NEWS FLASH! - MRC out with new Prodigy Express

[tstage]

(I also posted this over at the Layouts and layout building forum.)

Looks like MRC has gotten on the DCC starter system bandwagon with their new Prodigy Express:

http://www.modelrectifier.com/products/trainSound/product.asp?ID=1990&Subcategory=Prodigy%20DCC

Has a little more juice (0.6 amp) than NCE's PowerCab or Bachmann EZ Command. Expecting it may have some of the same limitations that Prodigy Advance has but it is expandible like the Digitrax Zephyr. Looks like its definitely NOT the old Prodigy repackaged. Like the PowerCab, my guess is that it probably can be had at a discount for around $130-140.

Tom

[Anonymous]

The retail price is 169.00 I have been finding a lot of places are selling it's bigger brother for $179.00 so not sure how attractive it will be. I want to get DCC going on my layout. Just sort of waiting for the prices to drop on the main units. I look at this as the VCR/DVD revolution. Or at least I hope it comes down a little. I think or worry that it won't and instead will stay at the current price levels or raise but in return they will refine and add more features to justify the cost.

What are the draw backs to MRC?

[Anonymous]

Yet another player in the starter set DCC!
Will

[simon1966]

If you read their web site, it is described as below. It would appear to be a stripped down Prodigy Advance, certainly from the same family as the web site says it can grow to become an advance.


Start Small . . . Think Big!!!


Easily fits your budget to join in the world of DCC
Expand at an easy pace of your budget to bring you up to the level of the Prodigy Advance DCC system
Easy to understand set-up and use
Comes complete – all you need is decoders or decoder equipped locos
1.6amp output
Easily programs 2 or 4-digit addresses
Advanced Consisting
Handles 14-28/128 speed steps
Uses MRC’s patented plug and play technology for expandability
16 accessory functions to handle today’s newer sound decoder equipped locos
Programs on the program track or main line

[ereimer]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dthurman

What are the draw backs to MRC?

the only drawback i've been able to find is the lack of a computer interface to allow easy decoder programming and computer controlled operation .

note that the MRC page says the express has 1.6 amps

note that there is only one cab(throttle) connector on the base unit , and no indication that it's a 'network' port like the one on the advance . the advance can be expanded to 99 throttles , can the express be expanded ?

will the express throttles be available seperately as expansion throttles for the advance ? will they be less expensive than the advance throttles ?

i'd like to see what the upgrade path is . i suspect that you buy the express set then if you want to run more throttles you have to buy a prodigy advance set (or will the advance base unit be available seperately as an upgrade) . depending on the discount prices on the express set i think it may make more sense just to buy the advance

NOTE: my questions are hypothetical , i'm sure at this point no one here knows the answers , and we won't until someone actually buys the express . or MRC adds the express manual to their website

[knewsom]

The main drawback to the MRC Prodigy Advance is its lack of computer support, and from what I have seen the Prodigy Express does not have that functionality either. I have the PA and have been very pleased with it as far as running trains. Programming CV's with the handheld is fairly straight forward, but it is still not match for programming with DecoderPro. I picked up a DB150 off of ebay cheap and a locobuffer II to allow me to program using DecoderPro, since there is no word from MRC as to whether or not they will add a computer interface to the PA and PE.

Other than a few odd quirks, such as :
1- when I set up a universal consist (not the advanced consist) in the command station, my BLI Class A (which was not a part of the consist) will not function. I had another MRC PA user test this on his unit and got the same response.
2- when a route is set up and turned on (and then the power is turned off and back on), the first loco in the recall stack will not respond to commands. All other locos will respond, just not the first.

I have been extremely pleased. I added the MRC 8-amp booster for my home layout which is 19'x14' and it has run great. I got an extra throttle for $56 and 3 PA extension jacks for $18 each to set up around the layout. All of that has been installed and it is great for running trains. From what I have read the difference between the PE and the PA is that the PE only has one port on the command station to plug in a throttle, does not support universal consisting or have a fast clock, and only has 1.6 amps. But with the booster and the extension jacks, can easily be updated to what the PA has. The Handheld for the Express looks very similar to the PA handheld, but after taking a closer look it has several different buttons on it. Instead of the Sys, shift, route, and Consist buttons, the PE handheld has F10 - F15 keys. On the PA handheld you need to hit the shift key and then the corresponding F1-F9 keys. That explains why the PA can handle up to 20 functions and the PE can only handle 16.

[davekelly]

Kevin,

Thanks for the objective view of the PA. It's always good to see owners of a particular system write not only what they love about it, but also its drawbacks.

Hopefully MRC will develope the PA and PE so they are fully expandable, have a computer interface etc etc. MRC has a long history in this hobby and a solid reputation in the DC world. Let's hope MRC builds just a solid reputation with DCC and is around for a long long time.

[grandeman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dthurman
What are the draw backs to MRC?

Other than the above noted drawbacks, I'd be concerned with compatibility of the unit with future MRC products. That's been a big drawback in the past. Just look at the last few years, Command 2000 not compatible with Prodigy, Prodigy not compatible with Prodigy Advance. We went with Digitrax for this reason and the PA's lack of a PC interface, and no transponding or signalling capability. If a new super duper Digitrax throttle hits the market 2 years from now, it'll be plug and play with our DCS100.


Aside from the drawbacks, I like the PA and looked closely at it. Don't know enough about the Express to comment.

[davekelly]

QUOTE: Originally posted by grande man

QUOTE: Originally posted by dthurman
What are the draw backs to MRC?

Other than the above noted drawbacks, I'd be concerned with compatibility of the unit with future MRC products. That's been a big drawback in the past. Just look at the last few years, Command 2000 not compatible with Prodigy, Prodigy not compatible with Prodigy Advance. We went with Digitrax for this reason and the PA's lack of a PC interface, and no transponding or signalling capability. If a new super duper Digitrax throttle hits the market 2 years from now, it'll be plug and play with our DCS100.


Aside from the drawbacks, I like the PA and looked closely at it. Don't know enough about the Express to comment.

Hopefully MRC has learned a lesson concerning backwards compatibility. We'll see.