Next18 connector

[Jbub]

So with all the esu v5 decoders being supplied come with this connector I'm interested in making some custom boards for them to plug into. My problem is I can't figure out what the connector is. The dcc standard says it's an nem662 but that doesn't mean much outside of model railroading. Does anyone know what plug this is and where to get them?

[cgw]

The official NEM662 norm definition, only available from MOROP in French: http://www.morop.eu/fr/normes/nem662_f.pdf an in German: http://www.morop.eu/de/normes/nem662_d.pdf

if you want to equip old models with a Next18 interface The adapter boards from Doehler & Haass will work. All models here in German: http://doehler-haass.de/cms/pages/produkte/soundsystem/anschlussadapter.php, also available from Modellbahn-Shop lippe: http://www.modellbahnshop-lippe.com/produkt/Doehler%26Haass/128-4-0-222264-003003-0-0-0-0-2-0-grp-gb-h-0/ein_produkt.html


if you want to roll your own you can purchase the connector from conrad electronics  the part number is CT0519P from a company called coretec.   By the time you etch your own board solder the smt connector to the board you will find it cheaper to buy one already made.   

[daniel_leavitt2000]

DM toys has them in stock and quite cheap:
https://www.en.dm-toys.de/produktdetails/items/DH-N18-G0.html

My understanding is that ESU will have Next18 adapters with ribbon cable to fit both the 8 and 6 pin plugs as well as a wired variant.

I am hoping we will see Next18 adapter boards for DCC ready models in the future. I am thinking of a small board that fits directly over the motor in an Atlas or Kato engine that would plug into a Next18 board at one end and feature a speaker and LED, thus making DCC ready model capable of sound without modifying the frame. TCS makes adapter boards like this in HO.

Wouldn't it be something to be able to have your choice of sound boards from different manufacturers all able to fit in the same engine?

[cgw]

On any next 18 equipped loco you can now do that.   Scale trains is the first us manufacturer todo so.   The 662 spec also has a p version of the connector which has contacts in place for the speaker connection .    This style of connector has taken off in the eu and it will be a matter of time before it is adapted in the rest of the world. 

[peteski]

DM toys has them in stock and quite cheap:
https://www.en.dm-toys.de/produktdetails/items/DH-N18-G0.html

My understanding is that ESU will have Next18 adapters with ribbon cable to fit both the 8 and 6 pin plugs as well as a wired variant.

I am hoping we will see Next18 adapter boards for DCC ready models in the future. I am thinking of a small board that fits directly over the motor in an Atlas or Kato engine that would plug into a Next18 board at one end and feature a speaker and LED, thus making DCC ready model capable of sound without modifying the frame. TCS makes adapter boards like this in HO.

Wouldn't it be something to be able to have your choice of sound boards from different manufacturers all able to fit in the same engine?

More and more European manufacturers are equipping their models with Next18 interface.  But it is more than just the connector.  The outline and dimensions of the decoder (including its thickness), and the connector location all have to be kept in spec, so any decoder will fit any model.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

More and more European manufacturers are equipping their models with Next18 interface.  But it is more than just the connector.  The outline and dimensions of the decoder (including its thickness), and the connector location all have to be kept in spec, so any decoder will fit any model.

Exactly. Why TCS or Soundtraxx hasn't jumped in is a bit of a mystery. It's like TCS, Digitrax, NCE are all stuck in a rut.

[peteski]

Exactly. Why TCS or Soundtraxx hasn't jumped in is a bit of a mystery. It's like TCS, Digitrax, NCE are all stuck in a rut.

Because American companies (and Kato) march to their own drumbeat.     Look how long it took for the U.S. manufacturers to start using the 6-pin NEM connectors.  And even now, it is not universally adopted.  I have some Minitrix European locos from the '80s or early '90s which have the 6-pin NEM connectors.  IIRC that was before DCC was even fully established (it was for the Selectrix decoders, but the pinout is the same).

[jdcolombo]

Exactly. Why TCS or Soundtraxx hasn't jumped in is a bit of a mystery. It's like TCS, Digitrax, NCE are all stuck in a rut.

It's not going to matter if the engine manufacturers keep cutting deals with ESU.  Atlas, IM, Kato (via their Kobo Shops), Scale Trains, etc. are all adopting ESU decoders as standard in N scale.  Atlas and IM are also major players in HO, and recent Walthers HO releases also feature LokSound decoders.  Bowser has also announced locos with LokSound.   Bachmann and BLI are the holdouts, but one can imagine Bachmann cutting a deal with ESU instead of Soundtraxx and BLI . . . well, they are BLI.

