I have the Zephyr dcc package with a UT4 throttle and I was wondering if anybody run their layouts using infrared operation and if so is it worth trying?
Billy21
Infra red is the system that most TV remotes use. It requires a direct line of sight between the LED on the throttle and the UR90. Therefor how well it works depends on your layout and the placement of the UR90.
Billy,
the UT4 has infared capability, but you will need a UR90 ‘receiver’ to use it. Since it is basically ‘line of sight’ you will need to point the throttle at the receiver or have a lot of ‘white’ walls/ceilings to allow the signal to ‘bounce’ to the UR90. The UR91 will pick up both infared and radio signals. You can have your UT4 ‘upgraded’ to a ‘radio’ UT4R by Digitrax(factory only). I had two older DT100 throttles that they upgraded for me many years ago to DT100R radio capability. If you really want to go ‘wireless’, I would suggest you spend the extra cash and get the radio version - they are so much better. And lay in a good supply of 9v batteries - radio throttles ‘eat’ them!
Jim
Friend of mine has a UR90 mounted on one wall of his layout room, which has a white drop ceiling that’s fairly low. So long as you have the throttle above the layout fascia, it pretty much works no matter which way you point it, apart from down at the floor or below the edge of the layout. You definitely don’t need to point directly at the UR90, at least with his white ceiling and light blue walls. I’d rate the IR in Digitrax throttle as middle of the road - vs various TV and VCR remotes I;ve had over the years, some that barely worked when poitned right at the device (hello, Comcast) (those would be ‘low’) and others that worked from completely different rooms where there was no possibility of line of sight (and yes they were IR and not RF) (those would be ‘high’). The Digitrax IR throttles aren’t quite that good, but they are definitely not the low end kind that need absolutely perfect alignment to function.
–Randy
I totally agree with rrinker. Afriend of mine has had Digitrax IR for years and at one exhibition in a school Gymnasium (no white walls anywhere just brick or wood) when the throttle was pointed at a wall about 60 feet away the signal ‘bounced’ back and the locos responded. Do Radio Throttles work at this distance?
ukrailroader
Radio throttles work even upstairs at my house. The key is ‘fresh’ batteries in the throttle!
Jim
My club tried the Digitrax IR set up and we didn’t like it. It had a slight delay to it that drove everybody crazy. We switched to the radio set up and its great. GET THE RADIO UNIT. It’s a little more expensive but worth it in the long run. We have been 200 feet away from our layout at shows and were still able to operate the trains on it. Like Jim said, fresh batteries is the key.