Elite vs E Link

[PeterMcGowan]

Hi, please can you tell me is there any difference between using the elite controller connect to my PC with rail software as opposed to using the elink. I have watched the elink reviews and there does not seem to be any additional features. Is the elink

 

only for people who use the select controller. Thanks you

Peter

[Graskie]

Using the Elite with RailMaster, as I do, gives you 4 amps to play with and acts as a separate controller if ever you wish to. The 1 amp eLink is not a controller and can be used without both the Elite and Select. The Select cannot be run with RailMaster,

 

so, whether or not you have a Select, you would need either an Elite or eLink to do that.

[Fishmanoz]

ELink and Elite with RM are alternative fully functional DCC controllers. If you have Elite, there is no point buying eLink as it gives you no additional capability. DCC functionality is exactly the same.

 

However, if you have Select, which is a

 

very basic DCC controller that gives you nowhere near the full capabilities of DCC, then eLink is your cheaper option to get full functionality.

 

If you have no DCC controller at all, eLink is your best value for money option by a long way.

 

Compared

 

to Elite with RM, eLink has 2 shortcomings. It comes with only the 1 amp supply as Graskie mentioned, and you may soon finding yourself needing to upgrade to 4 amps if you want to run more than 3 locos at the same time (actually have them running, not just

 

sitting on the layout), less if you run older locos or sound locos. The other shortcoming is that eLink can only be used with your Pc and RM, whereas Elite can be used on its own using its control knobs and buttons, as well as with RM.

[Modelling_newbie]

Hi all, I'm new to modelling and wish to go down the dcc route, can you confirm that when using railmaster through the elite you can still control the trains through the elite as well as the RM software?? Thanks in advance

[Rog RJ]

Modelling_newbie said:

Hi all, I'm new to modelling and wish to go down the dcc route, can you confirm that when using railmaster through the elite you can still control the trains through the elite as well as the RM software?? Thanks in

advance

Correct.

[Modelling_newbie]

Rog (RJ) said:

Correct.

[Modelling_newbie]

Sorry new to this forum stuff, thanks for the quick reply, Hornby customer service said you loose elite control when its connect to railmaster!!! Very happy that you can still use the elite, this is the route I will take then, I asked them about train

 

detection aswell they said its something they are working towards, which is all good! Thanks again

[RDS]

@Modelling_newbie

I can assure you that you do NOT loose Elite control when its connected to RailMaster because it is something I do regularly.

I can have RailMaster controlling some aspects of my layout whilst I take over control of some other aspects.

 

I can also control the RailMaster controlled loco's using my Elite if I wish.

The system is totally flexible and that is the main reason why I prefer Elite to e-link.

[HornbyRailMasterSupport]

To clarify, RailMaster does allow you to control locos using your Hornby Elite for manual operation while you can also use RailMaster at the same time. This includes while RailMaster is running progrms, although you are obviously not advised to control

 

the same locos using the Elite that RailMaster is currently running.

 

When controlling locos using the Elite you will see the slider for the loco in RailMaster move up and down and also the direction arrows change.

 

It is not, however, advisable

 

to change light and sound functions on locos on the Elite while controlling locos using RailMaster, although doing this will not adversely affect loco motion.

 

The eLink, being purely an interface has no control buttons or knobs so all control is carried

 

out on your PC and HandHeld devices. There is obviously a clear cost difference between the Elite and eLink in the order of 300%.