DCC Controller

[Dave]

Hi Guys,

 

I'm looking at DCC controllers, has anyone bought the Roco Z21 system? I'm thinking of an NCE powercab or the Z21.

 

I would love to hear what you guys are using and how you like your controllers

 

Thanks

[irishthump]

The Z21 looks very impressive but it's a big outlay at £340! You can get the Powercab for just over a 3rd of the price and it will do everything you would really need.

 

I use a Gaugemaster Prodigy Advance 2 and I could'nt recommend it highly enough, but it's a little more expensive than the Powercab at around £200.

 

One piece of advice I would give you is to download the manuals for any system you may be considering.

[Dave]

The Z21 looks very impressive but it's a big outlay at £340! You can get the Powercab for just over a 3rd of the price and it will do everything you would really need.

 

I use a Gaugemaster Prodigy Advance 2 and I could'nt recommend it highly enough, but it's a little more expensive than the Powercab at around £200.

 

One piece of advice I would give you is to download the manuals for any system you may be considering.

 

Thanks, I have downloaded the manuals for both, the only downside to the Z21 it doesn't support consists, they say it will be available soon. I'm only thinking about it at the moment it will be a while before I get one. i want to make sure the one I get will do everything I need as I don't want to change again.

I'll have a look at the Gaugemaster.

 

Cheers:tumbsup:

[irishthump]

Thanks, I have downloaded the manuals for both, the only downside to the Z21 it doesn't support consists, they say it will be available soon. I'm only thinking about it at the moment it will be a while before I get one. i want to make sure the one I get will do everything I need as I don't want to change again.

I'll have a look at the Gaugemaster.

 

Cheers:tumbsup:

 

Does'nt support consists?!!! That's terrible for the price, tbh it sems a bit gimmicky to me.

[Dave]

Does'nt support consists?!!! That's terrible for the price, tbh it sems a bit gimmicky to me.

 

That's my biggest concern with it, I have contacted Roco about it just waiting for them to come back to me. I am leaning towards the NCE though

[BosKonay]

The beauty of a system like the Z21 is that development and features are just a matter of time / coding.

 

It's a very clean way of running things tho (the geek in me approves )

[Dave]

The beauty of a system like the Z21 is that development and features are just a matter of time / coding.

 

It's a very clean way of running things tho (the geek in me approves )

 

That's what I like about it, I don't want to get it and find the manufacturer stops developing it like so many other systems. Bachmann said they would have computer control with the Dynamis but it never happened.

 

I think I will go for the NCE power cab, it offers the best of both worlds as it works with JMRI.

 

The girlfriend has just told me she will buy it for my birthday! Which is next week, happy days!

[BosKonay]

Woohoo - win win

 

Agree on the JMRI

 

As long as you have a compatible, computer connectable cab, that supports all the features, computer control lets you manage it from your phone / pad anyway,.

[Dave]

It seems the way to go, I can also control the points through the JMRI software with a sprog

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

 

As long as you have a compatible, computer connectable cab, that supports all the features, computer control lets you manage it from your phone / pad anyway,.

 

 

Operating your your layout from a computer iPad or phone for me defeats the purpose of a model layout and the feel of throwing points turning dials and controling trains etc yourself.

[Sulzer201]

Anthony as you know this is happening more on more on the real thing! Soon computers will be running our lives completely!

[BosKonay]

You're still throwing points, etc, just using a touchscreen instead of a big knob :)

[Flying Scotsman 4472]

You're still throwing points, etc, just using a touchscreen instead of a big knob :)

 

 

Not the same Stephen that's just like a train simulator only the trains are not on the screen

[irishthump]

Another point is that if everything including points is controlled from your tablet, phone or indeed your DCC throttle, when you have a short or other problem the entire layout shuts down.

Even though I use DCC I still control all my points from a seperate analogue panel.

[Dave]

`My plan is to control the points separately from the DCC controller, I haven't decided on the JMRI and a Sprog or analogue yet.

I'm deffo going for the NCE power cab pro 5 amp system, after using Anthony's I really liked it, so easy to use.

