Ben Alder Posted September 4, 2022 Share Posted September 4, 2022 Just had an email from Protocab saying they have closed with immediate effect. A shame as the system had great potential. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CME and Bottlewasher Posted September 5, 2022 Share Posted September 5, 2022 I wondered why I hadn't heard from them for awhile (they and thus, I, were waiting on semiconductors iirc). Its a great shame, it showed lots of potential. I wish them well. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andrew Biro Posted September 5, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 5, 2022 I am surprised they lasted this long. Great product - useless company. Totally missed the boat. Shame really. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
CME and Bottlewasher Posted September 29, 2022 Share Posted September 29, 2022 On 05/09/2022 at 22:49, Andrew Biro said: I am surprised they lasted this long. Great product - useless company. Totally missed the boat. Shame really. Can you elaborate further please. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
73c Posted September 29, 2022 Share Posted September 29, 2022 If you google Protocab, you can view their facebook page which explains why. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted September 30, 2022 Share Posted September 30, 2022 Explains why they are closing. Does not explain why they are a useless company and totally missed the boat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andrew Biro Posted September 30, 2022 RMweb Premium Share Posted September 30, 2022 They promised new products which they could never deliver (how do like our new controllers ? great - when can we get them ? errr soon) - only excuses. They seemed to spend a fortune on promotions eg free tickets to Scaleforum and buffet lunches. Meanwhile other companies were producing radio control products. And they didn't seem to know what their potential market should be eg 4mm finescale or just 00 or outdoors or the larger scales. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Human8984 Posted February 10, 2023 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 10, 2023 What are the alternatives now that Protocab have closed... for 4MM scale? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevel Posted February 10, 2023 Share Posted February 10, 2023 2 hours ago, Human8984 said: What are the alternatives now that Protocab have closed... for 4MM scale? here is the alternative, http://www.micronradiocontrol.co.uk/tx_rail.html Also check out this account, he has got the RC figured out. https://www.instagram.com/allportnick/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
1ngram Posted February 14, 2023 Share Posted February 14, 2023 I was told at the Falkirk Show MERG stand that they had members investigating/developing rechargeable battery powered DCC system WIFI controlled but a subsequent email to MERG has, as yet, produced no response Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 On 10/02/2023 at 16:34, Human8984 said: What are the alternatives now that Protocab have closed... for 4MM scale? Tam Valley's dead rail system, DRS-1. It’s a wireless adapter that allows a regular DCC system to be used for DCC control via wireless, to battery fitted locos. Might be a bit tight fitting the little receiver and batteries into a loco, as well as the normal DCC decoder. Alternatively one of the BlueTooth or WiFi based systems, e.g. BlueRail Trains/ SoundTraxx Blunami, Hornby’s new HM7000 HM-DCC or the WiFiTrax system. . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 On 10/02/2023 at 16:34, Human8984 said: What are the alternatives now that Protocab have closed... for 4MM scale? In additions to Ron's list.. If wanting just simple radio control, then look at Micron, UK source of small radio control receivers, batteries, etc.. Good for running a simple layout with a small number of active locos. Which in practise was what Protocab offered; they never really broke out from the "less than ten locos" model of their devices, despite having a system architecture which could do really complex and clever things. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 On 14/02/2023 at 16:27, 1ngram said: I was told at the Falkirk Show MERG stand that they had members investigating/developing rechargeable battery powered DCC system WIFI controlled but a subsequent email to MERG has, as yet, produced no response I suspect you have crossed wires. There are folk in MERG taking about (and its mostly talk on a chat forum, not seen any action) a handset which is wireless (no wires from handset to command station), as an alternative to the current MERG wired DCC handset. Thereafter it is normal wires to the track. I doubt there are any MERG kit plans to build decoders to go inside locos, for any protocol - wired or wireless. Because they fall outside sensible home assembly. Such things require automated component placement machines to assemble the circuit. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grovenor Posted February 17, 2023 Share Posted February 17, 2023 On 14/02/2023 at 16:27, 1ngram said: I was told at the Falkirk Show MERG stand that they had members investigating/developing rechargeable battery powered DCC system WIFI controlled but a subsequent email to MERG has, as yet, produced no response Did you use the MERG 'contact us' option at the bottom of our webpages? I ask because I have repied to every such message recieved. So it may have got lost somewhere, try asking again if you wish. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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