Hi Ed, With the Zephyr, you are not tied to a stationary throttle, you can add plug in panels (about $16 each) or wireless (about $120) and a walk-around (A UT4 basic tethered throttle is about $75) whenever you want. Keep in mind that the Zephyr is an Entry-level system, and as such can utilize one or two of your old DC power packs as additional throttles simply by connecting them to the Zephyr's "jump" ports.
Compared to the other entry level systems the Zephyr is the most flexible and has the most features, while maintaining a comprtitive price. Glad you finally got connected to the S-cab group... Bill --- In [email protected], Ed Kozlowsky <soldado7264@...> wrote: > > I've never understood going to DCC and getting tied to a stationary > throttle. As far as I know, Digitrax Zephyr is the only maker that does > that. > > > Ed Kozlowsky > Sanford, Maine > > > >________________________________ > >From: Bill Nielsen <wrangler@...> > >To: [email protected] > >Sent: Wednesday, November 9, 2011 9:11 AM > >Subject: {S-Scale List} Re: MRC Tech 6 > > > > > > > >Hi Bill & Alex, > > > >I just went online to re-check the MRC website and they have several > >products called "Tech Six". The only complete system using the Tech 6 label > >was their 001201, rated at 7 amps, selling for about $279. The other Tech 6 > >items are add on accessories rather than complete systems, one being the > >"Black Box" which is hooked up between your existing DC power pack and your > >layout. The Black Box super-imposes a control signal on your track power so > >that you can control a dual-mode DCC sound loco's functions while running it > >on DC. The other item listed as "Tech 6" is a walk around tethered throttle > >for use with the Black Box, to allow you to move out of reach of your power > >pack (as far as the cable will allow). Information I found on the MRC > >website suggests that you may run either 1 DC loco OR up to 5 DCC locos, but > >posts on other sites indicate that the only DCC loco address the Tech 6 will > >control is the DCC default address of 03. If this is true, I don't > see how the unit can run up to 5 DCC locos, if they all have to be set at > the same address. In any case, it appears that the Tech 6 is only able to run > one system at a time, either DC OR DCC, not both DC and DCC simultaneously. > > > >Digitrax' Zephyr can operate one DC loco while also running DCC units, > >but the nature of doing this causes overheating of the DC unit's motor. It > >has also been found that having the DCC loco decoders programed to have > >their analog capabilities enabled can result in runaways on DCC layouts, so > >the two different systems don't really play nicely together. > > > >Hope this helps, > >Bill in FL > > > >--- In [email protected], "Bill Nielsen" <wrangler@> wrote: > >> > >> I know that there were some posts about this unit burning out some OEM > >> boards on Atlas lococ, and when I tried to find more technical info on the > >> Tech 6 a couple of years ago, I couldn't. MRC has a habit of changing a > >> product while keeping the name the same, and don't regularly update their > >> website, while at the same time they're very guarded about keeping their > >> technology a secret, so it's hard to get accurate and up-to-date > >> information about their products. Their advertised price for the Tech 6 > >> was higher than what most of the entry level DCC systems were going for at > >> the time, and I wondered where they thought the market was for for that > >> item at that price. > >> > >> After not finding enough information on the Tech 6, I decided it wasn't > >> for me, so I stopped looking. I still think that if you want an entry > >> level DCC system, the ONE to buy is the Digitrax Zephyr Xtra (with a > >> street price of less than $175), simply because it is a fuller, more > >> feature rich system than the other entry level systems, and should be good > >> for 90% of most home layouts (and many clubs). It's two shortcomings are > >> only three amps of power, which can be cured by adding a booster such as > >> CVP's Zonemaster (7 amps), and it's limit of 10 throttles. Since most of > >> the other entry level systems are limited to two or three throttles, I > >> don't see this as a great disadvantage. Besides, what percentage of home > >> layouts actually need more than 10 throttles? > >> > >> Regards, > >> Bill in FL > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> > >> --- In [email protected], "Willam Fraley" <wjfraley@> wrote: > >> > > >> > Has anyone operating in DC jumped into the new MRC Tech 6 operating > >> > system? > >> > > >> > Sounds interesting ..... > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > Bill (Fraley) > >> > > >> > > >> > > >> > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > >> > > >> > > > > > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > ------------------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: [email protected] [email protected] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [email protected] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
