I was all set to post that there was a really decent up to date DCC system comparison in the current issue of Model Railroad Hobbyist, written by the well-respected Bruce Petrarca.
However after reading it, I can;t say that. If anyoen should know better, it's Bruce with his man years of DCC experience, but he is way off base with his description of the Zephyr and in particualrly, his statement (and I quote) "If you are looking for the building blocks to a larger system, a Zephyr is a bit of a dead end"
WHAT?!?!
Bruce, you DEFINITELY know better than this, you even state that you've used a Zephyr at your programmign bench for a long time, to configure decoders you've installed for customers. Dead end? How? At the same time, you say the PowerCab is a great system for future expansion because it works as a throttle on a larrger NCE system. I'm SURE you know the Zephyr does the exact same thing - while ALSO making available it's track power output - ie, conenct the Zephyr to a larger Digitrax command station, and you get a 3 amp booster AND the throttle still works.
ANd I am avoiding the whole "can't program sound decoders" becuase this seems to be a huge controversy. MINE works fine, no boosters, no blast mode. WHy does my Zephyr work, and other do not? I cannot explain it. I am really tempted to go video my setup and walk through reading my Tsunami to prove it works.
Ugg, will NO ONE ever make an accurate comparison, EVER?
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
I am not expert in DCC. I bought a NCE Power Cab System few months ago and I am very happy with it. Reliable, simple, inexpensive.
Guy
Modeling CNR in the 50's
Practically everything that would be in a book is available free from on-line sources. Tony's Trains has a DCC Primer on line and available for free download called, "DCC For Beginners", and the operating manuals of all the systems being discussed can be downloaded from each manufacturer's web site, including some which have not been mentioned.
http://www.tonystrains.comhttp://www.ncedcc.comhttp://www.digitrax.comhttp://www.modelrectifier.comhttp://www.cvpusa.comhttp://www.lenzusa.com
What I would invest in first is a good book on DCC. Our host just happens to produce at 3. But the one that I found most useful has a white cover and a CSX engine on it. I still use it today and seem to learn something everytime I open it up.
I started out with NCE and their Power Cab and haven't look back since. These can be had for any where from $150-175 bucks and well worth it. You can be up and running trains in 5 minutes!!! It's also expandable if you want to use it on a larger layout. NCE's Customer Service is fantastic and the Owner's Man. is easy to understand, even for a newbie.
Hope this helps,
bend tower
Something else that may be of extreme importance for a beginner is after-sale service and support. Both Digitrax and NCE are made in the U.S. and are known for outstanding service and support. MRC is made in China -- service may be a problem.
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Well Strykercom, we don't know a whole lot more about what you are looking for, other than a price range. What scale are you in? Depending on age and scale, your locos will range from trivial to a real challenge to convert to DCC.
Pick from Digitrax Zephyr Xtra, NCE PowerCab or MRC Prodigy Express, since they are in your price range. These are in order of expansion capability, but have no idea if that would be an important consideration for you? Take a look on-line at each. They offer different feature sets and capabilities.
If I were choosing, I would eliminate the MRC quickly, as I want the ability to use the very simple Decoder Pro PC based programming environment. I would also eliminate the NCE system as it can't handle my expansion requirements. But, this is utterly meaningless! The PowerCab or the Prodigy Express may be the perfect solution for you?
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
Strykercom, just be certain that your locomotives are "DCC Ready". Otherwise, you will need to isolate the motor from the frame to avoid frying the decoder. Not an easy task for someone unfamiliar with DCC.
What type of locomotives are you planning to convert to DCC?
Rich
Alton Junction
Wow thanks for all the responses everybody. And yes i meant dcc not dci, i typed this post from a smartphone and the autocorrect didnt recognize dcc. As for pricing, somewhere around 100-150 would be nice, plus i still have to get some decoders as none of my equiptment is dcc capable at the moment. As for the programing, im not sure what of anything related to programing so an easy system is a must so i dont mess it all up
I use Digitrax. They have the Zypher Xtra which is an entry level system. You can expand it as your needs grow by adding a plug in port(UP5) and a tethered throttle(DT402 or UT4) Or a UR91 and Radio throttle(DT402R or UT4R). Or a UR92 and a Duplex throttle(DT402R or UT4R). NCE has a starter set as well. The main difference in my opinion is how the throttles feel in your hand. Both are easy to use and cost about the same. I would suggest going to the web site of each and reading up on their systems. Tell what city and state you live in and ask if any body lives by that would alow you to try their DCC system out. Or see if there is a club close by. If so contact them and ask what system they use and why. Joe
Actually they are all easy. Every system comes with a "Quick Start setup". That will allow the beginner to hook it up, select a train and run it. Next step is to program a new address into another engine, selct it, and run it while the first is also running.
