Finally got my DCC system! I took all the paperwork on vacation and spent some hours reading all about it-went from mildly terrified to pretty comfortable by the time i had read everything. Today i'll wire in my first loco module. I don't think i ever spent so much time considering anything as i did about going DCC, then which system[wish i'd thought this hard about marrying my ex!], then waiting till my credit limit got bumped high enough to fit it in. Anyway, here i am DCCers! Curt
Hey Curt: Welcome to the wonderful world of DCC! I recently took the plunge myself. I got the MRC prodigy, and things seem to be going well so far. I've already wired my first loco, and have ordered a pack of three more decoders to wire some more. Which system did you get?
I got the Digitrax Super Chief starter set. I have a 70'x16' mobile home that me and my RR live in-i plan on eventually having a layout that starts on one side of the front door, goes around the whole house, and ends on the other side of the front door, so i wanted to get started right. As of now i have 47' of 30" deep operational layout down one wall. Looking foward to using the infrared throttle as i wander along. What do you have? Curt
Great news Curt I'm sure it will work out well for you...keep us up to date on how you like it. I have heard good things about Digitrax and the MRC Prodigy...don't know what it will be for me if the time ever comes.
Well, the "boss" was kind enough to allow me part of the basement in our townhome for my HO layout. I've built a folded dogbone type of layout that's about 12x9x10. It's mostly freelance. My prototype insterests include the Western MD, B&O and early CSX...so I naturally chose my era to be the late 1960's to about 1985 so I could run a little bit of everything
Rmathos, Did you see the layout in MRP 2002 p.45ff. The author Harry Brunk also developed a mobile home layout. Actually I just checked the article to see if you were the author. His is entitled the Union Central & Northern. You might want to check it out. His is 12 by 65 feet.
rmathos, Welcome to the wonderful world of DCC!!!!! I know I was a skeptic, as others probably still are until I tried it! Our club (N trak) uses it for most of the lines and shows, and it is a real winner. I bought a Chief II system so I would have have the throttle as well as something to play around with at home. I still remember the pride I had at installing my first PnP decoder, progamming it, and actually having it work! I love DCC and can't imagine anything else. Harold
Yeah. You're happy now. That's how it starts. Then you find out that this decoder doesn't work with that system, and that system can't handle x amount of voltage draw. Then you'll need to buy a computer driven program to program x brand's decoders. Then the program you bought won't work on your particular computer without more modifications. Yea. I'm havin a freekin blast since I went to DCC!
Makes radio control post hole diggers (planes), seem tempting. If this PR-1 doesn't fix the problems I give up.
Why did you purchase a PR-1? What specifically are you having a problem with. Don't suffer in silence. The PR-1 gets a lot of complaints on the Digitrax egroup. It is very sensitive to operating systems and needs very fresh batteries or a very regulated power supply to operate reliably. Don't expect it to solve some underlying problem.
I bought the PR-1 because my new Prodigy won't make my locos (except one), with Digitrax decoders do anything but light speed with a slight twist of the throttle. With the exception of one, all the rest are stuck in 14 step speed mode. I thought something simple like the Prodigy would be perfect for me and my layout. MRC, in their attempt to make DCC simpler has provoked more questions than their instructions answer. I mean, why would only one out of the 8 Digitrax decoders work correctly in 28 step mode and the others not? All are in Atlas and Kato locos. My 6 Spectrum Dash 8's that I fitted with MRC decoders that everyone want's to poke fun at are the only ones that are behaving correctly. If the PR-1 doesn't work, they will certainly get it right back. I'm really tired of screwing around with stuff that doesn't work the way these companies advertise that it will.
The default steps for the Digitrax decoders is 128. I don't know anything about the MRC product but for the decoder to respond to the MRC output they have to be speaking the same language (14, 28, 128 steps). You either need to change the MRC output to match the decoder or you need to change the CV in the decoder to match the MRC output.
DCC can be enjoyed on several different levels, I am not a computer person and have no intentions of connecting my DCC to my computer. I bought it to get individual control over my locos. I got this and more (light and sound controls). I am not interested in throwing turnouts from my throttle. This is fortunate for me, since my reading of some posts in Digitrax forum make me realize I would have has a coronary by now. I bought the Chief several years ago, I program my decoders with the throttle and have had no problems with Digitrax, Lenz and Soundtrax decoders. I wanted to keep it simple and while NCE is simpler to learn than digitrax, I find the Digitrax fairly easy. When you want to get the computer involved, I'd be lost. I guess my point is make sure the starter system you buy has the most flexibility in programming as possible. To me, the Chief by Digitrax provided that. Gary
