I’ve always wondered what it would be like to see the two biggest egos on this forum duke it out!
Sheldon, David, you should both take a bow.
Sheldon, I have a good memory too. I still remember you asking a fellow from Norway if he was from the part of Europe your country “rescued” or the part who’s butt you kicked. Considering Norway was in the war from the beginning, unlike the US…well you figure it out. Check your history. [(-D]
Tom, maybe it did come across that way, but again, lets say I did go DCC with no sound, it is unlikely that $12 decoders would be the best choice for all my different locos and that was my main point regarding decoder cost.
DCC users on here endlessly make statements about DC based on next to no experiance with any advanced cab control system - yet no mater how carefully I state my opinions or reasons for my choices I get attacked. I know a little something about DCC. I have operated four different DCC layouts for 4-5 years now, one of those layouts I designed the track plan for.
It does get old being told “if you try it you’ll like it” by DCC people with no knowledge or experiance with the type of DC system I use. Maybe they would like my system (or Ed Ravenscroft’s MZL) if they tried it, but they where steared to DCC before they “learned” anything about these more advanced older technologies. That’s fine, time marches on, but newer is not automaticly better, sometimes its just different, especally depending on the desired result.
Many choices in life should be based on ones personal goals rather than just “going with the crowd”.
Remember, only dead fish go with the flow.
Sheldon
Yes, there is a huge difference in decoder quality. The Bachmann “on-board” ones aren’t worth the pc board material they take up. MRC sells a motor-only deocder that costs MORE than the NCE D13SR/SRJ. The NCE D13SR is a top notch high-quality decoder.
Yes, back when DCC first appeared, decoders were $50 and up and had fewer features than that D13SR. But then again, previous command control systems cost even more AND the ENTIRE system was pretty much single vendor. With DCC you’d have to change the command station and throttles - eventually, when they wore out and you vendor was no longer in business. Most of the time you can use boosters from other manufacturers.
As for the Wangrow/NCE thing, correct, they no longer offer the support or upgrade - however they did for years. Any Wangrow users had plenty of time to get switched over.
–Randy
I invite the originator of this thread to use the “Search Community” function, just to the right, in the column next to this text box. If you use a syntax such as, “Best DCC system”, you will find many threads extolling the virtues of DCC. Also, if you were to type, “DC or DCC”, it would probably serve you well. There have been many threads on that subject.
I think we have mostly had our say in this thread, even if it is largely unsettled, so I will lock it. If you have a more specific question, please feel free to ask it in a new thread.
-Crandell
[locked]