at another thread i had talked about the new generation of DCC controller… primarily form ESU…in case some are wondering on how these new controllers operate using a touchscreen and linux OS… the are based on the just released maerklin MFX central station. even though is it maerklin the technology is the same… here is a link to the new manual that gives some indication on how these new system will work…
Conceptually neat, but that controller looks HUGE (the horizontal aspect screams TWO HANDS to me) and time will tell if we need a high-res display on the controller just to select a loco and activate functions. Might be nice for programming, but a large and easy to read display is present with DecoderPro today and it works with many different DCC systems.
actually it is about the size of a regular B4 sized paged and you can attach little wlak around controllers to it… as many as you want… take a look, even though this is from maerklin, trix already has the DCC version on the market…
Well this is all very exciting stuff. I hope that some of these brands like ESU are able to bring product to the market at reasonable prices, at least close enough to NCE, Digitrax et al, to get considered because otherwise they will have little impact over here. Zimo is a good example, as most folks dismiss it from consideration due to the very high cost compared to the domestic US makers. Digitrax is a good example of a US company that is offering some quite old technology. It has been a long time since anything new on the command station front came out from them. The Zephyr is the latest and it is what, 5 years old now? I would like to think that they have been, and are working on next generation technology. Since I have a good investment in Digitrax equipment, I hope that they continue to consider backwards compatibility as they bring out new stuff. Anyway, thanks for sharing.
That stone axe crack… Let me put it this way. A two handed controller is a non-starter with me or with just about anyone who operates a model railroad. How do you hold the uncoupling stick? How do you hold the paperwork (car cards, train orders, etc.)? How do you throw switches while moving the train? Any DCC controller should be set up to allow for simple forward & backward plus speed control with only one hand. Anything else is just asking for trouble.
simon,
The Zephyr is, at most, 3.5 years old. I believe it came out in the Fall of 2002.
As far as the rest, there really hasn’t been a need to upgrade the Chief system due to the ability of it to handle new technology with ease. For example, the Chief can handle the new signal system, Transponding, F9 to F12, UT4’s, and so on without needing to be updated.
Now, if this new NMRA Bi-Directional standard every comes in, then perhaps Digitrax may have to update it’s software. But so far, so good.
The rumor mill is that Digitrax is working on duplex radio throttles and therefore cab signals (far future, IMHO). Sound is the latest big project, and sources were saying at the Springfield show that in four or so weeks Digitrax sound could be shipping. Others said by late spring, so who knows? Even so, they still need to develop and release the PR2 to be able to re-program sounds…
Looks promising - I like the fact that they’ve managed to integrate two open-source standards (DCC and Linux). The two-handed aspect need not be a problem either - you could easily stick a piece of Velcro to the back and wrap the other “strip” of same around your uncoupling tool, then just stick it to the back of the throttle when not in use. I suspect that it’s designed for the European market - auto-uncoupling tends to be popular and not many people use much in the way of paperwork (beyond a timetable and possibly a series of cards to decide what operations will be carried out).
Do you work for ESU or have some vested interest in touting them? I only ask because you seem to hit a lot of DCC threads, and your posts in them seem like they’ are always to push ESU.
Now if you’re just an enthusiastic user, that’s cool. You certainly will find a large number of folks ready, wiling and able to tout/defend and represent Digitrax for no other reason than loyalty and satisfaction with the product. While I’m not a digitrax aficianado, I myself also recommend products I use and enjoy… (though that’s a small percentage of my posting, not the bulk)
However, if you’re anything but an impartial/unbiased user, you really ought to say so and/or at least put it in your profile. I don’t think anyone would care, they just want to know. For example, there’s a fellow here who is the US ditributor for Zimo, but he normally states so when posting… I think it’s important so thsi place doesn’t become a venue for “guerilla” marketing.
I’m glad the technology is progressing…but man! I want a lever!
Call me an old bogey, but I like to feel like I"m running a train and not a VCR or DVD player…
I guess it won’t happen, but [b]I wish manufacturers would consider installing a rheostat style lever instead of those little “hamster cage” roll wheels, or those wide pancake knobs!!
From what I’ve seen, the Digitrax Zephyr is the only one that offers a lever. Makes me feel “a little more” like a locomotive engineer.
Paul, it’s a PSP/Gameboy world. Old farts like us are bothered by that, but the youngsters won’t give it a second thought. As someone suggested, a pocket on the back for car cards and a bit of velcro across the top edge to hold a pencil or stylus and you’re all set. Eventually, the car cards will be on the controller’s display screen anyway, so it won’t matter. [:)]
i am new to the forum and have for now only participated in the german forums… the prfile pic was my only way to help me show a picture before i found the image button in.
nope i am not a fan of dcc or esu,… i am running a maerklin set with a maerklin Central Stationand 3 mobile stations… and my H0N3 system is running a soudntraxx souind system analog…
the ESU issue was introduced be me since the news hit the fan here in europe and all the forums are full of it since it really is a little revolutions… the idea that a controller is running linux is new… and therefore everyone is checking it out… i know from friends that ESU is making a big hit in the US with their decoders and soundunits…
and since i always found that there is a lakc of information sharing between these two greats groups of modelrailraoders i was trying to build a bridge…
and just now a new DCC controller was released by ROCO… the multimaus…and now i know how to use the image function…
you can expect many new innovations from germany… LENZ. ROCO, ESU and Uhlenbrock… wait and see…the DCC Norm is after all German too… the DCC protocoll was invented by LENZ after all…
