Dr_C

So just to sum up then to clarify my so called ‘Option C’... While the ARC PRO is absolutely awesome straight out of the box - with amazing functionality in both digital and analog configurations (simply by throwing a small switch on the side of the base), a few minor compatibility issues have been observed by the early adopters. Not much of a problem... and there is a range of solutions as per this thread. The observed issue is that old curved lane changers, some digital counters and any 2-into-1 chicaine features (if they cause primary lanes1 and 2 to become electrically connected)... result in the current production version of the ARC PRO (2017) going into SAFE mode. The simple answer is to remove these track components... and then to get on enjoying the new power base in both digital and analog modes. The reason for the above issue appears to stem from a design trade-off which causes a reversal of the signal polarities (in digital mode) for lanes 1 and 2 with respect to each other. This is of no consequence in digital mode unless the two lanes become ‘bridged‘ i.e. electrically interconnected. There is no issue whatsover in analog mode where (of course) the cars in both lanes move in the same direction as both expected and required! But... if you do want to keep those old (disconinued) curved changers on track (as I do) then there are three options to consider. All of these are now proven effective. Option A: modify the track wiring inside the ARC PRO (not recommended likely to void warranty). Option B: modify all the above track parts, for example modifying each curved lane changer as described by blagard-01 in the link shared in an earlier post on this thread. Option C: modify two 1/4 length straights by creating a 10mm dead spot in one of the lanes then cross wire underneath. ======= lane1 ===X=== lane 2 X marks location of the dead spot and also shows the required cross-wiring (for underneath). using Option C in practice.. 1/ for absolute full digital compatibility (I believe) with all SSD track parts past and present ... insert these modified track parts on both sides of the ARC PRO. Then enjoy digital mode! 2/ for full analog compatibility... simply replace the modified 1/4 straights with standard ones... then enjoy analog mode! QED

The above photo is of a digitally converted Scalextric mini... imagine the co-driver’s calls as the mini passes the ARC PRO power base when driving on an Option C configured track (see all posts above)... “dead spot ahead - step on gas” ”left 90 turn ahead - exit right lane” So just to confirm... down on the track Option C works a treat... honestly!

Once I figure out how to successfully upload photographs I’ll show the variant of the curved lane changer mod where a single 10mm ‘dead spot’ is formed on the lane changing rail directly alongside the ouput (fixed) flipper/wedge. i.e. a variant of the modification shown in the earliest posts on this thread (acknowledging Blagard-01). With respect to ARC PRO and curved lane changers, I suspect there is very little more to be said...

Many thanks for the kind help... much appreciated... /media/tinymce_upload/6dedd5c886173c9e302e5493eb7a4a72.JPG

Looks like we are down to three main options... so firmly back on track! Photo below shows earlier my option C (together with a revved up and digitally converted mini...) Admin edit: Image upload failed, please use one of the image uploaders (screenshot below) to add an image. /media/tinymce_upload/be13bd9666c0a446e4b8c38f778ad5c9.jpg

On reviewing how the scope of discussion on this public open forum thread has widen from the technical questions, technical views and technical opinions discussed at the outset... I am caused to want to share some thoughts on how we can all become more ‘internet share aware’. There is a lot of information on the internet on this subject for adults, teenagers and young children. In my personal opinion, the NSPCC website has very helpful advice on this subject for parents. Please see link below... https://www.nspcc.org.uk/preventing-abuse/keeping-children-safe/share-aware/

I believe this is a really helpful option - particularly for users who want to upgrade to ARC pro and who already have lots of (discontinued) curved lane changers (the subject of this thread) and also who don't want to get involed in any form of track modification. Also, I believe it will work best when a separate digital lap counter is used to separate the start/finish grid from the required 2-into-1 lane feature. With that caveat... all looks good!

Hi gorp - just wondering if you yourself have tested the ARC PRO? to the best of my knowledge and verified by my testing of my ARC PRO (which arrived yesterday morning) there is no problem with analog mode whatsoever.

Just to confirm... Option C as posted above works perfectly (tested today). With the modified 1/4 length straights fitted either side of a stock ARC PRO the system gives full SSD capability including curved lane changers and 2-into-1 circuits. Then, with the modded straights replaced with standard straights the system gives full analog capability (remembering the curved lane changers also need the standard digital to analog snips if retained in the circuit). Overall... the ARC PRO looks and performs as a truely great piece of kit - well worth the wait!!!

Sorry if I upset you Gorp... my intention here is to help like-minded enthusiasts of Scalextric to get the most out of their new investment in ARC PRO power bases. Meanwhile I happen to believe this product is the most exciting development in SSD since the arrival of the C7030. Amazing and very impressive work by Scalextric and their ARC PRO design team!!! Sorry if this is off topic, but it needs to be said...

Perhaps the thread title should be ‘Maximising digital and analog capabilities of early production versions of the Scalextric ARC PRO (December 2017)’... would this make sense?

I really like your thinking. As you will have guessed I’m a newbie to forums but have a background in advanced MOSFET research... happy for you to start the new thread and I will certainly contribute... we could link back both to the earlier thread (which we both input into) and this one - alternatively I could start the new thread.. I’m happy either way :-) ... meanwhile... thanks for this recommendation... and, also, for your impressive work with the curve mod as per this thread!

In above post... should read ‘digital to analog’ snips.... apols... :-)

I’m a bit puzzled by Gorp’s analysis that suggests that other track parts require changing/modification if using the stock ARC PRO in analog mode. Clearly the curved lane changers will require the standard ‘analog to digital’ snips to the flexible pcb tracks - but I would assume this a given and mentioned in one of my earlier posts. Meanwhile, the reason why the slot forum mod is incompatible with analog mode is that it (not surprisingly) results in the two cars driving in opposite directions when in analog mode i.e. unsuitable for analog racing. Would a table showing the pros and cons of options A,B and C add useful value to this topic/subject?

