Reccomended DCC controller for beginners

[PomDave]

Hi all,

I'm in the process of rebuilding my layout ready to start on DCC operations but am unsure as to what brand/model controller would best suit a novice like myself.

Best Rgds,
Dave R.

[Brian]

Hi
Its a bit like recommending a car. What suits one will not suit another person.

What you need to do is make a list of your most essential priorities.
1) Budget,
2) Desk or hand held Throttle
3) Will PC or Tablet operation be required
4) What power to track is required (Maximum number of locos all working at once)
5) will you want to operate accessories from the DCC system - points, signals etc

From this list you then filter the DCC units available.

From my list the NCE PowerCab is very popular as too is the Gaugemaster Prodigy range or now its at firmware version 1.6 or 2.0 the Hornby Select.

[teedoubleudee]

Check if there are any dealers near by that can demonstrate different models and let you play. Nothing better than a "test drive" using Brian's car analogy.

[aislabyjim]

I started with the Gaugemaster Prodigy but within a year wanted to add visual representation of the track including point operation and be able to easily programme and operate loco's. Found a site member selling an ECOS Command Station about 6 years ago which is probably one of the best buys I have made. Now it is connected to a second hand 40" TV and controls 38 points and over 50 loco's (normally only 2 at a time!) either with a mouse or hand controller. Whilst finance is often the limiting factor don't spend money on a system that may quickly outgrown your ambitions.

[PomDave]

Hi Guys,

Thanks for you replies and advice, greatly appreciated. I think at this stage I'll go for the Hornby 8213, mainly because of cost, whether I will out grow it's capabilities, I doubt it as I'm a bit long in the tooth at 74.

As for going to a near by dealer and check them out, being in semi rual Australia the nearest is some 70 miles away. I did contact them and they only had the Hornby Railmaster, although cheaper than the 8213, it is definitely out of my league.

Thanks for you time.

Best Rgds,
Dave R.

[Brian]

The Hornby Select has moved on leaps and bonds. Especially with new units at Software version 1.6 or 2.0.(both versions are the same!). What it lacks is a separate Programming Track output and the ability to control any locos with address over 59. It is also limited to accessory address numbers too.

Do ensure if you obtain a Select that the software is at 1.6 or 2.0 . This is the first digits shown on initial start up along with then the Firmware version and the basic loco address of 03. So for example the start up display should show 16 or 20 (that's the important part) then the Hardware version and finally the basic loco address, so typically you should see 16-30-03 which means the Select is at Version 1.6 the Hardware is at v3 and the basic address is 03. Alternatively, it may show 20-30-03 This is the same as versions with 1.6 software but is usually the facelift Select (Newer looking front panel).

If it shows the first digits of less than 16 I would not recommend that you purchase it!

[Mountain Goat]

What I hve personally found is that in regards to most of the past DCC control systems is that the most basic ones are the easiest to use but the better ones can do a whole lot more.
I am a little out of date in what is now available but what I will say is to go for a system that is forwards and backwards expandable so that DCC add on accessories such as additional handsets etc will work with your system. I did this and I bought two additional handsets secondhand which were two years older than my system and though they are an older version they work fine, and I expanded the system forward slightly as well by getting more kodern upgrades as I went along. I actually started with a basic starter "Stand alone" type DCC controller which can be very simply programmed to use as a slave, and after using it to trial out DCC for myself, I then bought the manufacturers best system they had to offer at the time and used the starter controller as an additional slave hand controller. The only limit to doing this was I needed to use 2 figure addresses so was limited to 99 loco addresses because while the main system can do 9999 loco addresses on DCC, when the starter controller is used as a slave I need to just use the two figure addresses as the slave controller is limited to just 99 DCC addresses. The starter controller also can control points and accessories etc if needed and if I had wanted to use points on DCC, the starter controller is actually easier to use for things like this. Though my system is over 20 years old, it is only really a few little things that it is limited in and these are so minor that I never even bothered upgrading my system (System can be sent to the manufacturer to be upgraded for a fee though to me it wasn't worth to get the small upgrades as the upgraded versions loose one or two other features the old versions can access so is swings and roundabouts...).

[yelrow]

I use Both selects, and Elite, and have been quite content with their performance.

[Mountain Goat]

I use Both selects, and Elite, and have been quite content with their performance.

Nice. Out of interest, can they be used together on one layout? What I mean is... With my Lenz the starter controller (No longer made me thinks) known as the Compact which can be used on its own, can also be used as a slave controller to the better Lenz systems. Is this the same with the Hornby DCC controllers and with other makes?

[Rog (RJ)]

I use Both selects, and Elite, and have been quite content with their performance.

Nice. Out of interest, can they be used together on one layout? What I mean is... With my Lenz the starter controller (No longer made me thinks) known as the Compact which can be used on its own, can also be used as a slave controller to the better Lenz systems. Is this the same with the Hornby DCC controllers and with other makes?

Yes, a Select can be plugged into an Elite as a slave controller. In fact, I believe up to seven can be daisy chained off the Elite. Only the Elite can be connected to the track and the Selects must not have their power supplies connected.

PS. A Select can also be connected to another Select, which becomes a master, as a slave. Again, up to seven can be connected together AFAIK.