DCS Remote Commander?

The DCS Remote Commander for $59.95 is much too limited ... get the Explorer instead.

You don't want the DCS Explorer because it won't work well with your other engines:

• It must use its own transformer for the tracks and that will limit you to 6 amps total draw.
• You cannot vary the power to the tracks so cannot operate conventional engines on the track to which the DCS Explorer is connected.

The DCS Remote Commander only has one limitation. You can only operate one DCS engine at a time. Just be sure to wire its receiver to the track in passive mode. However, you can operate all of your engines on the same track.

Everything that you need to know about DCS is all in MTH’s “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Everything that you need to know about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

Thanks for the input. What are the limitations @yamawho of DCS Commander.  From my read, it looks to do what LC+ gives me, and I think that'd be sufficient, especially for a mere $60. Remote, speed control, sounds, electro-couplers. I'd love to know what I'm missing so I don't waste $60 and end up going for the full DCS TIU (when they become available) and remote.  @Barry Broskowitz's points (THANKS!) make DCS Explorer a no-go option for me. Sounds very inconvenient with a lot of connecting and disconnecting each time I want to run something.  No issues for me, however, being limited to one DCS engine at a time. 

Barry Broskowitz posted:

Just be sure to wire its receiver to the track in passive mode. 

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Everything that you need to know about DCS is all in MTH’s “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

---

Everything that you need to know about DCS WiFi is all in MTH’s “The DCS WiFi Companion 2nd Edition!" This book is available from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, as an eBook or a printed book at MTH's web store!

@Barry Broskowitz - by passive mode, I THINK I know what you mean but want to confirm.  I think that means leave my connection from transformer to track and separately connect the commander unit to the track. Correct?  BTW, I have Lionel Power Masters connected to my loops/blocks so I can use my CAB-1 with conventional. Does this set up impede the Remote Commander?

It's been a while since I have looked at this but if I remember the DCS Commander remote can only control an engine if the engine address is = to 1. If you ever run your engine on another DCS system or buy one that has run on another DCS system then the address will most likely be higher then one and will not work with that setup. Then you would need to do a reset (which requires a full DCS system) to get it to work. 

The Explorer does not have this issue.

If you insist on getting the DCS Commander remote, can be found used for much less than 60$ ...

Make sure you get this one and not the older remote.

https://mthtrains.com/50-1033

This model can reset the engine to factory default.

I am in the same boat, bought a remote commander now I just need a MTH engine. I am set up

with two other Lionchef engines, on fastrack.  As you do I only need to control the engine, and the remote commander seems for me to be the best option, for carpet central. I want an MTH Es44ac gevo with charging lights, of which I cannot get in Lionchief.

Oldmike

Thanks, yes, that's the part number showing in stock at Stockyard Express which isn't too far from me.

by passive mode, I THINK I know what you mean but want to confirm.  I think that means leave my connection from transformer to track and separately connect the commander unit to the track. Correct?

Yes, that’s correct.

I have Lionel Power Masters connected to my loops/blocks so I can use my CAB-1 with conventional. Does this set up impede the Remote Commander?

No, it will not.

You can use the DCS Remote Commander to reset most PS3 engines but not PS2 engines.

Barry Broskowitz posted:

by passive mode, I THINK I know what you mean but want to confirm.  I think that means leave my connection from transformer to track and separately connect the commander unit to the track. Correct?

Yes, that’s correct.

I have Lionel Power Masters connected to my loops/blocks so I can use my CAB-1 with conventional. Does this set up impede the Remote Commander?

No, it will not.

You can use the DCS Remote Commander to reset most PS3 engines but not PS2 engines.

Barry - thanks so much for your reply.  I'm planning to buy new PS3 engines from a LHS so I'm not worried about not being able to reset an engine ID myself.  There's an LHS near me that I've never been to (hence no MTH in my roster) that has a great reputation among the MTH aficionados here on the forum. I'd like to get to know them, especially since they're an authorized repair service center, so I'll throw some business their way even if I have to pay a bit of a premium compared to online discounts.

Worst case, I've got a brother-in-law with full DCS and TMCC who could reset an engine. He's been encouraging me to get the TIU with full remote DCS, but I just don't see value in the $400 even if I could find a set.

Raising4: Please let us/me know how you like the remote commander for running trains. There are not too many who use this remote anymore, so any info is appreciated.

Thanks Oldmike

Pardon my jumping in to the conversation with a question. I was following this thread and had a similar question to what I think 4D is asking. I have all conventional pre&post Lionel so far, but have been interested in LC+ to get a few more bells, smoke and whistles. Would MTH be another compatible option with my Old stuff on a conventional layout in the same manner as LC can? Some of the detail work and offerings of MTH look inticing, but I don't want to spend a fortune trying to modify two incompatable systems and still have my conventional trains. Can they all three just get along??

can they all three just get along

Yes, indeed they can!  

Hi All, I use the Remote Commander on my layout as I have usually one PS3 engine on it with everything else, conventional/LC+ etc. I usually leave the engine in a yard with the receiver visible so that I can hit it with the remote from anywhere.  You can see it over there on top of the roof of the engine shed. (Don't mind the mess, they decided they only wanted to run one passenger car and took off all of the box cars.) That Mohawk there is a PS3, everything else is Conventional. It just sits there for the most part until we use the remote.

The ONLY problem I occasionally run into is that when I'm running conventional engines, occasionally when I have to cycle an E-unit, the PS3 engine doesn't catch the signal from the unit and it goes into startup mode. I usually just cut power for a second and then back, on and it takes care of it. 

Works great for my purposes. Eventually I'll get around to hooking up the rest of the DCS unit.