18:47 I suspect this is the product of the developer not having an iPhone SE to test on, I bet it looks/looked fine on FaceID iPhones, with their larger vertical real estate.
Rob, thanks for a fair and comprehensive look at HM7000. When I came back into the hobby a couple of years ago I was a little amazed at how little "standard" comms tech had been adopted by the model railway industry. DCC for example seems like a wonderful facility as compared to simple DC control, but the shine goes off it just a little bit when you discover that - unless you add to it - it only enables one way communication. Then, you have the excellent innovation of servo motor point motors (Tortoise et al) but until comparatively recently these always needed DCC decoder boards and all that separate wiring to make them work. There are many many examples of where peripherals that could easily get commands by various radio methods (WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, ESP_Now etc etc) need bopth power and control wiring from a (usually not cheap) decoder board which receives commands from a (usually very expensive) upstream DCC controller. To the IT mind the answer seems pretty obvious, embed intelligence and radio comms into every peripheral device and just push power out on the rails so that peripheral devices can tap into it - far far less wiring and a lot less proprietary interface technology and ultimately therefore a lot less costly. Even though this model of operation has been technically possible for some time now there are a lot of valid reasons why it has not predominated. Many of those have to do with protecting existing investment and the unwillingness of the market to adopt wholesale changes - however, this new Hornby approach (and product innovations by people like DCC Concepts) seems to me very likely to precipitate an avalanche of change in the direction I outlined above. So long as those changes maintain backwards compatibility - or provide a migration path for existing systems I think they should be welcomed.
We need minds like yours in the hobby! The DCC tech we're using at the moment fundamentally doesn't do much more than Zero1 was doing in the early 80s. It's got smaller, more efficient and has more built in features, but it's mostly evolution rather than revolution. RailCom does exist for bidirectional communication, but it's not widely adopted. There are also cottage tech industries that exist with smart people developing their own solutions to these problems. As you've said, a standard has been established and invested in and it feels like there's a reluctance to move away. Also, as much as we might want our railway to be packed with the latest technology there's a large number of modellers who are perfectly happy with DC control, manually operating their points, etc. and those who don't want the expense or complications of fancy controllers. It's not for everyone.
A very thorough review - much more informative than other efforts on YT. This is a well researched video, showing the numerous features of this system but also some of the issues encountered to date.
Excellent and fair review. Thank you. I had the same problems when installing the first profile but since then everything has just worked. I too am very impressed by what HM/Hornby has achieved.
This is a well done review, taking in account that you consulted the 'Full Manual' - a must anyway. Obvious there are still some fine tuning to be made by HM but for the price this system has a bright future ! Thanks for sharing.
A decent and honest review. Thanks. At least you had read the manual and had a grip of the product rather than some other reviewers who just wing it and get it all wrong, then apologise at the end.
thanks for this, I have now watched 5 videos by YTers and you are the only 1 to mention the full set of functions/features including the ABS etc. At £65ish per I want a review to tell the full facts as you have done, not just the simple reading of the bullet points off the back of the box that others seem to think makes a full "review".
Thanks Cloudman. Those functions/features are what makes this so much better than the TTS it replaces, so I thought it was important to talk about them. The manual is long, but really quite interesting.
@@LittleWicketRailway Agreed, someone was saying in the comment section on one of the othe videos that they don't see a reason to stop buying the more expensive ESU sound decoders because of the extra functions ESU has, thinking that TXS had the limited functions of TTS. However, I believe TXS has the same level of functions (ABS etc) as ESU apart from 3 sounds at a time vs ESU at 10? sounds at a time.
I have watched several reviews now of Hornby's HM7000 decoders. The one thing I have noticed is that none of the reviews mentions whether you can adjust the chuff rate for steam locomotives on these decoders or are they like the TTS version where you couldn't. I used several TTS's for diesel sound, but steered clear of steam for this reason. Keep going with your videos, they're clear, concise and unbiased. Much appreciated. 🙂👍
Good review and matches some of my experiences with the two of the 8 pin decoders I have used so far. Only when switching to third profile download did I get the error message but restarted app and no issues with the download or subsequent operation. I think the main plus for me is the fact that the same loco can now operate on DC powered track, then under direct DCC control or on DCC with the app controlling the loco. Which other decoder can do that? Also, a huge amount of time can be saved in setting up the CVs when operating on DCC control but using the app in parallel to make setting changes, all while the loco is running! Brilliant! No more back-n-forth on the programming track. This feature alone is the game changer for me. Only thing I would address in your review, really is to make sure you try the speaker enclosure first before sticking on the speaker and don't take the fact that what looks the same tender or loco space, will be the same for each model - a corridor tender and non-corridor tender are not the same width, at least on the latest models. The speaker adhesive may not be useable again if you have to peel it off the wrong size enclosure, so check first.
Excellent review, very informative. I'm rooted in DC (locos are too old and so am I) but it is great to see advances in more modern control techniques and features.
Thank you for a fair and balanced overview of the decoders. My main gripe is sound files. The decoders are sold at a low price but do have limitations and the lack of sound options is a major one. Many years ago I bought the ESU programming device with software. I now have access to ESU's vast collection of free sounds (for USA and Europe - both of which are relevant to me) and can programme their decoders accordingly. An ESU decoder now costs me £135 with or without installed sound. If I could pay £15-20 for a sound file for a Hornby decoder then I'd be buying 3 Hornby decoders rather than 2 x ESU and paying for the sounds. There are good UK suppliers with an extensive catalogue of sounds and they should be given the opportunity to add their sounds to Hornby's world as a benefit to everyone. Of this doesn't happen then I think your optimism about the TXS decoders will be short lived...
Hornby have a few things to resolve with these decoders and my enthusiasm is being tested, but they do appear to be receptive to suggestions. I totally agree that having access to 3rd party sound profiles (assuming it's technically possible), even if they were at a premium, would be a win-win for Hornby and the sound profile suppliers. This is the type of investment Hornby should make to guarantee the success of these decoders in the market.... Along with making them smaller, fixing the upload issues, resolving the DC control problems, launching the android app, etc.
Thanks rb bou! On the subject of RFID probably not for a little while I'm afraid. It's still on the list, but not near the top. Having messed around with the RFID reader in my last video I came to the conclusion that I'd rather use someone else's system that is proven to work than develop my own even if it costs a little more. There are a few commercial or semi commercial options out there. MERG, Starfish Rail, etc.
I have just had the same issue with mine. I had tidied up the decoder and speaker (very tight fit in my new Hornby A2/3, powepack no chance) and set it running. It travelled a few feet and then stopped, the chuffing sound still going. I thought there must have been some mechanical failure. I lifted it off the track but could not see a problem. I put it back on the track and all was OK. This action must have reset something. I am having trouble with the dcc function. I get it to work for little and then it disconnects. Hornby have some sorting to do. Update. After some excellent baby Hornby the issue was solved. Down to the Arduino controller not being g compatible, Works a treat with the Hornby elite as the power source. I am incredibly impressed with this system, and with Hornby Customer Services.
