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Hornby say it will be a top end decoder.
But then they said Digital control fom Hornby"designed to be NMRA standard" Page 18 Hornby 2006 catalogue. A bit strange they are only submitting the Elite now (and not the Select).
They also said DCC Fitted will run on DC. I'm still waiting for the response on that one. But maybe we had it when they announced 2007 new locos will be DCC ready instead of fitted.
DCC Ready is the way ahead. For trainsets and younger modellers ,they may put up with the lower spec decoders supplied by Hornby and the idiosynchratic Select controller. After all many of these trainsets will see limited use and perhaps not even last past Christmas (much like Scaletrix ). However Hornby need to recognise there is another market out there. The experienced modeller will want to insert his own favoured decoder. This may be the Hornby Sapphire but it could just as easily be Lenz, Digitrax etc etc
DCC Ready is the way ahead. I know somepeople have suggested spaces for decoders in tenders or fuel tanks of diesels. I think this is unlikely. But as a very base , locos should be designed with space for (any ) decoder , a plug for its insertion and have a body that is not like the DaVinci code to get off!
Russell
But then they said Digital control fom Hornby"designed to be NMRA standard" Page 18 Hornby 2006 catalogue. A bit strange they are only submitting the Elite now (and not the Select).
They also said DCC Fitted will run on DC. I'm still waiting for the response on that one. But maybe we had it when they announced 2007 new locos will be DCC ready instead of fitted.
DCC Ready is the way ahead. For trainsets and younger modellers ,they may put up with the lower spec decoders supplied by Hornby and the idiosynchratic Select controller. After all many of these trainsets will see limited use and perhaps not even last past Christmas (much like Scaletrix ). However Hornby need to recognise there is another market out there. The experienced modeller will want to insert his own favoured decoder. This may be the Hornby Sapphire but it could just as easily be Lenz, Digitrax etc etc
DCC Ready is the way ahead. I know somepeople have suggested spaces for decoders in tenders or fuel tanks of diesels. I think this is unlikely. But as a very base , locos should be designed with space for (any ) decoder , a plug for its insertion and have a body that is not like the DaVinci code to get off!
Russell
Already in the correspondance above people are saying they want diffirent types of decoder. Also some will want sound , lights etc . This is why DCC Ready is best.
Yes I accept given the fragility/complexity of recent models people will be reluctant to remove bodies. But this is why DCC Ready capability must be designed in at the start ie easily removable bodies and plug in chips. Surely this way gives everyone choice. From no decoder at all through budget decoders to Lenz Gold. also you pay for what you get not for what you don't want and are going to replace.
This is the way the US and European market is going - why not the UK too. Unless Hornby feel they dominate the market so much they can dictate terms. They've tried it once and failed!
Russell
Yes I accept given the fragility/complexity of recent models people will be reluctant to remove bodies. But this is why DCC Ready capability must be designed in at the start ie easily removable bodies and plug in chips. Surely this way gives everyone choice. From no decoder at all through budget decoders to Lenz Gold. also you pay for what you get not for what you don't want and are going to replace.
This is the way the US and European market is going - why not the UK too. Unless Hornby feel they dominate the market so much they can dictate terms. They've tried it once and failed!
Russell
Spot on dwb but you've forgotten Hornbys high margins .
Can I just ask why the rest of Europe gets DCC Ready but why Hornby were seeking to impose DCC Fitted here? Is it because they thought they were big enough to force the change!
Must admit I find all these messages congratualting Hornby on MREmag a bit much.
They got it wrong!
They thought they could get away with imposing DCC on all of us
They thought DCC fitted would work on all DC (or failed to appreciate some areas of concern)
They thought they could get away with charging £15 for a decoder.
They thought the current R8215 decoder was good enough (they are only forced into Sapphire because it isn't . If it wasn't a quick forced decision , how come it doesn't appear in the 2007 catalogue. You might wonder is it even designed yet?)
They deserted and disappointed their loyal DC base to make a quick buck on DCC(no other manufacturer US/Europe/UK has done ths!)
This wasn't by accident. The Hornby Board and marketeers sat down and made these decisions.
Again they got it wrong! Only because of the mass of protest have they done a U turn
I wonder how many of the edited MREmag messages were anti Hornby?
Russell
Can I just ask why the rest of Europe gets DCC Ready but why Hornby were seeking to impose DCC Fitted here? Is it because they thought they were big enough to force the change!
Must admit I find all these messages congratualting Hornby on MREmag a bit much.
They got it wrong!
They thought they could get away with imposing DCC on all of us
They thought DCC fitted would work on all DC (or failed to appreciate some areas of concern)
They thought they could get away with charging £15 for a decoder.
They thought the current R8215 decoder was good enough (they are only forced into Sapphire because it isn't . If it wasn't a quick forced decision , how come it doesn't appear in the 2007 catalogue. You might wonder is it even designed yet?)
They deserted and disappointed their loyal DC base to make a quick buck on DCC(no other manufacturer US/Europe/UK has done ths!)
This wasn't by accident. The Hornby Board and marketeers sat down and made these decisions.
Again they got it wrong! Only because of the mass of protest have they done a U turn
I wonder how many of the edited MREmag messages were anti Hornby?
Russell
I really hate to go on and on about this- and I know I'm doing it, but Hornby announced to the Model Railway Market on 13/12/06 that they intended to make new locos DCC Fitted (rescinded 17/01/07).This announcement had also appeared on MREmag about this time. The model railway mags carried their 2007 range announcement but not one of them raised questions over Hornbys policy. At least not publicly. Doesn't this seem strange for something that affects all of us modelling the UK scene? Probably the biggest announcement and most significant in years ,yet not a word of discontent/clarification?
There have been no comments in the Model Railway press about the suitability of running models on DC (can you or can't you?) or about the increased costs for DC users (still >75% of the market). In fact there is no comment on increasing costs in general.
Similarly I wonder if we will see any of the issues over DCC compatibilty (all manufacturers) raised in the mags? I'll bet not ,yet isn't it one of their tasks to inform their readership?
Thank goodness for forums such as this which enable open debate. There was a thread earlier on this week about posting etiquet . This reminder was issued after someone (Gary or Doug?)had been to the toyfair and had discussions with the manufacturers. Apparently there was some discontent with the content of this forum(and probably others). Not sure which manufacturer it was, or whether there was more than one but even here it appears manufacturers are trying to have influence. Curiously I can't find this thread again. Has it been removed?
Russell
There have been no comments in the Model Railway press about the suitability of running models on DC (can you or can't you?) or about the increased costs for DC users (still >75% of the market). In fact there is no comment on increasing costs in general.
Similarly I wonder if we will see any of the issues over DCC compatibilty (all manufacturers) raised in the mags? I'll bet not ,yet isn't it one of their tasks to inform their readership?
Thank goodness for forums such as this which enable open debate. There was a thread earlier on this week about posting etiquet . This reminder was issued after someone (Gary or Doug?)had been to the toyfair and had discussions with the manufacturers. Apparently there was some discontent with the content of this forum(and probably others). Not sure which manufacturer it was, or whether there was more than one but even here it appears manufacturers are trying to have influence. Curiously I can't find this thread again. Has it been removed?
Russell
A Railway Modeller in depth review. Does such a thing exist?
Russell
Russell
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