One of my neighbours brought me a MRC Prodigy unit.
This neighbour recently became aware that I had a model railroad layout. The neighbour had found the unit in a storage area in their house when they bought it several years ago. He thinks the previous owner left the unit when the moved and sold the house.
I have never seen one of these before. It sure is a heavy sturdy unit and I was surprised to see it has a 3.5 amp rating.
It has no display and has only very basic controls such as address, consisting, start and top voltage settings, momentum settings and also reverse polarity setting.
I tried it on my test track and it works fine.
I will keep it as a spare should I have any problems with my Digitrax unit.
Are there many of these units in use today?
This question might be better posted in the "Electronics and DCC" section of the forums.
More DCC afficianados will see it there.
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
This is obviously an older product because the MRC system is now called the Prodigy Advanced Squared.
If you didn't get the documentation with it, you can probably download it from the MRC web site.
I currently ues this system. I find it extremly easy to use. I have never ever had one decoder fail, using this unit. It does support sound decoders. Very easy to consist engines and match speeds. I thought about an ungrade to a nce, However all the post of trouble bother me. If there could be an easier system to program and operate I have not seen it.
bgard I currently use this system. I find it extremely easy to use. I have never ever had one decoder fail, using this unit. It does support sound decoders. Very easy to consist engines and match speeds. I thought about an ungrade to a nce, However all the post of trouble bother me. If there could be an easier system to program and operate I have not seen it.
I currently use this system. I find it extremely easy to use. I have never ever had one decoder fail, using this unit. It does support sound decoders. Very easy to consist engines and match speeds. I thought about an ungrade to a nce, However all the post of trouble bother me. If there could be an easier system to program and operate I have not seen it.
How long ago were these units for sale?
Perusing the MRC site it appears these units followed the MRC 2000. Do you remember what the units cost?
The more I use this unit the more i like it. I think I will use this unit on my mainline and the digitrax Zephyr on my test track unit. I like the feel on the handheld unit much more than the Zephyr. The MRC also has more amperage than the Zephyr.
I forgot to mention that the unit came with a MRC Dispatcher. There was no documentation available on the MRC site for this unit. It is very similar in appearance to the Prodigy handset controller.
Can anyone offer any information on the Dispatcher unit?
don7 bgard: I currently use this system. I find it extremely easy to use. I have never ever had one decoder fail, using this unit. It does support sound decoders. Very easy to consist engines and match speeds. I thought about an ungrade to a nce, However all the post of trouble bother me. If there could be an easier system to program and operate I have not seen it. How long ago were these units for sale? Perusing the MRC site it appears these units followed the MRC 2000. Do you remember what the units cost? The more I use this unit the more i like it. I think I will use this unit on my mainline and the digitrax Zephyr on my test track unit. I like the feel on the handheld unit much more than the Zephyr. The MRC also has more amperage than the Zephyr. I forgot to mention that the unit came with a MRC Dispatcher. There was no documentation available on the MRC site for this unit. It is very similar in appearance to the Prodigy handset controller. Can anyone offer any information on the Dispatcher unit?
bgard: I currently use this system. I find it extremely easy to use. I have never ever had one decoder fail, using this unit. It does support sound decoders. Very easy to consist engines and match speeds. I thought about an ungrade to a nce, However all the post of trouble bother me. If there could be an easier system to program and operate I have not seen it.
iwill try to scan and post it
don7 ... I forgot to mention that the unit came with a MRC Dispatcher. There was no documentation available on the MRC site for this unit. It is very similar in appearance to the Prodigy handset controller. Can anyone offer any information on the Dispatcher unit?
...
The manual is on their site, but kind of hard to find. Here's a link to it.
By the way, the dispatcher does not work with regular accessory decoders . It is designed to work with the MRC dispatch decoder, which uses mobile decoder addresses to control turnouts.
I also have been using the MRC Prodigy and have two new new Dispatchers both with instructions boxes so if you cant find what you are looking for I am sure Ie can jpg or scan the instructions or any other idea you have I also have a new MRC 2000 with two hand helds along with boxes instructions cords if anyone is interested let me know I will never use it.I do however have question will my MRC Prodigy be able to to address the use of the new Sound systems ?I kinda think maybe upgrading will be the only option I have Thanks
I thank you for the link to the Dispatch manual.
As for sound limitations the Prodigy is somewhat limited. to F! - F4 However, F1-F3 are the main sound buttons for bells and horns. The new sound cards are tuned to broadcast the various sounds more or less automatically. So, yes some limitations but not really severe.
You're also limited by the addresses you can use, and programming things like start voltage and momentum are tricky at best with it depending on the position of the throttle knob for the value. And no support for mid voltage, nor any way to program other CVs. Extremely limited compared to current offereings, even those of MRC. It was behind the times when it was introduced, really. Oh yeah, no computer interface. And lack of support for JMRI is a good reason to NOT buy the newer MRC systems. I also hope their comparison chart is wrong, it says only the PA Wireless can do programmign on the main. Not the PA squared..
I also see a new 10 amp system coming - which does not sound like it has compatible throttles with the Prodigy Advanced line - I guess they DON'T learn after all.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
rrinker ... I also hope their comparison chart is wrong, it says only the PA Wireless can do programmign on the main. Not the PA squared.. ...
I also hope their comparison chart is wrong, it says only the PA Wireless can do programmign on the main. Not the PA squared..
The Advanced Squared and Express will also do programming on the main, if you look higher up in that chart they have "Program on the main or on the program track" checked for all three systems. What they are referring to with the "Program CV on main" row of the chart is a new button they added to the wireless throttle that lets you go directly to OPS mode CV programming without having to go through the menus to get there. The funny thing about it is they toutted it in some of their ads like it was some wonderful new innovation, yet Digitrax has had the same sort of thing for years.
Oh yes, that wonderful menu system that skips setting Mid voltage because many MRC decoders don't support it - see the other videos by the guy who posted the one of the Genset sound decoder where he demonstrates what can happen if you set start and max without setting mid.
And the original Prodigy manual makes it out liek the setting for top voltage (CV5) is some special innovation that MRC added and it "might not be supported by other decoders"
The more these threads go on and the more I read from the MRC site the more I REALLY dislike these people.