[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (dieselweasel @ 12 Jan 2008, 03:03) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Sorry to keep banging on about this, but can anyone put a review od the NCe power cab on this thread ?

***I could...

But I think that a "user" not a reseller should do it as its very much more "street talk" if done that way

Perhaps 91C or Wiggy would be the ideal candidates (one for PowerCab and one for PowerHouse Pro) as they have some depth of DCC experience and went through other systems before they found NCE ....so have a very useful real world "owners perspective"?

So - how about it guys??

Richard
DCCconcepts

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (Doug @ 12 Jan 2008, 19:42) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Richard, send me one and I'll do it

BTW, I have moved all comments in the Review thread to this parallel one so that the original can remain "clean" with only reviews of the DCC products. I'll put links in each post to this thread.

***Good move Doug - I do so many E-replies per day on several lists and I do get sloppy - so both sorry and thank you!
I really do need to re-look at the thread title more carefully before I respond sometimes.

On the subject of samples.... joking aside I do have a couple of "soon to be released items" I'll send to you in the next week or two (I'm preparing the "beta" instructions for them now, so you'd better send me an address). I'd value an honest and direct MRRF review very much.

Re member reviews:

I really do like the "member reviews" from users very much as they are always looking from a real, fresh and very pragmatic way compared to magazines and professional reviewers.

They will often highlight things differently, which will either show that what the Mfr/Mags consider important is not the same as the "hands on modeller" sees, or that a product that seems to be just right has things that could be better explained in manuals or perhaps revised.

Sometimes a "Newer to DCC reviewer" just sees things others miss or take for granted!

Clever Mfrs would really take this sort of street level review such as MRF encourages at face value, instead of relying on magazines and PR people to do it...and instead of protesting as they often do, simply acknowledge, take note, find out why planning and perception are different and make changes....

THEN we'd all get the sort of product we'd all like lots more often!

Regards

Richard
DCCconcepts

 

[Richard Johnson]

***That was quick Ian - and well done too! A concise, clean and very informative review.
I see you found the on-screen amp-meter OK

Kind regards

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (wiggy25 @ 15 Jun 2008, 22:09) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Would have been nice if that were the case but it's not!
Tried it yesterday on my set up, as I've just bought my dad the Delux Cab for his birthday/fathers day present, it will still give him 2 locos in the recall stack on both controllers but thats it, you don't get 6 in the recall stack.

Sorry about that!

Cheers

***Bear in mind you can still run way more than two loco's - its just that only two are on "one button recall". I really don't think this issue is a big one at all, especially since the way the system reacts to non-recall stack locos has been changed.

Richard
DCCconcepts

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (wiggy25 @ 15 Jun 2008, 23:09) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Richard,

NCE didn't send lots of the Version 1.28b firmware over though did they?
I know John at bromsgrove models had a few but not many.
Has NCE done any more firmware updates yet apart from the V1.28c which is for the USB interface?
More importantly do I need to send my registration card off again to get the V1.28b chip?

cheers

*** Ian I have no idea how many they sent to UK...

Just write to them (snail mail) or phone them and order one.... Or ask John of he can arrange one for you. either is Easier and faster (NCE are always flat out so often slowish with email)

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (wiggy25 @ 1 Jul 2008, 16:44) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>As far as I know that is the very latest version of firmware.
I had the new chip sent to me last year which was version 1.28.
NCE did release a partial update to select if you wanted the functions to switch on/off when selecting a loco out of the recall stack.
I believe this was V1.28b

The version you have V1.28C is the latest with modifications to make it work with the new USB PC interface.

If you buy the PC interface on it's own, it actually comes with V1.28C

Cheers

***To confirm, yes, thats the current firmware. This doesn't change often - rarely more than yearl, usually longer between changes.... the last one was timely for the change in stack handling etc...

Richard
DCCconcepts

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 26 Oct 2008, 05:14) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thanks Charles, unfortunately I found this out the hard way.
cheers
Neil

***This issue of expansion has been discussed often over the years. Test measurements I di ages ago show its two things that cause it.

(1) most is because the wood moves as it dries out - about 3/4 of the problem. Pine and other softwoods are worst, Its a little better with high quality ply and MDF but even quality marine ply expands and contracts a lot compared to metal.

(2) the rest is because the metal rail expands... but this is the minor thing really

The problem is on hot and dry days wood shrinks at the same time rail expands... magnifying the problem!

The greatest movement is the wood, which really does expand and shrink a lot. The solution is to leave timber work until early summer or do it before full winter when its at the balance point of humidity - a lttle moisture absorbed but no too much. Then paint it all over with any old paint you have lying around, and as you cut it, dab a little on all cut edges. That removes most of the problem and also lets the layout last longer (much of the creeping unreliability as layouts age is due to the seasonal expansion and contraction of wooodwork!).

The next is the Nickel silver - as its over 60% copper it has a good level of expansion compared to my favourite steel rail. The usual gaps take care of that.

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

*** ZTC are thankfully now out of business - it was fraught with little problems and very overpriced. I strongly recommend you look at a current high quality product with easy to understand manuals and very full feature ability like the NCE system

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

***Yes, that information was promulgated long ago.... almost at the time of the original unceremonious closure.

While I do wish the new owners well I think it a very brave move unless they are capitalised adequately for a full redevelopment programme - and can't see anything other than pain for more modelers if they keep selling it as it was/is without significant change.

So, market wise, to all intents and purposes, the brand is still effectively dead in the water and will not resurface as a serious product.

It could never be recommended by anyone with a proper dcc awareness, and nothing short of a rebirth and a significant software upgrade will make it acceptable.

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

*** What are the specifications for the "Auxiliary power supply" you are using for the power to the accessory decoders? If it is not a substantial power supply of 15v or more, I would definitely not expect reliable changing of Peco Solenoids.

A "feeble click" usually indicates that power is being routed OK, but not enough to make the change happen!

Richard

 

[Richard Johnson]

***Yes, but are they free or in points.... uninstalled peco motors change much, much easier than those fitted to a point.

A Peco motor is 4 ohms and specified for 15v. Therefore it wants 3.75 amps at the moment of throw... for a short time. That's each individual motor....

I'd suggest that a bigger supply (and more voltage) will be needed, as with internal losses (wiring and decoder internals) your 15v DC supply will not be delivering enough voltage or overall power.

The ESU/Bachmann decoders will tolerate up to 24v DC... I'd suggest at least 18v @ 5 amps if you want to be able to reliably change crossovers together - or move to a decoder with integrated CDU pwer output - this one will change 2 peco's reliably off one output and does not need a separate power supply...

There are others that also include a PSU - this is just one example that I am dead certain works every time... and is quite good value.

http://www.ehattons.com/60673/DCC_Concepts...tockDetail.aspx

regards

Richard

PS - Incidentally, this is not really the right place for this subject.. it really should be in its own thread, not in the permanently pinned "DCC systems thread" which is not a problem solving area.

REJ

 

[Richard Johnson]

Hello John

each output can manage two comfortably - ie a crossover etc...

Richard