When Will DCC become the standard?


When will DCC become 100% "The standard"

  • Total voters
    74
I understand the concept of what you're talking about but I still have my doubts. Even if they phase out dc I just can't imagine the manufacturers lowering the prices of dcc equipment to the levels of current dc products. I guess the market will dictate what happens.
 
Corey Regarding your question about the Poll and seeing who votes what way..... Its in the option section when you create a poll.


I dont think DC will ever dissapear but I think DCC will prevail in the end. Like Alan has said...Mfg are already focusing on a minimum of DCC ready locos. As soon as cost comes down and dcc is 100% standard I can see people haveing to remove deocders just to run DC.

Here is one for everyone. whats after DCC?
 
Prices are dramatically lower?

lmackattack said:
- - - Snip - - - The cost of a DCC system has dramaticly been reduced and many people are making the investment now.
- - - Snip - - -
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Just when did this dramatic price reduction happen? I've been in the hobby for about five years and the prices are about the same today as they were 5 years ago.

What am I missing here?
 
lmackattack said:
Here is one for everyone. whats after DCC?
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Well my son (he's 25) who is better versed on it than I am was discussing a blue tooth unit and an Andriod/I-phone type app. would not be very difficult at all. If I could pull him away from his cars, girlfriends, several side businesses, the gym and a day job that actual pays him to party, I may just do a technical leap frog ahead of all of you. (Not likely)
 
Joe Daddy said:
Just when did this dramatic price reduction happen? I've been in the hobby for about five years and the prices are about the same today as they were 5 years ago.

What am I missing here?
Click to expand...


IMO DCC systems have come down alot in the past 8 years. I recall buying my Current MRC system from micro mark about 6-7 years ago and it was around $350 back then. Today the same system can be found for $100 less. Also decoders have come way down. I recall standard decoders were in the $30 range and now can be had for as little as $14.

Even Sound decoders are cheeper. I paid $120 for some of the first Soundtraxx tsunamis and now buy them for around $80 and they are smaller! Like all electronics prices lower the faster and more they are made.


just my .02

Trent
 
Gary B said:
Well my son (he's 25) who is better versed on it than I am was discussing a blue tooth unit and an Andriod/I-phone type app. would not be very difficult at all.
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Gary... A year ago a guy came down to the club, set up a looped track, and was running his loco W/sounds from his I phone:confused:

He wanted to show us how on the club layout but it was to busy to set it up...amazing what DCC can do for you!
 
For next i would like to see would be a system that speak directly to the loco via wifi, wheels would be only for power pickup
 
lmackattack said:
IMO DCC systems have come down alot in the past 8 years. I recall buying my Current MRC system from micro mark about 6-7 years ago and it was around $350 back then. Today the same system can be found for $100 less. Also decoders have come way down. I recall standard decoders were in the $30 range and now can be had for as little as $14.

Even Sound decoders are cheeper. I paid $120 for some of the first Soundtraxx tsunamis and now buy them for around $80 and they are smaller! Like all electronics prices lower the faster and more they are made.


just my .02

Trent
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Trent,

There may be some price erosion on basic decoders, but I'd say it was about 25% and The cost of a Lenz system today is higher from Tony's today than when I purchased my system 5 years ago. And my NCE radio system was anything but cheap. Over 750 bucks for a basic radio system with two throttles. Sound runs about 100 bucks per engine, much the same it did five years ago.

Five years ago I could by a cheap minimum function Bachmann for 75 bucks and the Zepher was twice that and from everything people said about it, was the best thing since sliced cheese.

Personally I've seen little price erosion and frankly I've seen little additional innovation in the past 5 years other than duplex radio. Transponding is still a dream and there is little to no portability for throttles and feedback components.

Don't misunderstand me, I'm a solid supporter of DCC, but I don't share your view that the market place has changed much in the past 5 years. Certainly the poor economy has forced some product into the marketplace, but a quick scan of my LHS and the web shows little change in the costs.

Like you, it's just my 2 cents and my view of the same terrain.

have a great day!

Joe
 
julienjj said:
For next i would like to see would be a system that speak directly to the loco via wifi, wheels would be only for power pickup
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I don't know if you remember Marklin Voice Command from about 15 years ago. It was voice-activated DCC. The factory rep put on a headset, folded his arms in front of him, stepped back about five feet, and started running trains and accessories by speaking into a microphone.
 
julienjj said:
For next i would like to see would be a system that speak directly to the loco via wifi, wheels would be only for power pickup
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Sorry, but this is an old idea that has already been implemented.:p

Airwire900 from CVP will do what you want now. Just go buy it. The garden scale people use it with battery power to eliminate the need for track wiring in its entirety.

And if you want to use Wireless to run your DCC system via your PDA, several different systems have been available for years that do that.

Have a great day!

Joe
 
anecdotal

lmackattack said:
Joe
I Always like more observations of the same topic. It very well may be that prices have stayed steady and it is me that has gotten cheaper?:p
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Trent,
I'm afraid we are both dealing with anecdotal information :mad: so the reality is we can neither be really reliable about it. :eek:

Warmest regards,

Joe
 
NYW&B said:
there needs to be background numbers to support what percentage of hobbyists has even converted to DCC so far.
NYW&B
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Having just converted from DC to DCC about 3 months ago, I too would like to see some realistic numbers to get a baseline for the number of folks that are actually using DCC. Of the dozen or so model railroaders that I know around here, I'm the only one that has made the switch to date.
Purchasing a couple of DCC/Sound equipped locos really hooked me! And others seeing me run them on my little switching layout are now contemplating making the switch.
Incidentally, my switching layout (soon to be replaced by another larger one) uses all Peco Electro-Frog turnouts with no special wiring other than to use insulated joiners on the two frog rails. I simply disconnected my DC throttle, hooked up the DCC power unit and off I went! No problems or re-wiring needed.
 
bnsf971 said:
I don't know if you remember Marklin Voice Command from about 15 years ago. It was voice-activated DCC. The factory rep put on a headset, folded his arms in front of him, stepped back about five feet, and started running trains and accessories by speaking into a microphone.
Click to expand...

I don't want to learn German just to run my trains! :D
 
FCIN said:
Having just converted from DC to DCC about 3 months ago, I too would like to see some realistic numbers to get a baseline for the number of folks that are actually using DCC. Of the dozen or so model railroaders that I know around here, I'm the only one that has made the switch to date.
Purchasing a couple of DCC/Sound equipped locos really hooked me! And others seeing me run them on my little switching layout are now contemplating making the switch.
QUOTE]

This is just like most people. Everyone likes to resist change. Im guilty of it also. I have met alot of older people that were weary of dcc simply because they are new to it and can have alot of things that need to be understood. the computer age is scarey for everyone that has not played with them much. But as you said once they saw you running and showed how simple it is people start to think about it. You were a guinea pig ;)
I like sound also and as soon as I went to DCC/sound I had to have it in just about all my locos. Started with Steam. and now all 6 have sound in them its a must:rolleyes:, With Diesels all I need is one unit in a lash up with sound. I have about 18 diesels and only half have sound in them. Im hooked I guess. But thats part of the fun... doing what you enjoy
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I say it is here NOW as any of the quality manufacturers have DCC installed or at least DCC ready, even the newest brass from Asia. Any that do not are closer to the TOY train rather than the MODEL train category.
Remember that there will always be manufacturers, or is that just marketeers, that will put out a sub-standard cheap junk to make a fast buck. This covers most hobbies I have been involved with. Case in point is the cheap telescopes with plastic lenses that advertise 800X and put pictures from Hubble on the box.
 
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