Simon1966, you hit the nail on the head and thank you. You understand the "spirit" of the thread.
Hamltnblue, your analogy is kinda...well....screwy. You condemn an entire company, MRC, because of one product line,decoders, so then you condemn Edsel, therefore following your logic Ford must be total crap because they put out an unpopular model? The Prodigy Squared is an Edsel? in a junkyard?
I have both the MRC Prod. Adv. Sq.2 and the MRC computer interface. They work just fine for me. I have never used or seen a JMRI system in action. So I can not compare it to the MRC system, but I can tell you with the MRC interface it gives you two extra throtles on screen you can run trains with both throtles and your hand held witch works great for me because I run N scale on one throtle and HO scale on the other. You can also save Loco files with all your CV settings. There are some filing issuses that MRC is working on. Programing in OPS mode or program track is a breeze, speed curve has a graph you set to your desired preference and just click program and its done. And as far as the DCC system goes I could not belive the amount of steps the LHS owner had to go through on his Digitrax system just to address a four digit loco, on the MRC it is half the work. And as far as decoders go. I started my train hobby back in 2003 so I do not know much about the older MRC decoders but since I have been in this hobby I have had more Digitrax decoders fry than any other. So I guess what all this would boil down to is PREFERENCE.
Thanks, TRUCK.
ruderunner Sure a computer interface is nice IF you have an extra computer hanging around.
Sure a computer interface is nice IF you have an extra computer hanging around.
You don't really need an EXTRA computer, at least not for programming decoders. You could always pick up a SPROG or a Digitrax PR3, either of which can act as a stand-alone programming device, and use JMRI to program/back up your decoders wherever your main computer is located.
And to go really basic, you don't even need the SPROG or PR3. JMRI has a "simulator" mode that doesn't require an interface connection at all. Just select the decoder/options you want, and use your PE to program the CV values JMRI calculates.
I will sound off. To ansewer your post I to love my Prodigy Advance 2. I also have the wireless conversion which performs flawlessly. The sysem fit's my need's perfectly. I know some that have dumped Digitraxx and switched to Prodigy Advanced after seeing how user freindly it was because they were so frustrated with trying to use there Digitraxx. I believe some people love to bash a product just to bash even when bashing is not the issue. As for as as computer interface, I do not need it are am I interested in useing it. As for as being made in China most of all the engines everyone is running, and so are alot of other products, are made there so what's the point? Please do not take this as me being anti AMERICAN because I am not.
As for as customer service goes. I have dealt with them. An issue with my command station which was totally my fault. I called customer service, they instructed me on how and were to send it. It was returned repaired in two week's so I do not beleive they sent it to China to be repaired.
The end
This forum is for all electronics and DCC questions so you are bound to read something that doesn't quite agree with your opinion. There is the MRC DCC Yahoo group. That's about as close to a Users Club as there is. There's a Yahoo group for every system on the market.
Of course the most reliable advice on each group comes from a few that are members on all of the groups. In fact at least one of the MRC group moderators is an NCE guru. Some have already posted to this thread.
Attending an MRC users club to me would be like attending an Edsel users club at a junkyard. Their decoders are junk and they are arrogant enough to advertise how great they are above the competition. If they knowingly lie about that then IMO they can't be trusted with anything, including their prodigy.
Springfield PA
Tim, all I can say is that everyone must be reading your side-bar avatar and have decided to fulfill your state motto and "show you".
To be fair to Tim, he freely acknowledged that he did not know much about the back story here and chose the MRC product based on the merits of the system. I think we can safely assume that he now has a fairly good idea for the reasons behind any anti MRC sentiment.
So since this thread was meant to be a place for happy MRC users to congregate, how about we give the MRC debate a rest and give users a chance to chime in without feeling like they are going to be jumped on for making the choice in the first place.
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
Santa Fe all the way! Someone in another post mentioned that another bad thing about MRC systems that they are made in China. Its terrible, but in this world today, I assumed that all the systems were made overseas, so it didnt enter into my decision.
Someone in another post mentioned that another bad thing about MRC systems that they are made in China. Its terrible, but in this world today, I assumed that all the systems were made overseas, so it didnt enter into my decision.
