QUOTE (mINdAt3z @ 16 Aug 2012, 14:31)
<{POST_SNAPBACK}>... The car-chip.
Basically the same when it comes to "ease of use".
It says Slot.IT on it, it´s wireless and you have to add a hall-effect sensor to the car on the side.
Otherwise it´s basically as easy or hard to use as SSD chip.
Slot.IT cars will of course most likely more easilly fit Slot.IT chips, be it SSD compatible or Oxigen chips just as Scalextric SSD chips fits more easilly into a Scalextric car.
One advantage I guess is the ease of upgrading the software in them maybe, compared to Scalextric at least where you are stuck with the software in the chip as delivered, unless you go totally rogue.
Magnets on the track for time keeping instead of... oh, what does Scaley use for start/finish? Guide triggers maybe.
You slap some magnets under the track for start/finish line and pit-in/pit-out and the added hall effect sensor picks it up and the car signals the dongle that it´s passed them.
2 - Reliability
I can´t say I have ever experienced any problems with Scalextric Advanced Powerbase 6 and SSD, so I can´t imagine Oxigen being more "reliable". I run my APB6 in both digital and analog mode and have never had any issues what so ever. Have I had issues with the software I´ve run, sure... Tried several racing softwares (will not name any names not to upset anyone forgotten or mentioned) and I am sure they all have their bugs or problems, might it be SSD, Oxigen or any other system.
I personally expect a few bugs and glitches with the chips, dongle for the PC and so on due to the products being a bit new and new features being added all the time. But... I rather have a digital system that is being progressed and running into a few bugs now and then, then being stuck with Hornby´s stale firmware for the APB6 that they dont even maintain themselfs since version 0.85 (was it?) and that in that point could not even count laptimes correctly (thankfully, someone else is making updates).
3 - My own Point, bit of this and that.
Is it wireless. Sure.
Cars communicate wirelessly with the PC through a USB dongle.
The throttle communicate with the PC through the USB dongle (I think there is no direct car -> throttle Communication).
But that´s more a question of ease of firmware upgrades, the number of cars you can run simultaneously (20 instead of 6) on the track (since the SSD signals through the rails do not offer the same bandwidth and response times), and two-way communication between the car and the PC offers the possibility to add more features in the racing software in the future compared to SSD. Less about "wireless driving".
If you are looking for a great wireless racing solution, I dont think Slot.IT has quite yet made it. The SCP1 was designed long before Oxigen and it still requires the controller to be plugged into an external powersource such as a battery pack. And if you read about wireless throttles that are starting to pop up on the forum, I think you will see that they do not count battery life in hours as Slot.It does with the SCP1 and the Oxigen cartridge, but maybe days.
So wireless on the track. Maybe semi-wireless, good enough solution for the driver and I am sure Slot.IT and other brands will come up with new low-powered designs for Oxigen throttles in the future also.
I´m not gonna put my life on it, but my opinion is that the price for a Scalextric APB6, USB-Cable, PC-software and car-chips are
ALMOST almost the same price as buying a simple variable power supply, the USB-dongle and settle with Oxigens own RMS software.
The huge difference is the throttles. If you are planning to go Oxigen all the way, you need to invest in SCP1 throttles with the Oxigen cartridge all the way. And since a SCP1 controller is way more expensive then any Scalextric throttle, with Oxigen, SSD or for that matter Analog cartridge, it can not be compared. But then again, neither can the quality and functions of the throttles.
The car chips might be a tad bit more expensive (here it differs maybe 8-10 euro´s).
So to sum it up. Does Oxigen give you something you feel you need more then Scalextric? More then 6 cars on the track? Are you planning to buy new throttles with the same quality, features and in the same price range as the SCP1? Then sure, why not go Oxigen while you are at it.
Otherwise... you can always go SSD, wait a bit and hook up Oxigen later.
Another advantage is motor. You can run "any" motor. You are no longer limited to the orange can. I have run NSR motors and scaleauto and avantslot which previously have burned SSD chips.
BTW, you do not need a dongle to use O2. The controller speaks to the chip without the need of a computer.
