DCC Chips - Which to Choose?

[Sir TophamHatt]

I've been reading this thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/108998-to-convert-non-dcc-ready-locos-do-you-need-to-buy-a-socket-adapter-as-well-as-the-decoder/

 

I'm looking to chip about 10 locos (some Thomas and Friends, a Turbostar, Voyager, Class 156, possibly a Class 66 or 67, a Class 4MT too.

 

I see some suggest the cheaper Lenz decoders for £15 odd each.  I've seen some on Hattons for £13 (sorry I don't have a link), but they do 10 for about £100.  Are these the same sort of quality as the Lenz ones?

 

While I'd love to stick in the Hornby Sapphire, I don't think the bank can afford that much at the moment.  Perhaps, if the difference really is noticable (I'm thinking Vauxhall compared to Jaguar?).

 

Is there any bulk buys for chips, of either quality?

Should I risk ebay or get from an established online store like Hattons?

 

Thanks

[RFS]

Lenz decoders are a top quality product, way better than the most of the budget ones, including the Hatton's ones. You just need to make sure that the decoder will fit in the model of your choice, and if it's the Lenz Standard+ V2 decoder that the model has an 8-pin socket.

[smokebox]

I've been reading this thread: http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/108998-to-convert-non-dcc-ready-locos-do-you-need-to-buy-a-socket-adapter-as-well-as-the-decoder/

 

I'm looking to chip about 10 locos (some Thomas and Friends, a Turbostar, Voyager, Class 156, possibly a Class 66 or 67, a Class 4MT too.

 

I see some suggest the cheaper Lenz decoders for £15 odd each.  I've seen some on Hattons for £13 (sorry I don't have a link), but they do 10 for about £100.  Are these the same sort of quality as the Lenz ones?

 

While I'd love to stick in the Hornby Sapphire, I don't think the bank can afford that much at the moment.  Perhaps, if the difference really is noticable (I'm thinking Vauxhall compared to Jaguar?).

 

Is there any bulk buys for chips, of either quality?

Should I risk ebay or get from an established online store like Hattons?

 

Thanks

Why would you want to use a Hornby Sapphire? What makes it attractive to you?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

...I see some suggest the cheaper Lenz decoders for £15 odd each. ...While I'd love to stick in the Hornby Sapphire, I don't think the bank can afford that much at the moment.  Perhaps, if the difference really is noticable (I'm thinking Vauxhall compared to Jaguar?).

 Think you have this the wrong way around. Yet to encounter any Hornby decoder that comes within a country mile of the Lenz Standard performance. Cheaper, superior, 10 year warranty; will run any current RTR OO motor extremely well.

[Torper]

You could also consider the new Zimo budget decoder, the MX600R (8 pin).  They offer Zimo exceptional performance and at £19 are just a little more than the Lenz.

 

DT

[Sir TophamHatt]

Why would you want to use a Hornby Sapphire? What makes it attractive to you?

 

Nothing :/  Others in the quoted thread said it was "in a different class".  I don't want to spend money on something, realising a little later down the line that I should have spent a little more and had a better chip.

 

To be honest, I don't really know the range of what I can spend on them, neither do I know what wil fit.  I'm a bit afraid of opening any train in case I can't get ti back together like new.

[Ron Ron Ron]

Nothing :/  Others in the quoted thread said it was "in a different class"......

 

 

I think they are saying the Sapphire is in a different class in relation to the other decoder that Hornby sell, which is very basic and not very good at all.

However, it's not in a different class to solid reliable decoders from the likes of  Lenz, Zimo, ESU etc.

 

If you read that thread again, people are saying the Sapphire is a fairly decent decoder, but it's far too expensive for what it is and other makes are equal or better at a much lower cost.

At the Sapphires price point, there are other decoders that will wipe the floor with it.

 

 

.

[brossard]

Just read the January 2017 issue of Hornby magazine - there's a review in there.  I can't fathom the ratings table though.

 

Hattons DCR 8 pin direct gets "Best Value".  I've tried these and they are good.

 

Zimo MX600R gets "Choice".

 

John

[Madcaravanner]

I am just starting with DCC too I'm using an Elink and Railmaster

The decoders I can afford are Gauge master DCC 26 not only are they tiny they are separate to the harnesses so I won't blow them up with bodging the soldering although not liable to with my new gas soldering iron

 

They only cost £14.95 too

My only problem was loosing a spring of the pancake tender power unit taking the capacitor out

[Sir TophamHatt]

Sorry to bump this, but I have a further "just to make sure" question.
 
So I could buy a bunch of these Lenz Standard DCC Decoder, then hard-wire them into a bunch of steam locos I have and that's it?

I understand you can buy sockets, which I guess is simply an extra step - so you hard wire the socket, then simply slot the chip into it.  This means I can upgrade the chip at a later date, or fit a planking plug if I need to run it on DC lines - correct?

