Now not going into the old which is better argument but MRC systems use RJ45 connectors with CAT5E cables far supieror to the RJ25 type connector used by Digitrax and NCE etc. Don't know why and don't really care why they don't use them not my point. If you have an MRC system and are happy with it and find you want to expand to include more extension plates and don't want to pay the $35.00 they want you to shell out then you can use an RJ45 T adapter, CAT5E cable, wall plates and a RJ45Keystone jack available online for a fraction of the cost.
I made up three extension plates with one connector each not the two like they give you for less money then it would have cost to buy one from MRC or someone else who sells their stuff. I was told by MRC that this owuld not work and I may looses some of the funtions etc. Well guess what everything works just fine
I did this several years ago and posted about it here.
If you search my name and the topic I think I listed suppliers that have cheap RJ 45 unions and splitters. As stated in a previous post RJ 45 splitters are hard to find because you can not "split" ethernet, so you have to find telephone use items.
At the time, this was a hot topic, and I don't think people were taking me seriously.
Maybe now that there are two confirmed useres, they will.
With all the hoopla over wireless, my 4 dual plug extensions work great, don't need batteries or recharging, and cost about $10 each including the cable from the command station. Each location gives me 15 feet of range (with 7.5 foot "jumpers"), which is more than enough to overlap to the next location.
It was a bit of fabrication work to make the panels because I used the splitters which don't have any surface to drill or screw. If you use wall jacks, then the finished product will look very nice,it will mount easily, but you may have to punch down Cat 5 and followat least part of the color code, unless you find female plug jacks, which are probably much more expensive and would limit the number of extra locations.
BTW, it doesn't have to be Cat5e either, ordinary Cat5 works just as well and should be cheaper.
I saw 7.5 foot cables in any color on ebay for $2.99. Other lengths simillarly priced.
Here is a link to the site where I purchased all of my stuff. You can be brave and use a CAT5 crimping tool but and save yourself a few bucks along the way. In hindsight it would make a much cleaner installation.
Allegheny2-6-6-6...MRC systems use RJ45 connectors with CAT5E cables far supieror to the RJ25 type connector used by Digitrax and NCE etc....
Well, CAT5 cable IS superior to flat wire - if the transmissions speed were suck that it actually required Cat5 wiring, ie 100mb ethernet, but none of the DCC systems have bus speeds that would require twisted pair wires. RJ45 is marginally more available than 6p6c RJ12 jacks that the others use - if you go by the numbers alone and don't look.
You can do the same thign for NCE and Digitrax and make your own splitters, but the comemrcial panels from Digitrax also have some additional circuitry to allow for power injection for large numbers of throttles. ANd still cost half what MRC's do. I'd like to see how a truly large layout would function with MRC with no additional power made avalable for dozens of throttles. Every other DCC brand requires extra power when using lots of throttles.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Randy, for a mere $50.00 list (cheaper of course from some of the on-line places) you can get the MRC 001502 extension plate that provides power for when you want to use more than 5 throttles. This plate would be more equivalent to the Digitrax UP5 with a list of about $16.00. I suspect it would not be possible to make your own MRC solution if you wanted to have 5 or more throttles?
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
rrinkerWell, CAT5 cable IS superior to flat wire - if the transmissions speed were suck that it actually required Cat5 wiring, ie 100mb ethernet, but none of the DCC systems have bus speeds that would require twisted pair wires...
A few weeks ago, someone posted info that lead me to a company that makes 14' coiled cords that will work on the Prodigy system. I put the booster in the center of my layout and can now reach it all. Thats another way from spending $35.00 on an extension plate.
simon1966 Randy, for a mere $50.00 list (cheaper of course from some of the on-line places) you can get the MRC 001502 extension plate that provides power for when you want to use more than 5 throttles. This plate would be more equivalent to the Digitrax UP5 with a list of about $16.00. I suspect it would not be possible to make your own MRC solution if you wanted to have 5 or more throttles?
If you could ever get the pinout you could. It's super-simple with Digitrax, just cut the Railsync lines back to the booster and on the throttle side provide 12-14V. I'm willing to bet the same method would work with MRC, you just have to know which of the 8 wires are for power.
A.J. told me that twisted pair for loconet can cause more trouble than it helps. Seems that choosing the correct items (railsync, ground, loconet) to use for each pair is most important. Pair up the wrong two and the cable can cause trouble. He didn't elaborate on the proper way to use cat5, he said to just use 6 conductor flat satin.
Martin Myers
mfm37 A.J. told me that twisted pair for loconet can cause more trouble than it helps. Seems that choosing the correct items (railsync, ground, loconet) to use for each pair is most important. Pair up the wrong two and the cable can cause trouble. He didn't elaborate on the proper way to use cat5, he said to just use 6 conductor flat satin. Martin Myers
Exactly right - wiring up twisted pair cable in typical fashion would put different signals on the same twisted pair and more likely then not cause more crosstalk than flat wire, causing signal errors and unsatisfactory results. Plus it's easier to attach plugs to flat wire. And I say this having done PLENTY of Cat5 ethernet wiring. Flat satin wire is just easier to work with.