Dynamis in the wild

QUOTE (PaulRhB @ 4 Dec 2007, 21:14) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The NCE will act as a cab for a PowerPro system.
That's probably the best way to upgrade from the PowerCab, as going the Smartbooster etc route, starts to encroach on PowerPro territory without a really significant gain.
Better value for money to just go straight to a PowerPro and use your PowerCab as the extra throttle.

QUOTE (PaulRhB @ 4 Dec 2007, 21:14) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The Dynamis with a pro box and booster will be around £300 as are most of the other similar spec systems.
Dynamis basic is retailing for anything from £80 to £95.
The EZ Booster retails for £80 to £85.
Thats £160 to £180.
Bachmann have said the Pro Box may be in the £50 to £60 bracket, which would give you a total cost of between £210 and £240.
If the Pro Box ends up with an increase in power output, then the booster may not be required. That reduces the total cost of the Dynamis Pro system to the £130 to £145 range. That's a long way off £300.

For comparison a Lenz Set 100 with a TR150 transformer and the computer interface would cost between £350 and £375.
That's without any provision for cordless/wireless operation.

The Prodigy Advance Squared cost around £200. That's without a computer interface (it doesn't have one), or wireless.
The wireless version or conversion kit will cost well over £300.

To be perfectly honest, I think if anyone is looking for much more out of this system (other than route setting), then they really should be thinking about much more expensive kit.
ECoS is an obvious upgrade and I think the Dynamis handsets can be used with that.
I believe that the Dynamis may redefine the budget to mid-range in DCC systems. If it's a big seller in the USA, then it'll be interesting to see if the other US manufacturers respond.

Oakydoke

QUOTE (dwb @ 5 Dec 2007, 05:31) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Given that an ESU radio wireless control costs over £120, getting something which is near enough the same with a base station thrown in is a pretty good deal. The manufacturing engineers and accountants must have crawled all over the Bill Of Material for weeks to get the retail price down to what it is. That's why you get the smaller transformer, no programming outlet and no numeric keypad. For a final RRP of around £100, all those pennies saved really start to count. If they got it wrong, then the product will flop and that will be that. There's no sentiment in the market place.

David

***

(1) Dynamis is what it is, which is a nice entry level system in todays terms and it looks to be good value. It is not at the control or programming ability level of an NCE PowerCab which has a far more sophisticated programming and operation ability, and a far more positive upgrade path performance-wise.

(2) We shouldn't confuse an IR remote with radio remote - they are totally different in use - an IR is exactly like a TV remote and totally limited in range and MUST be line of sight - It is also very low cost and is usually only ONE direction, which is why readback can be a problem when using it (Digitrax add IR control via a simple controller plug in-panel, and every DT400 controller is IR ready but few ever use it) .

On the other hand Radio is expensive to do well... and much more versatile. The ESU mobile control has a working range of over 100 metres and will pass through walls and bodies quite happily.

(3) Re PowerCab Power Supply: The NCE provided power supply is very conservatively rated - it is rated low for conservatism which is NCE's usual approach (they like to "over-deliver vs claims) and has been tested to reliably give 1.8 amps with a peak of close to 2 and still maintain good voltage regulation. It is very well protected both in a current and thermal sense so is pretty well indestructable. The real imitation is the handsets ability to deliver current down a fine cable, not the power supplies ability to provide current.

(3) Re Dynamis ability to act as a remote for the ECOS - This is a wish and just a "wish or guess" by forum members but seems to be gaining a reputation as impending fact with NO real grounding in reality. There is no claim by either brand that this will ever happen, and to be honest I think its consumer positive but commercially unwise and actually unlikely.

The Dynamis can of course be connected to the sniffer port of the ECOS as can every other brand. Remember that ESU also make some of the Marklin controllers and these don't directly interface - or if they do, do so with limited functionality.

Regards

Richard
DCCconcepts

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 10 Dec 2007, 13:12) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>***

(1) Dynamis is what it is, which is a nice entry level system in todays terms and it looks to be good value. It is not at the control or programming ability level of an NCE PowerCab which has a far more sophisticated programming and operation ability, and a far more positive upgrade path performance-wise.

(3) Re Dynamis ability to act as a remote for the ECOS - This is a wish and just a "wish or guess" by forum members but seems to be gaining a reputation as impending fact with NO real grounding in reality. There is no claim by either brand that this will ever happen, and to be honest I think its consumer positive but commercially unwise and actually unlikely.

The Dynamis can of course be connected to the sniffer port of the ECOS as can every other brand. Remember that ESU also make some of the Marklin controllers and these don't directly interface - or if they do, do so with limited functionality.

Regards

Richard
DCCconcepts

There does seem to have been a lot of uninformed speculation that Dynamis is a top end system for little money. Those speculating seem to have overlooked the fact that top end systems have moved on significantly as have starter systems.

It would be odd for ESU to build a system for someone else which would compete directly with a product marketed under their own brand. If the Dynamis was directly plug-in-able to the ECoS it would take sales away from the Mobile Control for ECoS. It is most likely that the Dynamis will have to go through the ECoSniffer like all the other systems including the earlier versions of the Mobile Control. The Maerklin systems made by ESU often have compatibility issues being discussed on the ESU forum. Trix systems seem to be OK but Motorola systems seem to have some issues.

