Generally speaking, is it possible and reasonably easy to install a DCC board into MTH DCC ready locos? I haven’t done this before and so I’m wondering if documentation is available. I called MTH service and the fellow I spoke with wouldn’t or couldn’t help me at all. I’d appreciate any thoughts. Thanks
DCNMA
Your best bet is to go to the decoder manufacturers web sites.
ESU Loksound, Digitrax and Soundtrax etc.
They will have decoders for your loco.
Non sound decoders will just plug in, for sound you'll need a speaker
and have to wire it in unless they have it all on one unit, don't know????
Magic
ESU Loksound, Digitrax and Soundtrax etc.
They will have decoders for your loco.
Non sound decoders will just plug in, for sound you'll need a speaker
and have to wire it in unless they have it all on one unit, don't know????
Magic
Yes, some manufacturers have the speaker already wired to the decoder. In some cases your locomotive's circuit board may have solder pads for soldering speaker wires.
DCC locomotives should have a header that the decoder card plugs in to. There should be no wiring involved at all other than possibly the speaker wires if they are not already attached.
If you can plug in a toaster you should be able to handle installing a decoder card into a DCC ready locomotive.
DCC locomotives should have a header that the decoder card plugs in to. There should be no wiring involved at all other than possibly the speaker wires if they are not already attached.
If you can plug in a toaster you should be able to handle installing a decoder card into a DCC ready locomotive.
Disclaimer:
I don't have any MTH engines... yet.
But having said that, I believe that with MTH, "how easy it is" depends on which particular engine you're interested.
Once you have the particular locomotive chosen, you should try to download the MTH manual for it, which may describe the light board inside and what kind of connections are offered.
I've notice for at least one of their locos I like (HO GP35), the internals of the "dcc ready" version may be different than the one with proprietary DCS control.
The dcc-ready board has a connector for a standard dcc decoder, plus there may be a jumper or two to reconfigure (the manual tells you what to do).
Once configured, the engine should behave as would any other dcc-ready engine with an added decoder.
I don't have any MTH engines... yet.
But having said that, I believe that with MTH, "how easy it is" depends on which particular engine you're interested.
Once you have the particular locomotive chosen, you should try to download the MTH manual for it, which may describe the light board inside and what kind of connections are offered.
I've notice for at least one of their locos I like (HO GP35), the internals of the "dcc ready" version may be different than the one with proprietary DCS control.
The dcc-ready board has a connector for a standard dcc decoder, plus there may be a jumper or two to reconfigure (the manual tells you what to do).
Once configured, the engine should behave as would any other dcc-ready engine with an added decoder.
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