucky you ever got it to work at all. I have sent one back to MRC for replacement because I couldn't get it to do anything at all, even with a PowerPax programming booster or through Ops Mode programming with my NCE ProCab 5 Amp system.
I knew from all of the previous posts that it was very likely to be defective so I tried testing it before installation, and got no sound out of it at all, not even on the default address of 3. It was totally dead and the dealer from whom I bought it wouldn't take it back. I no longer patronize that dealer.
Read the instructions at the bottom of the last page on how to send one back to MRC. Good luck.
I don't have any MRC decoders, so I hope people will look on me as an objective observer.
Quite a few posters have said that they've sent MRC decoders back. To my knowledge, they've all reported that the decoder was replaced and came back in working order.
So, send the decoders back, and ask for replacements. They clearly had problems with the early production runs of these decoders, but you'll probably get a better on the second time around. It certainly beats dumping these in the trash.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Frank,
I emailed you at the address you left above explaining in detail what occurred.
Thanks,
Mr. Beasley,
Thank you...
But i want to set the record straight to all the other posters here on the forum...
Mr. Beasley to my knowledge does not work for MRC. I have been here almost 11 years now and have not seen Mr. Beasley, if he does work here, he must have a great hiding place, and i would ask him to tell me where it is so i can hide there once in awhile...lol
Frank- Model Rectifier
mrcrrtechMr. Beasley to my knowledge does not work for MRC.
That's correct. I work for a defense contractor. In an ideal world, nobody would need our products, but the way things are we remain a necessity, or at least a prudent precaution.
My favorite hiding place is Aurora Peak at the Sunday River ski area. The nearby cell phone towers are all shielded by mountains, and I can ski in peace.
David,
I emailed Frank at MRC as he suggested. So in all fairness I'll keep this fourm updated as to the support I get from MRC's customer support.
davidmbedardmrcrrtechBill, if you follow David B.'s advice and not contact Tech Support, it would be akin to purchasing a new car that David does not like, and if you have problems with this new car, he would tell you cut your losses and do not bother with the car companies service department. however do not cut your losses, contact me at MRC Tech Support, [ rrtech@modelrectifier.com ] for assistance or call 732-225-2100 ext. # 224. we can solve most issues by getting the decoder back and either repairing it, updating the software, or replacing it with a newer version, but we need to hear from you first, so we can help you. why someone would give out advice as not to call a companies service or tech support department if you have a service issue is beyond me??? Frank- Model Rectifier Corp. Why? Because I have contacted "Tech Support" (I use this term VERY loosely) in the past and was blown off by your "Tech Support". I absolutely have the right to give out advice that has worked for all my customers. Offering a product that has a 50% failure rate ("reliability that modelers demand"), and then turn around and advertise them as the "world’s most advanced line of model railroad decoders" is just arrogant. What MRC does NOT value is people's time. How much time has the OP spent trying to program your decoders? How much time has the OP spent on troubleshooting your products? How much time will the OP loose by removing the problem decoders (2 for 2 BTW...great QC) and shipping them to you? How is MRC willing to compensate this customer for their time? Personally, I have purchased MRC decoders, including N scale sound decoders (horrible sound, had to modify the shell of the Kato AC4400CW...."simple drop-in replacement"...I dont think so), HO sound decoders (none of them lasted 2 days) and Sounders (Impossible to get any good, consistant sound from them).No, MRC, I will not change my point of view. You have a product that is fraudulently advertised to lure people into purchasing them. You have advertising campaigns that are political in nature. You have tech support that is belittleing to customers. BTW, you reply on these forums is telling. You cannot compare purchasing a decoder to purchasing a car. Apples to Oranges. David B
mrcrrtechBill, if you follow David B.'s advice and not contact Tech Support, it would be akin to purchasing a new car that David does not like, and if you have problems with this new car, he would tell you cut your losses and do not bother with the car companies service department. however do not cut your losses, contact me at MRC Tech Support, [ rrtech@modelrectifier.com ] for assistance or call 732-225-2100 ext. # 224. we can solve most issues by getting the decoder back and either repairing it, updating the software, or replacing it with a newer version, but we need to hear from you first, so we can help you. why someone would give out advice as not to call a companies service or tech support department if you have a service issue is beyond me??? Frank- Model Rectifier Corp.
