BritInVanCA Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 I just got a marketing email from Hornby listing items that are “last chance to buy” and one is the Elite. Are they discontinuing this controller? Is something replacing it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dBerriff Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 (edited) I struggle to think what else "last chance" could mean. I hope some kind of replacement is imminent otherwise what are HM7000 new-users supposed to plug their Dongle into? Edited April 26 by dBerriff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moccasin Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 In the past “last chance” has sometimes meant “last chance before the next stock comes in” or “last chance to help us reduce our stock this month” 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rallymatt Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 It can’t have gone unnoticed that Hornby has been upgrading all of its control systems. And so is every other major manufacturer 😳 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LTSR_NSE Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 1 hour ago, Moccasin said: In the past “last chance” has sometimes meant “last chance before the next stock comes in” or “last chance to help us reduce our stock this month” The Elite & eLink have both been listed in the ‘last chance’ category many times before this latest one. So unless Hornby possesses an astronomical stockpile of both that they are attempting to reduce, I’m in agreement with @Moccasin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HST Mainline Posted April 26 Share Posted April 26 Last chance also some times mean: "Last chance to buy before it will be out of stock for a while". The Elite is in the current 2024 catalogue, so I suspect it will be available further down the line. The Select, on the other hand, has been discontinued and is no longer in the range, sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HST Mainline Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 By the looks of it, the "under the table" point motor is also on the list. So, I would not worry too much. It has been on the list several times before. The Elite stock is also up by 10 since the last time I looked (a few days ago). It is probably a fluke. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dBerriff Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 Fair enough. I tend to take things literally. Mine is of unknown age, picked up used for £95. This reminds me I should strip it down and replace the thermal compound following the guidance on Rob’s excellent website. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 1 hour ago, dBerriff said: Fair enough. I tend to take things literally. Mine is of unknown age, picked up used for £95. This reminds me I should strip it down and replace the thermal compound following the guidance on Rob’s excellent website. If it has the old bent tin heat sinks in the Select image, I recommend replacing them with extruded versions. If you don't have access to a scrap device to rob from then any similar heatsink can be used, e.g. offcuts from window glazing, computers and other domestic electronics. Image shows eLink, but other Hornby devices are the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dBerriff Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 Thank's Rob. I might swap out the rotary encoders while it is opened up although my HM7000 Dongle reduces the need for that. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 1 hour ago, dBerriff said: Thank's Rob. I might swap out the rotary encoders while it is opened up although my HM7000 Dongle reduces the need for that. The encoders I bought have a good click detent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritInVanCA Posted April 27 Author Share Posted April 27 @96RAF you mean my 16 year old Select isn’t going to last forever! It’s already outlasted 2 iMacs! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted April 27 Share Posted April 27 28 minutes ago, BritInVanCA said: @96RAF you mean my 16 year old Select isn’t going to last forever! It’s already outlasted 2 iMacs! You obviously treat yours with more respect than mine get, as they are tested to death and beyond. I have 2 good ones, and one with half the buttons inop and a smoker. Good for spares tho'. Oldest one is 2006. I have 6 Elites ranging from a couple that are OK, to those sort of working except for USB or programming, to sort of works but gets very hot and a box of assorted bits. Oldest one is 2007. I have many other modules like acc decoders, power boosters, reversing loop and of course a couple of eLinks, all in various states of serviceability due to being subject to 'see if you can break them' directives in testing or being fumbled during updates. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dBerriff Posted April 28 Share Posted April 28 My Select dates from around 2010 when I bought the strange (SDJR + LMS) Somerset Belle set on a whim to try out DCC. I have had the firmware updated and it still works reliably. To be fair, it has had an easy life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulleidboy Posted April 28 Share Posted April 28 I don't recall ever reading that the Elite/Select are ever likely to be replaced? My Elite dates from January 2009 and has had a relatively easy life - being an early model it has twin ports so can take two dongles - it has been upgraded when necessary and is currently at v.1.45. I have never had a problem with it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rallymatt Posted April 28 Share Posted April 28 Insides have been changed a few times over the years and it’s already overdue a case ‘refresh’ to keep things looking ‘on trend’ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brew Man Posted April 28 Share Posted April 28 (edited) That reminds me of the joke where someone said, 'I've had this brush for 25 years and all it's needed were two replacement heads and one handle'. Edited April 28 by Brew Man 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moccasin Posted April 28 Share Posted April 28 (edited) Trigger in Only Fools and Horses as played by the late, great Roger Lloyd Pack. Edited April 28 by Moccasin Spelling/autocorrect 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rallymatt Posted April 28 Share Posted April 28 That’s what was going through my mind as I wrote 🤣 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 The Elite insides have only changed twice at design level that I recall, once for an updated PIC chip that went obsolete then to cater for the spring terminals that were only available in a larger format, meaning one of the Xpressnet ports had to go to make room. That required a motherboard change obviously to shuffle stuff up. Select has also had PIC chip updates requiring an internal facelift, hence v1.6 versus v2.0. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HST Mainline Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 The Select is no longer in the program. It isn't on the website or in the 2024 catalogue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
96RAF Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 43 minutes ago, HST Mainline said: The Select is no longer in the program. It isn't on the website or in the 2024 catalogue. Hornby has a habit of dropping things out of sight that are out of stock. That does not mean they are out of program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HST Mainline Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 7 hours ago, 96RAF said: Hornby has a habit of dropping things out of sight that are out of stock. That does not mean they are out of program. I can understand that (to some extend) with regard to the webshop. I do not understand it with regard to the catalogue. If it is not in the printed catalogue, I think it is safe to assume that it is no longer in the program. Models come and go, but digital controller going out of the printed catalogue and coming back? Has this happened before? The Select is a great little controller, I think it has its place in the program. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ColinB Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 Not that I am expert on how Hornby works, but if HM7000 becomes the norm, why would you want to use an Elite? Perhaps Hornby is thinking the same way, if HM7000 works properly then the Hornby future is bluetooth and the Hornby App. Now we all know that most people have a combination of DCC and HM7000 decoders so an Elite or Select is the only way to run both, but perhaps Hornby management doesn't think like that. Therefore there would be some logic in running the design out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rallymatt Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 App control isn’t for everyone and there will always be a traditional control system but Hornby is due to update the Elite/Select controllers and was intended it could integrate with app, I understand that’s been put back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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