Great review. I wasn't aware of your channel but I'm subscribed now. On various issues. I've had both of the issues you mentioned. It took me four attempts to get the sound profile for my TT120 A4. On the "sounds but no movement" I've had that too and had to reload the Bluetooth firmware update but seeing your power cycle solution perhaps I'll try that next time. Additionally I also had a problem where it didn't work on DCC but worked on Bluetooth. I had to do a CV8 reset to solve that one. Overall I think there is great potential here but a lot of teething problems with the integration of decoders, apps and firmware. There is a lot of testing needed and I think early adopters are all part of the beta test team
Thanks Damian. Good to know I'm not alone with the issues. I'm amazed these fit in TT120 models given the size. We're definitely the beta testers for them.
Thank-you so much for your video - the best I've seen. I learned a lot and confirmed a bunch of other stuff :-) I have also had many of your issues - the random sound and movement disappearances. I have had to repeatedly reload profiles due to the yellow "issues" alert. I am very glad that it's not something that I was doing wrong. Fingers crossed all this can get sorted, because I like the overall idea. Thanks again.
Interestingly @7:47 you measured the resistance of the speaker as 7.1 ohms whereas Hornby’s podcast specified the speaker should 16 ohms impedance. I hope this doesn’t become an issue and burn out the speaker driver.
Very good review of the HM7000 Decoder etc being a novice in the hobby so lot to learn still so think will continue with learning DCC For a little longer to build up confidence. Thank you
Thanks for the beautifully presented video. I'm glad you said "on paper" because, as great as the technology sounds, it is still early days and there are a few issues to resolve (for one, the Android app is yet to become available). You may be aware that Sam of Sam's trains has struggled to fit these decoders into several (non-tender) locos as they are too large (and this is in OO scale models). I believe Simon Kohler has acknowledged that they are large and says there are plans to reduce their size. Shouldn't you have checked that the enclosure fitted the model *before* you added the speaker (I bet you did, off-camera)? Apologies; I'm a victim of my impatience! I started making comments before you finished your video and you ended up covering some of my points!
Thanks for the video. We did not see you run it with the cover back on, I assume it all fits ok? Seen some other reviews suggesting the decoders are slightly larger than the NMRA standards (Next18 specifically) and don’t fit into some non Hornby models.
This is ground breaking tec....about time, I hope the decoders sound and work ok but there will be bugs on new software -hardware ,superb info video. p.s like the old Hornby orignal dcc system on the shelf from the 80s..
Excellent review and as i have only just started in this hobby i think its a great leap in the right direction so many thanks for your in-depth look into this new technology which i will try cheers.
@@LittleWicketRailway That would be so much fun. I had Zero 1 in the 80s. I was so excited about it and always loved it. When I came to see my old equipment to move to N gauge in about 1984 no one wanted the Zero 1
@@LittleWicketRailway I have quite a collection of Zero 1 items, most of which is new and unused, I hard wired the coding pads instead of using the coding paint, it was a cool system that was very good if used properly, looking forward to what your going to do on the system.
@Stormmy69 Stormmy69 Zero1 definitely was a good system. We had it. Where it fell down, according to my Dad, was the electrical pickups on the trains not being what they are today. Which probably bears out as getting DCC to work on old Hornby locos with the stock pickups on two wheels each side is frustrating.
@@GDGRailway47712 Hi, I totally agree with you, people who didn’t have a full understanding of the system gave up on it, look at today for instance a lot of people wouldn’t go near fitting a sound decoder in a present day model loco, they aren’t cheap, I’m from an electronics background, I have a anti static workstation, holding onto a radiator isn’t enough when it comes to anti static fields being removed, I know there are lots of users of the system out there.
Just watched your video form 12 months ago re hornby dcc 7000 decoders . You fitted it to your tornado loco just wondering what the performance is like 12 months on and are you happy with the way it's working regards Sam Woodward
Did you manage to fit the power bank into Tornado too? This is the same setup that I'm looking at using, but won't order the power bank if it doesn't fit. Very helpful review, btw. I had a whole bunch of issues setting up, and started the process of returning the chip. But watching you have some of the same issues as me made me give it another go.
Out of curiosity, did you power cycle the decoder after installing sounds, and before concluding that the motor did not run? I found that a power cycle is good for getting everything ready after messing around with the profiles. Also, you should not call it a "reset". In the HM7000 system a reset of the decoder is setting it back at factory settings (it may confuse some viewers).
You're right, I shouldn't have said reset when I meant power cycle. The decoder was power cycled every time the app requested it after uploading profiles and setting.
@@LittleWicketRailway Okay, cool! I had a similar problem with my decoder not finding the sounds. The power cycle seemed to do the trick. I don't know, it may have gotten confused. Anyway great video! I like your channel.
Rob, I need your help. I am planning to buy two hm7000 sound decoders for my dublo flying sctosman and p2 locos. Which pin do you recommend is the best for these?
All the classic faults with the HM7000. You forgot to mention that you need the decoder on address 3 to upload the sound profiles otherwise an error will occur. Also while using your phone to control the loco, you can't make or receive calls, text messages or e-mails. The sound profiles available are based on the current range of Hornby locos only, so if you fit the decoder to other brands of loco you may not find the sound file you want. I use Hornby TTS decoders and they're actually pretty good for the money. If you want to control your locos with a phone, you can uses a Gaugemaster Prodigy with wifi.
Thanks for watching. I didn't know about the address 3 sound upload or calls/text issues. That's incredibly bad. I'm going to test that out later. Hornby need to have a think about sound profile strategy. It makes sense to offer free profiles for the models they produce. If they spent money creating/buying in other profiles would they sell more decoders? Should they allow users to buy 3rd party profiles or create their own?
I have just tried cutting the power and reconnecting my iPad. It took around 3s. I will nevertheless fit a power-bank when I get the chance. With Bluetooth you will still have control of the loco on dead track.
For reference, the iPad was close to the decoder. The Bluetooth range is impressive as you found and can only get better with multiple decoders building a “mesh”. The other thing I have found impressive is motor control, and that is just from the default steam locomotive profile. This is with a 3-pole motor in Hogwarts Castle. Shunting Mode is usable.
I had the same issues as you both sound not installed and the loco not moving but sound playing this was on my W1 hush hush but apart from that it works well just need a few updates to fix the bugs.
Ok A1 is not what we understand as an A1 today ie Tornado with 3 cylinders. Gresley GN A1 with 4 cylinders as built, then on a swop around of classification became an A3. At some stage also got modified to 3 cylinders, so likely this is why the sound not quite as expected.
