Earl Bathurst Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 HI What are Gaugemaster decoders like? I have at present got a few Bachmann and am trying out a TCS and Zimo decoder, but a member of our club only uses gaugemaster decoders for his N gauge and was woundering what the 00 gaguge versions woulkd be like? Can anyone offer advice as to what features can be altered on these decoder? I have been looking at the Gaugemaster DCC22 Very Small Locomotive Decoder 2 Function but on the website only shows 14/28 speed steps and nothing about 128 would this chip support 128 speedsteps And the other i was looking at was Gaugemaster DCC26 OPTI Small 4 Function Decoder again doesnt mention speed steps If anyone can offer advice i would be most greatful. Thanks Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Buy yourself a Lenz Standard, and try that. For the budget price you get a very refined drive that will deliver smooth performance on 95%+ of current chassis designs. The awkward squad, use Zimo, class leading range of adjustments available allied to a high grade drive. My plan in DCC is to use the lowest cost decoder that consistently delivers smooth and easily adjusted performance. Budget steal in the UK are the Bachmann 36-553 and 554, excellent silent drive but very limited adjustment so the chassis has to be a good match. Suits centre motor, both bogies driven chassis very well. That takes care of the bogie diesel types, the Lenz Standard or Silver 21pin handle almost all the steamers, and few difficult chassis have one of a few Zimo MX63R that I bought a good few years ago. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium DLT Posted August 9, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 9, 2012 I'm fairly new to DCC, and I have a Gaugemaster DCC25, but havent installed it yet. My other locos have TCS T1 and M1 decoders, so I can do a comparison. The DCC25 LOOKS exactly the same as the T1 in size and shape. All the best, Dave. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Buy yourself a Lenz Standard, and try that. For the budget price you get a very refined drive that will deliver smooth performance on 95%+ of current chassis designs. The awkward squad, use Zimo, class leading range of adjustments available allied to a high grade drive. Fair enough as advice, though a Lenz Standard is £18.50 and a ZImo MX623 is £21.25 from my usual retailer, the MX623 is a new decoder. So the difference from "pretty good" to "best" is a very small amount of extra money. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted August 9, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 9, 2012 a little unfair there Nigel methinks I can get Standards about a quid cheaper than that - getting close to 20% cheaper than the 623. I understand your point about Zimo being better though, just a shame they could not keep the price of the 623 below 20 quid. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nigelcliffe Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 a little unfair there Nigel methinks I can get Standards about a quid cheaper than that - getting close to 20% cheaper than the 623. Completely fair. I looked at the prices at the retailer I would usually buy from. I'm not running a price comparison service. A quick check of another DCC specialist retailer showed the Lenz Standard can be over £20 in some places ! The more important point is that Zimo for a standard sized OO loco is around £21-£23. There are a lot of indifferently average decoders on sale for standard OO sizes at £25 and more, which are terrible value considering the alternatives. - Nigel Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RFS Posted August 9, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 9, 2012 Model Railways Direct have the Lenz Standard+ in stock for £16. Not found it cheaper anywhere else. http://www.modelrailwaysdirect.co.uk/Lenz-10231-Standard-Plus-Locomotive-Decoder-10231-01/ Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted August 9, 2012 Author Share Posted August 9, 2012 Hi everyone Thanks for the replies. So what is being said is to go for Lenz or Zimo. But would you spend an extra £3pound odd on the zimo or go for the lenz? I want decoders with the plugs on them as all m y locos have the sockets ready Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikeg Posted August 9, 2012 Share Posted August 9, 2012 Hi Scott, I have two gaugemaster chips and find they work quite well, but they are in O gauge scratch built models with 1833 motors. I have now standerdised on TCS T1's and have found them much friendlier to use and programme and they are not to costly, the last I bought from Digitrans were £12.50 but I know they have gone up since then, I think they are now about £16 so I think good value still. I have a Bachmann 3 function to try but have not yet got the loco chasis ready for the install, no pickups! but one of our club members finds them very good and has only paid £11 each from Hattons. regards mike g Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 9, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 9, 2012 Don't use the Train$ave (now discontinued AFAIK but may still be available), it suffers from erratic speed steps similar to some TCS decoders, including the T1 mentioned above! I second the Lenz route. I have started fitting Lenz Standard + (@ £16 each). Much better control than TCS, my previous "super budget" choice at a similar price. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted August 10, 2012 Author Share Posted August 10, 2012 Hi Keith Where do you get your Lenz standard at £16? Scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold RedgateModels Posted August 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 10, 2012 see post #7 - they only have 3 left though .... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 10, 2012 see post #7 - they only have 3 left though .... Seem to re-stock on a regular basis. I have had three orders from them, each time I had all or most of their stock but were showing back in stock within a few days! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 Are the Lenz standard small or a big decoder. Just gave thatg company a ring for phone orders they charge an extra £1 never heard of that before from a company haha. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 Charlie (DC videos and Kits of Leeds) does the Lenz Standard+ at exhibitions for £15.50 . I dont know about mail order. The Lenz Standard is a bit on the big side though and also has the wiring harness to tuck out of the way. A better bet is the ZTC258 which is smaller and has the 8 pin plug on its underside. Just set CV57 to 1 and your Bachmann steam locos (notoriously jittery when crawling at walking pace under DCC) will run nice and smooth. It might be DE kits and videos, I cant quite remember. And Charlie does get on here occasionally too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold PhilH Posted August 11, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted August 11, 2012 see post #7 - they only have 3 left though .... Not now! Good price, thanks for the heads up. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 11, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 11, 2012 Are the Lenz standard small or a big decoder. ? Slightly narrower than a TCS T1 but about the same length. Do fit in some smokeboxes! Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 I want to stay away from bigger decoders as they always seem a bit difficult to get into locos. I have heard mixed results from ZTC decoders so not sure about them? I must say i do like the Zimo decoder MX623R as it is so small and has good features. Problem is when you got about 40 odd locos to chip its going to get expensive Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 I have heard mixed results from ZTC decoders so not sure about them? There may be some that had mixed results from some earlier generation of ZTC decoders, but that also applies to earlier decoders from the other manufacturers too ! There are people on here now talking about problems with current Zimo decoders. I can't comment on them. I've seen adverse comments about Digitrax decoders, but I have 3 and they work fine. My one experience with TCS decoders wasn't good, I had one of the faulty DP2X-UK ones so it had to go back, and their unconditional guarantee isnt worth ten pence if you have to post it back to the USA. Bachmann's decoders dont work well in their own S&D 7Fs even using their recomended Back EMF CV values, though exactly the same decoder is ok in their 3F, probably because the 3F chassis has less places for binding (it's only 6 coupled and has no valve gear). All I can say is I've got lots of ZTC258 decoders and 3 Lenz Standards and I would say that properly tuned they are equal. I've been able to compare them properly because I have two 7Fs. One is fitted with a Lenz and the other a ZTC. I've also done the same with two Bachmann Standard 4 2-6-0s (another pig of a loco to get running smoothly at walking pace). My comments only refer to steam locos. Being an S&D modeller I have no diesels. These locos with big centre motors with/without flywheels are a different kettle of fish ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Earl Bathurst Posted August 11, 2012 Author Share Posted August 11, 2012 Thanks Combe martin Well im going to railwells on sunday and ztc are there so might try 1 I have a 7f with the Bachmann 21 pin and it doesnt run smooth so might thy a ztc for that and put the 21pin into a diesel because as you said the fly wheel in the diesel irons out the judering that steam locos have. Thanks for the info. scott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted August 11, 2012 Share Posted August 11, 2012 With the 7F, you will need a 21 to 8 pin adapter as well. I bought a 5 pack of DCC Concepts ones a little while ago from a trader at an exhibition for about £10, though I believe Bachmann also make them. Also Bachmann have mounted the 21 pin circuit board very high up on 2 plastic posts. If you plug the 21/8 pin adapter in, then plug in a ZTC258, when you try to refit the tender body, it fouls it as the whole assembly is now too high. The problem isnt confined to using a ZTC decoder, the same problem also exists if you plug in a decoder with an 8 pin plug on the end of a wiring harness (eg a Lenz Standard+), there just isnt the height space if your using a 21/8 adapter. What you have to do is cut down the posts a bit to reduce the height of the assembly. But, talk to Neil Kinison on the ZTC stand about it, because he was considering getting some 'clever' 21/8 adapters to get round the problem, but I dont know if he's managed it yet. If you do try the ZTC route, let me know what loco youve fitted it into and I'll tell you what CV values work well for me. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted August 12, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted August 12, 2012 My one experience with TCS decoders wasn't good, I had one of the faulty DP2X-UK ones so it had to go back, and their unconditional guarantee isnt worth ten pence if you have to post it back to the USA. Why do you need to post it to the USA? You should approach the UK retailer you bought it from, they are responsible for faulty products under UK law. The one occasion I needed to use the warranty my retailer honoured it here. Keith EDIT: re 21 pin decoders - use a Lenz Silver 21+ (about £24.50!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Same here, a faulty A4 (pcb board mounted decoder great for non dcc ready diesels with stacks of space in the body) which was replaced by its UK supplier without any quibbles, and thats one that you have to solder the wires to. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 Why do you need to post it to the USA? You should approach the UK retailer you bought it from, they are responsible for faulty products under UK law. The one occasion I needed to use the warranty my retailer honoured it here. Yes well i'd bought it from a dealer at an exhibtion about a month before, paid with a cheque, and so didnt have a credit card receipt with a name, and couldnt remember the dealers trading name. I didnt want to incur postage costs back to the USA, so had to wait untill i saw the same dealer at another exhibition. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Combe Martin Posted August 12, 2012 Share Posted August 12, 2012 EDIT: re 21 pin decoders - use a Lenz Silver 21+ (about £24.50!) Thats fine if youve anticipated the space problem when using a 21/8 adapter, but I hadnt thought of that one. Afterall, theres loads of space in a tender, of course there is isnt there ? I didnt have a Lenz 21 pin decoder, but I did have some adapters and ZTC258s and Lenz Standards. So that was my solution. It was cheaper too. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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