wilwahabri Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 I recently acquired a Lima Deltic chassis for conversion into DP1. When it arrived, it came with an unidentified Gaugemaster DCC Decoder hard wired in to the motor. I ran JMRI and read the decoder but it is indicating that the maker is in fact Gaugemaster but it is type 32. I cannot find any reference to a type 32 decoder, only a 25. The only DCC32 decoder they list is an accessory decoder. Does anyone have any idea what this decoder is? it has a white socket fitted at on end to accept a connector with the loco harness, and it also has a grey dual in line 22 pin socket of very fine pitch, looks like 0.05" at the other end. The whole thing is sleeved in heat shrink with the loco logo on it in orange Appreciate any light that can be thrown upon this, it hardly seems likely that an accessory decoder would have been fitted. Thanks in advance Bill Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meatloaf Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 Looks like a guagemaster DCC27 omni. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilwahabri Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 Assuming that to be the case, where can I get the decoder information - it is not included in JMRI, only the DCC25 is included. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BokStein Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 You could try here! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilwahabri Posted September 5, 2020 Author Share Posted September 5, 2020 (edited) Actually there is plenty of info there about Opti (DCC25 and DCC26) decoders but just a list of CVs for Omni (DCC27, DCC28 and DCC29) decoders. From that I must assume that the Omni decoders are a rehash of the Opti decoder but with the ability to be used with 8 or 21 pin sockets. It would be nice if that was actually confirmed by Gaugemaster. Of course that is unless they re-badge someone elses' decoders! The drawing in the Opti decoder manual has the decoder labelled DCC Concepts! Support wise they seem poor. Won't be using them. Lenz is far better at supplying information for one. Edited September 5, 2020 by wilwahabri spollin! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BokStein Posted September 5, 2020 Share Posted September 5, 2020 DCC25, 26, 27, 28 are now obsolete are they not? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilwahabri Posted September 7, 2020 Author Share Posted September 7, 2020 As I said I recently acquired a loco with this decoder already fitted. I am trying to establish its functionality as I am have problems getting the loco to run. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 On 05/09/2020 at 18:44, wilwahabri said: Of course that is unless they re-badge someone elses' decoders! Pretty certain that they do, especially as their DCC system is rebadged. On 05/09/2020 at 18:44, wilwahabri said: The drawing in the Opti decoder manual has the decoder labelled DCC Concepts! A few years ago i spotted a a 1:1 mapping between the CVs of some decoders and DCC concepts decoders. I can't speak for current production Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 On 05/09/2020 at 15:36, wilwahabri said: Assuming that to be the case, where can I get the decoder information - it is not included in JMRI, only the DCC25 is included. For all the standard CVs you can select almost any decoder. The nearest from the same manufacturer is obviously the best choice. Often the differences are just the number of outputs or the connector style, and a near equivalent will work just fine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted September 7, 2020 Share Posted September 7, 2020 24 minutes ago, Crosland said: On 05/09/2020 at 18:44, wilwahabri said: It would be nice if that was actually confirmed by Gaugemaster. Of course that is unless they re-badge someone elses' decoders! ...... Pretty certain that they do, especially as their DCC system is rebadged. Gaugemaster decoders are re-badged. The Opti / Omni models looks be to the Chinese clone of an old TCS decoder design, which also appears under numerous brands. Some other Gaugemaster models are re-badged Digitrax decoders. Both reasonably obvious from comparing manuals, showing common CV structures, terminology. And, under running, similar quirks in the decoder's response to commands to the other maker's items. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted September 7, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 7, 2020 (edited) On 07/09/2020 at 18:21, Crosland said: Pretty certain that they do, especially as their DCC system is rebadged. A few years ago i spotted a a 1:1 mapping between the CVs of some decoders and DCC concepts decoders. I can't speak for current production The recent Ruby range mentions Digitrax in the instructions. edit: erroneous comments removed Edited September 8, 2020 by newbryford Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crosland Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 17 hours ago, newbryford said: There was a minor collaboration between DCC Concepts and TCS a number of years ago - hence the similarity to the TCS range. I wouldn't call it a collaboration 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BromsMods Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 5 hours ago, Crosland said: I wouldn't call it a collaboration Certainly not with the legal wrangles which followed. 23 hours ago, newbryford said: There was a minor collaboration between DCC Concepts and TCS a number of years ago - absolutely not the case it's the Lais ones that are copies..... tick Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium newbryford Posted September 8, 2020 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 8, 2020 (edited) 6 minutes ago, BromsMods said: Certainly not with the legal wrangles which followed. Thanks. I shall amend my email and have a word with my source..... Edited September 8, 2020 by newbryford Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
BromsMods Posted September 8, 2020 Share Posted September 8, 2020 (edited) 23 hours ago, newbryford said: [*] The detail and clarity of said link is not entirely clear - it depends upon who tells the story. No it doesn't. I know exactly what happened. But I shall not expand further. Save to say that there are probably a number of decoders cloned from TCS out there via a Chinese factory. Edited September 8, 2020 by BromsMods 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted September 9, 2020 Share Posted September 9, 2020 The information I've seen (UK customs letters to retailers, statements from TCS, etc..) supports the views that John Russell (BromsMods) reports. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
wilwahabri Posted September 27, 2020 Author Share Posted September 27, 2020 (edited) Thank you all, most informative. A further question, when using this decoder, the loco stutters when coming to a stop in either direction. it actually stops then jumps in the direction it was travelling by about 1mm. If I turn off BEMF, it does not run at all. Weird! Edited September 27, 2020 by wilwahabri spelling correction Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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