MRC Prodigy Advance DCC controller.. any good?

[Bramshot]

I also suspect a production batch issue, as far as the knob problem is concerned, but other issues indicate that the manufacturer’s quality control has gone downhill. I originally got the Express with a Dapol N starter pack. My local store owner said that he had seen many using Gaugemaster control systems at exhibitions and never heard a bad word about them. This is partly why I think they may have gone downhill. The Express worked well out of the box for a few months before starting to have the control problem.

I then decided I needed more power as my layout/ no of locos grew and I added coach lighting, so I upgraded to the Advance without bothering to get the controller repaired, and I also wanted an illuminated display on the cab for night running.

The first one would not programme and was sent back to the supplier who replaced it. The controller did not work well on that one and the lighting was disappointing as it is only actually readable from a very restricted viewing angle.

On the replacement, the power light was intermittent. As I didn’t want to send another one back for such a trivial issue, I opened it up and found that the hole through which the LED protrudes was too small, and the LED had been pushed back so that it’s solder joint into the pcb was broken. I fixed that, and opened out the LED holes with a larger drill and solved that problem. Then the controller started to have the knob issue and at that point I sent it back and changed system. I know Gaugemaster are very good at fixing things free of charge, but I figured I shouldn’t have to do that with new kit with fundamental build issues and two out of two bad on delivery was not a good score, so a change was called for. Also Gaugemaster didn’t seem to know much about the kit they were selling, the instruction manual referred to a fan that is no longer there. It is not good to provide instruction manuals that are out of date or inaccurate especially these days when all you have to do is edit a pdf and print some new ones, (and Gaugemaster are not the only culprits!).

[mjb1961]

Thank you flashbang and bufferstop, good advice on both accounts. I’m certainly not going to import anything from abroad and privet won’t now bid on the one on eBay. I think it’s probably best to get as new as you can for the Indy it can afford and as I said before I think £150 is my limit for now.

Julian

Hi ,,,If you've got a top budget of £150 I'd go for the NCE powercab ,new ,and it is full of features and expandable and pretty much future proof ,,,,mjb

[sammysquirrel]

Hi
I used the MRC Prodigy Advance for over 10 years and found it ok.
However I then discovered the Hornby elite and Railmaster and it changed my whole world.
Easy to use and cheaper and I am 80 yers of age
sammysquirrel