From what I have seen so far it seems that Dynamis is a wireless version of the Trix Mobile station with a couple of upgraded features.

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 10 Dec 2007, 02:12) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>(2) We shouldn't confuse an IR remote with radio remote - they are totally different in use - an IR is exactly like a TV remote and totally limited in range and MUST be line of sight - It is also very low cost and is usually only ONE direction, ....
Whilst you are correct about line of sight, I understand that they've attempted to get as wide coverage as possible so that you don't have to point the handset directly at the IR base station.
The Dynamis IR system is TWO-Way, unlike devices like a TV remote which could be classified as "fire and forget" only.
If the base unit looses communication with the handset, it applies an emergency stop. Users are reporting that the delay setting for this is configurable and can be switched off.
You are also right that compared to radio, IR is low cost. I imagine that Bachmann couldn't have delivered radio wireless at this price.
I personally think that bringing in wireless handsets at under UK £99 (retailing from £75 to £95) is an achievement in itself and could spur others into speeding up introduction of their own wireless systems/options to the UK/Europe (subject to the frequency approvals underway at present). Hopefully with the beneficial effect of reducing their cost.

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 10 Dec 2007, 02:12) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>On the other hand Radio is expensive to do well... and much more versatile. The ESU mobile control has a working range of over 100 metres and will pass through walls and bodies quite happily.
Absolutely, but the cost is a limiting factor for those on a budget or not prepared to pay upwards of £300 or £400 for the privilege. Wireless, even if it's only IR, is now an option for under £99.
Surely that can only be a good thing?

QUOTE (Oakydoke @ 11 Dec 2007, 01:20) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Whilst you are correct about line of sight, I understand that they've attempted to get as wide coverage as possible so that you don't have to point the handset directly at the IR base station.
<Snip>
Absolutely, but the cost is a limiting factor for those on a budget or not prepared to pay upwards of £300 or £400 for the privilege. Wireless, even if it's only IR, is now an option for under £99.
Surely that can only be a good thing?

***There's nothing negative towards Bachmann or Dynamis in my post - I too think its a very good unit with excellent value - I simply wanted to bring an air of reality to the subject as it was largely speculative and comparing appples to watermelons not apples to apples .

To me its only real failing so far is not having the ability to read CV's in its "starter" format - this is something that many novices will greatly miss as they try to programme their locomotives for other than the basics (especially if they want to work with sound equipped locomotives.... I suspect that upgrading to the "Pro" will be a quick step for many if this adds that functionality.

IR is indeed an OK solution... Especially as many will be "one man railways"

Richard

Is there an entry level or mid-range level DCC system with programming on the main that can read CV's of individual locos?

I wouldn't expect this base system to be top-spec. It is in my opinion a well priced entry level system that has a whole lot of cool features. Sure we want the programming track and advanced CV programming, so that is a good reason to get the Pro version. Hopefully I'll get one of these one day. Bachmann believe that forums like ours are not part of their marketing plan so I'll have o buy one myself, bringing my tally of different working DCC systems to 4...

QUOTE (Doug @ 12 Dec 2007, 01:57) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Is there an entry level or mid-range level DCC system with programming on the main that can read CV's of individual locos?

I wouldn't expect this base system to be top-spec. It is in my opinion a well priced entry level system that has a whole lot of cool features. Sure we want the programming track and advanced CV programming, so that is a good reason to get the Pro version. Hopefully I'll get one of these one day. Bachmann believe that forums like ours are not part of their marketing plan so I'll have o buy one myself, bringing my tally of different working DCC systems to 4...

***NCE PowerCab - it has a smaller recall stack BUT apart from that it has all of the functionality of the PowerHouse Pro and even has additions, such as a built in ammeter and a high power ability read / write on the programming track mode for higher current US sound loco's. This reall does still stand out as the most competent start system by a country mile. As a bonus it can also function as a plug in cab for the ful lsystem so a powerCab owner can upgrade with no loss, or visit an owner of a full NCE system and use his own handset - this uses a different lead than the PowerCab but the second lead is already provided in the box!

Richard
DCCconcepts

QUOTE (Robert Stokes @ 12 Dec 2007, 17:49) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>It didn't take long for the first one to appear on ebay!

and one of the sellers says: "I purchased this controller for my husband for Christmas. I put the batteries in it for him and then he decided he would rather have a different present..."

Item number: 140189710147

Boy, I wish I got to choose what my wife gets me for Christmas

QUOTE (Doug @ 13 Dec 2007, 04:02) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>and one of the sellers says: "I purchased this controller for my husband for Christmas. I put the batteries in it for him and then he decided he would rather have a different present..."

Item number: 140189710147

Boy, I wish I got to choose what my wife gets me for Christmas
I do, we couldn't do it any other way.

I wonder why he didn't want it?

QUOTE (neil_s_wood @ 12 Dec 2007, 21:21) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I do, we couldn't do it any other way.

I wonder why he didn't want it?

Was his name Simon

QUOTE (darobi @ 13 Dec 2007, 08:26) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Was his name Simon