# MRC Universal Steam Decoder - new one?



## rreiffer (Jan 14, 2009)

Hello all,

Has anyone had experience with the new "universal" MRC Steam Decoder?
Here is a link to the specs (the manual is there as well)

http://www.modelrec.com/search/product-view.asp?ID=8291

With a MSRP of $99 it seems almost too good to be true.


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## George Schreyer (Jan 16, 2009)

it probably is too good to be true. MRC decoders, in the past, have been.... well less than spectacular. I doubt that they have changed their ways.


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

I have one of these, and it is OK for the price I paid which was less than half of the one shown here. 

21 volt limit is biggest issue as I have 24 volt DCC system. Someday it could fail for this issue. 

MRC says it is G compatible but continues to limit voltage spec to 21 volts. 

Also, this unit uses F 0-29. So sound selections could be a problem on some systems. Go to MRC and download the manual.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I read the 2 page "manual"... lots of choices on different sounds, including 12 different chuffs (weird), 33 whistles, (nice), etc. 

Looks nice on paper, but the 21 volt limitation is no good for LS in general. My experience with MRC parallels George, except I have more blown up MRC AD322 decoders than George has, ha ha! (I think 5 or 6)... 

They were rated at 8 amps, and would lock up and usually fail spectacularly, smoke, or exploding caps. 

At least they got rid of the relay, but the 5 amp spec might not hold. 

I just don't think their software and firmware is up to par with the others. Yep, it's about half the price of the best ones. 

Dan, do you have this exact model? How is the sound quality? My guess is that it's low bitrate. 

Regards, Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, I do have that exact unit, plus I have the diesel version. 

It is nice to have many different bell and whistle sounds immediately available for demos and there is no motor noise like the AD324 had. 

Would I pay over $50 for another.....No. Mainly because of the 21 volt limit. (I set my Zimo to 22 volts, it is great being able to set the output voltage on these units!!) 

As for sound quality, I like it better than the Dallee I installed in my RDC. Why not Zimo here? I already had the 75mhz Aristo in my RDC1 as I got hte $200 dollar package deal years ago of RDC1, and 75mhz Xmitter/receiver when it was offered.


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## rreiffer (Jan 14, 2009)

Thanks George, Greg and Dan for your feedback on this unit. I was wondering if you would put diodes in series with the system so you could run them at 24V? The reason is I went out and counted and I now have about 24 engines and I want to keep the cost down for some of my basic engines that I would let the grandkids just run (some old Big Hauler's, etc) but it still would be fun to have some basic sound in them and for $50 per engine they would cover some of my basic engines (still will probably spend the bucks for the main engines). I have to admit as I just got my first DCC system that it is great. I had more fun running my 3 truck Shay last night (once Greg got me going!) and the sounds are just plain fun!


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

Another low cost option for large scale sound is the Digitrax Dh465/soundbug sfx004 combo. It's well under $100 and the sounds are better decent. I got it for exactly that reason--for trains that I set up for kids to ru. The sound is not as good as, say, a qsi card, but it's not bad and the volume is adequate


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Just thinking outside the box, here, if the grandkiddies are going to use them, why not turn the voltage down to 18 or so? Then you don't need to worry about the decoders letting the smoke out that they put in them at the factory, AND it will lower the top speed of the locos so the kiddies aren't playing slot-trains with them and destroying them accidentally? 

The other possibility, rather than diodes, is a voltage regulator. 

Robert


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Yes, you can try the diode route... the method of using a full wave bridge plus a number of diodes between the "ac" legs. 

You can buy a couple and see if you like them, check the warranty first. 

Regards, Greg


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## Dan Pierce (Jan 2, 2008)

Greg, usually i place the diodes between the DC legs, AC legs are in series with the one of the track power leads to one side of the decoder. 

Or, just place these on the feeder to the layout and have a switch to short out the diodes when not running MRC equipped engines. Keeps it simple, and no engines to take apart.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I knew I should have checked the diagram! 

Thanks Dan! 

Greg


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## John Gaarde (Oct 11, 2008)

I have been using the diesel versions of this decoder (MRC 1817 and 1819) in two O scale engines being powered by my NCE 10 amp system for about a month, and so far so good. In fact, I am favorably impressed! I have my booster set to deliver 18v to the track. (I have it set for large scale operation and I don't bother lowering it when I switch to O scale.) I am using 8 ohm speakers and the volume seems adequate, although not as loud as a Phoenix system turned all the way up. These decoders are readily available for $70 or less. John


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I looked at a few web sites, the 1817 seems to be Lco, SD60, SD70 & EMD 567B 
the 1818 seems to be SD45 & MP15 
and the 1819 is the steam. 

How about doing a youtube for us to hear the sounds? 

I found them all for $70 each too 

The manual states the max voltage on the rails should be less than 21 volts. That's a non-starter for me, since I do have some ridiculously slow locos that need higher voltage. 

But for some people it might work fine. Note well, the NCE systems are normally set to 21 volts or so for Large Scale. They can be between 18 and 21 out of the box, depending where they leave the voltage trim pot after manufacture. 

Regards, Greg


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## John Gaarde (Oct 11, 2008)

Hi, Greg. I had thought NCE tried to ship the 10 amp boosters set at 16v, and that has been my experience with the four units I have dealt with; but four isn't a very big universe to draw a conclusion from, I'll readily admit. Of course NCE does have the warning in the manual about setting the voltage higher than 18v, but I know there are good reasons for doing so and it is commonly done. I'll see what I can do about the youtube, but I'm a little short on time for a while. John


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## John Gaarde (Oct 11, 2008)

O.K. Here are a couple of very short YouTube videos of these decoders. They aren't very good - one hand on the camera and one on the controller - but they should give you some idea. I am not a diesel guy so I probably don't have the sounds properly coordinated with the movements. Also, MRC doesn't say how to identify the individual prime mover sounds on each decoder, so I may not have the right sound with the right engine. I would not substitute these for my usual DG583 / Phoenix Sound combination on my best locomotives that I run often, but they appear to be a good value for other situations, providing they hold up. I have not tried the steam version. John

MRC # 0001817 Alco/SD60/SD70/F: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhSmqZe7KpQ


MRC # 0001818 SD45/MP15: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F68_hCxfcsg


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## John Gaarde (Oct 11, 2008)

Here is another try at the second link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F68_hCxfcsg


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

They don't sound too bad, especially for the money. You can see the coordination between speed and sound is not great, like the brakes continuing to squeal after the loco has come to a dead stop. 

As an inexpensive sound and motor controller for $60, you probably cannot beat it. I looked up the manuals, they call out which sounds for which CV setting. 

Thanks for posting! 

Greg


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

yes that's pretty good! Thanks very much for posting it.


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