Digital. Which way to go?

[sugars_revenge_33x]

I've been into slot cars for a while but kinda moved onto other things for a minute. I had one of the early scaley sets and just purchased an SCX set to play around with recently. The ready to go sets have got alot better!

I'm trying to reaquaint myself to the hobby and there seem to be a lot of upgrades and progress made towards the digital racing. I am thinking about opening a small modest hobby shop focusing on RC racing in the spring/summer and moving into slot cars during the colder months. I like the realism that the digital brings but obviously a system that is user friendly is paramount. I will have a stand alone analog track but want to add some digital for the experienced racers.
I'm looking for opinions and advice if anybody has got any.

-Andy-

[HomeRacingWorld]

Carrera.

[sugars_revenge_33x]

Hey Harry!
I need a burger.

[HomeRacingWorld]

Ok! I know a guy who makes them :)

You need a double though...been too long.

[sugars_revenge_33x]

We were just talking the other day about a get together with the Memphis crew. If I can get my shop going there will be a definite invite headed your way.

[HomeRacingWorld]

I'll do the cookin' if you let me :)

Look forward to seeing your new shop.

[sugars_revenge_33x]

We will see. Who's the digital Guru?

[blkdog1]

I am re-entering the hobby as well and have been doing much research as to which way to go. At first as was Analog 100%, but no longer. I am in process of routing a track, I do love the routed track, (I don't know where I'm going to put it). I just got it started and it is going to take some time. I am now waiting for the Digital Scalextric set I ordered Pre-pay to come in. I agree with you that a LOT of changes have been made for the Good of Sloting over the last many years. A Digital set (imo) offers a great deal more than just running around in a dedicated slot. Look into the Scalextric 6 car Powerbase C7042 and you will see what I mean. It is quite the unit. I think Ninco has the Best deal on track sets but they are wicked rough on the tires and they offer a multiple car power system as well. ( I don't know much about it though). Carrera cars are rather heavy to be competitive on the circuit, but if that is what appeals to some people. They do have some nice looking rides.

[HomeRacingWorld]

No guru. But Carrera has a better selection in my opinion. Not to mention the price of the models is more affordable.

Shop around and you will find that out quickly.

Plus the track is the best in the hobby, but you already knew that.

Don't forget the options of running 1/24th scale which Carrera has really released some great models that are a HOOT to race.

I went to SEMO and raced on Chris Agee's Carrera system, and those big GT cars were all the fun you could stand.

I am not into the digital myself, just running on others. But from the tracks I have raced on...along with the price and selection, Carrera would be the one I would choose if I did.

Also...call or email Bruce at Cincyslots. He has a great system in place and he can tell you more about the custom controllers and power systems.

[patwa]

I have been using the Scalex system that BLKDOG1 mentions above and am a huge fan.
Easy to use and pretty much bullet proof.Pace car function, pit stops and yellow light call amongst a bunch of other functions.
Only good for 1/32 though.Remember that the Slot.it stuff is compatable with the Scaley sport digital system so there is a huge range of cars to choose from and retro fitting the chips to just about anything is not a huge deal.I haven't come across a car yet that we could'nt shoe horn a chip into.The Osterero Watson roadster below has a scaley F1 chip fitted to the tail piece.A little grinding and hey presto.

[RazorJon]

I would go Carrera, what kind of track? Oval or Twisty, we ran 6 1\24 cars on Chris's track

[goosenapper]

I've only raced digital on Carrera, and it was a blast. As has been said, the track is top quality, and there are plenty of options as far as race management software goes that can heighten the fun. The large negative for me is that all cars must be chipped with a Carrera chip. The large positive that I see for Scalextric is that you can run analog cars on the track without snipping leads or swapping control sections, which is something that may be necessary for Carrera. You can't run analog and digital at the same time on Scalextric, but the option to run either is built right in to the powerbase. Also, the Scaley chips are smaller and cheaper.

I can't speak for Ninco or SCX, but there are plenty of folks out there who swear by both of those brands too. Research until your eyes are sore before buying anything. I suggest lurking a bit on some other more digital-centric slot car boards. Reading about triumphs and tragedies that others go through should help in forming a decision.

Personally, I was all set to go Scalextric. Then it hit me that I generally race alone, have a small track, and even if I wanted a larger track and invited people over, there would be no room for either the people or track in the room that is dedicated to my cars. And then there is the financial aspect of things. I wrestled with these points for a week or so and then laid out all considerations to my wife to get a non-slot crazy person's point of view. She basically told me I'd be stupid to drop the kind of money needed to get in to digital just to run alone, and she's dead right. So, I'm staying analog. Just remember to factor space, how many people you race with and how often, and money in to the equation. Really, I think the most important aspect of digital isn't what brand you choose, but rather the people you race with. As long as you're all having fun, no one will care.

[oldtymer]

I'm havin' a blast on my Carrera digital track . It's been up and running for about 4 months . Being able to change lanes and get behind another car to hammer them a few times and then go around them at the next crossover is a hoot . Also running timed races using the fuel management and the pit lane adds to the challenge. Running 4 to 6 cars on the same lane wondering who's going to bail out at the next lane change causes some awesome looking wrecks and these cars can take a beating . I built my track using Carreras track planner and have 80 ft of road course replicating a track in Barcelona Spain . BUT , I tip my hat to the WOOD TRACK fellas because that is a talent in building those layouts and also a lot of fun to run on , just a different type of racing which makes it neat to slot on both . I started sloting in 1962 on a 2 lane oval so I guess that's why I went to the plastic . So you will find out that no matter what you run on , big track , small track , plastic or wood ...IT'S STILL RACIN' and you can't beat that kind of fun plus meet some GREAT people ....Thanks for letting me ramble on and remember..FUN AIN'T FREE

Fred

[LAMing]

[driva137]

This is from the research i done after starting to convert my scally rug racer to a permanent digital set.

Ninco is a soft and supple track about half way in width between the other two at 179mm. Ninco has good electrical connections and a grippy surface also they have 5 different radius corners. They have a tight R1 like scally but also a fifth very wide radius like Carrera's Curve 4. When you are making a 4, 6 or 8 lane track this offers much more variety for corners. Ninco also produce Ice and Off Road track so if you are making a rally circuit Ninco is certainly a good choice. The Off Road track is lumpy and bumpy and dirt coloured whilst the ice track has no magnetic effect from the rails so grip is low.

Scalextric track is the narrowest at 155mm across. It's a soft and supple plastic which is durable and not brittle at all. Scally rails are not insulated like the others so the odd electrical short from a stray braid wire can happen. The track surface is textured like a road surface and this texture is quite smooth and fine. Four different radius curves are produced known as Radius 1 or R1, R2, R3 and R4. The scally sets are supplied with R2 curves as their standard curve. The biggest advantage of a scally track most brands of cars can run on it with fitment of the non DPR scally chips.

Carrera makes a wide track (198mm) suitable for even 1/24 scale cars even though almost everyone uses it just with 1/32 scale like they do with the other two brands. The track connections are very firm and use a 'track bolt' system to hold them together. The terminals are quite fine where they join so care should be taken to line them up correctly for assembly but this is easy to get right and the electrical connection is very good and reliable. The rails are insulated. Track surface is textured a little more coarsely than scally yet it's a soft texture like scally. The plastic used is quite hard compared to the others. Four different radius corners are available the tightest more similar to the second tightest of the other two. This tightest radius curve (Curve 1) is the standard curve they supply in sets. Due to the large width and radius of curves, Carrera layouts usually require more space than other brands.

Unlike me, do your research before you commit. Now can i have a Ninco track with scally powerbase please ?