If everyone hasn’t heard yet, the Digitrax full duplex radios are coming. They were demonstrating them today at the WGH show in Louisville, Ky. I spoke to them at length and here’s what I found out (yes, I actually used a full duplex DT402R throttle)
The new duplex receivers are UR-92 panels. They are the same size as the UR-91s, they just have a full duplex radio. There are new throttles DT402R. The throttle and receiver are all that is needed to convert to two way operation. The main difference is the ability to acquire new locomotives without plugging into Loconet. No changes to boosters or command stations are needed. The good news here is that in keeping with typical Digitrax fashion, minimal changes are needed to go to the full duplex systems and you can still use current stuff without throwing anything away.
Upgrades to existing DT400s will be available. The full duplex and simplex receivers are not interoperable so if you have both throttles being used on your layout, keep your UR91s and add a UR92. Both can work at the same time and not interfere with each other. I did not ask about infared full duplex.
No date was available yet for when the new receivers and throttles will be available. I think they are holding that announcement for the NMRA convention. Also note that Digitrax is moving their offices from Georgia to Florida soon and there will be some interruptions as they move.
So the wait may be over soon! Are the new throttles different from the good old DT400 in any other way than the duplex radio? I am curious about things like increased function support?
well the light is finally at the end of the tunnel after 4 years of waiting, but why haven’t they sorted the higher functions control at the same time?? my guess is marketing, flood the market with duplex DT402R’s and when sales slow down release the DT403R? maybe with a UR93?? and get to where they should be knowish. using the A10,B11 and C12 buttons as A1#. B2# and C3# instead would make using the higer functions just like TV controls. you press A1# followed by 6 for function 16 etc. not rocket science. that gives you upto 40 switches for functions ( remember to count 0 for lights ). i will be getting a set, but dissapointed that it won’t be all there just yet. can you have your current radio stuff upgraded to duplex?? not just the DT400, but the UR91 and the DT100 and 300’s and UT4’s??
Hey! Good news indeed! [:)][tup] I trust you won’t have to wait too much longer for the Duplex system. I’m sure Digitrax is being very thorough about product development before bringing anything out. When they eventually do, it’s bound to be a good system and well thought out.
I didn’t ask about DT100s and DT300s. He did say that UT4s are upgradable and I believe he also stated that the UR91s are upgradable but since the simplex and full duplex operate on different radio frequencies and are not interoperable, that becomes an all or nothing upgrade point.
In speaking with him I got the feeling that Digitrax didn’t see the move to full dpulex as a major functional increase with huge implications but more of an emotional item since the only new functionality that full fuplex provides is acquiring new locomotives without plugging in. I tend to agree with them. I am not clammoring for the full duplex functionality but I’ll probably upgrade at some point in the future but if the choice of a spend is a new Atlas Gold locomotive vs upgrading to full duplex, the upgrade will get pushed out while I add to my roster [:)]
In the light of competitive activity it seems very odd to me that this upgrade would be so limited in its scope.
I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand I am thrilled that there is an upgrade path for all my existing equipment that does not require retiring and replacing my current investment in their hardware. On the other hand, this upgrade does little or nothing to address the competitive issues for someone looking to get into DCC for the first time.
Actually, phrasing it like that makes me feel a lot better because they have clearly decided to take care of the installed base first.
If ‘new function’ is F28 functions, I could care less. Controlling ‘coupler clank’, ‘air hose pop’, & ‘opening/closing the cab door’ sound really are sort of useless.
Now, if they would have introduced ‘reverse consist ends’ like NDE has done; that would be usable, but something I can live without.
Since the ‘Demo’ in GB, the direction of Digitrax has been known(and this UD ‘demo’ confirms it). I was aware of the DT400R & UR4R upgrade path. For our club, I will just buy a UR92 for those that upgrade throttles or buy a new DT402R. The DT100/DT100R is no longer available(parts), so I would not expect any upgrade path there. The DT300 series as well may not be in the upgrade path.
