[BromsMods]

Andy

I have just forwarded a copy of the email response I sent on 18th. I always try to respond as soon as possible to email requests and comments.

As you will have seen above, there is a workaround for the problem of lights/sounds being switched off when recalling a loco into the stack. This shouldn't detract from the overall functionality of the PowerCab - this is the easiest system I have come across to use, and it can all be done with one hand! Nor is the PowerCab system unique in this situation. As stated elsewhere in this thread NCE do respond to comments from users and do try to provide what modellers are requesting. It is just that, with all things digital, sometimes one thing is fixed but has a knock-on effect elsewhere. No system on the market will satisfy all of the customers all of the time. I would not expect an immediate firmware upgrade to resolve this perceived problem as there could be other issues that NCE would want to look at, some of which have also been touched on above.

We have PowerCabs in stock and trust that all of our customers (and potential customers) will realise that, although NCE is not as well known as the big brands, the company and its retailers in the UK will do all they can to support users of NCE systems. There is also a wealth of advice in NCE user forums, especially from users in the US, where the brand has been well established for some time now.

Regards

John R
Bromsgrove Models

 

[dieselweasel]

Cheers John - I appreciate your points and thank you for the swift replies on here. I know what you're saying, but NCE seem to have doen an unintentional step backwards with this fix (as far as UK modellers are concerned), but it is good to see that they can and probably will take this on board. Taking out the "switch functions off" command whilst leaving the "stop movements" command seems like a reasonable fix to me.

I'm going to wait until this is resolved before ordering, but my friend with the Power cab has done the fixes as shown above and says that it now all works fine.

I used to work in the computer field, and fully realise that a tweak here and there can have unexpected consequences "elsewhere". However, we also had a term called a "kludge" - an awkward work round a problem that is inelegant and goes against accepted practice.

I'd put all this reassigning stuff in the kludge category, but it works as a temporary fix so we'll put up with it.

I've noticed that some of the decoders (liekthe TCS ones) have an option to buy a UK version. So how many other functions/deocder sockets etc have different arrangments ?

And as for this "one handed" aspect of the Power cab - I'm left handed...do they do a LHD version !!!

Looking forward to doing business with you in the near future

 

[BromsMods]

I'm right handed, but always use it in my left hand - it's not like golf, you know!!

Regards

John R
Bromsgrove Models

 

[fordy361]

On the SWD ivatt chip F9 & F10 are coupling and buffer sounds. If i move the main sound from F1 to F10 what values do i need to enter to make F1 the Buffer sounds.

Thanks.

Lost in CV's at the mo!

 

[pendlerail]

[quote name='wiggy25' date='21
As nobody offered to present me with a Bachmann RTR diesel loco I may just have to go and buy one myself now

[/quote]

Have done my Bachmann 66022 and 20129 with no problems

 

[MaverickScot]

Hi all,

I'm still out on the Dynamis or the NCE Power Cab, although I'm heading to the later.

With the problems currently with the recall stack, can someone tell me if I have four locos on a layout will all the lights/sound remain on using the NCE Power Cab if they are stationary and are not in the recall stack. I assume from what i have read here that this is the case until i dial in that loco's code again then it will reset.

Can you also tell me if the NCE Power Cab can run a DC layout as it suggests in the manual.

Cheers,
Bruce.

 

[wiggy25]

QUOTE (MaverickScot @ 24 Jan 2008, 17:03) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Hi all,

I'm still out on the Dynamis or the NCE Power Cab, although I'm heading to the later.

With the problems currently with the recall stack, can someone tell me if I have four locos on a layout will all the lights/sound remain on using the NCE Power Cab if they are stationary and are not in the recall stack. I assume from what i have read here that this is the case until i dial in that loco's code again then it will reset.

Can you also tell me if the NCE Power Cab can run a DC layout as it suggests in the manual.

Cheers,
Bruce.

If you select each individual loco and turn on functions they will stay on, it's only when you go back to a loco and use the SELECT LOCO button to input the loco address that the function will switch off.

As far as I know the Dynamis and the PowerCab can't run a DC layout, where in the manual did you see this, I can't find it.

