For those of you who have decided to take the plunge, I finally was able to find a comparison table online at Tony’s Trains site. It compares both starter and more advanced systems from Digitrax, Lenz, MRC and NCE. I believe that posting a link is frowned upon but if you google “Comparison of DCC Systems” you will eventually get to the link.
You may also have to further google search Tony’s Trains.
Unfortunately seeing as how it is now 7 years old, it is woefully out of date, especially as NONE of the Digitrax systems listed are even available any more. ANd there are some inaccuracies as well. More so than that, there is no explanation of the various features compared, so one migh think the system that says it has 16 recalls is somehow better than the one with 4 recalls. But a recall stack is how NCE switches between multiple running locos, Digitrax and others operate differently.
Yes, if you read really old posts of mine I pick on that issue as well - ebcause it’s an easy target. Digitrax throttles actually have a configurable ‘recall stack’ but it’s more like the “most recently used documents” folder in Windows than what other systems call a recall stack. And I’ve shown how it is actually less efficient, especially if you set it to 8 or 16. Why? OK, to select ANY loco, worst case is 6 button presses - Select, 4 digits, Enter. If instead I want to pull a loco from the recal stack, it can be as few as 3 buttons - select, down (or up) once though the list, enter - but it can be as many as, if set to a depth of 8, up to 10 button presses - select, up (or down) 8 times to get to th last one, enter.
Oh, I stand corrcted, they DO have the Zephyr Xtra listed, not the original Zephyr, so that is still available. However, it looks liek all they did was swap the name, put in the 29 functions, and 3 amps. Still says No for software updates. Wrong, end user updatable. As are all the new Digitrax systems and throttles. But that’s another misnomer category - the old DCS100 had no software updates? Actually, it did have one, backw hen the NMRA expanded from 8 to 12 functions. But past that, it hasn’t needed one because of the peer to peer nature of Digitrax. The command station did not need an update to go from 12 functions to 29 like the others.
I pick mostly on the inaccuracies with Digitrax because that is the one I am most
I have to laugh every time someone trots out that old “comparison chart”.
It says right at the top it was last updated in June of 2011. Are you going to tell me nothing has changed in the DCC world in the past seven years?
And even looking at it from a 2011 standpoint it’s incomplete to the point of being misleading.
Here’s a review of it from May of 2012 (the first one I could find after it’s June 2011 “update”):
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/744/p/206491/2259012.aspx#2259012
Edit: Made the link clickable.
Edit again: At least I thought I made it clickable. But I’m not going to fight with the forum software so if anyone wants to follow it they’ll just have to copy/paste. Sorry for the inconvenience!
Is there a current chart?
Ok, I stand corrected. I was trying to find an objective comparison of the different systems out there and I failed. My bad.
I officially give up in this respect and look forward to the future posts that will repeat that sytem A is better than system and the opposing viewpoints that system B is better than sustem A.
DCC is only one method of controlling model trains using digital control. There are other methods. Some are wireless and do not require any wires to the track.
The hobby is evolving.
Rich
And STILL they can;t get it right.
Control on the two Digitrax EVO systems is same as SEB or SuperCHief - buttons and 2 knobs.
Super Empire Builder can NOT read back CVs.
It says Yes for Super Chief and SEB for computer interface but No for the two EVO sets? None of them INCLUDE a computer interface but there are several available for any of those systems.
ANd what the heck is Auto Shuffle/Auto Signal Control that the Zephyr seems to have but not Zephy Xtra or any of the other systems? Oh and SEB and SC were both available as 5 or 8 amp, different SKUs, the EVO systems are 5/8 out of the box depending on what power supply you connect.
And lest you think this is all Digitrax, the ESU CabControl does NOT do programming on the main.
Technically, if you use CV19 consisting, the number of locos in a consist is ‘unlimited’ on any system - you could have 2000 locos witht he same CV19 consist address, if you had enough power to run it all. But any time there is information about a consist stored in the command station, it can;t be ‘unlimited’ - the microcontroller will run of of memory at some point.