 

Seems like a basic question, but does it matter what size socket?  I understand it all depends what space you have in the train but what I am sort of getting at is that I don'd mind buying 15 sockets, 15 decoders and fitting as many locos I have with as many sockets and decoders, rather than opening them all up, seeing what space there is, then hunting round trying to find a decoder that will fit.  I know that may seem a little crazy but I am sure I'll be able to make sue of anything left over if I couldn't use it on the bunch of trains I have already.

 

Lastly (and thanks for reading thus far ), is there a website that does bulk sockets?  The Ali's spares doesn't seem to do them any more so the closest I found was Gaugemaster 5 for £8.  However, I have since read another thread and found these (http://www.hattons.co.uk/28225/Bachmann_Branchline_36_564_8_pin_decoder_socket_with_harness_x1/StockDetail.aspx) - I understand this is the socket and wires ready to solder to the loco? (then the decoder simply slots straight in and you're ready to go?)

[brossard]

I think you might find that adding sockets and harnesses will take up a lot of real estate inside the loco.  Even large RTR locos pre DCC ready often have very little room inside (I had a ton of trouble getting a decoder into Bachmann's Crab - and that was DCC ready!).  You're probably better off wiring direct from the decoder to the motor and pickups.  Certainly, my experience has been that the wires cause more trouble than the decoder when trying to get the body back on.

 

John 

[tractor_37260]

A budget option that works well is Hatton's DCR range, used loads of them in projects.....not as good as Zimo/Lenz but very good for the price, especially with bulk buy.................... 

 

Alternatives that are a bit more expensive the Zimo 600R or Lenz Standard or Silver

[Sir TophamHatt]

Okay.

I'll just hard wire - makes no difference to me as I suspect I won't upgrade once the decoder is in anyway.

[RAF96]

Look for NEM 652 sockets

https://www.google.co.uk/search?client=safari&hl=en-gb&ei=rNaVWP2SLMHoUt7hqoAF&q=nem652+socket&oq=nem+65socket&gs_l=mobile-gws-serp.1.1.0i7i30k1j0i7i10i30k1.39663.41098.0.44822.2.2.0.0.0.0.211.414.2-2.2.0....0...1c.1.64.mobile-gws-serp..0.2.414...30i10k1.RFRthSxWbG4#imgrc=8CkrtnoBiPIobM:

[NoelG]

You can't beat Lenz, Zimo, ESU for quality and smooth drive characteristics.  

 

I started buying non-sound decoders from German retail websites because they are priced anywhere between 20%-35% less than UK web sites, but only if buying 4 or more at a time due to postage costs.  Also use amazon.de and sometimes eBay. Even with sterling week at the moment there are still significant savings in DCC electronics if sourced in Germany.

 

E.g: one site I have used https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/produkt/Lenz/9-4-0-62723-003001-0-0-0-0-0-0-grp-gb-p-0/ein_produkt.html

[peterfgf]

You can't beat Lenz, Zimo, ESU for quality and smooth drive characteristics.  

 

I started buying non-sound decoders from German retail websites because they are priced anywhere between 20%-35% less than UK web sites, but only if buying 4 or more at a time due to postage costs.  Also use amazon.de and sometimes eBay. Even with sterling week at the moment there are still significant savings in DCC electronics if sourced in Germany.

 

E.g: one site I have used https://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/produkt/Lenz/9-4-0-62723-003001-0-0-0-0-0-0-grp-gb-p-0/ein_produkt.html

Concur with NoelG on both points:

* I've found both Lenz and ESU to be very good and I'm just about to order some Zimo decoders after reading the comments here on RMWeb. 

* I've also used Modelbahnshop Lippe.  Prices are very competitive; free postage for orders over Euro.100; 3% loyalty discount off next order; good delivery (but don't appear to stock Zimo).

Peterfgf

[Sir TophamHatt]

Just to conclude with this, I ended up buying 10 from arstecnica.de (so price was about £14 each).

I'll probably check some Zimo out next time.

 

Just got to try and get these into locos now!

[bescotbeast]

Concur with NoelG on both points:

* I've found both Lenz and ESU to be very good and I'm just about to order some Zimo decoders after reading the comments here on RMWeb. 

* I've also used Modelbahnshop Lippe.  Prices are very competitive; free postage for orders over Euro.100; 3% loyalty discount off next order; good delivery (but don't appear to stock Zimo).

Peterfgf

I started off using cheap decoders from Hattons,in my collection but after a few issues I switched to using ESU as I've found them much more reliable 

[dj_crisp]

I'm trying out lenz standards after getting fed up with hattons and DCC concepts dying on me. The extra seems worth it... and so it looks like they'll work out cheaper in the long run...