TCS DP2X-UK decoder

[AceinOz]

Has anyone used TCS DP2X-UK decoders? I installed one in my new 2Bil set and it didn’t work. I swapped it out for a Hornby 8 pin decoder I had spare and the 2Bil worked fine. Just wondering if anyone has had any issues with TCS decoders.

[ColinB]

I must admit I have had issues with lots of decoders. In the end I found the most reliable ones, in that they run the loco properly are Hornby, Zimo and surprisingly LaisDCC. Hornby decoders have issue with old locos with high current, but generally they let you know by going bang with lots of smoke. LaisDCC seem to work reliable as long as you have a decent DCC signal (no dirty track) and for me Zimo seem to be the best, having a reasonable current limit and work well even on dirty track. I have tried Gaugemaster, Hattons and DCC concepts ones, now I am sure that they are perfectly ok but in my applications they never seem to work as well as the three I first mentioned. I have never used TCS, but normally the issue I find is there sometimes seems to be a mismatch between decoder and motor, causing the decoder to current limit.

[Bulleidboy]

I have the TCS DP2X-UK decoders in many of my loco's and they all run well. Originally used as they were easy to fit without having to find a space for the harness and decoder, as is the set-up for most decoders. I have used this decoder in both Hornby and Bachmann models. At £20 it is very competitively priced. I recently bought five "budget" decoders, and none of them worked. ColinB recommends the Zimo, I have yet to try one, but from various sources they appear to be very good.

[AceinOz]

Thanks for the replies. The shop I bought the decoder from said that the Hornby Select controller (which I am using) can sometimes not play nice with non-Hornby decoders. Is this your experience?

[Chrissaf]

It depends upon the firmware revision of the Select. Support for non Hornby decoders was improved in the later firmware releases. If your Select firmware is version 13 or below then I would recommend that you arrange to have Hornby upgrade it.

The current installed firmware is displayed as the very first number to briefly appear on the Select screen as it is being powered up. Expect to see a number between 10 and 20. At the time of writing, the latest version is 1.6 [16] or 2.0 [20] - both the same. These latest versions completely transform the user experience of the Select controller and add the ability to write (not read) all CVs up to CV255. As well as access to the full F0 - F28 range of functions.

The upgrade charge is typically £15 plus your sending postage costs. You need to get a 'returns number' from Hornby Customer Services - see 'Contact Us' link at the very bottom of the page.

If you do arrange to get your Select firmware upgraded, then you will need both the Select version 1.5 full manual and the version 1.6 addendum manual. As the operation of your Select (how to use it) will be completely different in certain areas of operation compared to your current firmware version.

You can download these two manual PDFs from here:

R8213 Select DCC Controller – Hornby Support

and here

R8213 Select DCC Controller - Version 1.6 and 2.0 addendum – Hornby Support

If nothing appears to happen, check your nominated browser download folder for the files as they can download silently in the background.

[AceinOz]

I have the latest firmware (on power up it indicates 20). I tried the decoder in 2 trains - same thing both times.

[Bulleidboy]

I don't suppose it matters, but is the Select NMRA compliant? I had a feeling it was not (originally?), whereas everything else is compliant.

Having checked, I think I have the DP2X-UK decoder in all of my loco's barring two - I have the Hornby R8249 in my Class 08 shunter, and my 2-BIL came DCC Fitted - this is of course any loco that needs an 8-pin decoder.

[96RAF]

There is a big difference between being designed to be and being tested for and passed as NMRA compliant.

Select was failed NMRA testing due to off load ringing and method of handling loco and accessory addressing., e.g accessories are treated as loco addresses not accessory addresses. This alters the sequence of binary code sent.

The ringing can be alleviated simply by putting a few locos on track to load and damp the ringing. There was a chap on eBay flogging a ferrite ring damper to clip round your power feed but no details were given of the tuning ability or results.

It is indeed possible to tune out the ringing internally but it re-appears at other load frequencies. There is no generic broad band damping.

Apart from that Select is NMRA compliant and is tested for compliance with as many alien decoders as Hornby can reasonably get their hands on.

Ditto - Hornby test their decoders with a wide selection of alien controllers to ensure compatibility as far as possible.

What cannot be assured is if these alien DCC decoder and controller manufacturers prove their kit with other makers’ kit including Hornby.

[Bulleidboy]

I mentioned in my first post about some budget decoders that did not work - these were Hattons direct fit 8-pin decoders. I took a gamble with these, as it does say on their site "The Hattons decoder range may not work with Hornby branded controllers" - well they did notcry - and that was with my Elite (1.45).

[96RAF]

I mentioned in my first post about some budget decoders that did not work - these were Hattons direct fit 8-pin decoders. I took a gamble with these, as it does say on their site "The Hattons decoder range may not work with Hornby branded controllers" - well they did notcry - and that was with my Elite (1.45).

 

 

It would be good to try this range of decoders to see which controllers they actually do work with, then maybe Hattons could expand their product page statement to truly reflect their decoders range of use with various makes of controller if any.

[Brew Man]

I had a problem with a Hattons decoder a few months ago with a King Class Loco. i.e. the loco did not work. I then tried it with a Hornby decoder and it still didn't work. What I don't know is whether the original decoder caused the damage to the loco, and if so did that then damage the Hornby decoder. I have kept the Hornby decoder but am a bit jittery about trying it in another loco in case damage results.

[96RAF]

That is the beauty of having a decoder test rig like the ESU genuine one.

Well worth the investment.

You can set up and prove a decoder off loco, then if there is still a fault it has to be the loco, track, controller, etc.

If you can’t afford one or even the cheaper knock off version then it is fairly easy to make your own.

See here http://www.halton96th.org.uk/article4.html

[Brew Man]

That's very useful, Rob, thanks. Might knock one up. It's years since I used my vero cutter grinning