Model Rail issue 107 August 2007 Hornby Digital

Thank you Richard for coming out, I have known about your views on this for sometime. I was sent a copy of one of your posts to a closed DCC forum many months ago and it echoed feelings I have had for sometime. Its about time somebody exposed this complete sham. The article in lasts months MR really was the last straw, and we thought that the labour party were the masters of spin.

By the way Gary it is very disrespectful to the label the Gaugemaster Prodigy as a grey import which is not the case, and at least they have gone to the trouble to modify their excellent DCC offering to fit in with Hornby's non-compliance. However you have kept going over and over the same ground about, this or that approval, but its justification is all meaningless, if the system you have is just plain rubbish.

Again I am not a Hornby knocker, I have the highest regard for most of what they do, but had they sorted this out 6 months or so ago instead of pushing on regardless and trying to hoodwink the public, it would not be blowing up in their face now.

Sid

That was a fantastic response Richard, so much so that I feel a little guilty for following it over a day later when you said everything that needs to be said. However whilst I have no need to respond to Gary's post addressed to myself as there is little point, I would like to take issue with Alastairs last post. By your analogy it would be OK for a Manufacturer to introduce a new product based on, lets say on a disc format but when you went to use it, it would be difficult to load the disc, the disc would keep spitting itself out, it would record sometimes but then forget what it recorded nomatter what brand of disc you used.... and yet they can still call it a DVD recorder?

The car thing was also great, I've been fortunate to own a string of fabulous cars over the years but no way on gods earth would I ever had a Robin, they do not handle they have poor performance lack features and are condsidered by most, not to be a real car. It kind of reminds you of another product doesn't it?

Sid.

QUOTE (Richard Johnson @ 20 Jul 2007, 03:57) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>BUT, when the same set is bought by a more aware / committed modeller and both the retailer (in words) and Hornby (in writing) tell him it is a DCC system as he buys it, and it isn't, then that is WRONG. In that case, it is serious as it starts to become a consumer rights issue.
Kindest regards

Richard
DCCconcepts

I think this point has been well over looked by Gary, Alastair and the like.... what does the retailer answer when his potential customer asks "is this Hornby digital set compatible (and please dont go on about US/UK terminologies... lets keep this simple) with other DCC brands?" Of course you cant ask this if the set is bought at a huge high street discount chain because there is no one to ask, but how does the hobby store/small retailer honestly reply to this question wether its to parents buying it for their offspring or to an existing railway modeller who wishes to go Digital?

Sid

Oh dear we seem to be going round in circles again, but most of what needs to said, is again mentioned in Mr Johnson's post's, so why are people continuing to defend Hornby Digital? Also the press can be misleading at times, in Chris Leighs editorial he mentions the Digitrax 9-pin chip (which incidently was exactly what he needed) in a way that implies that you no longer can get their decoders with a standard plug fitted which is not the case.

I asked this question earlier but will ask it again, and I hope most of you will respond with what you can consider to be your honest reply. If you were a retailer and somebody asked you (and bear in mind they come with the select unit) "Is this Hornby Digital set compatable with other DCC systems?" how would you answer?
Sid.

P.S. Alastair, I loved your response to the Reliant's lack of performance by refering to the use of their engines in motorsport, and I am assuming you are refering to the 750cc Motor Club, but even they added a 4th wheel before they went racing. I did hear once, that they had a race for Robins down at the local banger track.....