Books on DCC Question??

[cgrubb80]

I wanted to buy a book about DCC so I can decide whether to use DCC or not. I know that DCC will cost more but I want to see what the advantages are. I was thinking of getting DCC Made Easy and/or DCC Projects & Applications but I wanted some other options or thoughts.

[Anonymous]

The Digitrax Big Book of DCC. I think it is out of print still though.

[tstage]

Tom,

DCC Made Easy by Lionel Strang (Kalmbach Books) is a VERY good book. Lionel knows his stuff but does a terrific job of explaining DCC in non-technical and easy to understand terms. He can also "talk shop" and does in a couple of spots for those who are more knowledgable on technical talk.

You can also go to Tony's Train Exchange web site (http://www.tonystrains.com) and click on their link entitled 2. DCC For Beginners. It's also a good reference on DCC. You can either read it online or download it as a .pdf file. If you download it, you'll need Adobe Reader to read it.

Tom

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tstage

Tom,

DCC Made Easy by Lionel Strang (Kalmbach Books) is a VERY good book. Lionel knows his stuff but does a terrific job of explaining DCC in non-technical and easy to understand terms. He can also "talk shop" and does in a couple of spots for those who are more knowledgable on technical talk.

Tom

I agree wholeheartedly with Tom on Lionel's DCC Made Easy -- a top notch book for beginners or intermediate DCC users.

I am less enthusiastic about any of the online sources like Tony's or Allan Gartner's online DCC info.

Their information tends to be text heavy with few if any illustrations, diagrams, or pictures. IMO, the web is first a *visual* medium and text heavy web pages squander that medium.

I believe that beginner's especially need simple diagrams and pictures first and foremost instead of a bunch of dense gray text. In fact I would not call any introductory info on the web without pictures or diagrams introductory.

A lot of my day job involves training adults and when you can train adults face-to-face, the interaction helps get beginners over the hurdles. Once you move to the web, diagrams and picture help replace that interaction. Pages of just text are like attending a lecture where the presentor drones on lots of theory without taking any time to stop and illustrate the new concepts with practical application, diagrams on the board, etc.

Lionel's DCC Made Easy book is the perfect mix of diagrams, pictures and easy to read text.

[johncolley]

The only problem I have with these books is that, like computers, by the time the book is in good circulation it is already out of date. The proliferation of various starter, intermediate, advanced sets, and accessories has mushroomed since they were printed. Folks like Loy's and Tony's do a tremendous service by providing information. Also, for the computer savvy, the DCC manufacturers all have a lot of info and free manuals on their websites.

[Anonymous]

Hi Tom

I just started HO trains within the past 6 months.

I can read, but I don't like to read books, I'd rather read a manual or something technical. I learned everything about DCC and made my decisions after reading lots of stuff on the internet, as mentioned above. There is tons of info .... from novice to expert.

Another spot is Litchfieldstation ...... http://www.litchfieldstation.com/
Check out his "university" pages there, and look for his own diagrams. Bruce, who owns Litchfieldstation, is a very nice man.

I see on your profile that you are an electronics tech, and have been into HO trains. You may find everything you need at the web sites mentioned above.

Then, again, there's nothing wrong with reading a good, current book.

Just my 2 cents

Greg

[rrinker]

I don;t want to argue with Joe about this, but what he says is what the Web has BECOME. We still use HTTP - the first HT stands for Hyper TEXT, not Hyper Graphics/Flash/Video. Likewise HTML. HTML was originally designed to provide easy ways to navigate TEXT. Look at some decent help files in various computer applications, many of them use HTML, while looking at a particular topic you'll see related subjects are links which will immediately take you to the relevent material.
Graphics have their place - it's a lot easier to see how to hook something up if there is a picture to match the text describing the process - but too many web sites these days simply overload on the graphics and Flash animations and that does nothign to improve the experience.
Heck, it's gotten SO overextended that now we use an extension tot he original to store DATA (no, I have NOT bought in to the whole XML craze - I find it horribly inefficient to use XML as a data repository. For somethign like storing a configuration it's fine, but to use it for record after record of data storage is just ugly).
Sorry for the off-topic excursion. Now back to playing with trains..

--Randy

[jfugate]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rrinker

I don;t want to argue with Joe about this ...
Graphics have their place - it's a lot easier to see how to hook something up if there is a picture to match the text describing the process - but too many web sites these days simply overload on the graphics and Flash animations and that does nothign to improve the experience.

