BLI AC6000 - Replacing the stock DCC?

[ryan_wilkerson]

Have any of you removed the stock DCC from the BLI AC6000?
What did you use for replacement? Sound vs non-sound?
I'm a fan of Zimo, ESU and TCS...but have only experience with their non-sound decoders.
Thanks!

[daniel_leavitt2000]

I played around with my AC6K a bit. No way in hell I would try to replace the board though. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is proprietary. It would need to be a rails-up hardwire job. No other manufacturer has a true AC6000 sound file (though if you are modeling one of the convertible or re-engined ones, it wouldn't be an issue). In addition TCS and ESU hard wire decoders will not fit without a lot of milling.

I would keep the decoder as is. I have found BLI to be rather adaptable. It did require a lot of reprogramming (sound volume, that damn cab light, starting voltage, kick values mid and top speed), but mine works well with my other engines equipped with ESU, NCE, Digitrax and TCS decoders.

[ryan_wilkerson]

Thanks Daniel for sharing your experience. I haven't seen photos of the inside of one so didn't know how difficult it would be. I'll just go forward with the stock DCC. Thanks!
-Ryan

I played around with my AC6K a bit. No way in hell I would try to replace the board though. Everything, and I mean EVERYTHING is proprietary. It would need to be a rails-up hardwire job. No other manufacturer has a true AC6000 sound file (though if you are modeling one of the convertible or re-engined ones, it wouldn't be an issue). In addition TCS and ESU hard wire decoders will not fit without a lot of milling.

I would keep the decoder as is. I have found BLI to be rather adaptable. It did require a lot of reprogramming (sound volume, that damn cab light, starting voltage, kick values mid and top speed), but mine works well with my other engines equipped with ESU, NCE, Digitrax and TCS decoders.

[PaulCoats]

I used an ESU sound decoder, but if I had it all to do over again would have used a TCS decoder.

I never did the the LED headlights to be sufficiently bright.  They were always very dim.  I was going to rip all that
out and use all new LEDs and wiring, discarding the circuit board in the front, but sold it before I got to it.

[peteski]

I used an ESU sound decoder, but if I had it all to do over again would have used a TCS decoder.

I never did the the LED headlights to be sufficiently bright.  They were always very dim.  I was going to rip all that
out and use all new LEDs and wiring, discarding the circuit board in the front, but sold it before I got to it.

TCS makes small narrow sound decoders which fit N scale models?

[ryan_wilkerson]

Glad to see this topic bubble back up. I ended up getting a UP AC6000 a few months ago. Runs nicely and the sound is good too. Not as good as other brands but probably not worth the expense or work to change it.
I think the ESU decoders have better motor control than TCS...in general. Specific decoders may differ.

[jdcolombo]

TCS makes small narrow sound decoders which fit N scale models?

No.

John C.

[peteski]

No.

John C.

I'm confused then.  So he wants to replace a BLI sound decoder with a TCS non-sound decoder?
I suppose that makes sense to Paul.  And yes, ESU decoders (sound and non-sound) have much better motor control than Digitrax, TCS, or NCE decoders, and the price of ESU decoders is comparable to TCS price.

[RBrodzinsky]

I'm confused then.  So he wants to replace a BLI sound decoder with a TCS non-sound decoder?
I suppose that makes sense to Paul.  And yes, ESU decoders (sound and non-sound) have much better motor control than Digitrax, TCS, or NCE decoders, and the price of ESU decoders is comparable to TCS price.

Unless Paul is referring to the HO version. Ryan, I know, was asking about N.

[PaulCoats]

Sorry, I'm referring to the HO version of the BLI AC6000.  I did not really replace the decoder... it came to me with no decoder installed.  I installed an ESU decoder, the J-plug type, under the radiator in the rear.  I never resolved the dim headlight problem.  It must be in the circuit board in the front of the loco.  The headlight was very dim with any of several J-plug decoders I tried.  I also noticed on another layout that their AC6000s with factory installed sound decoders also had very dim headlights.  Had I not sold it first, I would have removed that front circuit board and installed my own LEDs.

I didn't realize others were talking about the N scale AC6000.  Rereading Ryan's post at the beginning, I still don't see a reference to N scale.

[RBrodzinsky]

I didn't realize others were talking about the N scale AC6000.  Rereading Ryan's post at the beginning, I still don't see a reference to N scale.

There isn't one.  Just that many of us know Ryan, either personally or from the boards, so know which scale he models.

[peteski]

I didn't realize others were talking about the N scale AC6000.  Rereading Ryan's post at the beginning, I still don't see a reference to N scale.

With the very strong N scale bias here, I assumed that where scale is not specifically mentioned is N scale.  Sorry.