DCC?

sammakins

DCC?

Postby sammakins » Thu Dec 29, 2011 8:56 pm

Hello all,
I am curious about DCC and am wondering if anyone could advise on a beginners guide as i have not even a basic knowledge of it?
Thanks for any help.
Sam

User avatar
Paul Willis
Forum Team
Posts: 3031
Joined: Sun Jul 20, 2008 6:00 pm

Re: DCC?

Postby Paul Willis » Thu Dec 29, 2011 10:18 pm

sammakins wrote:Hello all,
I am curious about DCC and am wondering if anyone could advise on a beginners guide as i have not even a basic knowledge of it?
Thanks for any help.
Sam

Hi Sam,

There was a series of articles in Scalefour News, starting in issue 146.

The first article was entitled " Mick Moignard’s Digital Topics: 1 – what is DCC . . . and Why?" so this sounds exactly what you are looking for.

All of the back copies of Scalefour News (and other publications as well) are available to all members to download from the Members' Area. If you're posting on the Forum, your password will get you in there as well, if you've never been over there before.

One slight note of caution, that as these articles started in 2005 I'm sure that the world of technology has moved on significantly, particularly in the areas of DCC sound, and miniaturisation of components.

And of course there are plenty of people on here with successful experience of DCC.

HTH
Flymo
Beware of Trains - occasional modelling in progress!
www.5522models.co.uk

nberrington
Posts: 575
Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2008 2:15 pm

Re: DCC?

Postby nberrington » Thu Dec 29, 2011 11:56 pm

This side of the Atlantic DCC rules.

There are some excellent Kalmbach books on the subject and a few You-tube videos on installing decoders.
There are also a couple of "Right Track" videos worth watching.

The way of the future I think - but the debate will polarize folks a bit.

Neil B
Winnipeg

craig_whilding

Re: DCC?

Postby craig_whilding » Fri Dec 30, 2011 2:23 am

The wikipedia entry isn't too bad at explaining "What is DCC?" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Command_Control

Basically independent control of locos and layout accessories as well as their functions via unique addressing of each item. Each loco needs a control chip fitting to achieve this.

Locos can function independently on the same bit of track.
The same two theoretical (not actual!) wires could control the operation of everything on the layout. This invariably ends up getting a bit more complex for most people's installs and things like a good idea to keep accessory dcc and track control dcc separate at the very least (if you don't keep your accessories on a conventional switch panel).

waveydavey
Posts: 105
Joined: Tue Feb 23, 2010 9:53 am

Re: DCC?

Postby waveydavey » Fri Dec 30, 2011 6:30 am

Even the most basic DCC guides can make things seem massively overcomplicated. If you can learn how to fit a decoder and change the address you'll be off to a good start and can learn all the other mumbo jumbo later as you go along.

I've been using DCC for three years now and still don't understand 95% of what DCC can do.
Modelling Clackmannanshire Railways in 1975

nigelcliffe
Posts: 747
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:31 am

Re: DCC?

Postby nigelcliffe » Fri Dec 30, 2011 10:10 am

Flymo748 wrote:
sammakins wrote:Hello all,
I am curious about DCC and am wondering if anyone could advise on a beginners guide as i have not even a basic knowledge of it?
Thanks for any help.
Sam

There was a series of articles in Scalefour News, starting in issue 146.

The first article was entitled " Mick Moignard’s Digital Topics: 1 – what is DCC . . . and Why?" so this sounds exactly what you are looking for.

All of the back copies of Scalefour News (and other publications as well) are available to all members to download from the Members' Area. If you're posting on the Forum, your password will get you in there as well, if you've never been over there before.

One slight note of caution, that as these articles started in 2005 I'm sure that the world of technology has moved on significantly, particularly in the areas of DCC sound, and miniaturisation of components.



Mick has updated the original articles since Scalefour News, available on his blog/website:

http://www.mickmoignard.com/MickMoignar ... ources.htm

( The link at the top of the page appears to work, the one to the revision in November seems broken).


It will be impossible to write something which covers absolutely everything, but I think Mick's piece does a good job of going over most areas in a manner which does stand the test of time.

- Nigel

Mark Tatlow
Posts: 897
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 11:24 pm

Re: DCC?

Postby Mark Tatlow » Fri Dec 30, 2011 10:30 pm

I have just written an introduction piece on DCC for the Elcot Road articles in Rail Express which you may find helpful (it is the January issue just out) - although in truth all it really does is introduce what DCC is. Indeed, I found it really challenging squeezing what I have said into the word allowance and I know that there was a lot more that could have been said.

I would agree with Wavey Davey, the best way to find out is to go and play. See if you can operate someone's layout that already has it fitted or get a couple of cheap decoders and fit them to relatively modern proprietary models (they tend to have sockets to these, so fitting the decoders is simply plugging in the chip).

Personally, I will not go back to DC; although I will probably be quite happy using the relatively small extent of DCC's capabilities.
Mark Tatlow

sammakins

Re: DCC?

Postby sammakins » Thu Feb 23, 2012 9:39 pm

Thanks for the help after reading the suggestions I've gone for a NCE power cab from digitrains after a bit of extra advice from SHAG.

Sam

User avatar
newport_rod
Posts: 138
Joined: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:48 pm

Re: DCC?

Postby newport_rod » Fri Feb 24, 2012 1:06 pm

Sam,
I think you'll find the PowerCab a good choice.

You might also like to look at SPROG (http://www.sprog-dcc.co.uk/) as an aid to programming and test running locos.

Regards
Rod

nigelcliffe
Posts: 747
Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2008 8:31 am

Re: DCC?

Postby nigelcliffe » Fri Feb 24, 2012 6:28 pm

newport_rod wrote:Sam,
I think you'll find the PowerCab a good choice.

You might also like to look at SPROG (http://www.sprog-dcc.co.uk/) as an aid to programming and test running locos.

Regards
Rod


If buying a PowerCab, I think its also worth buying the £20 programming auto-switch (which should have been built into the PowerCab, but hey, lets save a bit of money!). That will stop accidental mistakes of reprogramming all devices on the layout.

It is a bit cheaper to buy the USB computer interface for a PowerCab than it is to buy a Sprog. Both work with the same software (JMRI). The Sprog is a better programming device; there are very few decoder/loco combinations which will stump it, but the NCE USB device offers an alternative.

- Nigel


Return to “Electrics”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: ClaudeBot and 0 guests