# questions dcc control



## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

*what dcc controller is used*

I am going to ask one of my i think i need to know questions
I saw a video think here maybe some where else,any the guy had a large layout, several locs, runnig. the locs, would make stops idle start up and go somewhere else and they all had sounds and lights. I am quite sure none of this was dynamis?? or some of the others ive seen for sale. Maybe computer based system?? does any one know?? If warren buffets quits stealing freight from me, maybe my small operation can upgrade


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## Xnats (Dec 5, 2010)

Most of the better DCC systems are the same. It is the decoder in the engine that is allowing the lights and sound. If engines were stopping at distinct locations then going again, my guess it was being ran off the computer.


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

You can use JMRI software and transponding with a Digitrax system to create routes and assuming all of your switches are DCC controlled, the programmed train will run its route while you do switching or whatever. 

Local guy in Minot has a setup like that for open house tours. This way he can be out on the floor talking with folks while his trains run the layout. He has one that backs into a spur track to take on water and coal. The water downspout is even automated


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

Forgive me if going over plowed ground: Been reading hundreds of pages and tutorials!! Really interested in nce product, but curious is the hand held control pad also the power pack?? or do need seperate power supply to track??


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

The hand held unit is just the throttle and in the PowerCab model it is also the command station. There is a booster that is powered by a power supply that is sometimes an extra expense.

Before you go and buy a system you should ask yourself a couple of questions.

How big do I plan on going.
How many trains will I want to run at one time.
Is radio and computer control a must, want or dont care.

These questions depending on your answer could lead you to a basic starter set and you will have everything you need or one of the more advanced sets that will provide you with everything you are going to need in the future. I have a personal preferance for Digitrax, I feel they have thought out their system a little better. NCE is good too and it is a better system for those who want to experiment with home made devices.

Massey


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

Hi Massey: Basically wont run over 4 trains at one time, but looking for something that possibly can make them start run sound synched, and posibly do simple things like stop ata station or reverse and drop cars and pick up cars, simple tasks.maybe blow horn at crossings. I am not knowledgeable at what it takes to do this, and it may not be on the cheaper side right now, but as am building planning for future. also see jmri has some free software for pc interface am curious about this too.I am learning dc is basically becoming horse and buggy, and am looking /leaning in the oklahoma windtoward dcc I am also learning bachman locos may not be that great?? I warned every body when joined i am going to have a bunch of questions, hope i dont become a pain in the gluteous maximus


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

gandy dancer#1 said:


> Forgive me if going over plowed ground: Been reading hundreds of pages and tutorials!! Really interested in nce product, but curious is the hand held control pad also the power pack?? or do need seperate power supply to track??


first define "power pack"? NCE has its command station packaged into hendheld throttle/cab. power brick that plugs into the outlet is separate

ADD:
not a pain at all. you probably just overloaded with questions you can't quite prioritize. either starter system will pull 4 sound engines (given there is no poor maintained power guzzler there), but i think you will find that with regular home sized layout you will not want that many running at a time. as far as automation and such, thats quite an advanced topic, i would suggest getting your feet wet with regular DCC, will help to formulate your wants better. 

ADD2:


gandy dancer#1 said:


> I am also learning bachman locos may not be that great?? I warned every body when joined i am going to have a bunch of questions, hope i dont become a pain in the gluteous maximus


i can't say much bad things about bachmann engines. their Spectrum line up are quite good to good runners and detailed quite well actually. for the price excellent buy , just factor in upgrade DCC decoder for those with equipped one (i had to change mine right away). i had several but traded out. perhaps somewhat snobish , but found i want quality over quantity.




Massey said:


> I have a personal preferance for Digitrax, I feel they have thought out their system a little better. NCE is good too and it is a better system for those who want to experiment with home made devices.
> 
> Massey


Masey, what do you find better thought out? zero sarcasm question, i'm curious about your view on things. 

and NCE better for DIY? i have to disagree, if anything that would be Digitrax with their somewhat open loconet bus that allows non digitrax devises on it.


