Has any one used Doehler & Haass decoders?

[Paradise275]

A friend of mine says he uses Doehler & Haass decoders out of Germany. They are super small.
Has any one used them and if so how good are they?

Rick

[railnerd]

is there an internet link?

[Paradise275]

I think the correct name is
Doehler & Haass

[peteski]

Those are the decoders the DM-Toys sells (online vendor in Germany I deal with), but I have never bought any of those decoders. Friend who also buys from DM-Toys had a bad experience with them (DM-Toys installed one of them in one of the models he purchased).   According to my friend, they do not even have English support literature (all German).  There are other excellent European brand decoders (like Zimo or ESU) with English language support and U.S. presence.  Is there a specific reason you are looking into the Doehler & Haass?

[Point353]

According to my friend, they do not even have English support literature (all German).

English language manuals appear to be available for some products:
http://doehler-haass.de/cms/pages/downloads.php
http://doehler-haass.de/cms/pages/downloads/fahrzeugdecoder.php
http://doehler-haass.de/cms/pages/downloads/soundsystem.php
http://doehler-haass.de/cms/pages/downloads/digitalsystem.php

[peteski]

I see.
Still, what is attracting you to those particular decoders?  Not like they are inexpensive.  But the name is really cool!

[OliS]

D&H has their roots in Selectrix and only later embraced DCC. They always offered the smallest decoders on the market, currently I think around 5x8mm. That's btw a reason why Selectrix is still quite common with German Z Scalers.

Their decoders are regarded as quite reliable. Not sure if they can compete feature wise with other offerings, the small ones for Z scale are definitively limited. Haven't used the current one, but earlier nano decoders had barely any features apart from motor control. But for small locos, e.g. Z scale switchers, they are great.

[peteski]

D&H has their roots in Selectrix and only later embraced DCC. They always offered the smallest decoders on the market, currently I think around 5x8mm. That's btw a reason why Selectrix is still quite common with German Z Scalers.

Their decoders are regarded as quite reliable. Not sure if they can compete feature wise with other offerings, the small ones for Z scale are definitively limited. Haven't used the current one, but earlier nano decoders had barely any features apart from motor control. But for small locos, e.g. Z scale switchers, they are great.

That is about the same size as the CT Elektronik DCX77Z - smallest in the world.  7.6 x 5 x 1.8 mm / L x W x H. However I have not used either of these. But @nstars has recommend the CT Elektronik decoders to me.

[RAILCAT]

I have fitted many of the D&H decoders into small UK and German N and Z scale locos, mainly because they are really tiny.
Motor control is very good especially slow running.

The decoders have many customizable features and are as good as Zimo
except the lighting does not seem to have the many configurations for US models.

Direct delivery to Ireland from Germany is just a couple of days.

[Paradise275]

Peteski, I was more interested in the size, especially for an Atlas shay.
As mentioned, they don't come cheap. About $50. in Canada.

Rick

[OliS]

If you don't need the multi protocol capabilities of the D&H, I would recommend the CT. As peteski noted, they caught up in small size, but they are much less restricted than the D&H (no DC-analog, few if any light effects, 0.5amp only vs. 0.8amp, etc.). If you deal with the two companies directly, D&H might be more customer friendly, but that's no issue overseas. Price is comparable here in Germany, not sure about elsewhere.

[jdcolombo]

Don't know if anyone in the US sells CT Elektronik decoders anymore.  Streamlined Backshop used to, but there's no inventory on their site now and a web search turned up mostly places in England.  But I've tried the CT decoders in the past, and they are squarely up there with Zimo, ESU and Lenz in terms of motor control.  And there IS an English-language manual available.

If you don't need the really tiny size of the DCX77z, however, the ESU LokPilot Nano is a possibility at 8mm x 7mm x 2.8mm; the Zimo MX616 is similar in size, and both companies have wide distribution in the US although neither the LokPilot Nano motor decoder (as opposed to the function decoder) nor the Zimo MX616 seems to be available yet - both are out of stock on the SBS4DCC site, and I didn't see anywhere else that had them on a web search.

John C.

[nstars]

Don't know if anyone in the US sells CT Elektronik decoders anymore.  Streamlined Backshop used to, but there's no inventory on their site now and a web search turned up mostly places in England.  But I've tried the CT decoders in the past, and they are squarely up there with Zimo, ESU and Lenz in terms of motor control.  And there IS an English-language manual available.

If you don't need the really tiny size of the DCX77z, however, the ESU LokPilot Nano is a possibility at 8mm x 7mm x 2.8mm; the Zimo MX616 is similar in size, and both companies have wide distribution in the US although neither the LokPilot Nano motor decoder (as opposed to the function decoder) nor the Zimo MX616 seems to be available yet - both are out of stock on the SBS4DCC site, and I didn't see anywhere else that had them on a web search.

We use CT Elektronik quite often as there motor control is very good. Besides the small size of the decoders we like the singly layer construction of for example the DCX75. The single layer makes the decoder thin and easy to install while retaining a (relatively) high maximum current. I normally buy them directly from CT Elektronik and delivery is very quick. It may be good to know that the designer/owner of CT Elektronik used to work for Zimo. We haven't tried the Doehler & Haass decoders yet but we may do it in the future.

Marc

[peteski]

Peteski, I was more interested in the size, especially for an Atlas shay.
As mentioned, they don't come cheap. About $50. in Canada.

Rick

No need for a nano-sized decoder for the Shay. I used standard Digitrax decoder in my install: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=37764

[Paradise275]

Thanks for all the input Guys.
Peteski, that is an incredible install in a Shay. I wish I had your talents.

Rick