Digitrax Throttles, Few questions

[delamaize]

ok so I searched, and googled, and I can't get a strait answer.

I'm looking at adding an additional throttle to my Zephyr setup for home, and also to have my own throttle for club and other people's op sessions. the throttle I like is discontuned (DT300), so I am stuck going with one of the others, I am thinking the DT 402 or 400 will both serve the purpose.

the big question I am running into is with the Simplex and Duplex radios, will the later work with the other? In other words, will the Simplex radios work with the duplex receivers? I don't want to buy a throttle, and end up having it be a simplex, then be useless with any of the duplex systems. I imagine they play together, and I can see the simplex working with duplex, but not the other way around.

A few people have told me just to buy my own UR92, and build it onto a tripod, then when I go somewhere that doesn't have duplex setup, all I gotta do is plug it into the existing network, and be online. This seems a little overkillish to me though.

Personally, I'd like to go Duplex for my home use, just because it seems to be the newer of the two technologies.

[bdennis]

Simplex radio will not work with duplex nor the other way around.
If someone has a simplex system and you have a duplex throttle then all you need to do is plug it into the loconet and away you go. No need to take a UR92 with you.

I dont think you can buy Simplex any more from digitrax. Also the DT400 cant be purchased.
So your options are DT402 (no radio) or DT402D (duplex) or a UT4 / UT4D.

[mmyers]

DT402D is a duplex radio throttle. Duplex radio/Infrared/plug in
DT402 is a plug in throttle with No radio. Infrared/plug in
DT402R is a simplex radio throttle. Simplex radio/infrared/plug in

Duplex throttles will not work by radio with a simplex system. Simplex will not work as a radio on a duplex system. Both types can be used together on the same layout by using both a UR91 and UR92.

Duplex radio requires a UR92 Duplex receiver/transmitter.
Simplex requires a UR91 receiver.
All throttles work as infrared wireless. UR92, UR91 each have infrared receivers bult in or a UR90 infrared only receiver can be used. Infrared is Line of Sight.
All throttles will work as plug in throttles.

Now for the kink. Digitrax has announced that they will no longer sell UR91 Simplex receivers. Should be some available on store shelves but their support will be gone. This also most likely means that support for the DT402R throttle and the older DT400R and UT4R throttles will most likely be dropped sooner then later. The only good part is that many of us have perfectly useable UR91's sitting around because we switched to Duplex radio.
Also Digitrax will upgrade any of their DT400 or DT402 throttles to duplex radio for a fee. The fee is reasonable and works out to be about the difference in cost of different model throttles.
Quite frankly, I would go with one of the DT402 models and not the older discontinued DT400 throttle. DT402 is user firmware upgradable. The older throttles require a trip back to the factory for uodated firmware. They have never needed an upgrade.

Martin Myers

[davefoxx]

I sent my ten-year-old DT400 back to Digitrax about two years ago, because the capacitor(s) in it died.  I took the opportunity to upgrade it to a DT402D.  I have never looked back.  Not only can I now unplug and operate trains (with a 9v battery), but I do NOT have to plug in to select and consist locomotives.

DFF

[bdennis]

Dave, Yep completely agree..
We ordered in and started using the duplex system before it was certified in Australia because we could not wait to use it.. Much easier..