Why? Because I have contacted "Tech Support" (I use this term VERY loosely) in the past and was blown off by your "Tech Support". I absolutely have the right to give out advice that has worked for all my customers. Offering a product that has a 50% failure rate ("reliability that modelers demand"), and then turn around and advertise them as the "world’s most advanced line of model railroad decoders" is just arrogant.
What MRC does NOT value is people's time. How much time has the OP spent trying to program your decoders? How much time has the OP spent on troubleshooting your products? How much time will the OP loose by removing the problem decoders (2 for 2 BTW...great QC) and shipping them to you? How is MRC willing to compensate this customer for their time?
Personally, I have purchased MRC decoders, including N scale sound decoders (horrible sound, had to modify the shell of the Kato AC4400CW...."simple drop-in replacement"...I dont think so), HO sound decoders (none of them lasted 2 days) and Sounders (Impossible to get any good, consistant sound from them).
No, MRC, I will not change my point of view. You have a product that is fraudulently advertised to lure people into purchasing them. You have advertising campaigns that are political in nature. You have tech support that is belittleing to customers.
BTW, you reply on these forums is telling. You cannot compare purchasing a decoder to purchasing a car. Apples to Oranges.
David B
Oh yes he can Dave...and I've got the car to prove it!
MRC's HOT ROD!
As I stated above I'll keep this thread up to date as to the customer service I am receiving from MRC.
Frank from MRC has already replied to my email with recommendations to reconcile the problem.
Stay tuned for more updates.
davidmbedard I would count your losses and move on. The time and effort you put into getting MRC decoders to actually work can be spent better on other things. Speak with your wallet and dont buy anymore MRC decoders. Dont call MRC tech support, because they believe their decoders are the best out there and any issues that arise are user-caused issues. David B
I would count your losses and move on. The time and effort you put into getting MRC decoders to actually work can be spent better on other things.
Speak with your wallet and dont buy anymore MRC decoders. Dont call MRC tech support, because they believe their decoders are the best out there and any issues that arise are user-caused issues.
Mr. B.:
I don't work for MRC either. And maybe their decoders are bad, and maybe they're not. You certainly seem to have much more experience with them then anyone else here. So, you are certainly entitled to your opinion. However, when someone posts here with a problem, I believe that your advice concerning resolution of the problem should be consistent with what was described. With the description of the original problems posted here, I believe that there would (or should) have been some recommendation that other things be checked had the poster said he had any decoder other than MRC. However, once MRC gets printed, your advice always seems to be the same.....rip it out and install something else. As I recall, this is the same advice you gave just recently to someone else, who after a couple posts back and forth finally posted that he had found a short between the decoder and the metal locomotive frame. So that was an installation problem, not a decoder problem. I don't know if you ever went back to look at that thread once you gave your replace it advice. At least I didn't see a follow-up post from you saying "oops, I guess I was wrong this time". So, I would have to assume (always a bad thing) that that thread was just some more ammunition for the MRC is bad file.
Anyway, this is just my opinion, and I hope that others will respect it.
Regards
I bought a MRC decoder, my 1st sound unit. I got it to program to the engine number, but could NOT control the sound on-off, adjust the chuff, speed table, or accel.
The speed control was terrible, and I was disappointed. I have the paperwork that came with the decoder, but WHY would I want to spend an ADDITIONAL 15$ to package it up and send in for repair? Your company sold me a turd. You want ME to pay 15$ to PROVE it to you???
To throw "good money after bad" is not a hobby of mine. I wanted to have the train running, with sound, for Christmas. I just removed the MRC decoder, tossed in a trusty TCS, and ran the train for the kids. I was too embarrassed to display it as it was running. The moment has passed, and you want me to spend 15 dollars more to get a replacement!?!
Get Real.
I am going to suspend this thread and we can move on while this gets rectified...no pun intended. To the OP, you surely won't mind launching a new thread when the time comes to report on the resolution of your issue.
-Crandell