First DCC Controller - Recommendations Please

[Delorean1984]

I'm after a DCC controller, never had one before but want to get one in readiness for when I get my baseboard built and some track down.

 

Would prefer just to buy once rather than upgrading in few years.

 

What recommendations do you guys have?

[JimFin]

In some respects - what feels most comfortable in your hand and has good ergonomics for you personally is more important than the brand i.e. can you comfortably reach and operate the controls / buttons, do you prefer a slider, joystick or dial etc. etc. Does mean you may have to wait until you can go and try some though!

 

To future proof would look at those that had or were capable of WiFi connectivity and had a USB port for connectivity to a laptop type device to allow computer control at some point if you chose.

 

Oh - and budget!

 

Consequence, I would not recommend any specific make/model, they all have pros and cons, devotees and detractors, sorry if that's not the help you were seeking!

[terryj]

you could get dozens of different answers to this question as we all prefer the one we use ,as per previous answer  you need to go and try several out and see which suits you and your needs.

for what its worth i love my roco z21 as i can use any pad or phone to control it,but if you want the feel of using a dial to turn then it would be of no use to you 

[Oldddudders]

As said, one man's meat is another man's poison. You choose not to tell us where you live but if you can find a specialist DCC dealer they will have a selection of kit for you to look at. As said above, do you want practical but no frills stuff or Starship Enterprise displays and pretty pics of locos? Do you want an all-in-one-box system, or walkaround, maybe with radio transmission of commands, or computer control of the whole layout? The variety among makes, each conforming to the basic NMRA DCC spec, is simply huge. And the way the system appears may not tell you the whole story about how versatile it is, either, although price may be some guide. Do a lot of digging before committing cash. 

[Ouroborus]

As you've been advised, lots of choice, lots of cost variations.

 

Fwiw, I use an ECoS having previously had Lenz.  I felt the Lenz was of its time and having to remember cv's of locos, points and accessories became tiresome and sucked the joy out of playing trains.  Lenz remains well regarded, but I can't help but think that it trades on former glory and seems desperately slow to innovate.

 

The ECoS is graphical based, you can call up your loco by image and it has a built in track plan by which you can control points and accessories.  It's not flawless, it certainly has a few odd traits, but I've been delighted with mine.

[johnd]

The one that is right for you may not right for others.

 

Research DCC controllers available listing types/connectivity/usability, go to a number of exhibitions (when they are able to start again ) and talk to various layout operators ( they don't bite usually and are quite happy to talk) who use DCC and see how they feel about systems, then if possible visit a retailer that has a number of systems available for you to try in shop and for you to get the feel of the one you are most comfortable with. Go away and think about them and maybe a week later see which one you then think about most, if your happy then go out and obtain it.

 

What is right for others may not be right for you, we all have our own reasons for buying what we buy.

 

Good luck  buying the choice is endless, just like buying a car once you buy one they always seem to upgrade the model! At least with DCC at least the software is easily upgraded.

Edited April 14, 2020 by johnd

[johnb]

As has been said above, you need to try several of them and see what suits YOU!

 

I did that when I started in DCC and eventually settled for an NCE Powercab. Years later I am still happy with it, it does all I want or need and has some nice features and some that I've never used. I use it at exhibitions and in fact have three of them. Mine's a simple end to end layout with maybe two locos running at once.

There is an upgrade path to the NCE ProCab which does not render the original handset redundant. I've no need to go down that route though

 

Yes there are more sophisticated systems on the market but they can be expensive.

Edited April 15, 2020 by johnb
correction in para 2 to Procab

[JST]

Agree with all that has been said above. There is another factor. You need to think about what size layout, how many locos etc. before deciding in terms of the power output of your chosen controller. Otherwise you may find yourself having to buy a power booster which don't come cheap.

[grriff]

As others have said, it depends... on your layout size, number of locos, your technical confidence; some DCC command stations are easier to use than others. I would always advise that you visit retailers and ask to look at the manuals. As a test, see how well they explain changing the loco's default address (which you will always have to do).