[BosKonay]

I use a Lenz system for locos and a hornby Elite for the accessory bus (points).

 

You can plug both into the same PC

[DJ Dangerous]

On 13/2/2013 at 12:35 PM, BosKonay said:

using a touchscreen instead of a big knob

 

LOL, phrasing!

So, can anybody offer pros, cons, tips and tricks on the NCE PowerCab gained over the last ten years?

The only thing I know so far is that it contains chemicals known to cause cancer, birth defects and other reproductive harm.

Guess I'd better not get pregnant.

 

[BosKonay]

Get a Z21. Almost all the other options (bar maybe the ESU Ecos) are essentially junk from 2001

[DJ Dangerous]

1 hour ago, BosKonay said:

Get a Z21. Almost all the other options (bar maybe the ESU Ecos) are essentially junk from 2001

 

Bit late for that, it's looking at me as we speak!

[Georgeconna]

Had a Powercab, Too basic, Sold it,  Got the Z21 Never looked back.

[Bob49]

I've had a LENZ 100 for about 12 years now does everything I need. 

[DJ Dangerous]

54 minutes ago, Georgeconna said:

Had a Powercab, Too basic, Sold it,  Got the Z21 Never looked back.

 

Pretty sure you emailed me, or maybe posted here, pics of some insane looking touchscreen thing where you could drag the locos around to allocate them numbers etc.

Is that the Z21?

The only wierd thing I've noticed on the PowerCab is that there's no dial, seems to be all buttons and a slider.

[BosKonay]

The Z21 is compatible with almost all throttles, I use a Roco wifi throttle with mine (with a lovely knob) as well as physically plug in some old Lenz rotary dial controllers for the kids to train drive. 

[DJ Dangerous]

2 minutes ago, BosKonay said:

The Z21 is compatible with almost all throttles, I use a Roco wifi throttle with mine (with a lovely knob) as well as physically plug in some old Lenz rotary dial controllers for the kids to train drive. 

 

A wireless controller would be handy!

[Georgeconna]

4 hours ago, DJ Dangerous said:

 

A wireless controller would be handy!

 

Use your phone with the Z21. 

[Sean]

On 22/11/2023 at 3:58 PM, DJ Dangerous said:

 

LOL, phrasing!

 

 

you resurrected a 10 year old thread for this? 

Personally I found features i did not like in all of the commercially available options including the z21(price). so i haven gotten pretty deep into the world of DCC++ (not perfect either mind you).

 

take a 17 euro arduino mega clone, 

a 5 euro wifi card

and an arduino motor shield of which there are several different types starting at around a tenner (I like to spend a bit more for the official one but its not really needed) Theres also the DCC++ branded motor shield which was specifically designed for running model trains.

a new or old laptop power brick with a filtered output.(filtered is important)

wire that all together(no soldering) using provided diagrams and upload the software to the board from a pc using the provided installer.

you now have a base station that can be controlled by pretty much any wifi throttle, or you can hardwire one in or use JMRI etc.

to be super cheeky you can even drive it with the z21 app if you use JMRI  -  get the full z21 experience for a DIY price.

Sounds kinda complicated but if you have ever built or upgraded a PC this kind of build would be no problem.

 

 

 

Eventually all that morphed into me being tired of using a phone/tablet and craving a bit more analogue feeling controls so i constructed my own throttle, which was abit more complicated but also  along the same lines as the actual base station build.

 

Considering the price, I have been able to build 2 of these systems and have left one permanently connected to either layout, when i turn on my throttle it will simply ask me which layout i would like to connect to and i can run either layout from that point on.

[DJ Dangerous]

1 hour ago, Sean said:

you resurrected a 10 year old thread for this? 

 

You know me, anti-SPAM, no need for duplicate threads, go for the original one!

Your controller build was awesome, but also beyond me. I'm currently reading through the Power Cab manual, and that in itself is challenging.

It seems very logical, so far, and that appeals to me. I'm worried that like you, I'll crave a more analogue feel after a while using the slider, but I want to keep an open mind and not pre-judge.