Just saw a glimpse of this on the MRlive website, the only postings I can see regarding this system are at the beginning of the year. Can anyone shed any light on it? I have looked at the catalogue what there is of it and on the face of it the Z21 looks a pretty good bit of kit. But little or nothing has been posted on this site or others. Is the Z21 on the market yet? I have not seen or heard of any reviews (although is there one in BRM this month???). I would certainly like to know more about the system and how well it works; has anyone had hands on experience?
I've been using the system since early summer but my experiences are mixed. It's great for quick programming where a range of icons are featured and you just click the ones featured on the engine's decoder and job done. I've a mixed stable of a dozen DB locos ranging from basic one function, lights on/off(or is that TWO functions) through to almost 20 sounds from whisltes, wheel squeal, smoke, couplings rattle, station announcements (In German of course), chuffing and steam blow off to diesel start-up, various horns etc. It copes with all of them very well though I have found the pictograms a bit of a puzzle sometimes. There's one which looks like a large weight and apparently it's to represent a heavy train starting up and replicates it slowly gathering speed(who'd have guessed???) Overall I like the system though it ran out expensive as I had to buy a tablet to use it and then found on reading the instructions that I needn't have because I have Rocomaus and Multimaus controllers (one reason for buying it, its compatability) which I could have used. It gives the Multimaus controller a readback facility when settings CVs which it doesn't normally have.
My mixed experience comes with programming and perhaps you can help here. I don't know if I'm not going through all the steps I should but sometimes not all the functions I've ticked are shown on the control panel page and I have to start inputting the missing ones. Do I have to comfirm EVERY entry so as not to lose it or can I feed in a number and then confirm once? Tried both but still got problems. Maybe it's the link between the tablet and the Z21 hardware/software? Then I once switched off the router by accident and lost all of the locos and functions I'd inputted. Instruction manual doesn't mention that! In fact I wasn't terribly impressed by the manual which is largely a showcase for what the system will do...rather than detailed instructions about how to do things. Its use is probably 'intuitive' (that overworked word) to a 15-year-old but not to me!
You've obviously made great progress in your Z21 quest so can you perhaps tell me the correct way to program and which order in which to press buttons and what the difference is between a button and a switch? Will also look at A&H site which you mention.
Roco Z21
in DCC Discussion Topics (not questions)
Posted
I've been using the system since early summer but my experiences are mixed. It's great for quick programming where a range of icons are featured and you just click the ones featured on the engine's decoder and job done. I've a mixed stable of a dozen DB locos ranging from basic one function, lights on/off(or is that TWO functions) through to almost 20 sounds from whisltes, wheel squeal, smoke, couplings rattle, station announcements (In German of course), chuffing and steam blow off to diesel start-up, various horns etc. It copes with all of them very well though I have found the pictograms a bit of a puzzle sometimes. There's one which looks like a large weight and apparently it's to represent a heavy train starting up and replicates it slowly gathering speed(who'd have guessed???) Overall I like the system though it ran out expensive as I had to buy a tablet to use it and then found on reading the instructions that I needn't have because I have Rocomaus and Multimaus controllers (one reason for buying it, its compatability) which I could have used. It gives the Multimaus controller a readback facility when settings CVs which it doesn't normally have.
My mixed experience comes with programming and perhaps you can help here. I don't know if I'm not going through all the steps I should but sometimes not all the functions I've ticked are shown on the control panel page and I have to start inputting the missing ones. Do I have to comfirm EVERY entry so as not to lose it or can I feed in a number and then confirm once? Tried both but still got problems. Maybe it's the link between the tablet and the Z21 hardware/software? Then I once switched off the router by accident and lost all of the locos and functions I'd inputted. Instruction manual doesn't mention that! In fact I wasn't terribly impressed by the manual which is largely a showcase for what the system will do...rather than detailed instructions about how to do things. Its use is probably 'intuitive' (that overworked word) to a 15-year-old but not to me!
You've obviously made great progress in your Z21 quest so can you perhaps tell me the correct way to program and which order in which to press buttons and what the difference is between a button and a switch? Will also look at A&H site which you mention.
regards