Pentroller
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:58 pm
Pentroller
I have a couple of loco's that will only run smoothly when a Pentroller is used with them, the Pen has now gone back to it's owner so i was wondering if there is a very kind member out there who maybe has a spare one that they would consider selling to me ?
-
- Posts: 1425
- Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 6:20 pm
Re: Pentroller
As I mentioned in another thread, the modern equivalent to the Pentroller is Malcolm Smith's "PicTroller" - which is even better than the Pentroller, IMHO.
If your locos like the Pentroller, they will like the "PicTroller" even better.
I think you would be better advised to buy a brand new "PicTroller" than a second-hand Pentroller.
If your locos like the Pentroller, they will like the "PicTroller" even better.
I think you would be better advised to buy a brand new "PicTroller" than a second-hand Pentroller.
-
- Posts: 1382
- Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:24 am
Re: Pentroller
I have a spare Pentroller but I think the internals have short-circuited and nobody can repair it.
That would be an ecumenical matter.
-
- Posts: 2870
- Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 4:40 pm
Re: Pentroller
DCC of course gives you programmable control of your models - far far superior to anything a Pentroller/Pictroller will deliver.
Tim V
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)
(Not all railways in Somerset went to Dorset)
-
- Posts: 813
- Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2009 3:47 pm
Re: Pentroller
martin goodall wrote:If your locos like the Pentroller, they will like the "PicTroller" even better.
To all those who do have a fully working Pentroller - let me fully endorse Martin's comments and I hereby offer to swap your Pentroller for a brand new PicTroller - I will even pay return postage!!! And it is fully compatible - just plug-in and go
but please don't read the next bit...
For this who don't possess a Pentroller of course all this is academic - but...
What you say is not true for me Martin I'm afraid. Although personally I think that the Pictroller is by far and away the best DC controller currently available, and I would heartily endorse it to anyone, I don't find it to be anywhere near as good as my Pentroller. I am running a wide range of motive power from RTR Bachman / Hornby to 1219 Portescaps. In all cases, the slow speed performance with the Pentroller is more stable, constant and reliable. A very significant issue with the Pictroller is that with Portescaps, the initial sensing pulse causes a very noticable "kick" before the loco moves off.
Of course I don't preclude the possibility that I happen to have a good example of the one and a not so good example of the other!!!
One thing which puzzles me a bit is that since the PicTroller is software driven, one would have thought that it might be possible to "tweak" some parameters to fine tune it but I have seen nothing to that effect.
Now just before Brother Venton gets too carried away into DCC (well he already has been in truth)
I would say I did not find DCC to give smoother control than my Pentroller, and the PicTroller offers a fully programmable control interface.
Cheers,
Howard
-
- Posts: 1382
- Joined: Tue Jul 29, 2008 9:24 am
Re: Pentroller
Tim V wrote:DCC of course gives you programmable control of your models - far far superior to anything a Pentroller/Pictroller will deliver.
Yes, but we don't all have money to burn on those bloody little decoder chips.
That would be an ecumenical matter.
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:58 pm
Re: Pentroller
Thanks for the reply's, i have a Pictroller and i have to agree with Howard regarding the performance compared to the Pentroller, i've had mixed results...
-
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 8:58 pm
Re: Pentroller
Horsetan wrote:I have a spare Pentroller but I think the internals have short-circuited and nobody can repair it.
Could you please let me know how much you want for the damaged one. cheers...
-
- Posts: 1425
- Joined: Fri Oct 02, 2009 6:20 pm
Re: Pentroller
JFS wrote: A very significant issue with the Pictroller is that with Portescaps, the initial sensing pulse causes a very noticable "kick" before the loco moves off.
I confess that I have not tried the PicTroller with any Portescaps. (All my Portescaps have seized up solid, and need their gearboxes cleaning out and re-lubricating, or maybe just replacing altogether - a different issue previously discussed on another thread).
I can genuinely say, though, that with modern 'can' motors (such as Mashima, plus the Buhlers, etc, fitted by Bachmann et al) I have found the hand-held PicTroller to be excellent, giving very smooth and reliable control.
Return to “Signals and Control Systems”
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: ClaudeBot and 1 guest