 

[MaverickScot]

QUOTE (wiggy25 @ 24 Jan 2008, 18:35) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>As far as I know the Dynamis and the PowerCab can't run a DC layout, where in the manual did you see this, I can't find it.

Hi Ian,

Found this on page 41 of the .pdf manual. I may have misunderstood the text as I'm new to DCC.

DC (Analog) MODE
Press ENTER to turn DC operation mode off, press 1 to turn DC mode on. We
recommend leaving DC mode off for most layouts. This is to prevent all your
locomotives from taking off at once in case of a failure in your power station or
someone accidentally connecting the track to a DC power supply (it happens
more often than you might think).

Bruce

 

[wiggy25]

Ahh found it!

Thats actually programming the decoder to work in DC mode, the actual control system will not operate in DC.

The decoders can be programmed to operate in DCC, DC or both though.

HTH

 

[MaverickScot]

Thanks Ian

I've got it now (learning something new every day

). Have been looking for a good retailer on the web can you recommend any that sell the NEC Power Cab?

Cheers,
Bruce

 

[Philc40]

QUOTE (MaverickScot @ 24 Jan 2008, 18:11) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thanks Ian

I've got it now (learning something new every day

). Have been looking for a good retailer on the web can you recommend any that sell the NEC Power Cab?

Cheers,
Bruce

Bruce,

I just purchased the NCE Power Cab from Litchfield Station in the US. I don't know about the UK's importing procedures, but the base cost would be 75 pounds plus shipping. See the link below.

https://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/pro...t=27&page=2

Regards,

 

[80class]

QUOTE (Philc40 @ 25 Jan 2008, 00:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Bruce,

I just purchased the NCE Power Cab from Litchfield Station in the US. I don't know about the UK's importing procedures, but the base cost would be 75 pounds plus shipping. See the link below.

https://www.litchfieldstation.com/xcart/pro...t=27&page=2

Regards,

Hi, Litchfield Station are the shop I use for all my decoders, I can't recommend their service high enough. Howerer for hardware I normally use DCC Supplies or Bromsgrove Models. For the sake of a tenner I'd stick to the uk, saves any tax issues and if you need support its closer to home.

Rob

Edit - Assuming you live in the UK!

 

[MaverickScot]

Hey guy's

Sorry didn't get back to you sooner but I have been playing with my NEC

. Ok, so I have been running it on a test track but I'm very impressed with it and would recommend it to anyone. I can also chip loco's too which I have impressed myself with. Thanks for all your help. Now on to building the layout.

Bruce.

 

[16A]

The PowerPro comes with a default of 2 in the recall stack but can be altered to give any number up to 6.

A couple of mentions in this thread of having an ammeter instead of the clock and, looking through the manual for how to do it, I couldn't find anything. E-mailed John R who promptly replied this is only available on the Power Cab.

Now excuse me if I'm wrong, but if I pay nearly £300 for a 5amp PowerPro (supposedly a top end DCC controller), I don't expect a £90 starter set (supposedly a building block to a full system) from the same manufacturer to have a facility that mine doesn't. For me the clock is a waste on a small LCD screen, some may find it useful but, having moved recently from DC, I would find the ammeter a much more usable proposition.

Is this also another backward step or has it always been this way?

Mike

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (16A @ 10 Apr 2008, 14:47) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>The PowerPro comes with a default of 2 in the recall stack but can be altered to give any number up to 6.

A couple of mentions in this thread of having an ammeter instead of the clock and, looking through the manual for how to do it, I couldn't find anything. E-mailed John R who promptly replied this is only available on the Power Cab.

Now excuse me if I'm wrong, but if I pay nearly £300 for a 5amp PowerPro (supposedly a top end DCC controller), I don't expect a £90 starter set (supposedly a building block to a full system) from the same manufacturer to have a facility that mine doesn't. For me the clock is a waste on a small LCD screen, some may find it useful but, having moved recently from DC, I would find the ammeter a much more usable proposition.

Is this also another backward step or has it always been this way?

Mike

*** Hi Mike

No, you do have it sort of backwards thought. It was added first as a new feature to the PowerCab. Its very easy to add to powercab as it was designed into it from day one & physically, the handset contains all of the power electronics too.

