I have been using an MRC Prodigy Express DCC system on my small layout with good results. The question I have is regarding the cable for the handheld throttle. The cable uses standard RJ45 plugs on each end, can anyone tell me if the wiring in this cable would be the same as a standard ethernet patch cable for networking? If this is the case I can save $ on buying stuff from MRC and wire my own extension jacks and use existing 15’ ethernet cables.
Thanks!
It’s probably straight wired flat cable - you can save money on that too by making your own. Ethernet cables might work - straight through ones, not crossovers. You want pin 1 to 1, 2 to 2, etc. Over long distances out near the limits of what MRC supports ther could POSSIBLY be issues with which signals are paired and wrapped around each other in a standard Ethernet cable, but if your layout is big enough to stretch the limits of the MRC cab bus than the PE is probably not the system for you anyway.
–Randy
Layout size won’t be an issue, it’s only a 4’x8’ [:)] so I don’t forsee any problems with distance. I’m going to try the ethernet cable tonight and see what happens.
The answer is yes they are the same. As Randy said, use straight patch cables. I used standard network jacks, boxes and spliters to wire extra jacks in my facia without problems. I also use two of the MRC extension plates and everything works together just fine.
So can MRC’s extention plates be “daisy-chained” around the layout? And is there a limit to how many you can have? I guess I always thought you were limited to the three outputs it has, and the extension plates are simply extensions of those outlets. I hope I’m wrong!
Scott
The ‘documentaton’ on MRC is rather sparse - does it even mention how far the longest cable run can be? There could be issues with really long runs with not having enough voltage to run the cab. I’d think you can daisy chain the panels but the question would be how many throttles cna you plug in before you don’t have enough power? Other systems offer ways to inject power to operate the cabs.
–Randy
MRC receives a lot of bad press thru innuendo and pure intent due to some perceived wrong in the ancient past. Your 4’x8’ layout can certainly be served by additional cab ports created with RJ45 line and connectors. I have done this for a slightly larger layout and you can find a previous thread of posts on this on the yahoo.com groups for MRCDCC. Go for it and have a goodun and have fun. The MRC Express, particularly with the Advance Cab, is a very effiecient and user friendly system with expansion capability via boosters and additional cabs.
Don
As stated above, you can use the ethernet cables with the MRC system. I personally use them on my layout. I only needed a 6 foot cable, but it works. I had heard that one of the “drawbacks” to the MRC system was that you had to get extensions only through MRC as the cable is not standard. I took the controller to Radio Shack and asked if they had a connection for this. they showed me a standard 8 conductor wire used for ethernet connections. When I got DSL for my computer the router cable is an 8 conductor cable. So I had heard wrong, the cable is standard. Go use it.