DCC Decoders

[Dave]

Hi Guys,

 

I am now the Irish distributor for LaisDCC decoders. I have had samples on test for the last 4 months now and the have performed extremely well, they perform well at slow speeds too.

 

Here are some of the specs.

 

• 1 year no quibble warranty, with full service back up.

• 2 amp peak power, 1 amp continuous, functions 100ma.

• Fully NMRA compliant.

• Direct easy connection for Stay Alive.

• Super smooth high frequency silent drive motor control.

• Switchable DC running.

• 4 digit addressing.

• 14, 28, or 128 speed steps.

• 4 active functions.

• Support for all common programming and consist modes.

• Back EMF.

• Fully adjustable motor control and function actions.

• Heat shrink insulated to prevent short circuits.

 

They also come with a very comprehensive instructions.

 

Available in 21 pin, 4 function. 8 pin, 4 function with built in plug. 8 pin, 4 function with lead.

 

Price is €18 and is available to order from my website now. I am away till Friday so any orders won't get posted till Sat morning.

[murrayec]

Hi

 

I have one in my display DART for the shows, it's been running for 4 months now without any difficulties so I have placed an order for 10 of them....

 

One thing I noticed is when powered off the function settings are stored- the Hornby chip doesn't do that!

 

Eoin

[Kirley]

Dave, does the range include any mini decoders for use in Steam Locos where spaced is always limited?

[DiveController]

Hi Dave,

Any 6-function suitable for 071 class?

They don't have an integral capacitor for Stay Alive but that is an optional extra is what I understood from your post?

Have they actually been tested with ABC modules (the Loksound seemingly misbehaves with this although that is also NMRA compliant)

I presume it is one of these? http://laisdcc.com/decoders/

Thanks

Edited August 16, 2016 by DiveController

[Dave]

Hi Dave,

Any 6-function suitable for 071 class?

They don't have an integral capacitor for Stay Alive but that is an optional extra is what I understood from your post?

Have they actually been tested with ABC modules (the Loksound seemingly misbehaves with this although that is also NMRA compliant)

I presume it is one of these? http://laisdcc.com/decoders/

Thanks

 

They are just 4 function decoders. They will work in an 071 but the cab lights won't work.

The stay alive capacitor is an optional extra, there are 2 wires coming from the decoder where the capacitor is fitted.

I don't think they have been tested with automatic brake control, but I'll ask the manufacturer.

Yes they are the ones in the link.

 

Here is the manual

 

LaisDcc_Decoders_Manual_V2.pdf

[irishthump]

One thing I noticed is when powered off the function settings are stored- the Hornby chip doesn't do that!

 

Eoin

 

That's a curious one! Exactly what settings do you lose when you power down?

[Noel]

I've been considering using the Laisdcc 21pin decoders instead of Lenz Silver+ for non-sound Murphy Model locos. So I ran some tests to compare them. Tested both decoders on 141/181, 071 and 201 and both decoders had excellent performance. The Lenz just shades it for ultra slow smooth slow speed crawl (i.e. at start off, or stopping), but the Laisdcc is more than smooth enough to simulate scale operating speeds. Clip below demos ultra slow speed (i.e. starting off speed for 1st few yards, or slowing down speed before stop). 1st clip compares two MM 141s, 2nd clip an 071 with a 141, all speed step 1.

 

 

There was one minor issue with the Laisdcc decoder (i.e. speed step down surge) but that was easily sorted out by setting CV61=0 which adjusted the BEMF (thanks to junctionmad and rmweb). The Laisdcc seems to be a clone of the TCS M4 decoder which required the same CV61 setting.

 

The Laisdcc operated the directional running lights and main head beam lights on 071 and 201 as well as the lights on 141/181. Obviously as a four function decoder like the Lenz neither will operate the cab lights on 071 or 201, but few folks bother with the daft cab lights anyway which would need a six function decoder such as the rather expensive LokPilot.

 

Laisdcc - Light functions 071/201

F0 = Forward white directional lights on/off

F1 = Rear red directional lights on/off

F2 = Directional Main Head Beam on/off

 

Laisdcc - Light functions 071/201

F0 = All directional lights including head beam on/off

 

Conclusion: Happy bunny. I will be using Laisdcc decoders for non sound MM locos from here on. Great value compared to the Lenz yet almost on a par with performance. The Laisdcc performed better than the Bachmann 36-554 and 36-557.

 

One advantage of the Laisdcc decoders is they are 'stay-alive' equipped including a pair of wires which you can connect to an optional extra capacitor if using locos that don't have all wheel pickups or say just two axles. Only the expensive Lenz gold has a stay-alive capability (eg: for steam loco conversions, or spud drives for better running over insulfrog points, etc).

Edited January 8, 2017 by Noel

[DiveController]

Do you have the ability to turn off the front and rear markers when in a consist of 141s etc?

Most locos would turn off headlights when entering a station area, would they not?

I don't understand why these were on one function?

Daft cab lights are a matter of taste/prototypical running . Is there a 6-function equivalent available or planned?

Many thanks for the testing, Noel!

[Noel]

Hi Kevin

 

Do you have the ability to turn off the front and rear markers when in a consist of 141s etc?

 

Yes it supports consists

 

Most locos would turn off headlights when entering a station area, would they not?