The complicated part comes when one wishes to start using the additional features that are available with DCC. The "easiest" systems won't have much past the "quick start" in their manuals. The more advanced systems will have a lot more in there manuals because it takes a lot of pages to describe the myriad of features.
just about any system is easy after using it a few times.
Martin Myers
Maybe he doesn't know. It sounds like he is in the market for a starter or entry level system.
Why don't we just tell him what each system has to offer and its limitations?
Again, the OP needs to answer the questions that have already been posed to him first before we can offer any sort of assistance or guidance. Otherwise, you end up trying to second guess what the person really wants or needs for his/her layout.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
This is the OP's first post so we ought to cut him some slack.
This thread could easily degenerate into my system is better than your system, etc, etc, etc,
Digitrax vs NCE, etc, etc, etc,
I think that the general consensus on this forum, just from a reading of past threads, is that the best starter systems are from Digitrax and NCE and neither is all that expensive.
It's hard to find an up to date and ACCURATE list. Plus, you cna makie any syste look bets by pickign and chosing what comparison items ot include on the list. Before looking at comaprison lists, youshoudl look at some other articles that explains the basics of DCC so you have a sense of what they are actually comparing in the charts.
It's almost laughable how the Aussie one talks up NCE about how easy it is to upgrade by replacing the 'brain', yet completely ignores the subject with Digitrax. Where you don't even have to replace the 'brain' to gain new features. ANd they blast them for not participating more in the standards process? WIthout Digitrax and AJ's pushing we'd be stuck with 14 or maybe 28 speed steps. And 100 addresses.
One row left out on all charts - third party support. Because the one that seems less inclined to get NMRA conformance warrants happens to be the one with the MOST third party support.
Computer support - for JMRI and other programs like RR&Co - of all the ones listed, only MRC can't do it.
simon1966 richhotrain StrykercomDoes anybody know of a good dci system that is easy to program and use but won't break the bank? I assume that is a typo and that you meant DCC, not DCI. Here is a link to a comparison of most of the current DCC sysytems. http://www.dccconcepts.com/index_files/DCCbrandecisions.htm Take a look and then decide which one you like and check out the cost of the system. Rich As with all these types of comparisons it is dated and does not even mention the MRC Prodigy Express, the Digitrax Zephyr (let alone the latest Xtra version), or the Bachmann EZ DCC. So 3 of the most commonly used entry level systems are not commented upon. Of the lower cost systems that you might come accross in the US, only the NCE Power Cab is mentioned. So be very cautious if you put much weight into an on-line comparison. I am not aware of any that is up-to-date.
richhotrain StrykercomDoes anybody know of a good dci system that is easy to program and use but won't break the bank? I assume that is a typo and that you meant DCC, not DCI. Here is a link to a comparison of most of the current DCC sysytems. http://www.dccconcepts.com/index_files/DCCbrandecisions.htm Take a look and then decide which one you like and check out the cost of the system. Rich
StrykercomDoes anybody know of a good dci system that is easy to program and use but won't break the bank?
I assume that is a typo and that you meant DCC, not DCI.
Here is a link to a comparison of most of the current DCC sysytems.
http://www.dccconcepts.com/index_files/DCCbrandecisions.htm
Take a look and then decide which one you like and check out the cost of the system.
As with all these types of comparisons it is dated and does not even mention the MRC Prodigy Express, the Digitrax Zephyr (let alone the latest Xtra version), or the Bachmann EZ DCC. So 3 of the most commonly used entry level systems are not commented upon.
Of the lower cost systems that you might come accross in the US, only the NCE Power Cab is mentioned. So be very cautious if you put much weight into an on-line comparison. I am not aware of any that is up-to-date.
Well, he has to start somewhere unless one of us is going to launch into a dissertation of available DCC systems.
Here is a more current link:
http://www.tonystrains.com/productcompare/dcccomparison.htm
Frankly, we know so little about what the OP wants, that it is hard to reccomend anything or give any advice. Ease of use is a matter of opinion. For all the basic stuff the systems are very close. Price wise the entry level systems are in the same range, except for the very cheap Bachmann product.
So to the OP.
How many locos do you want to run, scale, sound?
How big is your layout?
How many different people do you want to run trains at the same time?
Do you want to walk around with your trains or sit and control from a central place?
Stryker,
Why don't you give us a ballpark figure of what "won't break the bank" means to you. $50-$100? $100-$150? $150-$200?
Also, can you explain what you mean by "easy to program"? Do you mean simple addressing of the decoder w/o fiddling with any CVs (configuration variables)? Or, ease in programming whatever CV I need to program?
Answering these questions will save a lot of speculation and second-guessing what you want and help narrow the field of choices for you.