NCE tend to keep things positive as far as feature growth is concerned so I'm guessing the possible next step is to add it to the PowerHouse Pro at the next upgrade PROVIDING that there are not hardware issues needing change too. That really is a guess, not an informed probability by the way

Bear in mind the clock isn't just a "real world" clock... It is there as an operating session thing - it can be set at different time ratios as a fast clock for larger layouts that have serious operating sessions, and they'd certainly argue that its more important than an ammeter!

As to the ammeter:

I too find it a great feature, but I must admit it's of no interest to me at all while running trains - I only ever need or use the ammeter when building, servicing or doing installations, and can see no use for it as a general bit of data when I'm running them as I am confident that the system has more power than I need and the loco's I run are "on spec".

Regards

Richard
DCCconcepts

 

[16A]

Thanks for that Richard...... so the cart comes before the horse

I understand what you are saying re major operating session requirements and to such people it must be a valuable tool with which I have absolutely no quibble at all. However, an ammeter must be equally valuable to those building and testing etc so hopefully NCE will do what they seem to do so very well - listen to their customers, and provide this facility in their next upgrade.

Thanks again

Mike.

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (16A @ 10 Apr 2008, 22:39) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Thanks for that Richard...... so the cart comes before the horse

I understand what you are saying re major operating session requirements and to such people it must be a valuable tool with which I have absolutely no quibble at all. However, an ammeter must be equally valuable to those building and testing etc so hopefully NCE will do what they seem to do so very well - listen to their customers, and provide this facility in their next upgrade.

Thanks again

Mike.

***Agreed 100%, and there's no reason why the two can't coexist.

By the way, you can also have the best of both worlds now. I can't speak for John/Bromsgrove but I do do deals on such things as below for my customers:

Why don't you see if you can talk to John and do a deal on the following as a special order - John may have to get some bits in to make it up for you but with a firm order that'd probably be OK I'm guessing.

1x PowerCab system
1x SYS-Box (The main base station of the PowerHouse Pro only)
1x UTP panel (the standard NCE layout panel)
(the powerCab is already supplied with the extra curlycord lead to plug into the full system.)

That way, you have a panel for plugging in throttles at the workbench (the powercab panel)
plus a full system + panel for plugging in throttles at the layout (The UTP panel)
and a full 5 amps at the layout where U may need it.

All for what will probably be only a tiny bit more than a powerhouse Pro system.

Richard
DCCconcepts

 

[16A]

MMMmmm...... I'm confused and not sure quite what you're suggesting here Richard.

Is it that I buy the listed kit from John in addition to having already purchased from him a 5amp PowerPro (another £250 - £300) or that I ask him politely to take back my system and provide the kit you list, making up any financial difference?

It's not really a big issue as I can quite easily manage without an ammeter - I ignore the clock anyway. It was only after reading it 'could be' displayed on the PowerCab (I think you actually mentioned it in one of your posts) that I began to think about it and became somewhat miffed that my full system was inferior (in this respect) to a starter system but, your explanation of it being a later technological improvement on the Cab satisfied my discontent.

Mike

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (16A @ 10 Apr 2008, 23:25) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>MMMmmm...... I'm confused and not sure quite what you're suggesting here Richard.

Is it that I buy the listed kit from John in addition to having already purchased from him a 5amp PowerPro (another £250 - £300) or that I ask him politely to take back my system and provide the kit you list, making up any financial difference?

It's not really a big issue as I can quite easily manage without an ammeter - I ignore the clock anyway. It was only after reading it 'could be' displayed on the PowerCab (I think you actually mentioned it in one of your posts) that I began to think about it and became somewhat miffed that my full system was inferior (in this respect) to a starter system but, your explanation of it being a later technological improvement on the Cab satisfied my discontent.

Mike

**Mike, I assumed you had nothing and were still looking, so suggested it as a possible way to have the best of both worlds.... I would never suggest either of the options you mention.

Personally, I still use the NCE PHP I bought for myself many years ago and I later added the powercab as a second throttle so I had the convenience of a workbench system too for not much more than buying a second procab. That too makes logical and cost effective sense.

Anyway, Just enjoy the PowerHousePro...it is already well ahead of the herd and a super value product as it is!

Richard

 

[16A]

Thanks Richard - I should have made it a bit clearer in my original post.

Mike