Your opinion? - DC or DCC (poll)

[johnlambert]

Not sure how to answer.  Currently I use DC, which suits me as it is nice and familiar.  But I can plug in a DCC controller if I want to and my next layout will be DCC.

[Pete Mc]

I have been using dcc exclusively for around 18 months now and found it fairly easy to get used to.The reason I moved to dcc,or reasons were as follows,I couldn't be bothered with having to wire isolating sections in all over the layout as it was back then and as it had loads of track squashed into the space I had,even the wiring for dcc was looking like my worst nightmare.

The track was lifted,boards were reduced in size and then restarted with less track,a larger TMD/stabling area planned and once tracklaying is finished,the wiring will be much more simplified.The other reason for my conversion to dcc is so I can fit out my stock with sound decoders.I have currently got 5 loco's,2 dmu's and a Dapol hst with sound decoders fitted in them.My favourite is my hst with sound in both powercar and dummy powercar.They are without doubt,fantastic.I have many more loco's,dmu's and another 2 hst's to do so I am going to be a bit busy alround,what with the layout build and the conversions.I know that converting them is expensive and I agree with what people are saying in this thread about the pro's and con's,but dcc sound is quite addictive.I currently have my Farish,old model,non dcc ready Deltic to fit a Loksound v4micro wuth Legomanbiffo's sounds on.Once I have cleared this I can then decide which is next on the list.I need to do my class 58 because I have chap waiting for me to see how viable a job this is so he can send me his to be done.

I have to say though,that in our gauge,most of the exhibition circuit n gauge layouts still run dc with more home based layouts being designed with dcc in mind right from the beginning so the move towards dcc is gathering momentum.

As I do conversions to both Dapol and Farish stock,I find that the way that both manufacturers produce their chassis',although similar looking,are very different,ie Farish have pcb's that fit along almost the whole top of the chassis whereas Dapol have small,decoder sized pcb's.Standardisation from manufacturers,ie the pcb's in Farish and Dapol models may actually motivate decoder makers into perhaps making a standard drop in pcb/decoder a more attractive proposition longterm but I think it'll be a while before we see this happening to uk outline stock.I know that American outline has pcb's with sound decoders built in but for now we'll just have to convert our own models or send them away to be done professionally.

I,however,chose to do my own because they're not as hard to do as you think.

I'm glad I moved over to dcc and I can't see me moving back to dc.I do have a quickly convertible test track to run in my new models as well as test and run new installs.

Pete

[Big Dave]

I think DCC is here to stay, but I think it is going to take a long time before it becomes the favoured option, especially when you look at the latest prices of DCC friendly releases from the major UK outline manufacturers. How can they call something DCC friendly when the price is decidedly unfriendly !!!

I can see a boost in secondhand sales coming as modellers react to being asked to pay well over £100 for locos !!!

[Jerry Howlett]

As a comitted (well Im certified) DC user I would go down the DCC road if A: I was starting or B: I win the lottery.

Jerry

[zwilnik]

I'm a DC user waiting for whatever current technology based standard replaces the partial standard of DCC.

I'll be more convinced when something happens like MIDI did on synthesisers where all the manufacturers got together to agree on a communications standard and 30 years on, it's still a standard built into every synthesiser.

DCC is only included as standard in a very few locos and only as a standard 'option' (i.e. ready for DCC) in about 50%. It's got a whole variety of different standards as far as controllers and chips and is very expensive and technical relatively speaking.

Not sure when it'll happen, but at some point, somebody is going to take a look and see that it's commercially viable to do something better with current technology, probably wireless, possibly using either bluetooth or wifi standards so that the user doesn't need to buy controllers and can simply use their phone, tablet or computer.

[Agrafarfan]

This is what worries me if I buy a dcc controller it might end up being obsolete buy some new technology. Technology gets upgraded so fast these days it's hard to keep up.

DC controllers have lasted for years so If I buy a dcc controller would it long laster than a dc controller also maybe so many years in the future if you buy a loco would you be able to use it on my would be old dcc controller or would the insides of a new loco render it obsolete if you know what I mean. 

[Caz]

It is one of the reasons I went with Digitrax as all its hardware is updateable as are most of the modules,  just download the latest file from their website and run it using a computer and an interface, job done, or you can send it back to the distributor to do it for you.