Hi Dunnyrail, sounds like you've got the A1/3s knowledge! Hornby are meant to have a Tornado specific sound profile available at some point and apparently (I've not tried it) you can fiddle with CVs to sync up the chuffs. Personally I'm not that bothered, it's a level of realism that I'm not ready for just yet, maybe one day. Probably one of those things where it's really obvious if you know what it should sound like.
Hi Richard, the new decoders have significantly more features which in my mind makes them "better", but it really depends if you'll make use of them. If you're happy with your current TTS decoders then there's no need to change. Will you use the Bluetooth, speed tables, ABC braking, power bank connection, etc. In terms of sound profile, again it depends how fussy you are. The TTS sounds are good enough for me, but the newer chips with the ability to play three high fidelity tracks might be better if you've got an ear for detail.
Question were you able to drive the loco in the app and also by the DCC System at the same time. So for example if you had two operators and one was using the app to drive and the other person wanted to make a change to the same loco from The DCC system would that work?
Nice and comprehensive review. This is an interesting new approach, using an approved technology. Hopefully the decoders will become noticeably more compact in the future to fit also in smaller locos. (By the way: It is a pity to see this cheap can motor in that model. OK, its not a really expensive loco, but I would gladly pay a little more if I knew there is a rugged and reliable motor in there - instead of something that was spit out in masses by a chinese factory at about 50p each...)
There is a problem with using the eCos controller it doesn’t allow to set the loco address which was set in the app. I did a work around used an older DCC controller not eCos and managed to set the loco address in DCC mode before putting back on main track and the eCos will work the decoder but if you try to read the decoder using ecos it just errors and trips the eCos controller
This is the second issue I've heard about regarding eCos not working with certain decoders. It just won't let you set an address at all? What happens when you try?
@@LittleWicketRailway well I have a DCC little controller that I got for £50 from a guy who makes them I used that to set the address first which worked perfectly and then add the loco profile and address into the eCos and save it. Then the loco is ready to run right away using the function on eCos without any problems, as long as you don’t try to read the txs decoder or it will trip eCos into thinking it’s a short. This could be that the Hornby txs Bluetooth security set up is to protect the Bluetooth connection from being changed by a different iPad as it set up for the iPhone/ipad android that it was assigned to originally same way Bluetooth is set up in mobiles. Or it could be compatibility issues due to the way it is set up to run mainly on Hmdcc apps which is a problem for Hornby claims that their txs is nmra compliant.
G'day, Rob. I have put a few of the 21 pin decoders in my engines, and they have worked like a charm. However, with the 8 pin decoders, they have always burnt out on me only after 1-2 days of use. I've brought 3 of the 8 pin decoders and returned them all of them due to how easily they have burnt out. Safe to say I won't be buying the 8 pin ones anytime soon.
Hi Ashly, in theory an analogue controller could work, but I've heard that the gauge master controllers might not give great results. You might be better off with a Hornby DC supply and track adapter for ~£25.
@@LittleWicketRailway it's the DCC gauge master prodigy I have, got the first decoder sat here waiting for when the android comes out great videos you make it easy to understand for Dumbo's like me lol
A very good review - I got an 8 pin and power bank to try as i have a fair few TTS decoders in my locos and wanted to compare with the Bluetooth version. I run DCC via NCE Powercab but decided to try and set it via DC on a rolling road using a basic Hornby controller - Mistake !! It just would not load . I contacted Hornby ( George ) who was helpful and suggested I try on my DCC layout , try uploading the 08 profile and see if it worked . This did work and I had sound and loco control . But when I tried to download the Class 73 profile it would not load . I had the powerbank installed so I am going to take that out then try again . I hope this will be a glitch that can be resolved and if so I will be using more but I wonder if the dongle will work with my NCE as it would be nice to operate my non bluetooth decoders via the app but its not a deal breaker. Cheers Kev
Just out of interest, if you had a layout at an exhibition, with this fitted, could anybody who ALSO has downloaded the app, search for devices, and take over? That could be fun, to watch.
No, not unless someone was a professional hacker. Bluetooth V5 which HM7000 uses has a lot of security measures and only paired devices will talk to one another. It is the same as when your phone is Bluetooth paired with your car head unit so that you can hear your own calls hands-free - but when you're in a traffic jam your head unit doesnt pickup calls from other cars around you.
Although I’m not really an app fan I can see these do have some good points about them. The price and free sound files is a major advantage along with the ease of programming, Hornby have been very clever there. One major disadvantage is the size of the decoders especially the next 18 one which is too large to fit in most locomotives as manufacturers expect these to be quite small when designing their models to use them, obviously Hornby will counter this into their own designs but other manufacturers probably won’t. That fact will alienate many customers as their choice of models will be severely cut should this be the system they want to use. The programming advantages could easily be incorporated into a conventional DCC system, some already are. This maybe the shakeup the hobby needs to make DCC a little easier to use. There are a couple of systems that have large colour displays to make operating less cumbersome just need to add new features so smaller non Bluetooth decoders can be operated in the same fashion which will help N gauge fans as well as people who like other manufacturers models.
so the android app is out and i have a battery powered (3s/12v) 8 pin R7336 decoder running a Lima hst power car. Dead rail has just been given a new lease of life from Hornby. I don't have any battery use time length tests yet as i'm only running a 550ma battery, but a larger 3000ma battery is being constructed as i type this.
I have seen a few reviews of the HM7000 and I like them in theory, but I have found the decoders are too big to use in most models, especially models not made by Hornby. I hope Hornby will look at this and try to reduce the physical size of the boards (especially next18 and 21pin), They are a huge improvement in sound and quality compared to the old TTS decoders, having 3 channels instead of two like the TTS, for sound. I kind of hope other manufacturers look at this and start looking at integrating bluetooth also. Unfortunately the reconnect time will likely always be 8 seconds as the bluetooth connection will take that long to reconnect. From what I saw on another review, the decoder takes about 2 to 3 seconds to reconnect fully when on DCC.
It's a hornby product, for hornby things, that it doesn't fit everything is not one bit shocking. People will milk any percieved drama for views, tis the way of youtube. Gotta have spectacle to get peoples attention.
You mean the review on Sam's trains? I did notice that he started with a small tank engine, couldn't fit it so went for another small tank engine, then another small tank engine before trying a tender loco where it did fit. I also noticed he didn't try a single diesel loco. I'm pretty sure that all of the decoders will fit most diesels, with the exception of a couple of shunters. This is the problem with YT channel reviews, they need to get their reviews out early so they haven't spent time using the system and haven't really tested it the way a user would use it.
Hornby say that while instilling sound profiles, make sure your phone is fully charged or plugged in. Do not play about with your phone, looking at other things on the app while up loading. Make sure you don't have any other Bluetooth devises working at the same time as installing a sound profile! you shouldn't have any problems!