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

Hi tankist: Guess i didnt make my self clear but you answered it for me, I saw only the handheld control,and didnt see a connesting power brick,but figured hay it can't all be in that little controller??  I miss afew things in those videos Likei told massey, I am moving fromdc simple oval and trying to do it right the first time as my grandpaw used to teach me in farming he said right first time, dont have to come back and redo, more money when you do!! So in learning phase, and as many here im sure on limited budget,so want the biggest bang for my dollar and something that will take me intothe future without having to throw out and constantly buy over and over. I am a computerengineer and all my pc's are asus and acer and are highly expandable with open bios so any thing the software guys throw out i can run!! I am not a railroad engineer!!:retard:
I do want to thank all of you for your patience and responses and friendliness here,you are my "WORLD BOOK ENCYCLOPEDIAS:appl:


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

you will not be paying twice. you will just keep adding modules to your initial system of choice as you find what functionality you want to add next. given your budget and potentially want for computer control your choices are either NCE or digitrax offerings. both have their stronger and weaker points. as you can tell me and Massey disagree on our systems of choice and voted differently with our dollars. but really you can not go wrong with either one of these. i actually have a mix of components from both sides and they are compliment each other with out to much redundant overlap.

i am with you on "doing it right the first time" and strived for that in my build. but personal experience you just can not replace. i don't think i did anything terribly wrong, definetly can live with what i have, but had i started again today (and i actually might) there are several things i would do differently.


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

With Digitrax I feel they have thought out there system a little better because of the way the loco bus functions and also the addon equipment that they develop. The PM4/42 is a great little module that will function best with the digitrax system but it also works as a stand alone unit that will function with DC or DCC and with anyone's system. The PM4/42s are also auto reversing modules as well that can control 4 channels. The command stations are all compatable with one and another and can also be converted to a master or slave with out much trouble. I will admit the earlier Digitrax systems are not so user friendly. The other reason is the Digitrax units appear to be more refined in their forms than the NCE system which to me looks like they found a project box and stuffed the gear inside, rather than designed it from the bottom up. Just my thoughts on the matter tho.

NCE uses a CAN bus in it's communications which is an open license archetecture that allows the NCE command stations to talk to any CAN bus device. The CAN bus has a much simplier protocol and singnaling than the loconet is and there are more schematics online on how to build devices that are CAN compatable. 

Both systems are good, both cost about the same for the entry level to the top level and you would be happy with either one. Both of the entry level starter sets have a full command station that will become a throttle with the addition of command stations from higher level sets so you are not thowing away the old for the new. Both sets can do computer control and use JMRI.

Massey


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## tankist (Jun 11, 2009)

when you say system i imagine the system itself, meaning zephyr vs powercab  . Choosing the latter does not preclude from using other digitrax equipment like PM42 you mentioned, or their excellent stationary decoder, or sigal decoder, or transponding with block detection. nor it actually solves the weaknesses of zephyr. digitrax systems cross compatibility and modularity is great, yes, but how is this an advantage if NCE does offer comparable upgrade path and interchangability (i.e. powercab is a full command station at home and just another cab for the big PH system at the club.) 
project box? Sorry, one undisputed advantage of powercab is the ergonomics - comfortable handheld with backlit LCD and intuitive menu system. digitrax still manages to sneak UI in form of 4 seven segment displays showing obscure codes + undisguised tactile buttons into the year 2012. that design is fine for 1980, but today i expect UI to be more friendly.

i guess i will agree with you on mod-ability of NCE then. but i don't know anyone here who decided to take on building their own booster for example. personnaly that kind of stuff i prefer to purchase pre-made  so to me the extend of DIY is a panel, indicators, adapters etc whi


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## gandy dancer#1 (Jan 21, 2012)

HI I AM BACK: Scary aint it I warned you Okay any body here using the jrmi software?? What all is it capable of doing?? Do i also need to buy the hand held programmer such as nce power pro ect. or do i need just a pice of track to act as programming /bay?? or do i need a dcc power supply that pc can plug in to?? What is actually used as the connection ie interface between pc and track or loco?? I would like software that will let me independantly program each loco to do cetain functions while on the track, and let the pc run all of this at once. Maybe i am way over my head on this,may have to ask warren buffet for a loan


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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

I dont know what NCE has, but Digitrax has a PC interface, the PS3. Has a USB port to hook up the PC and track outputs to attach to a seperate programming track. In this fashion it is standalone to do programming. THere is also a Loconet port to hook up to a Digitrax component (such as the Zephyr). Using DecoderPro (free JMRI software), you can program decoders and open throttle panels to control trains on the layout. Ac ouple guys on here have threads to show you screen shots of how this stuff is done (I could, but my stuff is still packed up from a recent move).


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