The upgrade path you describe is exactly what Digitrax said they were targeting with how they introduced full duplex. Aside from the competitive aspect, it is really a minor upgrade. I concur on the higher functions. I doubt I’d ever use them unless they brought some significant functionality. However, having Digitrax provide this type of an upgrade path without replacing/upgrading command stations, boosters and rearchitecting Loconet is extremely important. Have a separate receiver with the UR92s and not making this an all or nothing upgrade also continues with your investment protection.
This is great news. I have been waiting for Digitrax to upgrade to duplex raido for a while. I want to get some of the new UT-4R, but was waiting for Duplex. I have two DT-100R, two DT-300R and a DT-400R. I had another DT-100 and two UT-1 which I sold because they could not be upgraded to radio. I will probably send my DT-400R in for upgrade and just buy the new duplex UT-4. (I use decoder pro so my DT-400R is for running trains only and not for programming.)
My radio throttles work fine but I think it is a major problem to have to pull the 9v batteries out of the throttles after use to keep the batteries from running down. (I do use recharagable 9v batteries.) The UT-4R has a sleep mode to turn the throttle off.
Having lots of functions is not a major issue with me. I only have one sound locomotive (I will be upgrading other locomotives in the future). I only use the lights, horn and bell. I use ground throws for turnouts.
Double ended consists has been available with Digitrax since the get go. What is new to NCE is old school with Digitrax. I have been using double ended consisting with Digitrax since the year 2000 first with a DT100R and now with a DT400R throttle. It takes only 4 keystrokes to change end of the consist and it is done on the fly. I posted a while back how to do it.
jbinkley60,
According to the message I got from the Digitrax Yahoo group, the new duplex throttles are to be called DT402D and UT4D, not “R”. The end “D” is for duplex, I suppose.
There is one other major benefit for “normal” duplex radio besides just acquiring new addresses. Now, one will also be able to make and break consists without being plugged in. This one still bites people in the butt at my club from time to time.
The other upgrades would be things like reading a decoder without being plugged in (on the mainline in a transponding section, if nothing else), cab signalling (those semaphores in the upper corners of the display), and using the “FIND” command (with transponding). It may perhaps lead to things like a speedometer and other abilities we don’t know about just yet.
locoworks,
I doubt that one would need anything like a “UR93” for higher functions in any “DT500” scenario. For example, when the UR91 first came out, there was only F0-F8 (the DT100R). Now they are up to F12 with the DT400 and UT4, yet we’re still using the same UR91.
it is ok saying you’re not interested in more functions etc, but loco’s will be coming out the factories with more than 12 functions fitted as standard so any control system you are looking to purchase will be at a disadvantage if it can’t make your new all singing and dancing loco with onboard sound burp and fart in all the right places. i also think that companies should standardise what function works what sound for steam and diesels.as i posted elsewhere i had 2 bachmann loco’s with factory fitted sound ( loksound decoders ) and they didn’t use the same functions for the same actions between their own loco’s!! stupid idea.
I will personally give 20 bucks (USD or Canadian) to anyone here on these forums or from anywhere else that can find a use for, and remember, 40 function in a decoder. Personally, anything beyond 6 is just useless and I think that Digitrax feels the same way.
MRC decoder ‘feature’ 28 buttons that you can press and do ‘stuff’. Unfortunately, about half of the ‘stuff’ has to do with horn selection, bell selection, volume controls (they only have 4 settings…loud…louder…loudest and off) and other useless things that you will never, ever use OR remember.
So, to sum-up, I feel that making a selling point of 28 functions on a throttle is a bit like Rat’s Venom that will cure all…
my point was that the A B C buttons could be used to give the rest of the functions as they do naff all on the DT400 as is, so why a wait for something new to get the higher functions? i will be dissapointed IF a ‘NEW’ rather than an upgraded throttle is required to get the extra functions. but i do see where you are going re the UR91.
I might have gotten the part number wrong. I only looked at it once. It was a DT402 and I thought it was an R but it could have been a D. I assumed the 2 was for 2 way. There was a few people at the booth and I was paying more attention to doing the wireless acquire than looking at the part number.
extra functions don’t have to mean sound. having lights controlled individually is a great help for british ( maybe US too ) diesels and steam . depending on whether light engine or with a load and whether the load is passengers or freight, or even what type of freight. differe