Is digital racing dying?

[Czar]

I nave made no bones about the fact that I am pro digital slot racing. The reasons have been discussed ad nauseum and I won't rehash it here. But, I am beginning to wonder if the BIG slot car companies have started to abandon digital? In a nutshell, where are the improvements in digital racing? This is the busiest time of the year for slot car sales and especially slot cat sets. Has anyone seen anything new to digital slot racing being touted by Carrera or Scaley or SCX or third party vendors? I haven't. There haven't even been any announcements about improvements in what is currently available. A digital chip in a new livery is not progress. You cannot buy a trigger type controller from anyone. Software and race management systems continue to be temperamental, not bombproof. Chips have not gotten significantly smaller. The frustration level for beginners and committed racers is still very high. Maybe I am being too harsh, and it is simply a matter that the designers for Carrera, Scaley, et al, have reached their zenith for digital slot racing. One thing I do know: digital or analog, there is only one direction that you can coast.

[CJR]

What about events like this and their organization DiSCA https://m.facebook.com/officialdisca/

[proxieken]

The Carrera catalog has a few new digital goodies. You can now measure acceleration, which is something different.

I have been looking at adding lane gates throughout my layout, and perhaps driver stations for fuel. I have a screen with the software running but it would be easier to see the driver stations. I also added a variable delay kill switch system to allow for adjustable penalties for crashing. My friend has a Carrera trigger controller he purchased from someone also.

A lot of people simply are not aware of digital racing. It is a whole different hobby in a way, and if people are used to regular analog racing they are usually amazed at all the things that are new.

[Czar]

I think the racing is strong and the desire is there. What I tried to say earlier is: digital racing came out with a lot of excitement. Since then, there have been incremental upgrades to the systems, like pit lane and sector timing. But that was about a year ago. I realize that hardware has limitations and maybe there isn't too much left to simulate real racing in the hardware end of things. Smaller, chips would be very helpful. But, I think it is a shame that the software is not more robust and intuitive. (My experience is with Carrera, but) I cannot even re-arrange the listing of my cars into alphabetical order on the Carrera App! Just turning laps with a timer is a five step process. I have tried other Apps but with no better results. Look at how many threads there are on: "how do I make this thing work"? Complexity is the Achille's heel of digital racing and should be addressed with clean, intuitive software. The idea of an accepted digital standard is not going to happen so there won't be any synergy between individual manufacturers. Whichever set you choose, you will be dependent on the whims of that company alone to give you adequate value for your investment. Once you are locked in, you are probably not going to change systems just because brand Y comes out with a cool new idea. Maybe your company will eventually offer something similar - maybe not. As I said, I just don't see a lot of real progress or effort to make digital racing more popular and viable.

[scatman]

Think a lot has to do with the economy. Look at the cars that are coming out for the holidays, not many. Hopefully things will change. Would love to see digital wood modules you can add to a wood tracks.

[kidvoltage]

[DaveKennedy]

We. Are. Not. Abandoning. Digital.
If you think that i'm not sure why.

There has been some delay with the release of the new Checklane and multilane digital start but you should NOT read into that in any way that we're not fully behind digital. Digital is the future of slot racing (and in many ways the present too). I don't want anyone to read this thread and think that in ANY WAY Carrera is abandoning digital.

BUT the other companies you mention have had/are having problems with digital sales and they always have. I worked for SCX, you know that, they hadn't released ANYTHING accessory-ish since BEFORE i worked for them.. which is 10 years now... nothing. Not to put too fine a point on it but you haven't noticed until now that's the case? The only thing they have made is a new OS for digital. But every single accessory was released prior to me working for them (which if you add them together....6 years now for Carrera, and 3 years working for SCX).

I think what you've seen is that many of the broad-appeal ideas have been done. I will not make any excuses and say that the pace of what I'd like to see for new accessories isn't as quick as I'd hoped for this year. Some new items have been delayed until early next year.

And as Monte said... you want a Carrera-compatible trigger controller? He'll be happy to sell you one and I can attest to the fact it's a DAMN FINE controller...

[DaveKennedy]

Also Slot It makes one and has made one for years..... I have it and it's nice too.

[RazorJon]

I think if any company has kept up with digital is hands down Carrera

And those cordless controllers are pretty nice

Dave beat me :lol:

[Retro Racer 44]

Analog slot cars can run on any track any time. Digital cars need their designated system to run digitally. Therein lies the rub.

As long as you have each of the major manufacturers promoting their own system, Digital will not grow. The people that run Carrera, SCX, Ninco, Scalextric etc systems will continue to race on with their own cars on their own track and if they are lucky will build a core of friends with the same system to get together for racing.

Worldwide acceptance of digital will require the manufacturers to get it together, even at the cost of their own systems. Perhaps things have gone too far, and the manufacturers will never agree, but work toward a common system to become a world standard, is what's needed for digital racing to expand.

Once this commonality is achieved, digital will take off and new smaller components will be made for the new common system.

At least that's my opinion.

Cheers,

Keith

[DaveKennedy]

This digital vs analog discussion is always going to happen because of this idea that all the digital systems need to be using a shared operating system. I've said before and I will repeat, this will never happen. But that has nothing to do with whether digital slot racing will grow because growth won't come that much from the hobby end of things. As new consumers come to slot racing they are buying digital and since we have more to offer than the other companies, they are buying Carrera digital.

[Fitzy]

[HomeRacingWorld]

That's a good post. No. it's a GREAT post.

Because it shows what YOU can do with the system. We can't depend on the manufacturer to make EVERYTHING we might feel we need. What you might feel is needed, another can do without. As someone mentioned, the more resources spent on every bell and whistle is less going towards NEW CARS which is what I care about.

Traditional enthusiasts have depended upon after-market/grass roots companies since the dawn of the hobby.
Better controllers? Power? Timing Systems? TIRES? You name it and after-market companies have provided it.
The manufacturers provide a great START to the hobby with a good track/system and offer a few upgrades and extras here and there.

[HomeRacingWorld]

And oh, great looking infield grass. Doc's Home Owner's Assoc would approve :)

[buspor63]