How I chose my DCC system

I apologize for the previous post.  It's a mess.  It looked good and easy to read when previewed but came out very hard to read.  Sorry.

Here is the post that didn't work yesterday:

This is how I rate a DCC system choice based on my must have unique priorities.  Everyone else would certainly be different.  Just shows there is no "one size fits all", unless you have no priorities.

As a solo operator, with a medium size N scale layout with non-sound, consisted locos, my personal system priorities are listed below, followed by systems that qualify (only considering the 5 major systems used in the U.S.)

1.  Minimum 2.5 amp system.  Possible systems:  Digitrax, NCE, MRC, CVP & Lenz, all tied.

2.  Full-featured duplex radio throttle.  Possible systems:  Digitrax, NCE & MRC, all tied.

3.  Smaller sized full-featured throttle.  Possible systems ranked by size preference:  1st Digitrax, 2nd MRC, 3rd NCE.

4.  Closely spaced buttons with positive feel when pressed.  Possible systems ranked by button spacing and feel preference:  1st Digitrax, 2nd MRC, 3rd NCE.

5.  Minimum button presses for turnout control.  Possible systems ranked by preference:  1st Digitrax, 2nd NCE & MRC tied.

6.  Easy loco recall selection and 2-train operation.  Possible systems ranked by ease of selection preference:  1st Digitrax, 2nd MRC, 3rd NCE.

7.  Computer interface for progamming and loco file storage.  Possible systems ranked by interface preference:  1st Digitrax & NCE tied with JMRI access, 2nd MRC with less desirable options.

8.  Maximum battery life for radio throttle.  Possible systems ranked by battery life preference:  1st MRC with on-board charger, 2nd NCE, 3rd Digitrax.

For all other features, such as cost, system adjustments, progamming, dedicated programming track, shut-down of layout with progamming track operation, consisting, functions, routes, macros, manuals, tech support, etc., I could live with any of the systems, including Digitrax, NCE, MRC, CVP & Lenz, regardless as to how well they handle these features, and whether or not they all offer these features.

Item 2 rules out all but 3 systems for me so eliminates CVP & Lenz from further consideration.

Final score (lowest score is best) based on 1 point for 1st, 2 points for 2nd and 3 points for 3rd.

Digitrax = 10   (Zephyr/UR92/DT402D/Locobuffer)

MRC = 13     (Prodigy Wireless/Prodigy wireless interface)

NCE = 16      (Power Cab converted to radio/SB3a/RB02/USB interface)

One could probably shoot all kinds of holes in this method but it's interesting how this worked out and agrees with what was my gut feeling for system choice, and yes, I am now using Digitrax.  The main point is.....by establishing must have priorities, the choice becomes more clear.

Hey neighbor. This is very interesting. I have the NCE PHP and I like it alot, but it only took me 10 min. at Caboose  Hobbies to choose my system. LOL

I must ask, are you an accountant?

 

Michael

Motley

Hey neighbor. This is very interesting. I have the NCE PHP and I like it alot, but it only took me 10 min. at Caboose  Hobbies to choose my system. LOL I must ask, are you an accountant?

Michael

Not an account, just a little engineering background. 10 min. is great.  I'm afraid it took me 7 years.  But I sure had fun trying lots of systems.

jwils1

Motley

Hey neighbor. This is very interesting. I have the NCE PHP and I like it alot, but it only took me 10 min. at Caboose  Hobbies to choose my system. LOL I must ask, are you an accountant?

Michael

Not an account, just a little engineering background. 10 min. is great.  I'm afraid it took me 7 years.  But I sure had fun trying lots of systems.

 

I forgot to tell you... Nice avatar! (notice mine?)

 I didn't have the chance to try systems anywhere so it was a leap of faith for me.

I let two family members who are techs look at the schematics. In fact one of them designed one of the largest communication systems in the country. I also have a friend who is an electrical engineer have a look. It was between NCE and Digitrax. Once they looked at all the technical stuff they all agreed the NCE was better from a design point. But not by much.