 

I bought a SPROGII from e-bay and use it with JMRI on the computer. Cheap and you need to be happy with computers but it serves my small layout. My neighbour, who is not at all 'teccie' likes NCE.

[Delorean1984]

Hey everyone.

 

Thanks for the tips and help.

 

I've had a good look around and quite like the Z21 system, looks feature rich and good for my needs. I also forgot to mention that my young daughter must be able to use it as I'm mainly building the layout for her so suspect the tablet/telephone based z21 system might be good for her then say traditional DCC controller. Also hope the z21 is future proof with firmware updates etc

 

Anyone got experience of the z21?

[Nigelcliffe]

Just an important point on Z21/z21    The Z21 is Black, fairly expensive, vast number of features.   The z21 is white, a lot cheaper,  far fewer features and a number of restrictions on what it can do.    Be sure to know your "Z" from your "z". 

 

 

[Delorean1984]

3 minutes ago, Nigelcliffe said:

Just an important point on Z21/z21    The Z21 is Black, fairly expensive, vast number of features.   The z21 is white, a lot cheaper,  far fewer features and a number of restrictions on what it can do.    Be sure to know your "Z" from your "z". 

 

 

Ah didn't realise that, thanks for the tip.

 

What's the main difference between them?

[CFL]

Also the cheaper, basic white z21 doesn't have wifi capability but it can be added afterwards. The horribly expensive, black Z21 comes with wifi as standard - but then if you need other add ons your credit card is going to take a bashing.

Take a look here at the comparison chart:

20190910_Roco_Accessories.pdf

 

I was very recently in your position, but living in europe looked at the 'local' makes but, as I said the prices were horribly disproportionate to the layout. I finally shelled out for the Gaugemaster Prodigy Advance² which seems to do more than all I need plus seems to be idiot and bomb proof (mustn't forget the customer backup, I had a problem and they were very good at talking me through the actions needed although in the end it was the loco!)

 

Good hunting!

[cravensdmufan]

A vote for the NCE Powercab from me.

 

Had mine for around 5 years. 

 

Great value as a starter set which can be cheaply upgraded as and when you expand the layout and number of locos sitting on it (although it will easily handle 6 normal 00 locos as supplied).   I used a Tam Valley booster as recommended by Coastal DCC (thanks Kevin) to increase the amps only because I found the maximum speed of my trains on the main line were a little slow.  No need to buy NCE's own (expensive) booster actually.

 

I like the fact that the Powercab throttle can be operated with one hand - it has both buttons and a thumbwheel to control speeds - use either. I prefer the buttons; it has two sets for fast or slow speed increments.  And the fact that the throttle is a walk around.  I don't like being in one place when I'm operating my layout.

 

I tried a good few systems before my purchase, and found the Powercab the easiest to use.

 

The only thing I didn't like was the flat cable supplied with the Powercab.  It kept getting tangled!  So I replaced it with a coiled cable - a DCC Concepts product again purchased from Coastal for around £7.

 

No connections with either NCE or Coastal - just a very happy user.  I have no reason to change my system.

 

Although impossible during the current "lockdown" situation, as @Olddudders says it really is best to visit a specialist DCC supplier shop and try them all out before purchase and to ask questions.

 

Edit:  Just seen your other post about tablet/phone operation.  I purchased an NCE USB interface board and can operate layout by phone using the free JMRI software,  

Edited April 19, 2020 by cravensdmufan
Additional information

[melvin]

On 18/04/2020 at 13:07, Delorean1984 said:

Hey everyone.

 

Thanks for the tips and help.

 

I've had a good look around and quite like the Z21 system, looks feature rich and good for my needs. I also forgot to mention that my young daughter must be able to use it as I'm mainly building the layout for her so suspect the tablet/telephone based z21 system might be good for her then say traditional DCC controller. Also hope the z21 is future proof with firmware updates etc

 

Anyone got experience of the z21?

Building it for your daughter then, I built mine for grandchildren they lost interest now its only me that has to play with it.