All good and well on decoder functionality, but you failed to discus the oversizing of the decoder so they fail to fit a lot of locos, and hardware size is also a NMRA standard…
Hi Danny, I believe it's only the Next18 decoder that's outside of NMRA mechanical specification. 21 and 8 pin are within spec. Not ideal, but better than them all being non-compliant and Next18 is by far the least common.
The HM7000 comes in a metalized static shielding bag which is quite different to an antistatic bag. Grounding yourself prior to touching the decoder as an acceptable method is a fallacy. What you need to do is to equalise the voltage between yourself, the decoder & your environment in a gradual and controlled fashion. This could be by using an ESD dissipative mat, wrist strap & “environment ground” connected together with 1 Megaohm resistors or by the use of an Ion generator that produces both positive and negative ions. A shielded bag acts like a Faraday cage keeping any accrued static charges to the outside of the bag. An antistatic bag is just a plastic bag with an appropriate water content to retard its ability to generate a static charge from tribocharging - they do not stop a static zaps going through the bag. Once a decoder has been installed & in use it is still at risk of ESD damage so don’t zap your metal rails or rub your plastic locomotive on your sweater. It may be an idea to install some inexpensive TVS ESD protection diodes on your railway tracks.
Just been watching with a view to getting one of these, they looked great until you got to programming the different profiles. It seems that these are just another typical problematic Hornby product that play up instead of just doing what they should out of the box, out of the 15 TTS decoders I have bought over the last 3 years; 6 have stopped working for no apparent reason, lost sound or some functions; 3 as the loco was actually running on the track, that's £300 in the bin. Should I risk one of the new decoders or will that be more money down the drain?
Overall they're good decoders and Hornby are fixing bugs with firmware updates. For example, I think they've fixed the bug where the sounds work, but the loco doesn't move after a profile change which was the biggest issue I encountered. The other issue was failed uploads which apparently can be caused by a few things on your phone, but I did always get an upload. If you plan on running these using the Hornby power supply or with a DCC controller you should be fine. Decoders have only been damaged when DC power supplies have been used.
Yes they seem to be better than the tts chips were, it's a shame you can't have "automatic" braking sound enabled, I'd have found that more useful than the auto cold start - or even have the brake button slow the loco down too . Ah well..
This hm7000 has only been configured for Hornby locomotives, they will not fit into other manufacturers locos, if you want a sound file for somebody else's locos forget it, and the decoders burn out. Hornby needs to get it right before the system can be taken seriously. There are other Bluetooth options available so Hornby is not the be all and end all of Bluetooth systems.
I have fitted 2 locomotives with theses decoders while use them through bluetooth, There is a few bugs here and there but the worse one is when the loco is running the sound level drops and distorts massively!!! So have to turn sound off for few mins then it works again but then does it again… But going forward the performance on bluetooth has been flawless for me with no drop in connection, But the track rails needs to be spotless otherwise it will stop and start constantly… The same quality of the overpriced expensive DCC controllers for half the price
@@LittleWicketRailway I’m using the 15v power adapter, I have found that some of the engine profiles have worse sound than others and they just crackle when going at a reasonable speed… Weird
I was going to get a model railroad but the underlying tech is from last century. I don’t want to build and debug an edisonesque dc power distribution system. Then DCC is Morse code on top. Adding Bluetooth is metaphorical lipstick. I want the model train Elon Musk would build.
I have seen comments these decoders do not like Gaugemaster DC power supplies from other sites. Might be a good idea to avoid these DC supplies. The decoders are great value and will create a lot of wailing and nashing of teeth from others who will have to compete with these as a good 50% cheaper
Hi Billy, thanks for sharing, the manual does warn the user that some DC supplies might not be suitable and that they couldn't test them all. I wonder how the likes of ESU will respond? Maybe their decoders are £60 better, but I think I'd need some serious convincing now.
@@LittleWicketRailway once the sort out the SW bugs and these are just out so will have some issues they will drive prices down. Retailers will find it hard now to justify £15 to £25 to re blow a chip from Zimo or ESU when Hornby do it for free on the main track too (not programming track). It would be good if Hornby allow others the source code to load other sound files but that is for the future. Now it is time for Hornby to DISRUPT the industry and status quo
Excellent review. Really well presented and done in a plain and useful manner. Especially helpful to have some of the more advanced features explained.
Thank you for a most comprehensive review. Sadly I work in N gauge which Hornby seem to support only marginally. You have managed to convince me that I was correct not to go anywhere near Hornby as they seem to do their own thing with no regard for what railway modellers really want. They seem to be arrogant and think that they conyrol the market. Terribly complicated for a casual user.
18:47 I suspect this is the product of the developer not having an iPhone SE to test on, I bet it looks/looked fine on FaceID iPhones, with their larger vertical real estate.
Rob, thanks for a fair and comprehensive look at HM7000.
When I came back into the hobby a couple of years ago I was a little amazed at how little "standard" comms tech had been adopted by the model railway industry. DCC for example seems like a wonderful facility as compared to simple DC control, but the shine goes off it just a little bit when you discover that - unless you add to it - it only enables one way communication. Then, you have the excellent innovation of servo motor point motors (Tortoise et al) but until comparatively recently these always needed DCC decoder boards and all that separate wiring to make them work. There are many many examples of where peripherals that could easily get commands by various radio methods (WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee, ESP_Now etc etc) need bopth power and control wiring from a (usually not cheap) decoder board which receives commands from a (usually very expensive) upstream DCC controller.
To the IT mind the answer seems pretty obvious, embed intelligence and radio comms into every peripheral device and just push power out on the rails so that peripheral devices can tap into it - far far less wiring and a lot less proprietary interface technology and ultimately therefore a lot less costly. Even though this model of operation has been technically possible for some time now there are a lot of valid reasons why it has not predominated. Many of those have to do with protecting existing investment and the unwillingness of the market to adopt wholesale changes - however, this new Hornby approach (and product innovations by people like DCC Concepts) seems to me very likely to precipitate an avalanche of change in the direction I outlined above. So long as those changes maintain backwards compatibility - or provide a migration path for existing systems I think they should be welcomed.
We need minds like yours in the hobby!
The DCC tech we're using at the moment fundamentally doesn't do much more than Zero1 was doing in the early 80s. It's got smaller, more efficient and has more built in features, but it's mostly evolution rather than revolution.
RailCom does exist for bidirectional communication, but it's not widely adopted. There are also cottage tech industries that exist with smart people developing their own solutions to these problems.
As you've said, a standard has been established and invested in and it feels like there's a reluctance to move away.
Also, as much as we might want our railway to be packed with the latest technology there's a large number of modellers who are perfectly happy with DC control, manually operating their points, etc. and those who don't want the expense or complications of fancy controllers. It's not for everyone.
A very thorough review - much more informative than other efforts on YT. This is a well researched video, showing the numerous features of this system but also some of the issues encountered to date.
