Hello I am really getting into this new world of DCC...

At this time i am enjoying discovering imformation...cometh the day,when i will be in a position to go down the DCC track.

I live in Europe.....and have been very impressed by several of the leading DCC systems...I just wondered if their had been, any seriouse system comparison surveys done? Although i am a newbie..i am aware their must be many things to take into consideration,when comparing one dcc system to another.

But as they all basically made to do a similar job..i thought it maybe interesting to see if their had been any bench tests carried out..on the pros& cons of the best systems..

I am thinking in particular of the following Makers: LENZ/DIGITRAX/INTELLBOX/NCE/EASY DCC/ and ZIMO

Unfortunately it is sometimes not easy to view and compare all the different systems, at least if i could narrow the field down, i could possibly look for the a short list of DCC SYSTEMS e.t.c.

look forward very much to hearing some views and maybe some leads to any tests?

all the best Steve

-- Steve Sylvester (tinygauge@yahoo.co.uk), January 22, 2005

Answers

Steve, in my opinion the "best" system to buy is one that has a good, helpful dealer near you. A second criteria is to chose a system that your modelling friends use. All the manufacturers you listed make good equipment. After the above criteria, your choice can be based on functionality and price.

Dale.

-- Dale gloer (dale.gloer@telus.net), January 22, 2005.

Dale has some good ideas.

I have some thoughts too...

The best way to choose which system to buy of course is to try them all first by going to a friends, hobby shop, or RR club. You may be able to simplify the list if you have a strict budget but trying some of the higher end systems can be educational.

Look at the throttle and see how it feels in your hand, Select and run a train, make and break a consist and program a locomotive on the programming track. Ask yourself, is this a easy thing for me to remember or easy to find in the manual in case you had to do a quick look. Check out the manuals too. Borrow one and take it home to read and see if it all makes sense to you when you get back and try the system.

Be honest about your abilities. For example, if you cannot set a digital clock, you may want to lean towards a simpler system with less features. Another issue is learning curve. If your going to run your layout once a month, a system that forces you to re-read the manual to use it is not going to be a very enjoyable experience. Another factor, as Dale indicated is to look at what your friends use in term of support. But if you think your going to have to bug your friends everytime you want to play with YOUR layout at home, then that system may not be a good system for you.

The best DCC system is the one that works best for you.

Best Regards

Mark Gurries

-- Mark Gurries (gurriesm@macconnect.com), January 24, 2005.