 

Yes and you can do that with 071 and 201 with both the Laisdcc and Lenz decoders. 141/181 models have headlights and running lights physically wired together on the same circuit inside the model, hence only one function F0 for all the lights. Nothing to do with choice of decoder.

 

I don't understand why these were on one function?

 

See above. This only affects 141/181 as thats the way MM/Bachmann made them. Not a decoder issue.

 

Daft cab lights are a matter of taste/prototypical running . Is there a 6-function equivalent available or planned?

 

Not from Laisdcc. 141/181 models don't need 6-function decoders as they don't have cab lights anyway. Prototypically cab lights would only be switched on while a loco is stationary and not underway. Good night vision to see signals and pathway ahead would require the cab lights to be left off while underway at night.

 

Many thanks for the testing, Noel!

 

Cheers, hope it helps

Edited January 9, 2017 by Noel

[Noel]

BEMF Tip for TCS or Laisdcc decoders

 

It is better to have BEMF on for smooth slow startup and smooth stopping or crawl speeds, so rather than turn BEMF completely off to avoid the speed surge issue mentioned earlier in the thread, you can have BEMF on but only below speed step 12 which avoids the speed surge problem when stepping down below step 24 (i.e. assuming you are using the default 28 speed step mode).

 

• CV61=1 (BEMF ON)
  
• CV10=12 (BEMF speed step cut off at throttle step 12)
  

 

PS: Apologies for not adding this to my original post a few days ago, but I missed the edit window.

Edited January 11, 2017 by Noel

[DiveController]

BEMF Tip for Laisdcc decoders

 

It is better to have BEMF on for smooth slow startup and smooth stopping or crawl speeds, so rather than turn BEMF completely off to avoid the speed surge issue mentioned earlier in the thread, you can have BEMF on but only below speed step 12 which avoids the speed surge problem when stepping down below step 24 (i.e. assuming you are using the default 28 speed step mode).

 

• CV61=1 (BEMF ON)
  
• CV10=12 (BEMF speed step cut off at throttle step 12)
  

 

PS: Apologies for not adding this to my original post a few days ago, but I missed the edit window.

Many thanks, Noel, for your continued testing. Can you elaborate on the speed step down surge?I did't fully understand the issue.

I haven't run my 141s in a while.I thought there was independent control via switches 'under the hood' (very troublesome) or by DCC?

 

I don't think they have been tested with automatic brake control, but I'll ask the manufacturer.

Any update on this?

Edited January 11, 2017 by DiveController

[Noel]

Many thanks, Noel, for your continued testing. Can you elaborate on the speed step down surge?I did't fully understand the issue. I haven't run my 141s in a while.I thought there was independent control via switches 'under the hood' (very troublesome) or by DCC?

 

Hi Kevin. Ok, this is going to read a bit long winded, but its an easy fix.

 

TCS M4 decoder had a slight 'surge' problem when BEMF is on. When reducing throttle steps from 28 down the loco would slow accordingly for each step, but when passing down through throttle step 23 or 24, the loco would slightly speed up again (i.e. surge), and then slow as you continued to step down past step 22 and below. This effectively put a what looked bump in the speed curve irrespective of the setting of CV6 (mid voltage), or even if you had proper user speed curve defined. This is a know issue with the TCS that the Laisdcc inherited which was caused by a bug in TCS's implementation of BEMF, but it is a non-issue because you can either turn BEMF off (CV61=0), or better still configure BEMF to be only on from speed steps 1-12 (CV61=1 & CV10=12). Problem cured but you still have ultra smooth BEMF at low speeds, startup, and stopping.

 

MM141/181 locos never had independent control of the headlamp. It is on at the same time as the fwd white running lights and therefore does not have its own function. F0 turns all lights on or off on 141/181, and they change direction automatically. The switches are for DC operation or consists. With DCC on 141/181 you wont need to change the switches. However the 071/201 do have separate functions for the head lamp, and cab lights (F0=directional running lights, F4=head lamp, F8=cab lights). So you can't turn the head light off on an MM141/181 entering a station unless you also turn off the running lights.

Edited January 11, 2017 by Noel

[DiveController]

Thanks, Noel. That makes perfect sense. I was't aware of the problem with the TCS decoders but the 'fix' seems to be an excellent workaround. Needs to file that away in case I run with a bunch of Lais decoders. I had forgotten that the headlights were not independent on the 141/181s as have been messing about with a bunch of other things lately. A running session required obviously. Many thanks:cheers:

[Junctionmad]

Thanks, Noel. That makes perfect sense. I was't aware of the problem with the TCS decoders but the 'fix' seems to be an excellent workaround. Needs to file that away in case I run with a bunch of Lais decoders. I had forgotten that the headlights were not independent on the 141/181s as have been messing about with a bunch of other things lately. A running session required obviously. Many thanks:cheers:

 

Just be aware that the problem is only in the TCS decoder M4 ( which i think has been superseded anyway ). Mysteriously , the same bug appears in the LaisDCC decoder, no explanation advanced . There are a few different other far east decoders around as well

[Noel]

Well I'm a happy bunny, they performed so well the Laisdcc will be my 'go to' decoder for non-sound MM Locos.

 

Next step is to try the wired versions with a stay-alive capacitor in some of my steam model locos, especially 0-6-0s like my favourite GWR Pannier tanks.