DCC Question


C

chadmichaels

Member
As im getting ready to buy my first locos I have a question reguarding DCC. when on ebay and see some engines listed, some say "dcc socket installed" What excatly does this mean..is it ready to run odcc track or do i need to get some sort of chip? Im confused.:confused:
 
Dcc Socket means you have to install your encoder. Sometimes they will say DCC ready also. DCC equipped means it comes with a decoder. When you decide what you want post it here and you should get a comment or 2 on what to expect and quality.
Good Luck
 
Just a quick reorientation, fellas...it is "decoder", not "encoder". An encoder is the doohickey that reads the amount of rotation on a knob or on a device that needs to return to a specific point.
And yes, a commercially sold DCC system should be able to control any commercial DCC decoder in any engine in which it is installed correctly.

-Crandell
 
The bachman units will work on most but you should try to match the plug type. For instance you might have a 9 pin socket and the bachmann might be an 8. Also from experience and reading here the Bachmann decoders are the lower quality of the bunch. They work but sometimes have issues such as a higher amount of noise from the Loco's motor.
 
I'll go with Rex on this one. Digitraxx and NCE decoders are about equal in quality and feature sets although I find NCE is usually a little lower priced. There's nothing inherently bad about Bachmann decoders. I've used them with success in several engines. They just have less features and functions than the more expensive decoders. I like Tony's Train Exchange as a place to buy to decoders, especially when you're just starting out. Their prices are fair and they will hold your hand through any install problems you have.
 
Ok after looking around and seeing how much money i can spend at this time i think im going to go with the Bachman E-z Command DCC system. Couple of questions though. how many locos can I run at once with this system? Im looking at Kato and Bachman locos will they work all right with this system?
 
I would be interesting in your criteria and in our decision-making process for this choice. I had one, several years back, and used it for all of one hour before I realized that it was a dead end for me. It would not allow me to use the decoder's full features because the EZ-Command is incapable of programming the various configuration variables (CV's) that the manufacturers of most decoders have designed to make our toys come alive and behave realistically. For example, when you dial in voltage on your DC system, your DC engines will speed up commensurately. With DCC, you should be able to change CV3 (Inertia), to make the engine appear to struggle to get its load underway, and to then speed up to your throttle setting. Conversely, when you close your engine's throttle fully, no train screeches to a halt in two seconds. It will take some time...and CV4 can be set to do that.

Having said all that, many folks have used the EZ-Command and been grateful for having a DCC system at all. I get that. But it would be a lot like getting a Ferrari with a governor that doesn't let you get above 25 mph, or one where you can only open one of the two gull-wing doors.

As far as I know, to answer you about the number of engines you can run, it is a 1 amp system...although Bachmann may have other boosters or power supplies for it...dunno. With simple, non-sound, decoders, you should be able to run between 3 and 5 engines without problems, providing you aren't making any one of them pull 20 cars or somewhat fewer up a grade over 1.5%. As you make any one engine do more work, you limit what is left over for any other engines...that should be clear. Now, if you are interested in a sound decoder, they typically will draw around 0.3 amps, motor and decoder, with the motor pulling a few cars. That means you may...may ...be able to run two three (3) decodered engines at a time pulling 5-10 cars each. Depends also on the condition of the drive mechanism...it is free and well adjusted, or is it older, and the lubricants somewhat hardened over time, or drive components misaligned....there are other conditions that can cause your engines to struggle. Tight curves are one. Grades we already mentioned. How free-rolling your cars are...and so on.

I hope I have not dashed your interest or your hopes, but I would like you to understand that it is a very limited system, both in terms of usable power and in terms of its overall utility in the grand scheme of all that DCC has to offer in a decoder.

-Crandell
 
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I have about 200.00 to spend on a dcc system at this time. Im only looking to run two trains at one time. Not all about the sound all though later on i will be...mostly just lighting of the locos for now.

What decent system could i pick up for 200.00 that shouldnt give me too many problems? My layout is going to be quite simple as right now its two 4x8 seets back to back with a 4x5 sheet coming off the end...basically my layout is a L shape. ill post pics later this week.

Chad
 
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If you have $200 I would get a MRC Prodigy Express, It's a big step up from Bachman and only costs about $130 (Price Varies) it's a 1.5 amp system and it will give you more options and control features then the Bachman and is really easy to set up and use. Although the disadvantages are that future upgrades other then power boosters are limited with MRC and you can't connect the system to the computer like NCE or Digitrax. But in your case it doesn't seem too matter.
 
I've been using an E-Z Command system for about a year and it has served me well for my needs at the time. I got to get into and understand how DCC works at a cheap price and got comfortable even with sound locmotives using the system. As Crandell has pointed out, however, eventually you want more control over your engines and the E-Z Command system just doesn't allow that. I got a Digitraxx Zephyr that I've just installed and am no getting familiar with CV programming. I got my E-Z Command off e-bay for abour $80 and can re-sell it for about $50 so it seems like a cheap and non-intimidating way to learn DCC. I paid $150 for my Zephyr so you can get a more versatile unit for less than $200. OTOH, if you can pick up an E-Z command for $50 or less, I'd do it and use it for a while. You can run three to four trains with it and it works with sound equipped engines as well. If you've got the budget and aren't queasy about jumping in with both feet, the Zephyr or the other units mentioned would work fine also.
 
Ideally you would want a system that is expandable, that will tell you what the current input value is that is programmed to any one CV, and that will talk to a computer. I know so little about the MRC Prodigy series that I can't say if it fits this minimum requirement for many experienced DCC users. But the Digitraz Zephyr does do all those things (with additional parts), I believe, and it has about 2 amps, maybe more. I wouldn't overlook CVP or NCE either, although I also know next to nothing about them...just that they make darned good products and stand behind them.
 
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