Thanks Haymarket 👍
Excellent and fair review. Thank you. I had the same problems when installing the first profile but since then everything has just worked. I too am very impressed by what HM/Hornby has achieved.
This is a well done review, taking in account that you consulted the 'Full Manual' - a must anyway. Obvious there are still some fine tuning to be made by HM but for the price this system has a bright future ! Thanks for sharing.
A decent and honest review. Thanks. At least you had read the manual and had a grip of the product rather than some other reviewers who just wing it and get it all wrong, then apologise at the end.
Cheers. Haha, who apologised at the end?
@@LittleWicketRailway - Sam as he always does.
The fairest and most informed review I have seen so far. And you even mention the ESD topic! Well done.
Can you Still run a loco with Sound with a Normal DCC Controller when the app is Off?
Yes, Hornby call it DCC Mode. This is the default mode when the decoder arrives. I believe it's controlled by CV12 or a little slider in the app.
@@LittleWicketRailway Ok but if you Turn the app off or if your Phone Died Would the Loco Still Run & Sound still work with a Normal DCC controller?
thanks for this, I have now watched 5 videos by YTers and you are the only 1 to mention the full set of functions/features including the ABS etc.
At £65ish per I want a review to tell the full facts as you have done, not just the simple reading of the bullet points off the back of the box that others seem to think makes a full "review".
Thanks Cloudman. Those functions/features are what makes this so much better than the TTS it replaces, so I thought it was important to talk about them. The manual is long, but really quite interesting.
@@LittleWicketRailway Agreed, someone was saying in the comment section on one of the othe videos that they don't see a reason to stop buying the more expensive ESU sound decoders because of the extra functions ESU has, thinking that TXS had the limited functions of TTS. However, I believe TXS has the same level of functions (ABS etc) as ESU apart from 3 sounds at a time vs ESU at 10? sounds at a time.
I have watched several reviews now of Hornby's HM7000 decoders. The one thing I have noticed is that none of the reviews mentions whether you can adjust the chuff rate for steam locomotives on these decoders or are they like the TTS version where you couldn't. I used several TTS's for diesel sound, but steered clear of steam for this reason. Keep going with your videos, they're clear, concise and unbiased. Much appreciated. 🙂👍
You can by way of the complex speed curve values
@@brat96th Thank you, that's good.
Good review and matches some of my experiences with the two of the 8 pin decoders I have used so far. Only when switching to third profile download did I get the error message but restarted app and no issues with the download or subsequent operation. I think the main plus for me is the fact that the same loco can now operate on DC powered track, then under direct DCC control or on DCC with the app controlling the loco. Which other decoder can do that? Also, a huge amount of time can be saved in setting up the CVs when operating on DCC control but using the app in parallel to make setting changes, all while the loco is running! Brilliant! No more back-n-forth on the programming track. This feature alone is the game changer for me.
Only thing I would address in your review, really is to make sure you try the speaker enclosure first before sticking on the speaker and don't take the fact that what looks the same tender or loco space, will be the same for each model - a corridor tender and non-corridor tender are not the same width, at least on the latest models. The speaker adhesive may not be useable again if you have to peel it off the wrong size enclosure, so check first.
Excellent review, very informative. I'm rooted in DC (locos are too old and so am I) but it is great to see advances in more modern control techniques and features.
Thank you for a fair and balanced overview of the decoders.
My main gripe is sound files. The decoders are sold at a low price but do have limitations and the lack of sound options is a major one. Many years ago I bought the ESU programming device with software. I now have access to ESU's vast collection of free sounds (for USA and Europe - both of which are relevant to me) and can programme their decoders accordingly.
An ESU decoder now costs me £135 with or without installed sound.
If I could pay £15-20 for a sound file for a Hornby decoder then I'd be buying 3 Hornby decoders rather than 2 x ESU and paying for the sounds.
There are good UK suppliers with an extensive catalogue of sounds and they should be given the opportunity to add their sounds to Hornby's world as a benefit to everyone.
Of this doesn't happen then I think your optimism about the TXS decoders will be short lived...
Hornby have a few things to resolve with these decoders and my enthusiasm is being tested, but they do appear to be receptive to suggestions.
I totally agree that having access to 3rd party sound profiles (assuming it's technically possible), even if they were at a premium, would be a win-win for Hornby and the sound profile suppliers. This is the type of investment Hornby should make to guarantee the success of these decoders in the market.... Along with making them smaller, fixing the upload issues, resolving the DC control problems, launching the android app, etc.
Rob great video --- hey when will you do a follow up on RFID ????? please !!!!!!!
Thanks rb bou! On the subject of RFID probably not for a little while I'm afraid. It's still on the list, but not near the top. Having messed around with the RFID reader in my last video I came to the conclusion that I'd rather use someone else's system that is proven to work than develop my own even if it costs a little more. There are a few commercial or semi commercial options out there. MERG, Starfish Rail, etc.
I have just had the same issue with mine. I had tidied up the decoder and speaker (very tight fit in my new Hornby A2/3, powepack no chance) and set it running. It travelled a few feet and then stopped, the chuffing sound still going.
I thought there must have been some mechanical failure. I lifted it off the track but could not see a problem.
I put it back on the track and all was OK. This action must have reset something.
I am having trouble with the dcc function. I get it to work for little and then it disconnects.
Hornby have some sorting to do.
Update. After some excellent baby Hornby the issue was solved. Down to the Arduino controller not being g compatible,
Works a treat with the Hornby elite as the power source.
I am incredibly impressed with this system, and with Hornby Customer Services.
Great review. I wasn't aware of your channel but I'm subscribed now.
On various issues. I've had both of the issues you mentioned. It took me four attempts to get the sound profile for my TT120 A4. On the "sounds but no movement" I've had that too and had to reload the Bluetooth firmware update but seeing your power cycle solution perhaps I'll try that next time. Additionally I also had a problem where it didn't work on DCC but worked on Bluetooth. I had to do a CV8 reset to solve that one.
Overall I think there is great potential here but a lot of teething problems with the integration of decoders, apps and firmware. There is a lot of testing needed and I think early adopters are all part of the beta test team
Thanks Damian. Good to know I'm not alone with the issues. I'm amazed these fit in TT120 models given the size. We're definitely the beta testers for them.
Thank-you so much for your video - the best I've seen. I learned a lot and confirmed a bunch of other stuff :-) I have also had many of your issues - the random sound and movement disappearances. I have had to repeatedly reload profiles due to the yellow "issues" alert. I am very glad that it's not something that I was doing wrong. Fingers crossed all this can get sorted, because I like the overall idea. Thanks again.
Hi Soas Soas, thanks for sharing your experiences. I hope Hornby get these bugs sorted.
this has helped me so much this has been happening to me now I will try again hope it starts to work
Interestingly @7:47 you measured the resistance of the speaker as 7.1 ohms whereas Hornby’s podcast specified the speaker should 16 ohms impedance. I hope this doesn’t become an issue and burn out the speaker driver.
