DCC Impulses Column - 3
Direct Mode (Pd in Digitrax parlance) has been around for
many years now and is measurably faster than any of the
older methods. Most modern decoders support it and some
respond only to it. While there are two variations of direct
mode, the differences are transparent to the DCC user.
So, if you are looking for a common language between your
command station and your decoder, start with Direct Mode. If
that doesn’t fly, move up the list until you find one that does,
understanding that Address Mode may not be available on
modern command stations.
DecoderPro uses its knowledge of your DCC system and the
selected decoder to automatically select the best program-
ming mode for the combination.
If you are programming a sound decoder or a decoder with
large amounts of energy storage, such as a TCS Keep-Alive™,
you may need a Programming Track Booster between your
command station and
your programming
track.
Programming
track boosters
I discuss these guys on
my web site
. But I
want to make a couple
of observations here.
PTBs are another misnomer, as they don’t really boost any-
thing. They translate from one language to another.
PTBs should not be confused with DCC boosters, despite
the similar name. They are very different animals.
As sound decoders
developed, more on-
board energy storage
was required. This
added storage would
overwhelm the origi-
nal (NMRA compliant)
command stations.
The decoder and com-
mand station would
not communicate. The
NMRA standards were changed after 2005 to reflect the
new designs and more recent command stations work just
fine. However, there are a lot of systems out there that
were designed before the change.
2. DecoderPro offers you the
choice of programming modes that
are compatible with your DCC sys-
tem and the decoder in question.
2
3. SoundTraxx PTB-100 Program-
ming Track Booster.
3
MRH-May 2014