Sorry, but not all are made overseas.
Digitrax is made in the USASoundTraxx is made in the USAQSI is made in the USANCE is made in the USAEasyDCC is made in the USATCS is made in the USALenz is made in GermanyRoco is made in Austria
Of all the leading brands, only MRC is made in China.
I don't recall anyone on these forums ever saying that they had an issue with an MRC Prodigy, Prodigy Advance, or Prodigy Advance2. MRC decoders are the source of all the complaints.
Something else to take into consideration is customer service and support. With Digitrax, NCE, EasyDCC and the others that are made in the USA, repair service is available from the manufacturers. What do you do with an MRC Prodigy if it breaks? Just throw it away and buy another one, or can it be repaired in the US? And what would be the turn-around time to get it back? That may not be a consideration for a small home layout, but for a large club that can't be dead in the water for an extended period of time because of a system failure, repair service is definitely something that needs to be taken into account.
I use Prodigy Express, had it about a year now. It does everything I need it to do and plenty of things I may never need. Sure a computer interface is nice IF you have an extra computer hanging around. I have a pencil and notebook.
I've used many MRC products over the years ranging from power packs to RC trucks and most all have been quite satisfactory. The only downers I've had were an MRC sounder that had no volume control and only lasted about 2 months, but that was expected and used as an experiment to figure out if I wanted sound in my loco's (I DO) so for $30 I wasn't bummed when it croaked.
The only thing I dislike about the PE is when there's a short it crashes the system and it won't recover without unplugging the cab or shutting it down. But I also run 120' double track main and 6 track yard without any circuit breakers (currently anyways) so how much is the fault of the PE?
Will I continue to buy MRC? Sure but I would also be a little picky about what I buy, and truthfully what company always makes winners?
Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction
Because of my total ignorance of MRC's past and ongoing transgressions at the time of my DCC system purchase, I was unable to figure that into the equation. Reading about all the bad things MRC has done doesnt make me as happy with my purchase, but dang the Prodigy Squared system is really great and fits my needs very well. Computer interfaces are not important to me, but I still dont like what MRC did. Someone in another post mentioned that another bad thing about MRC systems that they are made in China. Its terrible, but in this world today, I assumed that all the systems were made overseas, so it didnt enter into my decision.
Well I don't think many of us will be using MRC decoders but what I wonder is how their computer interface works with non-MRC decoders? Does it offer any advantages over just programming from the system throttle? Maybe there's a file save function that might be helpful.
Jerry
Rio Grande vs. Santa Fe.....the battle is over but the glory remains!
Just got my MRN and there's a review of the MRC computer interface and software. At the end the reviewer compared it with JMRI and said that for MRC sound decoders, JMRI was severely lacking. Odd, as I seriously doubt the available MRC decoder definitions for DecoderPro are lacking any published CV settings. Oh wait, 'published'. I wonder what settings there are in MRC decoders that MRC doesn't tell anyone about......
Based on the screen shot in the article, it is better than that horrendous thing they offered as a 'sneak preview' they offered for free download a while back. But the fact still remains that it's proprietary whereas the rest of the DCC world uses JMRI or RR&Company.
--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'm sure that you have heard the reasons some are so anti-MRC so I won't repeat them here. I've used the PA2 and Wireless and they are terrific systems. From a performance and user's perspective I would rate them second behind Digitrax for my personal needs. But, the inability to use JMRI with them was the deal breaker for me. But that's just me and there are many who don't feel this is a big deal. Good luck with your system and if you ever use their interface let us know how you like it.
After following this forum for quite a while, I noticed that MOST the people on this forum use Digitraxx, Lenz, NCE or some other system. I noticed that the Prodigy Sq. system doesnt make it into the top three systems in alot of these "whats the best system" or "what system do you use" or " what system would you buy" threads. Ive also noticed that some people are downright anti Prodigy or should I say anti MRC. Well, I LOVE my MRC Prodigy Squared system! Its easy to use, reliable and FUN.So happy Prodigy Squared owners Sound off, I would like to hear from you.