Are the Hornby Select and Elite seen as "toy" controllers?

[NEvans]

Hammy, just been reading your links on your two projects, and your first on what can be done on little more than a trackmat is excellent. Stops us all complaining about lack of space. Have you started a new one to give us further ideas? (ps. Do you actually run trains or just build, photo and publish excellent pictures of railway activity?).

Looking into them further, I'm liking the look of the Bachmann Dynamis DCC Controller.

[Hammy]

hiya,

The trackmat was my first adventure in the world of modelling but I wanted something more then got bored of an end to end.
My latest is a mixture of the two really.

although I'm not as far into this one yet

viewtopic.php?f=22&t=30812

i do run trains but have no knowledge of the real thing so its not very prototypical.
i also like getting in nice and close with the camera to give a feel of local life!!

The Dynamis does look good, Hattons have good prices at the moment

Hammy

[St. Paddy]

A little more food for thought for you form someone in a similar quandry.

I also have a Select going spare but it will remain as a spare. The option, for me, was between the Dynamis and the PowerCab. I did some asking, and read the excellent DCC Concepts site, then went to my local N Gauge group. As luck would have it, there are two DCC N Gaugers (my scale of choice) one had the NCE, the other the Bachmann.

The guy with the NCE swore by it, the other guy although happy enough with the Dynamis, suggested the PowerCab might be better for my needs etc. A refreshingly honest opinion I thought.

[doggeface]

I did a great deal of reading (including becoming a member of MERG) before choosing to experiment with the Hornby products. Certainly there have been some odd happenings at times but I have read of the same things occuring on the more expensive and continuously vamped systems. I use an Elite with two Selects and have been more than happy with the overal results. My layout is largish and the selects make it easy to control the speed and direction of any of the 10 locos which may be on call today! The sole complaint is with the Elite which always seems to need two attempts to select a loco on No2 position. All CVs which I need are progamable via any method and I cannot find any real advantage offered by the other types of "high quality" controllers. Equally I do not run any risk of tripping over a trailing cable!
Dismissing things as "toy" or of low quality seems too often to be a justification for spending shedloads of cash on a Jones type gadget!
Perhaps I am easily satisfied! (wife just said "fat chance").

[kebang]

I'm pretty much in the same position as Geoff (Dad 1)

I've got a 180ft layout (awaiting scenery & ballast) & 14 locos. These are controlled by 2 Select Controllers. I've never had any complaint about them. The are powered by a 4.5 amp power supply (Not Hornby, a cheaper alternative) There may be things that I can't do with them that I could do with a more expensive product, but I honestly cannot justify the cost of replacing them.

Even if I was starting again from scratch I have to consider that 250 quid buys 2 train sets containing 2 Select Controllers, 4 locos, rolling stock & quite a bit of track.

[klaatu]

I've got a 180ft layout (awaiting scenery & ballast) & 14 locos.

Sorry to go a little off the subject, but do you have any more photos of your layout anywhere? I did a search and found that your layout is 10' x 8'? I'm always interested in seeing layouts of that size, as I have 10' x 9' and decided to go for N gauge to get longer trains. I'm still not sure I made the right decision, but it's far too late to change now. I'm still interested in seeing what others have done in OO in that space.

Steve

[kebang]

No photos, other than the above, as yet. I will try to take som pics in the next 24hrs & post them in 'Personal Layouts under construction.'

Back on Topic - I know there are far better DCC controllers than Hornby's (or Bachmann) offerings. IMO it boils down to what do you really need & are prepared to pay for. (If I were a duck I'd never sink! )

[lennie]

The answer is Yes. I know that the select had serious problems with the digital wavelengh it was not square as is required for DCC. As for the Elite that to had problems although thats been sorted. From what i understand its not easy to get to grips with and still has shortcomings.
If you are serious about DCC then spend your money on something better. NCE Powercab starter set is a good way to go, But like any command station its a learning curve, I dont use one myself, but have played with a mates, it does work very well, The LCD screen could be a bit bigger though. As others have said try and find a shop or someone who can show you the way.