Chips and controllers

[Harrogate009]

Hello

 

Although I am not into DCC yet, I am already planning conversion. I need to have the cheapest possible set for dcc but sill include my requirements. I have found some ZTC chips currently on offer and the Gaugemaster prodigy system a good system yet with a competitive price and with the features I require.

 

What is do not understand is if I can use a ZTC chip with a Gaugemaster controller? Or does it have to be a Gaugemaster chip with a Gaugemaster controller or a ZTC chip with a ZTC controller?

 

Thanks for any advice and I understand if this is a stupid question with a obvious answer.

 

Thanks again, J.

[GoingUnderground]

Any NMRA compliant decoder will work with any NMRA compliant controller. You do not need to have the same brand for your controller and decoders.

 

I don't use Gaugemaster, but ZTC decoders do work with my ECoS, as do my Hornby, Bachmann and ESU decoders.

 

ZTC decoders and a Gaugemaster controller should work together OK.

 

When it comes to controllers choose very carefully as there is no common standard for connecting peripherals, such as extra throttles, occupancy detection modules, Railcom feedback modules, or computer interfaces to controllers. Many manufacturers have their own proprietary interconnection system. Loconet and ExpressNet are posibly the two most common, so you should be able to connect Loconet devices together with few problems. The same goes for xPressNet devices. You cannot connect loconet devices to xPressnet devices as they use different communication protocols.

 

If you eventually want to use a computer to operate your layout be aware that the Gaugemaster/MRC computer interface will tie you in to their layout control software. 

[Ron Ron Ron]

As Keith says, any NMRA compliant DCC decoder should work with any compliant DCC control system.

 

However, there are products out there which are marginal in their adherence to the NMRA standards and recommended practises and as such have proved to be less than willing to work properly, if at all, with various other pieces of kit.

 

If it's of any help. I would advise to steer clear of low cost and budget decoders, unless their ability to work well with most, if not all, DCC systems is clearly established.

The safest bet is to stick with the best decoder manufacturers, such as Lenz, Zimo, ESU, TCS, CTE, Uhlenbrock etc.

 

 

(p.s. On a pedantic note, unlike with DC, with DCC a Controller and a Decoder are the same thing. i.e. the Controller is a function carried out inside the Decoder itself.)

 

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