I Mailordered the NCE-Pro-R and got lucky I guess because I am Having flawless fun.

 

                                                                        Brent

Brent,

You did your research and it worked out well for you.  NCE is a wonderful system.  I really like what the "hammerhead" throttle, and the system can do, but for my arthritic fingers, another throttle was just  better for me.  And my choice mainly revolved around how well the handheld felt in my hand,and the ease of operaton when running trains.

We are lucky we have at least five good systems to chose from, because they are all very good, but so different, each one is going to appeal to someone.  

If you have not bought your system yet and leaning digitrax, why not go with Super Empire Builder that is 5 amps since you state you are getting/ got the DT402.. the price of the Zephyr and the DT402 would be about the same price of the Super Empire Builder with more power

My main reason for picking NCE is I like how the manual explains things.It was easy to understand,I like digitrax also but the manual was a little strange'but it is a great system.It's great to have many options.I finally got a 2nd dcc engine and running 2 at the same time was like WOW.

For me the choice was easy, the club uses Digitrax Super Chief and another layout, I am an occasional operator, uses NCE PhPro. Therefore I got a Zephyr to power my modules and a Power Cab to use as a Procab on the NCE system.

No plunge, no leap, no fear, no faith, no study, no worries, I knew what I wanted. 

I been lurking here for a few weeks and I have been trying to make up my mind on several items.  All of the discussions have made me very thankful that I am a toy train enthusiast and not a model train enthusiast.

I started all of this thinking about a train set that I had between 1936 and 1940. No one around here is into model trains and it is long way to the nearest model train shop.  So me, my children and grandchildren started searching the Internet and we found out we was seriously outdated in thought and concept. We finally came up with the idea to just dive in and buy some bulk track and a starter system. I then picked out three train's and the one came with the EZ command. We wanted to get the one Thomas train working so we used the EZ command system. I absolutely love this system. The other one has a thick overly complicated manual. I have set up three small system's but the one is growing fast.

I am not a statesman so you'll have to pardon my spelling, punctuation and my use of the language.

Will I ever go over to the other system -- only time will tell.

 I looked at each system from a technical poitn of view (I'm an EE myself). It was pretty much a no-brainer for Digitrax after looking at the cab bus system used by them, NCE, Lenz, and CVP. I plan to at some point have oeprating signals, if not on this layout then the next (I WANT signals but they would be inappropriate for the prototype) and the only real option on the market is the Chubb CMRI. I wore out the MR issues with the original CMRI system, and it's a very nice system, but it's also very expensive, even for the DIYer. With other DCC systems I'd have little choice but to use some other system in parallel to handle the detection and signalling. With Digitrax, Loconet can do it all, and there are plenty of inexpensive DIY components to interface both the detectors and the signal heads, as well as plenty of third party commercial options. All significantly less per I/O bit than the CMRI system. There weren't as many back when I first started looking at DCC system, but now the number is staggering. The only other instance of cross-manufacturer DCC accessories that I'm aware of are CVP's radio throttles for Lenz. I could in fact build up a complete Loconet-based DCC system with detection and signallign and not use a single Digitrax product.

 I also read the manuals for all the systems in consideration - at the time MRC did not have the current line of systems, and their prior offerings were all very much insufficient for more than a simple layout - and I didn't find any of them particularly more or less difficult to understand.  The first time I had hands on of any system was at a train show and a Digitrax dealer has a simple loop set up with two locos to demo the system.  I found the encoder throttle to be so much better than the limited range potentiometer on any of the DC packs I had (including an MRC Tech II) and that pretty much firmed up my decision tthat Digitrax was th way to go. The more I play aroudn with it and JMRI the more I am assured my decision was the right one. I don't knwo how I'd even possibly do some of the things I can in JMRI with the other brands, JMRI with those systems can't see what is going on overall on the railroad - in the computer network world it's like having a sniffer on the line seeing every command packet to and from every throttle.

                                                 --Randy