Which Car control system to use on a large layout.

[Stan Ziberna]

Good Day;

I am creating a working road system for a large size HO scale layout (About 3000 square feet currently). I have come across DC Car and Dinamo MCC.

I prefer to use DC Car because of the collision avoidance feature built into each car. My colleague does not want to use this system because it operates via infrared technology. The fear is that camera flashes will cause the cars to crash.

Can anyone comment on the interference from camera flashes using the DC Car system?

Thanks...

[LordBrummi]

Hi,

Opencar is also a possibility, it has also a collision avoiding system based on Infrared like DC Car.
All Infrared based systems may have problems with direct sunlight and light bumps with a 50Hz frequency light.
LED Light is no problem.
I don't know if flashlights may disturb the Phototransistors, but i don't think so because flashlights is only a short time impuls.

Here you can see the Opencar distance control:
https://youtu.be/Z63i3WCETvE

And here you can see, how light bump disturb the sensors:
https://youtu.be/brHGYOVjs2Q

In my channel you can find more videos.

Regards
Dieter

[Stan Ziberna]

Thanks, I have added Open Car as an option in my poll.

Any Chance you can point me to more information about this system?

Thanks...

[LordBrummi]

Hi Stan,

this is the general info page of Opencar:
http://www.opencarsystem.de

Under Downloads you can find the instructions-book, for example for the decoder:
http://www.opencarsystem.de/download/fi ... der_v3.pdf

Its all in german, but i think you can translate with google translator.

Here is a shop with the components:
http://shop.fichtelbahn.de/OpenCar-System

You need one DCC Funk Booster. The Booster is connected to your DCC Central station.
The Booster is sending the commands with 2.4GHZ Radio to the cars.
For each car you need a Decoder and a 2.4GHZ Funkmodul, to receive the commands.
So the commands are transmitted with radio thats a real advantage.
If you want to use the distance controll you need 2 IRs and 2 Phototransistor for each car too (also availible in the shop).
Ho to connect all is shown in the instructions-book.

Here is the forum of Opencar, you need to register at first time:
http://forum.opendcc.de/viewforum.php?f=40

I recommend the Opencar System, it works very good for me. You can find more Videos in my youtube channel.

Regards
Dieter

[Dankwardt]

Hello

many DC-Car-User on a map

DC-Car-WIKI in english

Some large size HO scale layout use DC-Car since more then 5 years.
There are no problems with 50 Hz lights or sensor from cameras.

http://www.dc-car-shop.eu

[funcar]

Hi,
only sunlight may bother the DC-Car Decoder, because there is a software-filter built in to ignore 50 Hz, 100 Hz signals as well as Flash lights.
Claus