StaffsOatcake Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I was reading an article on the new 00 Hornby Sentinel shunter. Apparently fitted with a 4 pin socket. Hornby are advertising a chip for this loco and was wondering if theses are very common, and whether they will actually be able to operate any functions or as I suspect they will just be there for motor operation. it was originally advertised has having an 8 pin socket. I am aware that some of the larger scales can have 4 pin sockets Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Ron Ron Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 The large scale 4 pin socket is likely to be the now almost redundant NMRA approved, early 4 pin design, largely superceded by the move to multi-function decoders and sound. Hornby's 4 pin socket is something different and has been used previously in various (I suspect mostly train set type) models, such as the Pendolino. I note from the Sentinel thread, that some people have opted to, or are considering to bypass or remove the Hornby socket and wiring arrangement in order to fit a decent quality decoder. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
cromptonnut Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Seems a bit of a backward step? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Moss Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 I'd hard wire the Hornby Sentinel. Their 4 pin socket arrangement has been seen on the 0-6-0' and on the other DCC trainset loco's and is clearly just a way for Hornby to shift their probably endless stocks of their bottom range decoders rather than manufacturing an in house 6 pin version for their smaller loco's. I've found that their bottom range decoder ??R8249?? is virtually un programmable and doesn't like operation on DC at all. Hornby are very much "only our products will work with our engines" compared to Bachmann, hence the special socket so you can only buy the decoder from them. Mine has already had its DCC stuff ripped out and the motor directly wired to the pickups. In the wiring looms place is a nice block of lead! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliebanger Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Seems a bit of a backward step? Or a way to sell more Hornby decoders? The Sentinel, as delivered, has no other functions than a motor to drive. I've just fitted sound to mine. Hardwiring is straightforward enough, though there is not much spare space inside if you want to keep everything hidden! Paul Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
StaffsOatcake Posted December 30, 2013 Author Share Posted December 30, 2013 the faff kind of puts me off buying the sentinel, but it is a great model from the samples I have seen. Shame that Hornby seem to think modelers just want a trainset. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butler Henderson Posted December 30, 2013 Share Posted December 30, 2013 Suspect its a simple matter of having discovered a 8 pin socket would not fit they simply, as is usual for Hornby, looked at what else they had to hand. Also suspect that if anyone from Hornby was asked why had they not used a 6 pin socket a very blank look of sheer ignorance of their existance would be received. StaffsOakcake- if you want one buy one, its a simple task to hardwire a decoder of choice. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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