[Pc1964]

Hi guys , I am looking for some advice regarding the Zero 1 controller.
I have not built a railway for many years but after collecting a number of locos over the last few years have decided to build the layout I want and was going to control it with a Zero1 controller. A few questions I need answers too as I have been told the chips are numbered and will only control set locos . Second do I need the reprogramming fluid and third would I need a slave controller. Thanks

 

[Nigel2001]

Unless antique electronic restoration is your hobby, I'd get rid of the Zero-1 before you start. You might find someone wanting it for spares.

The device, and any decoders, were made in the early 1980's. Is approaching 40 years since Hornby abandoned the idea.


- Nigel

 

[34C]

There's only one thing missing in Nigel's reply, and that's the comparison with DCC. The performance gap between Zero1 and DCC is akin to a Tiger Moth vs a modern widebody airliner. Pays your money and makes your choice: if it's to be an adventure with flies and oil in the face, then Zero1 is just the thing...

 

[John Edge]

Oh dear!
I had one of those things many, many years ago, in the early 1990s. I had been getting into American prototype modelling and, according to the US magazines, digital control was the way to go.
So over time, I bought the full system, including multiple slave controllers, about fifty decoders, loco and accessories - the lot!
I converted several locomotives and I did get some aspects of what I was after, multiple unit running for example but I found the actual motor control was awful.
Due to the early technology, the motors “sang” with a very annoying whistle and these were much higher quality motors than say, Hornby were fitting at that time.
There were other issues but the main one was the size of the decoders. You needed plenty of space to fit them.
Of course, the fact that Hornby dropped Zero 1 some time earlier, didn’t help, any spares you needed had to come from alternative sources.
I ended up so disillusioned with this system, I avoided digital control for nearly ten years. When I eventually did take up a more modern digital system, I could see that Zero 1 was hopelessly outdated, even thirty years ago. Compared to a quality system and decoders available today and I honestly couldn’t countenance anyone trying such a system now.
If you want a load of heartache, frustrations and poorly or none functioning equipment that will make you want to throw it at the wall, have at it!
If you wish to have an enjoyable experience however, then try a modern American or European system - with dealer support in the UK.
Go to such a specialist dealer in person and get them to explain their systems to you, you’ll be glad you did.
Good luck,
John

 

[Graham Plowman]

The OP's post rather reminds me of a distant family situation I observed some years ago whereby a family member 'offloaded' a DOS-based computer which couldn't even run Windows 3.1 at a time when everyone else was running Windows XP. Seemed like a convenient way to get rid of junk, to the disadvantage of the recipient who found they couldn't do anything with it.

If anyone is using Zero 1 today, one has to ask why ? And if you were given it for free or it cost a song, you should be thinking that the reason you got it for nothing is for the same reason that my family recipient was given a useless PC - because no-one else wanted it because it couldn't be used.

As others have indicated here, Zero 1 is well over 35 years out of date and comes with all kinds of limitations and problems which have long since been resolved. Compared with modern DCC, including that from the same manufacturer, Zero 1 is junk today. Throw it out and go and buy a proper DCC system. Don't waste your time and money on Zero 1.