Hello there,

I'm neew to the whole MR issue and been doing some research.

I would like the DIY aspect of this system. Also maybe the cost will be made more affordable.

Any feedback on any issues (price, performance, caveats, etc.)

Thank you for all your help.

-- Victor Manea (azivic@mnsi.net), November 21, 1998

Answers

Victor,

The Easy DCC is fine equipment and I am sure the preformance, quality are right up there. And being a CVP product has great support.

The DIY aspect is that it is availible in either built or kit system. Kit meaning all parts and PC boards are supplied as well as easy to follow directions.

Price is where Easy DCC does not fair that well, it is not bad thought and if you like building kits to be able to say I put it together myself, then it might be a system to look at from this aspect. Other wise here is a price comparison.

Easy DCC Built = $290.00 Kit = $260.00

For a comp. system already built, and may have a few more features then the Easy DCC.

Digitrax Empire Builder $260.00 and includes IR wireless throttle. 5amp booster, and 1 decoder. 22 Loco and throttle limit.

For a full feature aboslute top of the line system with many more features and capablities.

Digitrax Chief $320.00 and includes IR wireless throttle, 5amp booster, and 1 decoder. 120 loco and throttle limit Digitrax Chief $420.00 and includes Radio Wireless throttle, 5amp booster, and 1 decoder. 120 lococ and throttle limit.

Pricing reflex US dollars and adverage US street price. Easy DCC is only availible via CVP.

For more info on either system here are some URLs for you:

http://www.digitrax.com/

http://www.cvpusa.com/

--

Remember Always Have Fun and Enjoy!, Don Crano Akron, Oh NMRA #096211 mailto:donc@sssnet.com Visit Model Railroading with DCC at: http://pages.sssnet.com/donc/

-- Don Crano (donc@sssnet.com), November 22, 1998.

Victor,

I use EasyDCC - so take my bias into consideration. I find that you can expand much easier and cheaper with EasyDCC. The booster units are $ 59.00 as a kit and even with a hunking 18v - 5 amp transformer, fuze, etc, the total cost of additional boosters on instalation is in less than $ 100.00 range. You'll find the need to expand with multiple boosters rather soon for a modest sized layout - just for separation and issolation purposes. You can actually buy only the circut boards and populate with components from other sources even cheaper if you have a good supplier for electronics. (I DON'T RECCOMEND THAT FOR THE COMMAND STATION)!

The EasyDCC cabs (using the separate throttle extender board) become a real cost savings when you grow to a larger number of handhelds. The availablility of remote un-teathered cabs is coming real soon (and again at some very reasonable prices). They are in final FCC testing now. The big difference is the user interface with the cabs and the programming actions at the command station (which has two throttle [cab] units that come with it). You will want to consider all the options and try and get some hands on control in an actual operation session with the various different systems available. I believe that the user interface is about 80% of the important criteria. I've had hands on with 5 different systems and am a member of two clubs which have each two different systems in separated layout scales. When you grow a system beyond the introductory packages, with a larger layout, I find the EasyDCC system will fair very well in price to performance comparison. -ed mccamey-

-- Ed McCamey (emccamey@cheerful.com), March 01, 1999.

Ed,

Thanks for all the great answers you have contributed to this forum. It appears you have quite a bit of experience with the CVP Easy DCC. As you noted, their boosters are quite inexpensive.

Does the Easy DCC booster have auto reverse? In order to trip the auto reverse, how well does it function with steam locomotives that don't have pick up on the same wheels on opposite sides?

I've been meaning to ask Keith himself, but as I always tell people who write me directly: Ask it on the forum so others can benefit from the answer you get.

Thanks, Ed!

Allan

-- Allan Gartner (wire4dcc@aol.com), March 08, 1999.

Alan asked about CVP autoreversing.

NO - the EasyDCC booster does not have autoreversing. Keith at CVP feels that one can easily control the synchronizing of adjoining booster districts with contact switches from the turnout controls that affect the reversing loop(s). He provides some good examples in the EasyDCC manual.

For my own use, I'm going to follow the exampe of one of the clubs I belong to and use the Lenz modules for autoreversing. My present layout is still in construction (all handlaid track) and when I get to the reversing sections that will create the problems, I'll use turnout contact controls where the loop is fixed and issolated and the Lenz modules on multi-point reversing sections.

The EasyDCC booster is very robust and effective as well as cost efficient. I use a Hammond 18v - 5 amp (166P18) which I buy from allied as the power supply transformer. Use two .27 ohm 5 watt RS1 and RS2 resistors on the circuit board, and have a small fan in the power area keeping all as cool as possible. The end results are very effective and inexpensive power for my layout. (I use 5 boosters now, and will end up with 8 when completing the master design - issolation and spreading the control out over separated power districts with shorter runs of bus wires is my motivation). -ed mccamey-

-- Ed McCamey (emccamey@cheerful.com), March 11, 1999.