I'm done with DCC, or nothing wrong with KISS

[djconway]

Am I the only only person that doesn't find Digitrax that difficult?  Bought a Digitrax Big Boy system in 1996 and had trains running within 15 minutes of getting home. I'm still using 99% of the original  system today.

[Denver Road Doug]

Am I the only only person that doesn't find Digitrax that difficult?

There are at least two of us...   

[GaryHinshaw]

Am I the only only person that doesn't find Digitrax that difficult?

I'm perfectly happy with my Digitrax Super Chief and the Loconet architecture.  But I'm mezzo-mezzo about the reliability of their duplex radio system and I don't care for their throttles.  For every function except speed control, I vastly prefer WiThrottle or EngineDriver on my phone or tablet.  (Now I'm trying to convince the EngineDriver developer to devise a speed control widget that works with these knobs.)

But even more than train control, DCC (with jmri) makes it easy to do things with layout control that would be very difficult with analog systems.  The vibrant community of open-source developers that support jmri and bring the buying power of consumer electronics to model railroading is a boon as well.*  For me, It's not just about running trains, but running a railroad.

*Aside: I have to give a shout out to one of the jmri developers who helped me this week.  I recently encountered a signal puzzle in one of my web-based control panels, so I posted a query to the users group.  Within an hour or so, Steve Todd posted a response asking that I email him my panel file.  We traded emails for a few days to trouble shoot the problem and he posted a beta version of jmri for me to use.  Problem solved, for free. 

Added - I completely understand Loren's position and I agree with his conclusions.  Variety is the spice of life.

[mark dance]

I have to completely concur with Gary on everything save that I do like the Digitrax UT4 functionality...but just not the UT4R duplexing reliability.  (An Android with a knob and toggle sold at 100-120$ would be Nirvana and Digitrax would never sell another throttle again...I wish they would listen.)

I also have to concur with the fantastic support of the JMRI community and the functionality they have built into PanelPro and Logix.  The ability to integrate fast clock info, Train Order semaphore control, distributed TO panels and centralized Dispatching, and the ease with which I can make changes and switch over between operating schemas, is awesome.  Just like a Tesla's drive-by-wire architecture allows the car to be customized to each driver who drives it, we can enable various operating schemas on the C&W with the flick of a virtual toggle switch on an old XP laptop.  This has been very useful as we experiment with different protocols for how engineers receive and acknowledge (or not) Train orders, and how they protect their train against following trains.  This is under TT&TO...I can only imagine what this ability means for an OCS or CTC environment!

md

[peteski]

Am I the only only person that doesn't find Digitrax that difficult?  Bought a Digitrax Big Boy system in 1996 and had trains running within 15 minutes of getting home. I'm still using 99% of the original  system today.

That's because you are used to it after 20 years of experience with it. 

What I would love to do is to sit you in a room with several model railroaders who have no experience with DCC and who want to get a DCC system. Then give them half a dozen of DCC systems to try (including of course Digitrax).  They let them at it and once they done messing around with each system, ask them for their opinions about ease of use and understanding each system.  I have a strong feeling that Digirtax would be ranked close (or at) the bottom.

[craigolio1]

So choosing my Zephyr was my first mistake? I feel like maybe I'm getting my money's though. It was FREE!  Haha.

Craig.

[GaryHinshaw]

Your Zephyr should be fine Craig.

...save that I do like the Digitrax UT4 functionality...but just not the UT4R duplexing reliability.  (An Android with a knob and toggle sold at 100-120$ would be Nirvana and Digitrax would never sell another throttle again...I wish they would listen.)

Agreed, the thing I dislike about the UT4 is the radio reliability (and the cramped rotary switches for the loco address).  But they're hard to beat for an easy to hold switching throttle. 

As we discussed last week, ESU really missed the boat with their new throttle. $400??    A surplus Android and a stick-on knob could yield a state-of-the-art throttle for $40.  It's only a matter of time before someone puts two and two together.

[Scottl]

Hopefully those stick on knobs can be incorporated into JMRI.  That is a fine solution.

[GaryHinshaw]

It would be the work of a moment for the WiThrottle/EngineDriver developers to make a widget that accommodates those knobs.  As I said above, I'm pinging Steve Todd, the EngineDriver author, about this.  If he's game, I'll order some and try it. 

[davefoxx]

I have a strong feeling that Digirtax would be ranked close (or at) the bottom.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  We know.  You're pro-Kato and anti-Digitrax.  Got it.   

DFF

[Scottl]

Hey, that is Ka-toe to you mister 

[peteski]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.  We know.  You're pro-Kato and anti-Digitrax.  Got it.   

DFF

Yes, just being realistic.   I'm not going to repeat it (just yet). 

I just dislike when people tell me that some DCC system is easy to use when I, first hand, know that is is not.

I like Kato, but they don't make a DCC system.  But if they did, and it was intuitive, easy to use, and robust, I would be a big proponent of it.   

[Doug G.]

Hehe, There used to be emotional arguments between DCC and DC proponents. Now there are emotional arguments between proponents of different DCC systems.

Ya gotta love it.



Doug

[John]

Am I the only only person that doesn't find Digitrax that difficult?  Bought a Digitrax Big Boy system in 1996 and had trains running within 15 minutes of getting home. I'm still using 99% of the original  system today.

I don't find it difficult either ..

[Rich_S]

Yes, just being realistic.   I'm not going to repeat it (just yet). 

I just dislike when people tell me that some DCC system is easy to use when I, first hand, know that is is not.

I like Kato, but they don't make a DCC system.  But if they did, and it was intuitive, easy to use, and robust, I would be a big proponent of it.   

Pete, You are correct, if you are looking for a system that is easy to setup and program NCE or MRC Prodigy systems fit the bill. For me at an operating session, I hate carrying around a throttle that's twice the size of my TV's remote control. That is the one thing I really like about my Digitrax DT100 throttle, it's the size of a normal deck of playing cards. I'm not a fan of the Digitrax DT400, but it's still smaller than a NCE ProCab.

I think most people do not like Digitrax because it uses hexadecimal numbers. Some people cannot get past "A", "B", "C", "D", "E" and "F" representing numbers. Digitrax made it easy, just use the conversion chart in the back of the manual. Yes I agree, for many this is an issue and that is why we have so many different manufactures of DCC products, competition makes the market place better for all of us.    

Yes, add me to the "I don't find Digitrax that difficult" crowd