[MrFlippant]

There was some confusion with my club recently and I wanted to make sure we had the correct information.
It is my understanding that the SCP01d3v3 will NOT WORK properly with the original SSD 6 car base, C7030, or the 4 car base.
Someone read something somewhere that lead them to believe that it might work on all the bases as well as the new 6 car base, C7042.
If that is the case, then there will be much rejoicing. I expect, rather, that there is to be some disappointing. ;-)

Assuming the answer is still "no" and that the 3v3 cartridge is C7042 ONLY, the next question is, will Slot.it be able to develop a single digital cartridge that can be switched between two modes of use, one each compatible with each type of SSD power base?

We're getting a bit fed up with the widely varying Scalextric OEM throttles, and would like to use better throttles, but we have a mix of power base types and can't all afford two cartridges each.

 

[Minardi]

I know exactly how you feel Greg. I upgraded to C7042 from PB Pro, and I still have to buy my 3v3 cartridge. Just the cartridge costs me 2,5 scalextric controllers. However, having experienced the SCP on PB Pro, I know I want to upgrade to 3v3, I just wish there was a simpler (cheaper) solution. I once read somethig about the wireless controllers from SCS and that they were busy with investigating possibilities to connect SCP-01? I can understand that If you put something between powerbase and controller (the receiver) It might be possible to keep the original cartridge. It will still cost money, but with the benefits of wireless. Probably understood It wrong though...

 

[RichG]

I am pretty certain that 3.3v will only work with the C7042 Powerbase. It is just simply that it generates a voltage range that simulates the voltage that a resistive scalextric controller would generate. The fundemental problem being that the resistor in the top of the potential divider goes to 3.3V in a C7042 & 5V in C7030 & the 4 Car Powerbase.

Of course Slot.it could design a switchable cartrige & in all honesty I do not know why instead of designing a 3.3V cartridge they did not make that switchable? Will they do one, somehow I doubt it? Best thing is to PM Maurizio.

Again SCS could solve the problem, and make provision for all combinations, but would have to do switchable versions of both the throttle box & the box that plugs to the Powerbase. So quite a lot of work, and some added cost.

Rich

 

[Slot.it]

Making the current unit switchable would have required a significant rework of all existing cartridges - even those sold to SCX, Carrera, Ninco owners.
In the future, digital cartridges will be switchable, but I cannot really give any dates, and off my head certainly not in 2012.

Unfortunately we tried solving the issue with a couple of resistors, as external add on, but a combination of some specs on our HW and Scalextric SW prevented it from happening.

Regards
Maurizio

 

[MrFlippant]

Thanks for the response, Maurizio. It's not unexpected.
Can you clarify for me why non-Scalextric cartridges would also need to change?
My suggestion would be to keep the original cartridge as you already have for "all digital" (old scalextric), but change the 3v3 controller to be switchable for the two types of Scalextric. You still have only two digital cartridges on the market, but one of them can do both Scalextric old and new. I doubt very much that SCX users are specifically ordering the 3v3 controller anyway, as they can still buy and use the original digital controller.
I will need to buy a new cartridge sooner or later anyway, as I have only the original digital controller. It would be nice to only need one cartridge that only needs a dip switch flip to use on a different SSD base, rather than two cartridges to keep in my slot box.

On the bright side, it should be possible for Andy to do the same for oXigen wireless controllers as he has done for Scorpius Wireless, and integrate them through SSDC for Scalextric car control.

 

[Slot.it]

We do not have 'non Scalextric' cartridges, as the cartridge is (or was before 3V3) universal. A 'switchable for SSD from 3.3V to 5V' cartridge would require a change which would be quite larger than the change necessary to make a 'single use' 3V3 unit, and that change would have been necessary on all cartridges - a possibility would have been to fork a 'Scalextric only' version which would do both... but this option didn't even came to mind honestly.
That's the history of why we haven't made the change on the 'universal' unit but 'forked' a 3V3 one.

SSDC:
I guess so, we'll be happy to send protocol details but we haven't received any requests from SSDC developers.

 

[RichG]

Maurizio, out of interest, particularily as wireless is now becoming quite prolific. We have SCS, Throttle-Pro, Scorpius. Carrera have anounced Wireless throttles for Digital & Ninco for Analog. Then of course oXigen. As far as I know all are using not only different base chips but also different protocols in the 2.4Ghz band.