–Randy
Comparing brands and finding features you like and a handheld that is comfortable and easy for you to understand and operate are important, however there are other considerations. Is there is any chance that you will go to another layout near you or someone will come to your layout to operate or go to a club? It would be handy to have the same brand so that you can take your throttle to their layout and operate. The dealer I purchased from offered that as one of his first suggestions when I was shopping for my starter set.
Good luck,
Richard
Do you have friends who use DCC? Try theirs out.
If you have a local club, see what they use. Try their throttles.
No club? Does a LHS deal in DCC? Do they handle a specific brand?
If so, that’s your preferred brand. You have local help for issues/questions, etc…
One in my area was a Digitrax dealer, so that is why I have Digitrax. If he dealt in NCE instead, I would have NCE.
Now? That LHS is gone… It’s a shame too, bc he handled the shop the exact way you should, he was friendly, always helpful, and, called you by your name.
Gentlemen, I give up.
I don’t know why it is so hard for people to simply copy the information from each manufacturer’s site and make an ACCURATE table.
Maybe it doesn’t matter. If you are never going to have more than a 4x8 layout what does it matter how many consists and how many dozens of locos a system can run?
Price should not be a factor, other than chosing a smaller system today and expanding as you go vs buying the full blown system up front. The major systems all let you do that with no wasted parts or unused items after you expand. I don’t know what NCE charges, but Digitrax charges only the original price difference between radio and non radio throttles to upgrade one to radio, so starting with plug in throttles and going radio later doesn’t cost extra because you waited.
When it comes to basic operation, all the systems work the same.
–Randy
Point taken, Randy.
Randy, thinking about your last post, if price should not be a factor, and I agree about the number of consists and locomotives etc., which are probably not a big concern for most users. Clearly, maximum current is probably one. Number of additional throttles that can be added may be another one. Walk around capability is a third. Expandability…and then what?
Maybe we could all put together a table here and Steven might be kind enough to make it a sticky?
We could break it into Command Stations, Throttles, Boosters, Power control (breakers/districts), Computer Communication/Control & Accessory boards
For Command Stations we could list:
I still don’t know the benefit of the evolution series DCS command boosters or the new PR4
Digitrax apparently considers the Evolution series to be a starter set. Looks like it comes in a wired or radio version, 5 or 8 amp.
With alldue respect to hte sponsors of this forum, I am kind of surprised that MR hasnt come up with a comparison of the various systems out there.
$450+ for a “starter set” is quite a chunk of change.
Beats me, I just took a look at the Digitrax site and that is how they identified it, and I agree with you that $450 is a chunk of change. I am also a little surprised that a starter set comes in a minimum 5 amp version. 5 amps is a lot.
Beats me, I just took a look at the Digitrax site and that is how they identified it, and I agree with you that $450 is a chunk of change. I am also a little surprised that a starter set comes in a minimum 5 amp version. 5 amps is a lot. I assume that they have done some marketing survey or some research which indicates there is a market out there for the Evolution system.
That’s actually LESS than the old Super Chief.
Digitrax has always considers ALL of its packaged systems (meaning, the ones that come as command station, throttle, etc all in one package) as ‘starter sets’ regardless of the capabilities of each one. What they mean by ‘starter set’ is that it includes everythign you need in oen package to get started, as opposed to buying components ala carte. Plus the packaged systems generally costs significantly less than the ala carte option. They don’t mean ‘starter set’ as ‘beginner set’.
Digitrax has also long had multiple entry points, with a variety of systems with different features across a wide price range. Others have, until more recently, only had ‘a’ system, prior to the PowerCab the only option from NCE was to get a 5 amp to 10 amp version fo the PowerPro. Going back to Day 1, Digitrax had systems like the Challenger, Genesis, and Chief, each with different features and a range pf prices, but even the most basic set could be upgraded with additional components to gain the features of the higher end systems.
They have fewer optiosn now than ever, actually - there used to be 5: Zephyr Xtra, SEB Xtra, SEB Xtra-Radio, Super CHief Xtra, Super Chief Xtra-Radio. They’ve done away with a limited command station with no dedicated program track, so there now is only the Zephyr Xtra, and the EVO with or without radio. The new DB210 and DB220 boosters are pure boosters, no command station functionality whatsoever like the old DB150. The top of the line command station is currently not available in a packaged set, the DCS240.
–Randy