If the engine manufacturers all end up with OEM deals with ESU, they will adopt the Next18 connector by default.  TCS and Soundtraxx (and Digitrax, if anyone still cares) will then have to follow suit just to stay in the game.  The key isn't the decoder manufacturers leading the way - it's the OEM deals with the engine manufacturers that will set the standard for the future.

John C.

[Jbub]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I just checked Esu's website and it looks like the v5 decoder isn't due until October. I'm still thinking a board with dimensions like the select direct boards for easier installs

[peteski]

If the engine manufacturers all end up with OEM deals with ESU, they will adopt the Next18 connector by default.  TCS and Soundtraxx (and Digitrax, if anyone still cares) will then have to follow suit just to stay in the game.  The key isn't the decoder manufacturers leading the way - it's the OEM deals with the engine manufacturers that will set the standard for the future.

John C.

While this is true to some extent, I think is not "cutting deals", but more of a cooperation between manufacturers for establishing standards.  Same as with the 6-pin NEM plugs.  Model manufacturers and decoder manufacturers simply agreed on a standard. Model manufacturers then manufacture DC locos with a 6-pin socket which has a dummy DC plug installed.  That socket will then easily accept a 6-pin decoder from a wide range of manufacturers.

The deals you are talking about usually resulted in custom-made decoders, designed to fit some specific model (not universal fit).

[nstars]

I think the Next18 development is good one except for two small but important details. The Nem662 is in fact 2 standards. There is a non sound version and a sound version. The non sound Next18 decoder is smaller in size than the sound decoder. Unfortunately only the non sound decoder has a maximum width of 9.5mm suitable for US hood units. The maximum width of the sound version is 10.5 mm, which does mean that not every Next18 sound decoder will fit a US hood unit. Pity, a smaller width could have made it so much easier.

Added to this is the fact that the two versions have differentfuctions assigned to two pins of the connector.

Marc

[Steveruger45]

I think the Next18 development is good one except for two small but important details. The Nem662 is in fact 2 standards. There is a non sound version and a sound version. The non sound Next18 decoder is smaller in size than the sound decoder. Unfortunately only the non sound decoder has a maximum width of 9.5mm suitable for US hood units. The maximum width of the sound version is 10.5 mm, which does mean that not every Next18 sound decoder will fit a US hood unit. Pity, a smaller width could have made it so much easier.

Added to this is the fact that the two versions have differentfuctions assigned to two pins of the connector.

Marc

That’s sure is good info that I hadn’t even thought about.   
A “VHS to Betamax” type of modification won’t work either.  That is, saw a bit off the end to make it fit.  😀

[reinhardtjh]

Thanks for all the replies everyone. I just checked Esu's website and it looks like the v5 decoder isn't due until October. I'm still thinking a board with dimensions like the select direct boards for easier installs

There is a Facebook distributor claiming they are arriving in a few weeks (and that some are already at ESU being packaged for shipping).  For what it's worth, I think the x/2019 that shows up on the ESU site could possibly mean the xth week of 2019 but I have no proof.  This means some of the HO-sized V5's were planned to show up the 4th and 8th weeks of 2019 while the Micros are the 10th week.

But there are already V5 decoders in some Scaletrains locomotives and from what I've seen on the ESU Yahoo group, the economy decoder used in some ScaleTrains Operator versions is actually a v5 architecture which explains why the LokSound Programmer iddn't understand it until the V5 version was released.

I just hope they re-do the 73100/73199 format Selects with the V5 hardware/firmware.  Based on the prices Bryan has listed at Streamlined Backshops it's only about $5 more to get a V5 over a current Micro Select and that's close enough that I wouldn't ever get another Select if I did't have to.  It will be interesting to find out how close to 10mm wide the new V5 Micros really are.  0.5mm isn't much but it could be enough to make fitting in a hood unit feasible without thinning the walls.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Are all lokprogramers updatanle to v5?

I wonder if we are starting to see a plateau of miniaturization for sound decoders. Any space that could be saved using smaller or fewer components will be taken up with caps.

[Jbub]

Are all lokprogramers updatanle to v5?

I wonder if we are starting to see a plateau of miniaturization for sound decoders. Any space that could be saved using smaller or fewer components will be taken up with caps.

AFAIK the two versions are the same other than a different board pattern and casing. I have the older blue one and it updates