Favorite decoders? ESU? D&H? Zimo? Something else?

[gavino200]

 Cool. Can you remind me again what SUSI is? Something about connecting it to something else? Sound?

 

Let me know when you're buying D&H again. Perhaps we can combine and split the postage.

 

What does it mean when you say you "bastardize" a decoder?

 

Looking forward to your results. BTW is there a step by step guide to soldering the decoder onto the EM13 clone? I'm going to get round to this soon!!!!

[chadbag]

29 minutes ago, gavino200 said:

 Cool. Can you remind me again what SUSI is? Something about connecting it to something else? Sound?

 

Let me know when you're buying D&H again. Perhaps we can combine and split the postage.

 

What does it mean when you say you "bastardize" a decoder?

 

Looking forward to your results. BTW is there a step by step guide to soldering the decoder onto the EM13 clone? I'm going to get round to this soon!!!!

 

SUSI is an alternative port for passing info to other modules.  Usually used for aux sound decoders.  https://dccwiki.com/SUSI

 

I'll post in the forum when I buy D&H or make another Germany order.  I ordered these ones from DM-Toys but I wouldn't buy normal stuff from them in most cases as they won't sell without the VAT (they say it is because they subsidize the shipping to foreign lands so have just one price for all -- these decoders are only through them so for them we have no choice).

 

I don't bastardize the decoder.  I use a decoder other than the one the EM13 board is made for.  So far I used an MX615N from Zimo on one  (had to mill away part of the inside of the board since the Zimo is thicker than the D&H) and it worked but is not worth the effort since the Zimo decoders in the US are rather pricey and you can buy the ZImo EM13 version for not a lot more.  I am also in the process of trying to use an ESU LokPilot 5 micro on the EM13 board -- also have to mill away some with the dremel since it is fatter.  But they are less expensive than the ZIMO so they might be a better choice despite the milling effort.   However, these new GM-Toyrs exclusive decoders may be just the thing -- they are cheaper and also one sided and basically should just solder on to the board.  You will need todesolder the pins or maybe cut them really short -- we'll see -- otherwise they will probably be the easiest non DH05 decoder to use with the JNS EM13 boards made for DH05 decoders.

 

Soldering them on is not hard.  I just put a small drop of slder on each pad on the board, IIRC, and then put the decoder down on the board and touch the tip of the soldering iron down on the decoder/board/solder drop.  Inspect that no solder bridged to a neighbor (you can use a multimeter for this as well).    That is the DH05 board. The PD05 version of the board is a little harder due to the PD05A being double sided and there being a whole in the board already for it -- you need to work a little harder to get the board and decoder soldered -- I used the PD05A that had the ribbon cable attached and just cut it short but you risk desoldering the pins from the decoder when soldering them onto the board.  I only had 10 or soe of the PD05A boards made and have used one or two and probably will just use them as bastard boards for other decoders anyway.  My PD05A (the really small D&H ones) are more useful as hard wired in tight spaces when I have a billion of the DH05 versions of the boards.

 

[chadbag]

So this new DM-Toys exclusive will also have a wired version in a few weeks available, according to an email I received this morning in answer to my question.  I ordered some of the pinned ones to try out.

 

[Dani]

Hello!

 

This is my experience after converting almost 100 models:

 

I started with Uhlenbrock decoders. Too expensive, not many adjustment options.

 

Then I tried Digitrax, not bad not good, not expensive but not cheap (Spain prices, I don't know in any other country).

 

I installed also a lot of LaisDCC decoders, you can find them in Aliexpress. They are really really cheap, but awful. Don't even try them to drive a motor. But they can switch polarity, so for cab/end car lights are perfect.

 

I used D&H during a long time, but I don't like the acceleration curve. You can see always like 3 different steps in acceleration, it's not completely lineal. But they are cheap, I would say these decoders are the best cost/performance ratio. I installed also some sound SUSI decoders from this brand, much cheaper that others and sound is acceptable.

 

Then I tried ZIMO MX616 which is really small, and I keep using this decoder for locomotives where there is no room for a normal decoder. I like this one very much.

 

Recently I tried ESU Sound Decoders, and sound power and quality are much better than D&H. I also tried the ESU decoder for standard Kato DCC Friendly models, and sound is amazing. Configuration options are also infinite. The best decoder in my opinion, also the most expensive. 😞

 

To summarize: I use LaisDCC for cab and end cars. Zimo MX616 for motor cars, they fit anywhere. And ESU for sound.

 

[Giugiaro]

Has anyone already made EM13 and FL12 adaptor PCBs to allow for easy instalation of other DCC boards using existing sockets, like NEM651?

[chadbag]

13 minutes ago, Giugiaro said:

Has anyone already made EM13 and FL12 adaptor PCBs to allow for easy instalation of other DCC boards using existing sockets, like NEM651?

 

The problem with making a PCB board for EM13 that has an NEM651 socket on it is that the decoder would be too thick.  Even the PD05-A from D&G is too thick without making a hole in the PCB.  Single thickness boards with thin chips directly soldered barely make it. The DH05 and similar (which should include the DM Toys exclusive by D&H which is a trimmed down DH05 as far as I can tell) work well with the PCB board that was shown in the forums a few years back.  I forced a Zimo (as I epxlained above) to work but not worth it since the Zimo is expensive enough.