Thanks Gorp for this - yes - I now see my second sentence was a bit ambiguous I should have more precisely stated that ’With the standard stock ARC PRO the signal polarities of lane 1 and lane 2 are reversed with respect to each other.’ Does that help with consistency and interpretation of my post? Also I agree that my so called ‘Option C‘ is more complex to implement than slot forum simple soldering mod, however Option C enables rapid switching from full digital capability to full analog capability simply by swapping out the two modified track parts with two standard parts. To achieve the same effect with the slot forum mod would, as proposed within the post, require an additional switch and... perhaps some cutting of the brand new ARC PRO enclosure to make the additional switch accessible. Taking this into account the effort is probably reasonably similar for those users who need both full digital and full analog capabilities. Thanks again Gorp for spotting the ambiguity in my second sentence - much appreciated!

The unmodified curved lane changers work perfectly with the APB where both lanes have the same digital signal polarities. With the ARC PRO the signal polarities of lane 1 and lane 2 have been reversed. The slot forum mod to the ARC PRO rectifies this polarity reversal by switching two wires so that unmodified curve lane changers will function in digital mode exactly as per the APB. My proposed Option C will also rectify this polarity reversal and so, again, unmodified curve changers will function in digital mode exactly as per the APB. I therefore firmly disagree with your assertion that the only solution is the modification of the curved lane changers. This is simply one of a number of compatibility options. In earlier posts I list three... A, B and C.

My position is that there are three valid options and they all work well with various trade offs. In terms of my option C it will work very well in digital mode. Removing the modified track pieces returns the system to an entirly standard ARC PRO format which of course is well suited to analog mode (so long as any curved lane changers have been snipped with the standard digital to analog mod). This is a potential advantage over the slotforum ARC PRO mod which would cause cars to run in opposite direction in analog mode. But just to reiterate... I’m not yet coming down in favour of any one specific option at this stage.... in fact I’ll be exploring all three options... with the intention of seeking to demonstrate useful and effective modifications in each case :-)

Option C modify two standard track pieces as below and then fit both sides of an unmodified ARC pro... ======= lane1 ===X=== lane2 create a10mm dead zone in both rails at point X then ‘cross-wire‘ underneath using two jumper wires. Easy...

Yes i see where you are coming from... for option C the modified track pieces enable an unmodified ARC pro to function with unmodified curved lane changers and unmodified digital lap counters. This is intended primarily as a digital solution where integration with unmodified curve lane changers is desiredd. If you want analog too, then can either remove the two option C track pieces, or with a bit of design effort could use double-pole double-throw switches on the track pieces themselves - it’s all very do-able... and I hope this helps...

I avoid the risk of the small piece moving by cutting it to align precisely with the retaining tab so it can’t move along the track once the tab has been re-locked. I use 5 min epoxy to hold the three sections of rail in place - but I only use the epoxy in close proximity to the cut positions. The result looks almost like a mass produced part... ;-)

Yep - released the tabs on the back and then the rail easily lifts off - and if careful you can cut the rail without deforming it. And yes... one wire jumper required for the curve changer mod. This too could be done when the rail is removed to avoid the risk of melting/deforming the plastic track. We now have evidence that all three of the earlier discussed options will achieve compatibility, i.e. Option A: modify the Arc Pro as per recent slotforum post Option B: modify curved lane changer as per your description above. Option C: modify standard track sections on either side of the ARC Pro. This involves making dead spots in one of the lanes and then using jumpers to create a cross-over between the two rails of that lane. Electrically this is the same as Option A.

I just modified a track section to introduce a dead spot... got a very neat result by lifting the rail then cutting with a dremmel. I cut out a 10mm section then filed each remaining piece back by 1mm then re-assembled all three pieces... this creates... track then 1mm gap then 10mm track with dead spot then another 1mm gap then the remaining section of track. This looks very tidy, isolates the track and creates a nice flush surface for the brushes to ride over... this approach should work very well alongside the fixed output flipper/wedge as per above discussion...

Great work modding the curved lane changers!!! And nice photos too! Meanwhile i have modded standard 1/4 length straigh sections to go either side of the ARC pro to enable compatibility between the ARC pro and standard curved lane changers (i.e. my earlier option C) - i’ll test at the weekend once my new power base arrives. As a collective efford we are making great progress...

Ok I now understand what those clever designers at scalextric have been up to with the ARC Pro... very vey impressive!!! They have used the four key electronic power ‘switching’ assets within a digital system to realise both digital and analog capability at the throw of a switch... as I say... very very impressive design!!! But there has been one minor casualty... our ’beloved’ old curve lane changers... however taking on board the design approach of the ARC pro there are some easy solutions... my ARC pro arrives at the weekend and so I hope to share some solutions next week... meanwhile... I salute the scalextric guys... very very impressive design work on the ARC pro :-)

Yes - 1 dead spot on both rails would work fine - but probably better to avoid the exact mid point for two reasons: 1/ this is precisely the location of the flexible copper tracks which interconnect the three pairs of rails on the underside. 2/ this is precisely the location of a set of rail retension tabs. Therefore, moving the positioning of the deadspot away from the centre line by a least a couple of cm (along the direction of travel) would produce a more reliable result. I still favour the modification to add just one additional dead spot on a single rail as per my above post... idea being to lift the rail, then cut, then replace... i’ll see if i can share some images to help clarify...