Do you have a link to the podcast? I suspect Hornby have got that wrong.
Very good review of the HM7000 Decoder etc being a novice in the hobby so lot to learn still so think will continue with learning DCC For a little longer to build up confidence. Thank you
Thanks for the beautifully presented video. I'm glad you said "on paper" because, as great as the technology sounds, it is still early days and there are a few issues to resolve (for one, the Android app is yet to become available). You may be aware that Sam of Sam's trains has struggled to fit these decoders into several (non-tender) locos as they are too large (and this is in OO scale models). I believe Simon Kohler has acknowledged that they are large and says there are plans to reduce their size. Shouldn't you have checked that the enclosure fitted the model *before* you added the speaker (I bet you did, off-camera)? Apologies; I'm a victim of my impatience! I started making comments before you finished your video and you ended up covering some of my points!
Thanks for the video. We did not see you run it with the cover back on, I assume it all fits ok? Seen some other reviews suggesting the decoders are slightly larger than the NMRA standards (Next18 specifically) and don’t fit into some non Hornby models.
Hi Chris, I can confirm that the decoder, speaker and power bank all fit in the smoke box area. Hardest part is keeping the wires neat.
Hi from NZ, have just ordered a 21pin sound decoder for a Bachmann Loco. Looking forward to getting it. Take care, great video
Thanks 👍
Brilliant review, thanks for the clear explanation, where did you get the yellow tape from?
Thanks. It's called Kapton tape. Can't remember where I got mine, but Road and Rails sell it.
Excellent video, more helpful than anything Hornby has provided. Thank you!
Thanks 👍
That's a great review. Really appreciate it. Subscribed.
Thanks 👍
This is ground breaking tec....about time, I hope the decoders sound and work ok but there will be bugs on new software -hardware ,superb info video. p.s like the old Hornby orignal dcc system on the shelf from the 80s..
Thanks. Sounds like there might be a few more teething issues. I love the retro look of the Hornby Zero 1.
Excellent review and as i have only just started in this hobby i think its a great leap in the right direction so many thanks for your in-depth look into this new technology which i will try cheers.
Nice touch with the Zero1 background. Had some of these back in the 90s. Still think they have a retro cool vibe.
Agreed, love the retro look. Might be a video on Zero1 coming in the future 😉
@@LittleWicketRailway That would be so much fun. I had Zero 1 in the 80s. I was so excited about it and always loved it. When I came to see my old equipment to move to N gauge in about 1984 no one wanted the Zero 1
Hi, great review, good to see you have some Hornby Zero 1 slave units behind you, thanks for sharing.
Thanks and well spotted. Might be something on Zero1 coming out in the future 😉
@@LittleWicketRailway I have quite a collection of Zero 1 items, most of which is new and unused, I hard wired the coding pads instead of using the coding paint, it was a cool system that was very good if used properly, looking forward to what your going to do on the system.
@Stormmy69 Stormmy69 Zero1 definitely was a good system. We had it.
Where it fell down, according to my Dad, was the electrical pickups on the trains not being what they are today. Which probably bears out as getting DCC to work on old Hornby locos with the stock pickups on two wheels each side is frustrating.
@@GDGRailway47712 Hi, I totally agree with you, people who didn’t have a full understanding of the system gave up on it, look at today for instance a lot of people wouldn’t go near fitting a sound decoder in a present day model loco, they aren’t cheap, I’m from an electronics background, I have a anti static workstation, holding onto a radiator isn’t enough when it comes to anti static fields being removed, I know there are lots of users of the system out there.
Good review . Well thought out
Thanks! 👍
Just watched your video form 12 months ago re hornby dcc 7000 decoders . You fitted it to your tornado loco just wondering what the performance is like 12 months on and are you happy with the way it's working regards Sam Woodward
Did you manage to fit the power bank into Tornado too? This is the same setup that I'm looking at using, but won't order the power bank if it doesn't fit.
Very helpful review, btw. I had a whole bunch of issues setting up, and started the process of returning the chip. But watching you have some of the same issues as me made me give it another go.
Hi Andrew, yes, it all fit in the smoke box 🙂
Out of curiosity, did you power cycle the decoder after installing sounds, and before concluding that the motor did not run? I found that a power cycle is good for getting everything ready after messing around with the profiles. Also, you should not call it a "reset". In the HM7000 system a reset of the decoder is setting it back at factory settings (it may confuse some viewers).
You're right, I shouldn't have said reset when I meant power cycle. The decoder was power cycled every time the app requested it after uploading profiles and setting.
@@LittleWicketRailway Okay, cool! I had a similar problem with my decoder not finding the sounds. The power cycle seemed to do the trick. I don't know, it may have gotten confused.
Anyway great video! I like your channel.
Rob, I need your help.
I am planning to buy two hm7000 sound decoders for my dublo flying sctosman and p2 locos.
Which pin do you recommend is the best for these?
They are superb, but do we know if they are railcom compatible and their ID will be read by such devices.... eagerly awaiting the android app
All the classic faults with the HM7000. You forgot to mention that you need the decoder on address 3 to upload the sound profiles otherwise an error will occur. Also while using your phone to control the loco, you can't make or receive calls, text messages or e-mails. The sound profiles available are based on the current range of Hornby locos only, so if you fit the decoder to other brands of loco you may not find the sound file you want. I use Hornby TTS decoders and they're actually pretty good for the money. If you want to control your locos with a phone, you can uses a Gaugemaster Prodigy with wifi.
Thanks for watching. I didn't know about the address 3 sound upload or calls/text issues. That's incredibly bad. I'm going to test that out later.
Hornby need to have a think about sound profile strategy. It makes sense to offer free profiles for the models they produce. If they spent money creating/buying in other profiles would they sell more decoders? Should they allow users to buy 3rd party profiles or create their own?
I have just tried cutting the power and reconnecting my iPad. It took around 3s. I will nevertheless fit a power-bank when I get the chance. With Bluetooth you will still have control of the loco on dead track.
3 seconds is really good! I could definitely live with that if it wasn't going to happen often.
For reference, the iPad was close to the decoder. The Bluetooth range is impressive as you found and can only get better with multiple decoders building a “mesh”. The other thing I have found impressive is motor control, and that is just from the default steam locomotive profile. This is with a 3-pole motor in Hogwarts Castle. Shunting Mode is usable.
I had the same issues as you both sound not installed and the loco not moving but sound playing this was on my W1 hush hush but apart from that it works well just need a few updates to fix the bugs.
Ok A1 is not what we understand as an A1 today ie Tornado with 3 cylinders. Gresley GN A1 with 4 cylinders as built, then on a swop around of classification became an A3. At some stage also got modified to 3 cylinders, so likely this is why the sound not quite as expected.
