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FORUM CLINIC: Picking the best DCC system

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Notice: I am not trying to start a flame war about prodigy, just giving my personal experience. <br /> <br />We have the PA hooked up to the modules. I will agree that it is easy to use... when it works correctly (which isnt very often). We have had lots of problems with the original one, and the replacement we got from MRC. But I will only list the difficulties we had while displaying in the bush library last month. First of all, no matter what locomotive or consist is running, the PA does some wierd stuff with lights. When the speed is on an even number speed step, headlight is on. Odd number speed step, headlight turns off. Hmmm. I have an amtrak engine with full prototypical lighting (ie: headlights, flashing ditch lights, backup light, red lights on nose while in reverse etc.) While running it, it would usually perform normally. Sometimes though, one ditch light would be on steady, the other off, and the red nose lights on while moving forward. Later we were running all sound equipped engines. We put a 6th engine up on the layout, and as soon as it started moving every engine on the layout started blasting the horn. We couldnt turn the horns off so we had to shut down the layout and restart. That had never happened before, it was like the PA got confused and gave up[xx(]. Also, the PA has trouble with TCS MC series decoders. Mine work fine at home on digitrax, but on PA they run all herky-jerky and sometimes just take off out of control. I thought it might be dirty track, so we cleaned the whole layout but the problem persisted. Also, we have to used decoder-based consists. Every time we try to run a command station consist, the consist runs fine, but nothing else will respond. <br /> <br />Now, before there is a big arguement Im not bashing anybody who has the PA. If you like it and it works well for you, thats great[:D]. These are just my experiences and something to consider if you are in the market for a DCC system.
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