QUOTE (dbclass50 @ 7 Jan 2007, 13:45) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Just had a quick look at the forum and ;
First thing - don't think much at all of the format. MRF is much better set up.
and (Taking a humoungous breath of air) - judging by the type of posts it seems to sum up perfectly the difference between the "train set people" & the "model railway people".
I think a far bigger problem is that Hornby aren't responding via the Forums either. When the vast majority of buyers buy their sets they will automatically go the Hornby Website for advice and help and Hornby aren't providing this.
The select is designed to be easy to use, so if it isn't doing what people expect it to they aren't getting that involved in trying to get it to work. Easy to use must mean easy to fix. There isn't a help page on the website and most people have no choice but to return items.
One of the big problems is that it doesn't read back CV's so people can't check that it has programmed properly which would be the first thing to check by reading CV1.
Having to send things back should be a last resort but Hornby aren't providing the help they require and people have no choice.
There are a few of us trying to help, but as most of us don't have a Select to work from we can only go by what our systems do and this isn't ideal.
I think the vast Majority of DC user's who have brought the set to test the water will work round these issues as they are used to tinkering and getting things to work.
"Little Johnnies" mother isn't going to try and will take it back for another unit or refund, even possibly stopping little Johnnie form getting started in the hobby before he has chance to.
If Hornby don't start offering online support to their forum then people will stop buying the DCC sets and Hornby will see this as "the UK doesn't want DCC" and stop producing it.
The ball is in their court at the moment and the sooner they wake up and start taking notice the better.
It seems to be the DCC mixed goods set that most people have brought and having issues with, whether it's the decoders in the loco's or the Select unit I don't know, but it would be interesting to see what ratio are actually faulty on return.
Darren (Hornby fan by the way)
First thing - don't think much at all of the format. MRF is much better set up.
and (Taking a humoungous breath of air) - judging by the type of posts it seems to sum up perfectly the difference between the "train set people" & the "model railway people".
I think a far bigger problem is that Hornby aren't responding via the Forums either. When the vast majority of buyers buy their sets they will automatically go the Hornby Website for advice and help and Hornby aren't providing this.
The select is designed to be easy to use, so if it isn't doing what people expect it to they aren't getting that involved in trying to get it to work. Easy to use must mean easy to fix. There isn't a help page on the website and most people have no choice but to return items.
One of the big problems is that it doesn't read back CV's so people can't check that it has programmed properly which would be the first thing to check by reading CV1.
Having to send things back should be a last resort but Hornby aren't providing the help they require and people have no choice.
There are a few of us trying to help, but as most of us don't have a Select to work from we can only go by what our systems do and this isn't ideal.
I think the vast Majority of DC user's who have brought the set to test the water will work round these issues as they are used to tinkering and getting things to work.
"Little Johnnies" mother isn't going to try and will take it back for another unit or refund, even possibly stopping little Johnnie form getting started in the hobby before he has chance to.
If Hornby don't start offering online support to their forum then people will stop buying the DCC sets and Hornby will see this as "the UK doesn't want DCC" and stop producing it.
The ball is in their court at the moment and the sooner they wake up and start taking notice the better.
It seems to be the DCC mixed goods set that most people have brought and having issues with, whether it's the decoders in the loco's or the Select unit I don't know, but it would be interesting to see what ratio are actually faulty on return.
Darren (Hornby fan by the way)