Just wondered which system oXigen uses? Is it Bluetooth or a different base chip? Is so which chip have you chosen?

Thanks

Rich

 

[MrFlippant]

QUOTE (Slot.it @ 22 Feb 2012, 05:55) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>a possibility would have been to fork a 'Scalextric only' version which would do both... but this option didn't even came to mind honestly.

That's the unfortunate bit. As our club has a mix of old and new SSD bases, we can't all afford both cartridges. It would have been oh-SO much better if the new cartridge were a "scalextric digital only" cartridge that is switchable between 3.3 and 5v. Alas, hindsight is 20/20.

 

[Slot.it]

QUOTE (RichG @ 22 Feb 2012, 15:13) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>Maurizio, out of interest, particularily as wireless is now becoming quite prolific. We have SCS, Throttle-Pro, Scorpius. Carrera have anounced Wireless throttles for Digital & Ninco for Analog. Then of course oXigen. As far as I know all are using not only different base chips but also different protocols in the 2.4Ghz band.

Just wondered which system oXigen uses? Is it Bluetooth or a different base chip? Is so which chip have you chosen?

Thanks

Rich

Hi Rich.
It's based on Nordic 2.4GHz chips. Application protocol is entirely ours, no ZigBee or such.

Regards
Maurizio

 

[RichG]

Thanks Maurizio, I thought they looked like the nRF24L01+ chips but difficult to tell from the pictures. Looking at the picture of the wireless cartridge it looks like you have added a PA / preamp to the input of the chip, is this the case, and if so does the dongle have this as well?

Anyway I like the choice of chip, and it means that at least oXigen & Scorpius are using the same chip albeit with different protocols. So this opens up some options for the future.

How soon will these be in the shops, I am keen to have a play?

Rich

 

[zipp]

Hi guys
how does one tell which digital cartridge it is please? are there some markings?

i am pretty sure the one i have is for the old 6 car powerbase c7030 and the 4 car? That would be the SCP01d i think?

So this will not work with the new APB c7042? for this i would need the 3v3?

cheers

 

[chris99]

Hi Zipp,

DIGITAL, SLOTIT, AND GE115B are the only markings on my 3v3 C7042 cartridge - don't know if that's exclusive to that cartridge though and whether there are variations.

Hopefully Mr Slot it will confirm?

Cheers
Chris

 

[zipp]

Hi chris,

i have the digital and ge115b, where abouts does yours say slotit please?
i dont seem to have this, perhaps the difference i need?
is it the logo or just written words?

 

[chris99]

Sorry, I cut & pasted too quickly from an old post. Slotit isn't on the cartridge itself. Don't know if these photos will help:

If you still have the box you should see 3v3 on the bar code label & a "C7042/SCX digital compatible" sticker

.

 

[zipp]

No worries Chris, i appreciate your help.
I am pretty sure i have the SCP01d which is for the old 6car and 4car pbs i believe.

What happens if i plug this controller into the APB then......smoke??

 

[MrFlippant]

It won't be BAD, but it won't work correctly. The brake and lane change buttons will not work as they should, and the combination of throttle and buttons will also have unintended results.
This is why it was originally thought to work fine, because it does something. It's just that the results aren't appropriate all the time. ;-) Give it a go, just for a laugh. It won't hurt.

But yes, unless you know you have the 3v3 cartridge, you don't. I recall you got yours quite a while ago, long before the APB and 3v3 controller came out.

 

[zipp]

cheers Greg.

 

[ethobias]

Hi,
Just for information the SCS wireless system will make a bridge between any type of Controller 5V, 3,3V or resistive to any type of base APB, PB6 or PB4.

The different modes are set with a jumper in each Transmitter.

Please read our manual for more information, you find it on our WEB paage, www.slotcarsolutions.com

Best Regards¨
Thobias
SlotCarSolutions

 

[MrFlippant]

Thobias,

Are the v4 wireless kits shipping? A friend of mine ordered 3 sets a while ago and was told that production hadn't begun, or that there was a delay of some kind (I forgot). Do you have all the parts you need ready to go for current orders?

 

[ethobias]

Hi Gregg,

Yes v4 is shipping now, who is your friend? To my knowledge we have no pending orders at the moment......

Best Regards
Thobias
SlotCarSolutions