Hi Dunnyrail, sounds like you've got the A1/3s knowledge!
Hornby are meant to have a Tornado specific sound profile available at some point and apparently (I've not tried it) you can fiddle with CVs to sync up the chuffs. Personally I'm not that bothered, it's a level of realism that I'm not ready for just yet, maybe one day. Probably one of those things where it's really obvious if you know what it should sound like.
i have a HST ,PRESENTLY WITH TTS chip,In your view ,is the HST BLUE TOOTH 8 PIN DECODER BETTER OR JUST SIMILAR
Hi Richard, the new decoders have significantly more features which in my mind makes them "better", but it really depends if you'll make use of them. If you're happy with your current TTS decoders then there's no need to change. Will you use the Bluetooth, speed tables, ABC braking, power bank connection, etc.
In terms of sound profile, again it depends how fussy you are. The TTS sounds are good enough for me, but the newer chips with the ability to play three high fidelity tracks might be better if you've got an ear for detail.
Question were you able to drive the loco in the app and also by the DCC System at the same time. So for example if you had two operators and one was using the app to drive and the other person wanted to make a change to the same loco from
The DCC system would that work?
No. The decoder operates in DCC or Bluetooth mode, and is switched from the app setup page. It cannot handle both at once.
@@DavidJones-hd1jj that a shame! They should make it work on both at the same time.
Nice and comprehensive review. This is an interesting new approach, using an approved technology. Hopefully the decoders will become noticeably more compact in the future to fit also in smaller locos.
(By the way: It is a pity to see this cheap can motor in that model. OK, its not a really expensive loco, but I would gladly pay a little more if I knew there is a rugged and reliable motor in there - instead of something that was spit out in masses by a chinese factory at about 50p each...)
There is a problem with using the eCos controller it doesn’t allow to set the loco address which was set in the app. I did a work around used an older DCC controller not eCos and managed to set the loco address in DCC mode before putting back on main track and the eCos will work the decoder but if you try to read the decoder using ecos it just errors and trips the eCos controller
This is the second issue I've heard about regarding eCos not working with certain decoders.
It just won't let you set an address at all? What happens when you try?
@@LittleWicketRailway well I have a DCC little controller that I got for £50 from a guy who makes them I used that to set the address first which worked perfectly and then add the loco profile and address into the eCos and save it. Then the loco is ready to run right away using the function on eCos without any problems, as long as you don’t try to read the txs decoder or it will trip eCos into thinking it’s a short. This could be that the Hornby txs Bluetooth security set up is to protect the Bluetooth connection from being changed by a different iPad as it set up for the iPhone/ipad android that it was assigned to originally same way Bluetooth is set up in mobiles. Or it could be compatibility issues due to the way it is set up to run mainly on Hmdcc apps which is a problem for Hornby claims that their txs is nmra compliant.
How do you change from number 3 to other number. Kind regards Paul
G'day, Rob. I have put a few of the 21 pin decoders in my engines, and they have worked like a charm.
However, with the 8 pin decoders, they have always burnt out on me only after 1-2 days of use.
I've brought 3 of the 8 pin decoders and returned them all of them due to how easily they have burnt out.
Safe to say I won't be buying the 8 pin ones anytime soon.
Can I use my gauge master for power to track still or will I have to buy the Hornby one thanks
Hi Ashly, in theory an analogue controller could work, but I've heard that the gauge master controllers might not give great results. You might be better off with a Hornby DC supply and track adapter for ~£25.
@@LittleWicketRailway it's the DCC gauge master prodigy I have, got the first decoder sat here waiting for when the android comes out great videos you make it easy to understand for Dumbo's like me lol
@ashly brown sorry, I misunderstood, you'll be fine with a DCC controller 👍 glad you like the video 😊
Superb video, so good it made me subscribe!
A very good review - I got an 8 pin and power bank to try as i have a fair few TTS decoders in my locos and wanted to compare with the Bluetooth version. I run DCC via NCE Powercab but decided to try and set it via DC on a rolling road using a basic Hornby controller - Mistake !! It just would not load . I contacted Hornby ( George ) who was helpful and suggested I try on my DCC layout , try uploading the 08 profile and see if it worked . This did work and I had sound and loco control . But when I tried to download the Class 73 profile it would not load . I had the powerbank installed so I am going to take that out then try again .
I hope this will be a glitch that can be resolved and if so I will be using more but I wonder if the dongle will work with my NCE as it would be nice to operate my non bluetooth decoders via the app but its not a deal breaker.
Cheers Kev
Just out of interest, if you had a layout at an exhibition, with this fitted, could anybody who ALSO has downloaded the app, search for devices, and take over? That could be fun, to watch.
No, not unless someone was a professional hacker. Bluetooth V5 which HM7000 uses has a lot of security measures and only paired devices will talk to one another. It is the same as when your phone is Bluetooth paired with your car head unit so that you can hear your own calls hands-free - but when you're in a traffic jam your head unit doesnt pickup calls from other cars around you.
Good video..Well explained.
x The Bigfella x
Although I’m not really an app fan I can see these do have some good points about them. The price and free sound files is a major advantage along with the ease of programming, Hornby have been very clever there. One major disadvantage is the size of the decoders especially the next 18 one which is too large to fit in most locomotives as manufacturers expect these to be quite small when designing their models to use them, obviously Hornby will counter this into their own designs but other manufacturers probably won’t. That fact will alienate many customers as their choice of models will be severely cut should this be the system they want to use.
The programming advantages could easily be incorporated into a conventional DCC system, some already are. This maybe the shakeup the hobby needs to make DCC a little easier to use. There are a couple of systems that have large colour displays to make operating less cumbersome just need to add new features so smaller non Bluetooth decoders can be operated in the same fashion which will help N gauge fans as well as people who like other manufacturers models.
I believe the size of the decoders is a known issue as far as Hornby are concerned and they are working to reduce this.
could this decoder be powered from a battery in the loco in bluetooth mode
I think in theory it could if the battery provided a regulated supply at the correct voltage.
@@LittleWicketRailway i was thinking a LIPO 3S pack
so the android app is out and i have a battery powered (3s/12v) 8 pin R7336 decoder running a Lima hst power car. Dead rail has just been given a new lease of life from Hornby. I don't have any battery use time length tests yet as i'm only running a 550ma battery, but a larger 3000ma battery is being constructed as i type this.
Good review, it is a shame that the only sounds that will be available, Hornby should make the ability for others to add sounds to a open library
My hearing’s not the best, could someone tell me what the protective tape is. I can’t quite make out what it’s called. Thank you..
Kapton tape
@@brat96th thank you Ron..
