BlightyExPat Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Does anyone know of a source for a couple of Class 08 TTS Sound Decoders?Rails (Sheffield) tell me they doubt if it will be restocked and Hornby says much the same, but maybe someone knows of a couple somewhere? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Google the R number and select Shopping tab and see what comes up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlightyExPat Posted July 23, 2020 Author Share Posted July 23, 2020 There's a number of references to the 'R7146' if I do a search but they all appear to show a 'nil stock' status. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Howbi Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Talking to a Retailer this week it would appear that we are going to have to wait until the New Year before new stock becomes available, there has probably been a major holdup in Manufacturing...........HB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted July 23, 2020 Share Posted July 23, 2020 Maybe they could make a killing by subbing out TTS retreads to a UK company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted July 24, 2020 Share Posted July 24, 2020 I suppose the issue is, as I am always being told, they probably don't know the level of demand. Most of us look around for the part whether be a TTS decoder or perhaps a base plate for a loco, realise that the suppliers have run out and then start looking at the second hand market to canabalise another loco. I suppose also to organise a sub contractor takes a lot of effort and I suppose they don't have the staff to do it. The thing that does surprise me is that there are certain items in their catalogue that never seem to get released (R3632 BR Merhant Navy Class), but then they seem to find the resource to produce a special version of something really quick. I suppose it comes down to what will make the most profit, for little outlay. In the end they have a business to run. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlightyExPat Posted July 25, 2020 Author Share Posted July 25, 2020 howbiman, if your source's info is correct, then I don't mind waiting until the new year.As for it's popularity, I would say manufacturing a new batch would make sense for Hornby, bearing in mind that the original batch stock are as rare as hen's teeth! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 Two issues here..Do Hornby think they could sell upwards of 2000 of any they set into production.Can they actually find a production slot given the current backlog of stuff from this pesky C-19 effect on the Chinese supply chain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 It would be interesting to find what their minimum order quality is. It should be literally blowing data into the memory. I suppose the question is who does it for them, they are not an electronics firm so I wonder who they sub it out to and what their minimum quantity is. From watching James May I know they create their own sound files. I assume they are programmed by a bed of nails, that is why there are all those pads on the pcb, so really it is how long it takes to setup that determines the price and the minimum quantity. I have just sent a damaged class 37 decoder back to them under warranty, they have currently run out of them, so I wonder will they program a "one off" or give me my money back. Germany/Austria seem to be the experts on DCC sound so I wonder if they use a German firm? Either way, it looks like you will have to wait for you Class 08, like I am waiting for my Class 47. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted July 25, 2020 Share Posted July 25, 2020 @ColinMoQ of 2000 is likely to be their economic break point. As they are packaged by the producer I reckon they come out of China, along with all the hassle that gives at present. Subbing out retreads to a ‘local’ firm is probably too difficult to arrange what with specialist packaging and all. They can locally reprogram the main MCU on a decoder, as witnessed by them reprogramming that batch of decoders with the uni-directional operation and programming fault, which was a return to works fix, but as said before the sound files are a Worm process, not rewritable and best suited to a new batch production. Whether they can/will program a one off replacement for your 37/47 will depend upon if they have any blanks in stock. I have had pre-production one-offs to test before, including some with features that never made it into production, which is probably as much as I can say about them. Bed of nails - by that I take it you mean a jig that has sprung loaded pins to match with the header pads on the chip, linked to a programmer by a patch cable.Similar to this.../media/tinymce_upload/73cae1dea4c742050d8e4232b2425530.png A production rig would be very different of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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