Your choice of a decoder is contingent on several factors: size, fit (underneath the hood), performance, features, sound/non-sound, and availability.
As mentioned previously, decoders (brands and models) can be mixed and matched and programmed so that they play well together. However, some will play better together than others. This can be due to the features and performance of that decoder and your specific locomotive.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I guess I misjudged. At least I've learned something new. I've been hearing allot about TCS and good word regarding their quality. Besides I've been having LED issues with 33 Digitrax SDH164D's lately. i thing i will convert to TCS decoders then.
Although my system is Digitrax, I no longer have any Digitrax decoders in operation. WHy? Because of all the premium brand decoders with BEMF and silent running, their motor drive is one of the worst. All the rounding error that happens with doign math in binary is concentrated into 2 or 3 spots across the speed steps, resulting in sudden jumps in speed between certain speed steps, which you can mostly but not completely tune out with adjustment of the BEMF parameters. If you gradually increase speed one step at a time you will see this jump.
Instead, I have settled on TCS as my standard motor decoder. I don;t see this jumpiness in the speed steps, and the BEMF self adjusts itself to each loco. The first coupel of minutes after a new install there's some roughness as the decoder adjusts but it quickly smooths out, and I have pairs of locos that have put in MANY hours of pulling trains at club shows with absolutely zero problems.I did not have to disable BEMF for the MU to work properly, either. I have another set of locos with a Tsunami in a powered B and a TCS in a powered A which also run together quite nicely with no configuration changes. Good since the only way to adjust speed response on a Tsunami is to use a speed table.
What sort fo MU issues did you have with them? Default MU mode on Digitrax uses the command station to handle it, which means the decoder actually has NOTHING whatsoever to do with it.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
simon1966 Nope, can't agree either. My system is all Digitrax. I rarely use Digitrax decoders, in fact I dislike how they handle LED's so tend to avoid them. The hardest part of Mu-ing is getting the speed matching right and IMO that has more to do with the model/gearing etc than the decoder. Do you honestly believe what you wrote, or was this just stirring the pot to get a bunch of reaction from the forum?
Nope, can't agree either. My system is all Digitrax. I rarely use Digitrax decoders, in fact I dislike how they handle LED's so tend to avoid them. The hardest part of Mu-ing is getting the speed matching right and IMO that has more to do with the model/gearing etc than the decoder.
Do you honestly believe what you wrote, or was this just stirring the pot to get a bunch of reaction from the forum?
I don't think the OP is stirring the pot. I think it was a knee jerk reaction (statement) based on a LACK of information, education and experience.
Inspired by Addiction
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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
alloboard My final advice to you is for you to convert to your preferred system and make sure that all of your decoders are the same brand.
My final advice to you is for you to convert to your preferred system and make sure that all of your decoders are the same brand.
That's a rather ridiculous statement, alloboard. I've mixed NCE, QSI, SoundTraxx, TCS, Digitrax, LokSound, and other brands with no problems.
I did, however, have many problems trying to MU Digitrax DH123 decoders with other brands, and the problem turned out to be the Digitrax decoders. When I removed Digitrax and used TCS or NCE, the problem went away.
What's your level of experience with decoders? Since 1986, I've installed over 200 decoders, both sound and motor control only, in everything from Thomas the Tank Engine to Big Boy, and we have over 350 decoder-equipped locomotives running on our HO and N scale club layouts. The only two brands of decoders that I've ever had a problem with were the early Digitrax DH123 and MRC.
I think that very few people would agree with this hard and fast advice. I mix my self-installed Digitrax and NCE decoders along with factory installed QSI and Tsunami decoders on my NCE powered layout with none of the difficulties that you describe.
Rich
Alton Junction
I have to agree with Tom. I have almost every brand of decoder available. I MU them all the time and I can also double head the MUs. You can keep your Digitrax I will take the TCS any day. I own more than 70 decoders and have installed many many more. I have had 2 decoder failures and both were Digitrax. Their warranty service asked for $15 to repair the $17 decoders. Since both were P&P and both fried on a current limited program track in 2 different P&P locomotive chassis I felt I did no wrong. That was 10 years ago and still nothing I own says Digitrax on it.
Pete
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
I totally disagree with you, alloboard.
"Compatibility" of DCC systems and decoders can be due to many variables and factors. Since you leave out some important details and given your track record with decoder installs, your MU "issues" may have been due to poor speed matching, entering incorrect CV values into your decoder, or trying to run one locomotive with momentum and the other without.
Using the same brand decoder as your DCC system is NO guarantee at all that a locomotive will run together well with another locomotive. It would be like me stating that you should ONLY buy your locomotives from one manufacturer.
Programmability between brands may be different but you can operate different brands of decoders with different brands of locomotives with different brands of DCC systems and have them all playing nice together well. Understanding how your DCC system works and how to program will overcome a number of hurdles for you.
I deal with Digitrax decoders. I have a wireless Digitrax DT402D throttle, a DB150, and a PR3 using the Digitrax bus system Loconet to connect to my PC via PR3 with a USB cable. This is one of the reasons why I use Digitrax decodes thus they say that any decoder should be compatible. I have tried a TCS decoder on my system and there were some issues especially when MUing. It's ok to use different brand decoders but my advice to you is never use different brand decoders when MUing. I try to stick with the same brand when I can. I told myself that I don't want any compatibility issues. Digitrax also have an all in one sound decoder (SDH164D) and a decoder with future sound installation (DH165A0) My final advice to you is for you to convert to your preferred system and make sure that all of your decoders are the same brand.