[moped rider]

Adrian Norman has posted a reply to a question on the Scalextric website:-

"Standard non-Digital cars made from 2005 onwards will be made with mounting points on the chassis ready for the hobbyist to convert to digital."

This should make it a whole lot easier. I guess that it will apply to any new chassis that Hornby introduce and not cars offered in 2005 but designed prior to 2005. But who knows.

Cheers
Moped

 

[jnr_seahorse]

Good news!
Still doesn't help the 50 cars already in my collection that I would need to convert.
JS

 

[jonny s]

That`ll help the newbies, `old lags` like you Jnr Seahorse will have no problems squeezing them in. It is a good idea though, I just wish that Adrian would post more often here.

 

[Taz]

More importantly it is a clear indication that Scalextric intend to continue to run digital and analogue side by side

Taz

 

[BEEJAY7]

Awful news...You've got it wether you want it or not!.......Is it to be yet another pod that appears on the chassis.

I fear the worst, but will await pictures and details before making a decision on potential future Scalextric purchases.

Sadly

Alan

 

[astro]

beejay - assuming scalextric are continuing development as seen at the toy fair, there is likely to be a hole in an identical place to the old 'front button magent hole' in current chassis, but some internal brackets or prongs for the chip and LED to be secured to INSIDE the car; I suspect you don't need to worry.

Plus - Scalextric took note and removed the pod from those classic cars in the end, their new guide looking a lot more discrete than traditional guides look on that era of car.

 

[phipster]

Hang on a mo, I was under the impression that all recent releases (last 3 years or so) were already set up so the the chip could easily be installed in them? Wasn't it part of the Scalextric benefits - that current cars could be converted easily??

 

[jonny s]

That`s correct you can. Astro posted it as I understood from Adrians` explanation at Toy Fair. Don`t worry Beejay it`s a painless op that doesn`t show

 

[astro]

i presume with cars from the last 3 years, you will need some tape to hold the chip in place; with the new chassis, you won't. All guesswork, based on what we have been told so far

 

[BEEJAY7]

As I said Guys I'm happy to wait and see some pictures, before making a decision. I am however concerned about cost implications. One of the main selling points of Scalextric cars for me has always been price.

As regards the pods, as far as I'm concerned they are still there. They may have a bit of black paint on them, but they are still present. I'm still looking for a photograph showing a Vanwall racing with an air dam, but I'm afraid I have yet to find one!.

Now the guide which suddenly appeared on all new Scalextric releases, do we yet have an answer from Scalextric as to why they introduced them?....No. Could it be once again in preparation for new digital technology?....but it is something we must all suffer if we continue to buy their cars.

Regards

Alan

 

[ruhdwulf]

The new Audi TT (and I assume the Porsche Boxster) already have a tiny hole for mounting the chip.

With older cars, I'm assuming you could drill a hole or tape or glue the chip or chip mount in place. Scalextric also claims that any other model slotcar can be easily converted. To me, this indicates that all of the digital work is going on in the chip. In my mind, the chip in the car is a controller for the motor (like the controllers for r/c electric aircraft), receiving its instructions from a chip in the digital hand controller.

So placing the chip/controller anywhere in the current flow between the electrical input from the slot braid and the motor will convert any car.

Now the problem is a switch on the digital feed to allow the digital track to run non-digital cars as well as digital.

Hope I don't have this too mucked up.

Mike

 

[Doug]

Look at the S&H Torino, it has something that is probably the chip mounting point and a hole for a LED just behind the front axel.

 

[astro]

well spotted! From the spacing of those tall clip posts, the chip looks like it might be massive... yet they reckon it will fit in GP cars?

confusing

 

[jonny s]

Well spotted! Adrian was saying that the chip will fit Dave so I can rest easy after hearing it from him. Be different if I`d heard it from the `other` Hornby rep

 

[astro]

the chip can be seen inside a porsche boxter near the middle of the overview video on this thread

I wonder if there is a compact version of the chip for F1 cars?

 

[McLaren]

"Adrian was saying that the chip will fit Dave"

But why would you want to race Dave? No offence, but he's not any quicker than my Slot.It Audi...

McLaren

PS. It's been said before...

"Eats, shoots and leaves" - Read it.

 

[Tropi]

QUOTE Be different if I`d heard it from the `other` Hornby rep
That would be MISS Rep!

 

[McLaren]

"That would be MISS Rep!"

Or Mrs Rep...

McLaren

 

[Doug]

As you see the chip is quite big:

Photo: Alan Smith