Analog to digital

[DanB]

Hello all have a few questions just to clear things up so I don’t purchase useless cats or parts. To start off  I have purchased a carrera digital track and was wondering if I can run analog cars on this track (knowing it will run like an analog track). Will the cars run like normal or will there be like flat spots preventing smooth running. Can I get any other digital cars that can run on this track without any kind of conversions as the chips are very expensive to purchase and wait time of arrival is long. 

[DanB]

Also is there any other brand of cars that will run on the digital carrera circuit without any chip change? Seen some great Holden’s and Fords in scalextric wouldn’t mind getting a few if they can run on track

[Slotspeed]

Hi, there are three or four ways to run analog cars on your Carrera digital track, I have done two of them successfully.

1) if you have a spare analog "connecting track" (awkward name but that is what Carrera call it) and controllers you can just swap out the CU while you are running your analog cars.

2) you can install a high quality DPDT switch and change the track between analog and digital modes using analog controllers

3) you can modify the digital set up to run an analog "lane chipping" mode, basically using the digital controllers and CU to drive car decoders that are switched or inserted between the CU rail output and the rails

4) you can buy a pre made lane chipping box which becomes REALLY expensive once you factor exchange rate and postage from the US.

If you need help, I can provide links to further information. Bear in mind that Analog modes and digital modes run in the opposite track polarity to each other but it all works because of the polarity protection built in to the digital track accessories.

 

With regards to decoders, there are now a few extra options these days... But they are still either the same price or more expensive than the factory decoders. I have kept quiet about this next part because I have taken so long to get a production version happening but I do hope to release my own decoder onto the market, in limited numbers to start with and hope to bring extra benefits at slightly lower price than the factory decoder... Don't wait for me though as I have other things going on and can't devote much time to this, but the prototypes have excellent performance.