--Randy

True enough, Randy. The use of graphics has in too many cases gone to seed on web pages.

I've been trained in adult learning styles and there are 4 major types:

- Tell me the theory: Learn best from lectures, text heavy books, etc.

- Let me experiment: Hands on active trial and error, to see how it works.

- Let me watch: You show me and I'll watch how it's done.

- Tell me your experiences: Tell me the successful practical experiences you've had, don't bore me with the theory.

The American population has roughly 25% in each group. Only the first group (roughly 25% of adults) likes text-heavy theory and learns best with that. Another 25% (the last group) can stand to read text only if it's someone talking on a forum about it, relaying their actual experiences.

The other 50% will learn best if they can *see* what's being discussed, and the "tell me experiences" crowd likes pictures if they display real world examples of people's experiences.

Ironically, we all also tend to think everyone learns the way we do, when in reality only about 25% of the population learns the same way we do.

So in short, without pictures, we're missing somewhere between 50% and 75% of our audience. True pictures can be done wrong, but that's no excuse to not have them if you truly want to reach *everybody*.

That's why I prefer to see beginner material on DCC include *pictures*. And to reach everyone it needs to include good meaty text, too. The text should describe both the theory and give examples of use, along with some testimonials. THEN, your beginner material will reach *everybody*.

[jxtrrx]

Hey cgrubb,

Let me save you the effort. Deciding whether to go with DCC? Yes. Go with DCC. It's a dang miracle. What fun! There.

The ONLY reasons I can think of that someone wouldn't is that they already have loads of old locomotives and don't want spend the time effort and money needed to add decoders, or someone that is content running just one train at a time. Otherwise: Go DCC.

I was in your shoes and bought the "DCC Made Easy" book everyone is recommending. I didn't find it helpful at that very beginning stage... uncomprehensible (to me) tables about wire gauges, and lots of talk about bus sizes, CVs, blah, blah blah that was too much too soon for a guy trying to figure out if he even wants one or not. I found that this forum was the most useful place for current information for me.

[cgrubb80]

QUOTE: Hey cgrubb,

Let me save you the effort. Deciding whether to go with DCC? Yes. Go with DCC. It's a dang miracle. What fun! There.

The ONLY reasons I can think of that someone wouldn't is that they already have loads of old locomotives and don't want spend the time effort and money needed to add decoders, or someone that is content running just one train at a time. Otherwise: Go DCC.

I was in your shoes and bought the "DCC Made Easy" book everyone is recommending. I didn't find it helpful at that very beginning stage... uncomprehensible (to me) tables about wire gauges, and lots of talk about bus sizes, CVs, blah, blah blah that was too much too soon for a guy trying to figure out if he even wants one or not. I found that this forum was the most useful place for current information for me.

I may have asked this for no good. I have been in the hobby for about 10 years now. I have been a member of two modular clubs. I have recently graduated from college and know getting on my feet financially. I wanted to make a home layout using my modules so I don't think DCC will be an option as our local club is not and will not convert over. Also I do have quite a few engines now but that was not a concern.

As for all of the technical talk in the book. I did get my degree in Engineering Technology in Computer and Electronics so that is not a worry.

[tstage]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TA462

Personally I wouldn't waste my money on a DCC book. Most are so basic that they leave you with even more questions.

Dave,

While I have found that to be true for other MRRing books, I respectfully disagree in respect to the Lionel Strang book, DCC Made Easy. He not only makes things basic for the reader than needs that, but Lionel also supplies more "meat" to those you already are either familiar with the terms, or have a basic knowledge of the topic but want a deep explanation. Lionel also has a good balance between pictures, graphs, and text.

Tom

[grayfox1119]

From my point of view, Joe is right ON target. I have worked 40 years in electronics field, and semiconductors, and I learn much faster from VISUAL aids. The old saying " a picture is worth 1000 words" is 100% correct. Text explanations are only as good as the author, and only if the reader and the material are matched. By that I mean, if you are trying to teach a novice, you had better author your material for that level. Secondly, if what you are trying to explain is relatively complex, I don't care how good you are, you will loose over 70% of your audience (readers ).
Personally, I learn MUCH faster by graphics. Can you just imagine someone trying to show you how to wire a complex circuit without a schematic? Using just text? To a novice ot even an intermediate?
The next person who developes a learning DVD for DCC, with excellent close-ups, and demonstrations, will make a mint !!!