[port perran]

This is an interesting poll and looks to be 50/50.
Personally, I'm committed to DC as I'm completely unsure what I could do any better with DCC on my branchline layout. I can run two trains at once with no problem at the moment so I'm happy.
As for wiring etc I go for absolute simplicity - 2 controllers and 2 inputs of wire to the tracks. What could be easier ?

[KJH]

I went back to "OO" scale for a number of years and converted over to DCC at the same time. I'm not convinced DCC is that much easier to wire as many of the DC rules still apply to DCC. Y junctions, reversing loops, passing loops etc. I had to modify the Peco points (a recommended mod) as a couple of steam locos would consistently shut down the system when travelling through the curved side of the points.

Every dead end track required insulated rail joiners and separate feed to the track to keep sound alive when the point was thrown against the siding. The same for passing loops.  I could only have a limited number of locos on the layout at any time because of the standing  current requirements of the sound chips. Forgetting to change a set of points causes the whole system to shut down and you have to wait while it reboots. (NCE Powercab)

Back with "N" I am using a simple DC controller and I'm thoroughly enjoying it. Just one knob and one switch on the controller but no sound. I'm looking at the option of using a "My Loco Sound" unit mounted under the layout with the ability to switch between a speaker and headphones. Maybe even a wireless set for "surround" sound.

Ken (one who is using both)

[zwilnik]

One other addition to my comment. I suspect that the next big change for OO and N gauge will occur as other components improve and change. Smaller, more powerful motors and more powerful rechargeable batteries mean it's already practical to build an N gauge Loco without needing track power. Combine this with current levels of miniaturisation in Bluetooth or Wifi transceivers and we're nearly at the point where it may be more commercially viable to make a self powered locomotive with iPhone control than a DCC one.

Apart from the huge advantage of the track not needing to be wired (other than a siding that the loco can recharge from, making coaling stages/refuelling depots more realistic ) the locomotive chassis design can be simpler as you don't need to isolate it as much or design in complicated pickup systems to try and maximise pickup from all the wheels.

[Big Dave]

The best system is one that is available to you now and which has sufficient support available, and suits your pocket. Waiting for future innovations can rob you of enjoying the here and now, and none of us know what the future will be.

[zwilnik]

The best system is one that is available to you now and which has sufficient support available, and suits your pocket. Waiting for future innovations can rob you of enjoying the here and now, and none of us know what the future will be.

That's why I'm happy with DC for the moment. It does the job and the technical challenges of the wiring are part of the fun.

[red_death]

Not sure when it'll happen, but at some point, somebody is going to take a look and see that it's commercially viable to do something better with current technology, probably wireless, possibly using either bluetooth or wifi standards so that the user doesn't need to buy controllers and can simply use their phone, tablet or computer.

That has already happened - there are multiple ways of doing this, but the simplest/cheapest (if you already have a computer and tablet or smartphone) is to buy a Sprog and use the free JMRI software + Withrottle/Enginedriver apps.

Cost of a Sprog IIv3 £45.

Cheers, Mike

[zwilnik]

Not sure when it'll happen, but at some point, somebody is going to take a look and see that it's commercially viable to do something better with current technology, probably wireless, possibly using either bluetooth or wifi standards so that the user doesn't need to buy controllers and can simply use their phone, tablet or computer.

That has already happened - there are multiple ways of doing this, but the simplest/cheapest (if you already have a computer and tablet or smartphone) is to buy a Sprog and use the free JMRI software + Withrottle/Enginedriver apps.

Cost of a Sprog IIv3 £45.

Cheers, Mike

Yes, that's still DCC though so still requires 1980s technology in the engines and the various competing standards of DCC to maintain. I'm thinking more along the lines of a new standard that uses current technology to put BT/Wifi transceivers in the engines rather than control via the power source. That way you only use the track for power and don't need special controllers or adaptors.

[red_death]

Yes, that's still DCC though so still requires 1980s technology in the engines and the various competing standards of DCC to maintain. I'm thinking more along the lines of a new standard that uses current technology to put BT/Wifi transceivers in the engines rather than control via the power source. That way you only use the track for power and don't need special controllers or adaptors.

I'm not sure what you mean about competing standards of DCC - there aren't any when it comes to control, though there are when it comes accessories/feedback etc.

Personally I think there is sufficient critical mass in DCC that we aren't going to see a change to something different in the foreseeable future (by which point BT/Wifi will also be old tech!).

Cheers, Mike