I am as new as can be should Imstart with DC or start with DCC Please advise

[Newportnobby]

I is looking as if I will go the the dcc option.

Gordon

Great choice, you won't regret it as it opens so many doors.

Sound, yes, but I've never seen it do that on a layout

[ntpntpntp]

Sound, yes, but I've never seen it [open doors] on a layout

Oh yes you can definitely get that in HO for several years. It's probably been done in N too.

[Newportnobby]

Great
Obviously no one wanted to get out where there was no platform.

[Chris Morris]

Going slightly off topic and contradicting myself a little - there is no technical reason why you can't have reasonable but good basic sounds without dcc - its just that manufacturers have chosen to only make it available with dcc. A classic bit of upselling.

For example here is one of my G scale pure dc track power locos running with a sound unit that is at least ten years old. I'm not sure that the manufacturers of this sound unit still make a non dcc version.

Ok you can't get brakes by pressing F12 of station announcements on F22 but I think it is fine. Another manufacturer, Mylocsound, who only make dc sound chips and only have generic steam or diesel sounds have got over this problem. They have an infra red receiver on the sound chip and items such as the safety valve blowing or guards whistle can be activated by pressing buttons on a tv remote control. Both of the chips mentioned here have a battery to store enough power to keep the sound going when there is no power and, rather thankfully, the diesel sound automatically stops the engine running after 30 seconds with no voltage. This is not available for N and an infra red receiver would be hard to disguise in N but for me it suggests there is no technical reason for having to have dcc in order to have reasonable sound. It does however help to sell a lot of dcc power units and chips.

[Nick]

Oh yes you can definitely get that in HO for several years. It's probably been done in N too.

Now all we need is a nanobot of Michael Portillo striding confidently along the platform under full AI control, with video web streamed from sub-miniature cameras embedded in little figures of his camera crew.

You heard it here first... 

[njee20]

This is not available for N and an infra red receiver would be hard to disguise in N but for me it suggests there is no technical reason for having to have dcc in order to have reasonable sound. It does however help to sell a lot of dcc power units and chips.

So here you contradict your contradiction... what is available in G is totally irrelevant to what's available in N! You can run sound locos on DC, but it doesn't work nearly as well as with DCC. Obviously on a layout like yours, which is just trains running through the scenery this is probably ok. But sounds stopping whenever locos do (because as you say you won't fit IR receivers and decent batteries in N gauge locos) is a bit daft. This isn't a sales tactic, its hard to imagine how DC sound in N (or even OO) could ever have developed to any meaningful degree.

[GordonW]

Sinnce I made the decision to go the dcc way. I have been tying to find out what is what not the easiest of jobs. The local shop is less than helpful, sell you the gear oh yes but that is all. He told me there were twos controllers he sold one at £100 and one at £300 when asked the difference I was told like the difference tween a mini and a roll Joyce.
So where do we go, do signals and lights require a decoder and what is decent controller that will be a once only buy


`gordon

[njee20]

It's very personal. Some people like physical controllers, some like touch screens, some like to use their phone/tablet. You need to try a few and see what you like.

a lot of people rate the NCE PowerCab, which is comparatively cheap. The Digikeijs DR5000 is very versatile if you want to use a phone/PC/tablet for control, or the ECOS is a highly regarded top end controller. There are many options in between!

Signals can be DCC controlled if you want, as can points etc, or you can retain manual control of them, or automate them. The world is your lobster, it depends what you want to do.

[Bramshot]

Another minefield
You do not need to operate everything with the dcc system, points,signals lights etc can still be operated using switches and so on, but yes they would need accessory decoders if you were to go the dcc way.
Lights on locos  come 'free' in so far as they are included in the loco decoder functions.
Operating accessories from the controller can be an awkward procedure involving changing modes with lots of button presses, so if you want to go that way you need to find one that is well thought out from that point of view. Alternatively, get one with a computer interface and do all that stuff from a computer where al controls can be on screen.
The choice may also depend on whether you prefer a knob or slider to control your trains. Most systems will let you have several 'cabs' or control stations, which you can use to have controls for more than one train at once, but these are mainly intended to allow more than one person to control trains at the same time and of course involve extra expense.
I use the Bachmann Dynamis Ultima which does all the above, but I only use the handset for controlling locos when shunting, I control points and locos via computer most of the time using Rocrail software.
I started with the Gaugemaster system but found the knob control soon got iffy as the knob encoders started missing pulses. That probably sounds like gobbledygook but the controls on a dcc system do not give a set speed for a given position like D.C. systems. This is because the control knob is shared with all locos, and if you had one set at say 50%, you would not want a second one to jump to 50% if you switched control to that loco without resettting the knob position. So the knobs are incremental and take up from wherever a loc speed was last set.
You will find as many opinions on controllers as there are controllers.
It also depends how many trains you might run simultaneously, as the current available varies between systems, though you can also get boosters for most. My dynamis syetem can power at least 6 locos simultaneously as well as coach lighting in all coaches.

[Bealman]

Staying out of this one! Starting to think I'm happy where I am! 

[njee20]

So why reply?

[doug22150]

Go for DCC. I returned to railway modelling after 40 years and switched to N gauge. I decided to go DCC and have not regretted it. The sheer flexibility in running multiple trains is the big difference. The real icing on the cake is DCC sound. Running full length express trains with whistles blowing as they speed through stations is pure nostalgia for me.  I've now fitted DCC sound into 3 locos and it has transformed my modelling pleasure.

[Railwaygun]

Go to some rail shows or local club.see the controllers in action - everyone will swear that theirs is the best ( more buttons, no buttons / control By phone etc)

Why not start with a DCC ready loco, Gaugemaster / Kato controller and some Kato track ( see Osborns for loco + track & PSU sets) and run trains for a while!

You can sell the controller later or use it to power points / accessories, so it's not money wasted. The loco will be easily upgraded when you take the plunge!

Read the DCC threads re controllers , and the track threads on Kato Unitrack, go to some shows and see them in action.

DCC is great but it is easy to make expensively mistakes. KISS!

Rule 1 - avoid the cheap Bachmann DCC controller

Rule 2 - go to rule 1

[Caz]

I'm really glad I went DCC as it opens up a whole new world of control, I went with Digitrax Zephyr Extra, very reasonable price and easily expandable plus there are many manufacturers of accessory decoders compatible with their Loconet system (points/signals/lights/motors etc) so it keeps the price down.  If I were starting again I'd still go with Digitrax as it is so versatile.

[GordonW]

Thnks a lot everyone, looks like I need to do a lot of research and I had better start with forum.
Your input has helped a great deal


Thanks again

Gordon