DeadheadGreg wrote: i'm still on the fence.... i don't know if i like the idea of having to go in and solder a decoder into the circuit board of every one of my engines.
i'm still on the fence.... i don't know if i like the idea of having to go in and solder a decoder into the circuit board of every one of my engines.
It's not to the board per se. If a loco already has a board in it, there will usually be a 8 or 9-pin connector somewhere with a "jumper" board in place to allow for the loco to run on DC. You just have to pull that jumper out, and replace with the decoder of choice (that uses the same connector for obviuos reasons).
Hardwiring a decoder involves you soldering the red and black wires to the power pickups (leads from the wheels), the orange/grey to the motor, and the Blue along with the white/grn/yellow to lights (each of the wht/grn/ylw is for a different light feature - eg foreward, reverse, MARS, ditch...). If it's a sound decoder I think there's also violet. The BLUE wire is the lighting common (ground) for all of the light functions (I think, it might be the white -- if so replace Blue with White above and continue as normal )
Since I have little cash (college student here, if you don't know) I pick up "non-DCC ready" (or friendly, for that matter) locos. Because I am modelling sometime between 1930 and 1950(ish...), the majority of my locos are steam, and all but two are die-cast kits... so hardwiring is the only way to go for me.
When they're running smooth, they'll pull a 40' (prototype) boxcar...
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
i just liked the ease that the NCE system allowed for over at the NEB&W. Select lead loco. Select last loco. Select locos in between. Done.
DeadheadGreg wrote: yeah that whole Advanced Consisting thing is EXACTLY why I don't want to dig too deep into DCC. Unnecessarily complicated and confusing. anyway... if you have a DCC-equipped engine, can it still be run by regular DC?
yeah that whole Advanced Consisting thing is EXACTLY why I don't want to dig too deep into DCC. Unnecessarily complicated and confusing.
anyway... if you have a DCC-equipped engine, can it still be run by regular DC?
There is no need to dig deeply into DCC to built consist with any system. Once you have built one or two it is then very easy and straightforward.
Jack W.
DeadheadGreg wrote:anyway... if you have a DCC-equipped engine, can it still be run by regular DC?
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
DeadheadGreg wrote: wow thanks for the replies. Could someone explain the difference between regular and advanced consisting? The NEB&W has NCE, and all I did with that was select the lead loco, then select the last loco, and then I would just select the locos in between. Very easy. I was thinking about going with NCE because of my experience at the NEB&W..... but I just got this thing at a steal. And what does a hardwire decoder mean?
wow thanks for the replies. Could someone explain the difference between regular and advanced consisting? The NEB&W has NCE, and all I did with that was select the lead loco, then select the last loco, and then I would just select the locos in between. Very easy.
I was thinking about going with NCE because of my experience at the NEB&W..... but I just got this thing at a steal.
And what does a hardwire decoder mean?
Here is what I found on Tony's site: http://www.tonystrains.com/technews/consisting-guide.htm
Hardwiring decoder means you have to solder every wires to the engine motor and lights, as oppose to plug and play decoders.
jalajoie wrote:... as the Express does not support Universal consisting.
CSX Robert wrote: jalajoie wrote:... For instance try to consist two locos back to back following the Express documentation and you will not be able to succeed...Just curious - were you trying "Advanced Consisting" or "Universal (Old-Style) Consisting"?
jalajoie wrote:... For instance try to consist two locos back to back following the Express documentation and you will not be able to succeed...
First it is not with my own system however it must be Advanced Consisting, as the Express does not support Universal consisting.
Your original intention of selling it on ebay is the best option and consider one of the following Digitrax Zephy, MRC Prodigy Advance or NCE Power Cab.
I know from experience the Express does not do everything the manual says it does. My feeling is some of the Advance documentation found its way into the Express one, therefore the manual for the Express can't be trusted. For instance try to consist two locos back to back following the Express documentation and you will not be able to succeed. The awkward way around, is to always tinker with CV29 not a very good solution to me.
1. Yes, to a degree. There are some decoders that are better "fits" for different applications. You'll have to research a little on that.
2. I'd say either the NCE 10/$120 ones (forget the model at the moment) or TCS T1, though I've only used the NCE ones. Note that both of these are (to my knowledge) hardwire decoders.
3. Depends -- If I'm not confusing myself at the moment, you can have sound/motot or sound only. sound only would work for B-unit diesel locos, and sound/motor for everything else that needs to move.
4. yes. Only thing is with newer decoders you might not be able to get at all the functions (eg if you only have functiona 0-8, and the decoder has 0-12, you can't get at 9-12 with your system).
5. Per the DCC spec, every decoder has to play nice with every system (see 4).
6. Maybe, I don't know how many features it supports.
7. yes... make sure you have some form of positive shutoff before switching over -- IE the layout is run as DC ONLY or DCC only, running both at the same time could fry the DC and/or DCC systems.
okay, so i got a Prodigy Express starter set for the steal price of $50 (unopened, brand new) with the original intention of selling it on ebay. But then I had my first DCC experience on the NEB&W, and was kinda blown away.
So, I'm interested now. haha. some questions:
1) will any decoder work with any brand of engine? ie: I can put the same decoder in Kato's and Athearns?
2) what are the cheapest, yet best, decoders?
3) If I buy a sound decoder, will that also act as a regular decoder for controlling the engine, or are sound decoders JUST for sound? If thats the case, wouldn't I need to install 2 separate decoders to get sound?
4) Will all brands of decoders work for all brands of DCC systems? I read over the feature in the latest MR, and it seemed to indicate that its all standardized now.
5) will the DCC-equipped Bachmann GP-35's work with every DCC system, or just with their E-Z Command system? Every place I see them, it says "to be used with Bachmann's E-Z Command System"
6) Will my Prodigy Express system support sound? i'm still trying to understand the directions that come with it, but it doesn't seem to mention anything about it.
7) My layout is currently wired for 2-cab DC, using an MRC Tech II 2800 with common rail. The turnouts that I'm using, however, are handlaid and made to be DCC-friendly, I guess (isolated points, jumpers to corresponding stock rails, gaps on both sides of frog). Can I run DCC-equipped engines on this layout using the Prodigy Express system, acting as a 3rd cab?
that should about do it...... I'm not looking to power turnouts or signals or anything, just control and consist engines, with sound if possible.
Thanks a ton in advance