What are your preferences for N scale board replacement style decoders? AFAIK, Digitrax, MRC, TCS, Lenz, and NCE are all options - does anyone else make them? I've been pleased with Digitrax's support/warranty/repair system, but I've been having to use it enough that I'm willing to consider jumping ship to another brand. At the moment four of my nine locomotives (all Digitrax) are out of service with decoder issues that resetting CV's and remounting haven't been able to fix.
I have found "TCS" decoders to be very well made, and you can't beat their warranty! I would say, that in my experience, "TCS" and "Digitrax" are the best. "NCE" is OK, but very stripped down.
TCS have been rock solid here. Digitrax is good but with a (what seems to me) a higher dead on arrival rate.
like smithsr, I've had quiet a few digitrax boards DOA...which I gotta send back to them for replacement. And being out of warranty, I believe there will be a charge, but I'd have to see.
My first preference for non sound decoders is TCS, but Digitrax where TCS doesn't support the loco. And in the sound decoders, I use the MRC brand low cost, good warranty and I find their support system excellent. I also use the MRC stationary sound decoders in HO scale to add sound at about the same cost as a non sound mobile decoder.
I am in the group with a pile of Digitrax decoders that are DOA and out of warranty too. It is TCS from now on.
Why would you not contact Digitrax about this problem instead of just assuming they will do nothing for you?
I forgot to add. I did have them replace two for me that were out of warranty. Turns out they were from a defective batch and the person I talked to at Digitrax told me to send them in for replacement. It can't hurt! Only the cost of a phone call.
Been there done that before. It was not a good experience. Half the units they sent back were DOA. Heck, one had the chip loose in the bag from the factory. It makes no sense to keep going back, time to cut my losses and move on. Definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different outcome. So far Digitrax has not performed to my expectations as a customer. SO I vote quality with my money and go elsewhere now.
I started converting my considerable N-scale motive power roster to DCC about three years ago, and I went totally Digitrax to start out with. I have not had a single DOA decoder, and no problems with them that weren't caused by my installation inexperience. However, one of the install problems that seems prevalent for me, and is part of my learning curve, is that the little Kato "hold-down" that clips into both the stock light board and the replacement DCC boards to hold the motor contacts strips against pads on the decoders don't do the job. Sometimes they do the job for a little while, then they lose their grip, become loose enough that the motor's contact strips don't touch the pads...and operation ceases. I thought I had cooked a couple of decoders, but after trouble-shooting, I discovered this tendency, and I now solder the contacts to the pads on the decoder board. Problem solved. One note of caution is to tin the chassis motor strips a little at the tips very quickly...let them cool...then bend them down, one at a time...and then hold them in place with pointy tweezers by pressing down on them...then put your iron at the very tip where you've previously tinned it...and as soon as you see the solder flow...immediately take your iron OFF....NOW!...while still holding it in position with your pointy tweezers. You don't want to melt the Kapton tape insulators you've previously installed...which would fry your decoder if you had a short there. That's the only problem I've had with my Digitrax installs. If your troublesome installs use the Kato "hold down" clip...or whatever it's called...you might try doing what I did. I've also installed Tsunami Challenger and Big Boy drop-ins...with terrific results!! They get a bit warm during a show, but...they sound great!...and run great too. I'm also happy with my Loksound decoders...which are not drop-ins, but motor control and sound are exceptional...especially now that they've gone with 4-8-16 ohm speakers in the latest releases. The Micro series are extremely small...and will fit just about anything. That's my experience...only good with all of these brands. Only bad with MRC sound decoders...motor control is really bad...sound is really bad...reliability is really bad. I don't recommend them. Cheers!
I like Digitrax and have all my loco's that came with decoders swapped to digitrax, mostly DN163A0. I've had no serious problems with them with the exception that they were too loose when mounted in the loco frames and I had to add a bit of solder to the mounting tabs to hold them in place. I also use DN123 and DN125's. I did have major problems with a couple of MRC sound decoders, both of which were replaced with the DN163A0. With the exception of the MRC's i've had no decoder failures requiring replacement.
Using both TCS (Z2s) and Digitrax (163K0s) and no problems either brand. The Kato hold down clip issue solved with a touch of solder as others note. TCS readily replaced my beginners mistake, meeting their outstanding warranty offer. Only issue arises from the cultural differences evident in documentation. Happy with performance of both. Think Digitrax will have to live down a manufacturing problem with others that I haven't experienced. Are there any other bad decoder brands? Would think that, except for sound, the technology is mature and well manufactured. Guessing that sound features have created some real differences in design, performance and quality.
