Does anyone know which DCC system, controller, complies with all the NMRA rules? In particular, the feedback feature.
Thank-you you’ll…
NMRA Conformance Warrants are listed in the following URL:
http://www.nmra.org/standards/Candi/warrants.html
The manufacturer has to submit a product for testing. Many time a newer model is released before the older model is even submitted or even tested. For the most part, Lenz seems to be pretty good about submitting new decoders for testing. Other DCC manufacturers do not put a lot effort into gettingthe conformnce testing done.
One of the problems with DCC, like most electronic stuff is that new items are being released every day. The NMRA originally specified a 8 pin(2X4) socket. A lot of engines wound up with not enough roon to get the decoder plugged into the socket(part of this was the loco manufacturer). Pretty soon some DCC manufacturers were offering the JST ( pin ‘in-line’ socket. This and things like sound hit before the NMRA could even consider them. The NMRA’s original standards really only specified the packet shape/information being sent from the DCC system to the decoder.
BTW, the ‘feedback’ is not in the system, but really is a decoder function. Some of the original QSI decoders had this feature disable due to the MTH lawsuit. Upgrade chips for the affected sound decoders are now available that give you this function back.
Jim
This is the NMRA page of current conformance warrants http://www.nmra.org/standards/Candi/warrants.html
Edit note: I see someone else replied already
Enjoy
Paul
As far as I know, the only companies that are following the NMRA Recommended Practices for feedback are Lenz and Zimo. You can check their web sites (http://www.lenz.com/index.htm and http://www.zimo.at/web2007/index2E.htm) and look for information on RailCom. Currently, the only device I know of that will read the RailCom information is the Lenz LRC120 local address display.
tetonjack,
I’m not quite sure what you mean. There are no “NMRA rules”…there are only NMRA Standards and NMRA Recommended Practices (RP’s).
I also don’t know what you mean by “the feedback feature”. Do you mean reading decoders on a programming track? Or Bi-Directional communication between the decoder and the command station? Or something else?
As for a company that desires the NMRA C&I “football”, look at Lenz:
http://www.lenz.com/manuals/otherpdffiles/conform.pdf
For a company that feels that the NMRA C&I “football” is not needed, look at Digitrax:
http://www.digitrax.com/faqinterop.php
As for the importance of the NMRA C&I “football”, just remember this: All Bachmann Spectrum diesels have the “football”, and all Katos do not. Which would you rather have? [;)]
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven