Digitrax DZ125 decoders

[cutting42]

Hi All

 

I am pretty experienced with DCC and need a bulk purchase of decoders (20). I have always used Lenz mini silver and mini Gold or Zimo decoders to date. However I can get the Digitrax DZ125 in the US for under $20. I will be visiting the US so can pick them up and avoid delivery charges. This is a significant saving over the $37 for the bulk Lenz mini Silver costs.

 

So my question is; has anyone here used the DZ125 and how good is it? Most of my locos for chipping as the newer mechs from Farish and Dapol so I am hoping the extra performance of the Lenz and Zimo are less important.

 

Help please? Other suggestions would be welcome. However I really don't like TCS decoders, I have 5 M1 decoders that I have demoted to lighting duties due to poor performance and noisy motor drive.

 

The control will be via TrainController so wizzy features like the stuff in the Gold decoders is not important, just good solid motor control.

 

TIA

[Stephenson]

Hi TIA,

 

I have 15 DZ125N decoders and they have all performed well with my GF and Dapol fleet.

I am trialling the Bachmann 6 pina one at present and apart from the lack of programmable CV's it is working well.

If you are i Arizona try Lichfield Station.

Cheers

Bill

[Adrian Wintle]

I've had no concerns with the DZ125 decoders I've used (North American N applications mostly). I use Lenz Silver Mini as my high-end wired decoder and the DZ125 as my low end. The major thing with the Digitrax decoders is that they don't have the short-circuit protection that the Lenz chips do, so it is easier to let the smoke out... (no prize for guessing how I know this).

 

Adrian

[brixham]

I've used DZ125's in OO Triang motor bogies..they ran well. Also Hornby 1980's 060 chassis with X04 motors. They are rated at 1 amp??? so as long as the chassis is a good efficient one, no problems.

 

I started to work out how many DZ125's it would take bought in the USA over Lenz bought here to cover the typical cost of a flight, but I lost interest. It is a Friday, and my brain is frazzled!

[Nigelcliffe]

I am pretty experienced with DCC and need a bulk purchase of decoders (20). I have always used Lenz mini silver and mini Gold or Zimo decoders to date. However I can get the Digitrax DZ125 in the US for under $20. I will be visiting the US so can pick them up and avoid delivery charges. This is a significant saving over the $37 for the bulk Lenz mini Silver costs.

 

So my question is; has anyone here used the DZ125 and how good is it? Most of my locos for chipping as the newer mechs from Farish and Dapol so I am hoping the extra performance of the Lenz and Zimo are less important.

 

 

I did a comparison of two Farish 37's (new type with the decoder sockets); one with Zimo MX620, one with Digitrax DZ125. Both had had 2mm Finescale wheels, but no other changes. I didn't try the cross-comparison by swapping chips back/forth. Controller was a Digitrax Zephyr.

 

The DZ125 gave acceptable performance. I think most people would be content with it. It went acceptably slowly.

The Zimo gave markedly better performance, the way the loco moved away from standstill and up/down the speed range at lower speeds seemed so much better. Whether this small difference is relevant is down to you. If planning to buy in bulk, I suggest you get one of each type in the UK now and try it, if its good then you have a substantial saving, if not then you don't blow $400 on "junked" decoders.

 

One other thing for the Zimo is the six function outputs. If prepared to do some re-wiring inside a loco this means correct front/back lighting is possible. With two outputs of most decoders you end up with the incorrect red taillights when pulling a train.

 

I find the Lenz Gold & Silver to be poor compared to Zimo or CT on smaller motors/mechanisms, such as those used in N. And, as I understand the Lenz documentation, there is no point buying Gold rather than Silver unless you also plan to fit the Power-1 module. The new Silver-plus models have Railcom should it be needed.

 

Like you I find TCS a mixed bag at best.

 

- Nigel

[cutting42]

 

I started to work out how many DZ125's it would take bought in the USA over Lenz bought here to cover the typical cost of a flight, but I lost interest. It is a Friday, and my brain is frazzled!

 

Bargain flight to USA = ??299, Regular DZ125 cost = ??16.95, Tonys Train Exchange = $19.95 @ 1.661 $ to ?? = 12.01 ea. Savings of ??7.94 ea therefore need to buy 38 decoders at ??456.41 to cover the flight cost. Fortunately my company will stump up the flight cost but it was fun working it out.

[cutting42]

I did a comparison of two Farish 37's (new type with the decoder sockets); one with Zimo MX620, one with Digitrax DZ125. Both had had 2mm Finescale wheels, but no other changes. I didn't try the cross-comparison by swapping chips back/forth. Controller was a Digitrax Zephyr.

 

The DZ125 gave acceptable performance. I think most people would be content with it. It went acceptably slowly.

The Zimo gave markedly better performance, the way the loco moved away from standstill and up/down the speed range at lower speeds seemed so much better. Whether this small difference is relevant is down to you. If planning to buy in bulk, I suggest you get one of each type in the UK now and try it, if its good then you have a substantial saving, if not then you don't blow $400 on "junked" decoders.

 

One other thing for the Zimo is the six function outputs. If prepared to do some re-wiring inside a loco this means correct front/back lighting is possible. With two outputs of most decoders you end up with the incorrect red taillights when pulling a train.

 

I find the Lenz Gold & Silver to be poor compared to Zimo or CT on smaller motors/mechanisms, such as those used in N. And, as I understand the Lenz documentation, there is no point buying Gold rather than Silver unless you also plan to fit the Power-1 module. The new Silver-plus models have Railcom should it be needed.

 

Like you I find TCS a mixed bag at best.

 

- Nigel

 

Very interesting, good speed change performance is important to me so I might just get 10 Zimo's for now as I know they are outstanding. It will be better in the long run I believe.

[Edwin_m]

Bargain flight to USA = ??299, Regular DZ125 cost = ??16.95, Tonys Train Exchange = $19.95 @ 1.661 $ to ?? = 12.01 ea. Savings of ??7.94 ea therefore need to buy 38 decoders at ??456.41 to cover the flight cost. Fortunately my company will stump up the flight cost but it was fun working it out.

 

I'd just be a bit cautious about what the intellects at US security or UK customs might think if they X-ray a bag and see 38 small packages with wires coming out. I suppose it would be possible to convince them that a decoder isn't a detonator, but they'd probably charge you duty and VAT for the aggro.

[bikersupermoto]

hey there Gareth ...

 

i travel back and forward to and from the u.s. once a month (work stuff unfort) ... am actually here in the u.s. just now for 10 days ... went to a great exhibition last weekend and bought a few (ahem) items!.

 

uk customs allowance is ??350 now from outside the e.u. if your flying into/out of heathrow from a u.s. destination ... you are very unlikely to get stopped by customs tbh. they target certain flights from certain destinatons that have a "highly likely to have something on them" kinda thing going on! if u know what i mean!.

 

only places iv been stopped by customs is coming from miami and amsterdam - say no more, and they didnt look in my baggage, just asked what id been doing there lol.

 

i recommend that if you do buy a bulk load of decoders, take them with you in your hand luggage and explain to the tsa agent at the x-ray machine what is in your bag BEFORE it goes through the x-ray. that way you are less likely to have problems.

im bringing back a whole bag of decoders and locos too ... all in my hand luggage.

 

the problem with putting the decoders into your checked bags is that tsa randomly check hold luggage. if they pick your bag and are the slightest bit suspicious about the decoders, you may well arrive back in uk, open your suitcase and find a little note from the tsa telling you they have inspected your bag! - and thats it!!!. - decoders all gone! - and itll be impossible to back track them from the uk!.

 

so pack them neatly as u can and put into your hand luggage!.

 

safe travels!

[cutting42]

hey there Gareth ...

 

i travel back and forward to and from the u.s. once a month (work stuff unfort) ... am actually here in the u.s. just now for 10 days ... went to a great exhibition last weekend and bought a few (ahem) items!.

 

uk customs allowance is ??350 now from outside the e.u. if your flying into/out of heathrow from a u.s. destination ... you are very unlikely to get stopped by customs tbh. they target certain flights from certain destinatons that have a "highly likely to have something on them" kinda thing going on! if u know what i mean!.

 

only places iv been stopped by customs is coming from miami and amsterdam - say no more, and they didnt look in my baggage, just asked what id been doing there lol.

 

i recommend that if you do buy a bulk load of decoders, take them with you in your hand luggage and explain to the tsa agent at the x-ray machine what is in your bag BEFORE it goes through the x-ray. that way you are less likely to have problems.

im bringing back a whole bag of decoders and locos too ... all in my hand luggage.

 

the problem with putting the decoders into your checked bags is that tsa randomly check hold luggage. if they pick your bag and are the slightest bit suspicious about the decoders, you may well arrive back in uk, open your suitcase and find a little note from the tsa telling you they have inspected your bag! - and thats it!!!. - decoders all gone! - and itll be impossible to back track them from the uk!.

 

so pack them neatly as u can and put into your hand luggage!.

 

safe travels!

 

 

Thanks for the advice, I am a pretty frequent traveller to the US as well (8 trips this year to date) but did not realise the limit was ??350 now. I tend to fly to major cities such as Boston, Newark, Phily, Chicago and San Fran so not really dodgy places. Great advice re packing in hand luggage, thanks again.

[Oldddudders]

Bargain flight to USA = ??299, Regular DZ125 cost = ??16.95, Tonys Train Exchange = $19.95 @ 1.661 $ to ?? = 12.01 ea. Savings of ??7.94 ea therefore need to buy 38 decoders at ??456.41 to cover the flight cost. Fortunately my company will stump up the flight cost but it was fun working it out.

For anyone unable to convince their employer to "stump up", may I say I have found Tony's to be a reliable mail-order supplier over more than 10 years. With the ?? now trading at $1.66-ish, things are not as good as a couple of years ago, but still worthwhile even for quite small orders, perhaps.