I have seen a few reviews of the HM7000 and I like them in theory, but I have found the decoders are too big to use in most models, especially models not made by Hornby. I hope Hornby will look at this and try to reduce the physical size of the boards (especially next18 and 21pin), They are a huge improvement in sound and quality compared to the old TTS decoders, having 3 channels instead of two like the TTS, for sound. I kind of hope other manufacturers look at this and start looking at integrating bluetooth also.
Unfortunately the reconnect time will likely always be 8 seconds as the bluetooth connection will take that long to reconnect. From what I saw on another review, the decoder takes about 2 to 3 seconds to reconnect fully when on DCC.
It's a hornby product, for hornby things, that it doesn't fit everything is not one bit shocking. People will milk any percieved drama for views, tis the way of youtube. Gotta have spectacle to get peoples attention.
You mean the review on Sam's trains?
I did notice that he started with a small tank engine, couldn't fit it so went for another small tank engine, then another small tank engine before trying a tender loco where it did fit.
I also noticed he didn't try a single diesel loco. I'm pretty sure that all of the decoders will fit most diesels, with the exception of a couple of shunters.
This is the problem with YT channel reviews, they need to get their reviews out early so they haven't spent time using the system and haven't really tested it the way a user would use it.
Very informative, thanks
Hornby say that while instilling sound profiles, make sure your phone is fully charged or plugged in. Do not play about with your phone, looking at other things on the app while up loading. Make sure you don't have any other Bluetooth devises working at the same time as installing a sound profile! you shouldn't have any problems!
A great 'how to' Rob! Thanks for sharing. Cheers Onno.
Thanks Onno 👍
Using the Hornby Select to power the track does cause errors. Use the Select power supply (DC) direct to the track, solves many issues.
ESU Sound decoders retail in Germany for around 85 £ 😅
Next time I'm in Germany I'm going shopping!
All good and well on decoder functionality, but you failed to discus the oversizing of the decoder so they fail to fit a lot of locos, and hardware size is also a NMRA standard…
Hi Danny, I believe it's only the Next18 decoder that's outside of NMRA mechanical specification. 21 and 8 pin are within spec. Not ideal, but better than them all being non-compliant and Next18 is by far the least common.
The HM7000 comes in a metalized static shielding bag which is quite different to an antistatic bag. Grounding yourself prior to touching the decoder as an acceptable method is a fallacy. What you need to do is to equalise the voltage between yourself, the decoder & your environment in a gradual and controlled fashion. This could be by using an ESD dissipative mat, wrist strap & “environment ground” connected together with 1 Megaohm resistors or by the use of an Ion generator that produces both positive and negative ions. A shielded bag acts like a Faraday cage keeping any accrued static charges to the outside of the bag. An antistatic bag is just a plastic bag with an appropriate water content to retard its ability to generate a static charge from tribocharging - they do not stop a static zaps going through the bag. Once a decoder has been installed & in use it is still at risk of ESD damage so don’t zap your metal rails or rub your plastic locomotive on your sweater. It may be an idea to install some inexpensive TVS ESD protection diodes on your railway tracks.
Just been watching with a view to getting one of these, they looked great until you got to programming the different profiles. It seems that these are just another typical problematic Hornby product that play up instead of just doing what they should out of the box, out of the 15 TTS decoders I have bought over the last 3 years; 6 have stopped working for no apparent reason, lost sound or some functions; 3 as the loco was actually running on the track, that's £300 in the bin. Should I risk one of the new decoders or will that be more money down the drain?
Overall they're good decoders and Hornby are fixing bugs with firmware updates. For example, I think they've fixed the bug where the sounds work, but the loco doesn't move after a profile change which was the biggest issue I encountered. The other issue was failed uploads which apparently can be caused by a few things on your phone, but I did always get an upload.
If you plan on running these using the Hornby power supply or with a DCC controller you should be fine. Decoders have only been damaged when DC power supplies have been used.
@@LittleWicketRailway I was watching another review and one of the new decoders cooked itself just like the tts ones do, that's a little worrying☹️
@@mickemmett6828 concerning. Which review was that?
Yes they seem to be better than the tts chips were, it's a shame you can't have "automatic" braking sound enabled, I'd have found that more useful than the auto cold start - or even have the brake button slow the loco down too . Ah well..
Try AFC on F28 which does what you are asking for by default. It’s all in the famous manual.
odd that the sound is for a 2 or 4 cylinder steam loco, marketed for a 3-cylinder loco
This hm7000 has only been configured for Hornby locomotives, they will not fit into other manufacturers locos, if you want a sound file for somebody else's locos forget it, and the decoders burn out. Hornby needs to get it right before the system can be taken seriously. There are other Bluetooth options available so Hornby is not the be all and end all of Bluetooth systems.
I have fitted 2 locomotives with theses decoders while use them through bluetooth, There is a few bugs here and there but the worse one is when the loco is running the sound level drops and distorts massively!!! So have to turn sound off for few mins then it works again but then does it again… But going forward the performance on bluetooth has been flawless for me with no drop in connection, But the track rails needs to be spotless otherwise it will stop and start constantly… The same quality of the overpriced expensive DCC controllers for half the price
Thanks for sharing. Odd fault with the sound. Are you using the power packs?
@@LittleWicketRailway I’m using the 15v power adapter, I have found that some of the engine profiles have worse sound than others and they just crackle when going at a reasonable speed… Weird
So, no more expensive and annoying to use Central and copntrol units. Still sounds too good to be true..
I was going to get a model railroad but the underlying tech is from last century. I don’t want to build and debug an edisonesque dc power distribution system. Then DCC is Morse code on top. Adding Bluetooth is metaphorical lipstick. I want the model train Elon Musk would build.
I have seen comments these decoders do not like Gaugemaster DC power supplies from other sites. Might be a good idea to avoid these DC supplies. The decoders are great value and will create a lot of wailing and nashing of teeth from others who will have to compete with these as a good 50% cheaper
Hi Billy, thanks for sharing, the manual does warn the user that some DC supplies might not be suitable and that they couldn't test them all. I wonder how the likes of ESU will respond? Maybe their decoders are £60 better, but I think I'd need some serious convincing now.
@@LittleWicketRailway once the sort out the SW bugs and these are just out so will have some issues they will drive prices down. Retailers will find it hard now to justify £15 to £25 to re blow a chip from Zimo or ESU when Hornby do it for free on the main track too (not programming track). It would be good if Hornby allow others the source code to load other sound files but that is for the future. Now it is time for Hornby to DISRUPT the industry and status quo
Excellent review. Really well presented and done in a plain and useful manner. Especially helpful to have some of the more advanced features explained.
Thank you for a most comprehensive review. Sadly I work in N gauge which Hornby seem to support only marginally. You have managed to convince me that I was correct not to go anywhere near Hornby as they seem to do their own thing with no regard for what railway modellers really want. They seem to be arrogant and think that they conyrol the market. Terribly complicated for a casual user.