Wednesday September 08, 2004

Birth Of  A New Hobby!



The Carrera PRO-X Digital Racing System

 

For more than a year we have been hearing and seeing all over the Internet about the new digital racing systems. The system I was interested in was the new Carrera PRO-X line due to the fact it featured Classic NASCARS, and thanks to LGB and Carrera we had a set here in time for our Labor Day Slot Car Shootout. It did not take very long to for us to realize that this IS a whole new hobby and that it was more fun than any of us thought it could be...especially me!

 

This review is quite different than many I have done in the past because I am actually doing more reporting than reviewing. At the time this set arrived, as I stated above we had scheduled a slot car racing event that included many veteran and new enthusiasts. We stood back and watched the reactions from them and I asked questions after they had tried racing it to see how they felt and get there suggestions and comments. From their feedback is where we have come to our final opinions of the system.

Digital racing is a new concept for most of us in the hobby. Basically, digital racing allows you to race multiple cars in the same lane and allows you to create a more realistic driving experience. We have all seen our share of 1:1 racing where the cars are in a line from bumper to bumper down the back stretch or slicing through the turns. With digital racing you can re-create this type of action in 1/32nd scale and in effect it is a whole new hobby unto itself.

Getting Started

Once we opened the box we found everything neatly packed and complete. The instructions included are most likely the most important part of this new set and they are easy to follow and understand. Several enthusiasts read over how to program the models and all of them felt that it was very simple and easy to accomplish. This set includes 2 Classic NASCARS, 2 Controllers, 1 Black Box power base with power supply, 11 standard straights, 2 PRO-X lane changing track sections, 120 track clips, 4 replacement braid sections for the cars, 12 banked curve supports, and 12 of the broader radius 2/30 degree banked curves. The layout assembled is 12.12 x 3.11 feet.

Our first step of course was track and power assembly. The track in this set is identical to standard Carrera track so we were familiar in the assembly. Using the new red track clips made things a little easier as they seem to have a better fit to them. Once we had the track assembled we then plugged in the 2 controllers and transformer and were ready to start racing. It took us less than 30 minutes to have the entire system assembled and ready for action.

New Car Features

Among the many differences between digital and traditional racing, some of the most important ones deal with the models themselves. The models come equipped with several new changes. Looking at the underneath of the model we can see the location of the dip switch box and the new guide and magnet system. Inside the model is a circuit board where the dip switch box is attached along with an electronic eye that activates the lane changing track sections.

The magnet system is actually a nice feature and it worked very well. The magnet sits on 2 rails that has a spring attached to it. The guide blade has a post that sits in the new magnet bracket and when the guide is turned, the magnet swings with it. This really helps keep these models pinned to the track in the corners and we all liked the self-centering feature. On very hard crashes (which happens) the guide might pop out of the magnet bracket, but it will snap right back in place easily.

The guide blade or "keel" is very long and has square holes through the sides of it. This longer blade helps with negotiating the lane changing track sections and the holes are for the new digital lap counter that will be available for the PRO-X system. We will cover this new lap counter soon and we will go more in depth how that works. For right now though the new guide and magnet system functions as intended and testing has shown it to be very durable. The new braid system is another neat option that makes sure you have excellent electrical contact along with making braid changing a lot easier. Since there are some slight gaps in the rails at the lane changing track, having a double braid system allows for less power failure if you go slow through the switches.

As you can see, the braid has 2 strands on each side and is connected to a brass clamp. It simply snaps in and out and you can do this by hand with no need for any tools. The guide has the wires soldered inside for improved contact as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

To program a model for operation, you must set this dip switch box to match a certain controller. This in effect gives the model it's own "address". For example, all the switches in the down position indicated in the instructions means that model is programmed for controller #1. Only that controller will operate the model. The instructions show very clearly how to do this and you will be up and running in no time. Both the models in the set come pre-programmed so you can simply check to see which setting they are at and choose the appropriate controller. It is only additional models that you will need to program before racing. LGB sent us 2 extra models to race with so we could have 4 people racing and these models had to programmed for controllers #3 and #4.

One interesting feature of the PRO-X system is the "Ghost" or what I like to call the "Jam Car" (anyone remember the HO TCR?) feature. You can program a model to run by itself with no controller needed to in effect force you to negotiate it and race around it. It has 3 different speed levels but you will want to set it at the fastest position as even on this setting the model is very slow. Removing the rear bar magnet allows this model to be a little faster and makes racing the ghost car a little more challenging.

And to make it even better for those who race alone, you can set multiple cars on the same ghost function and race against them by yourself. This might mean a great deal to those who do not have many people to race with and after trying it for awhile I thought it was a great built-in feature.

How Lane Changing Works

On the front of your controller, you can see an additional button. To change lanes you must press and hold this button right before you get to the lane changing track section. The track section has a metal "gate" or switch that will swing open and allow your car to change lanes.

Operation of this was flawless and in fact was better than I thought it would be. Looking underneath the model again, you can see a small "sensor" eye. There is also a small sensor eye on the lane changing track section as shown in the photo. When you press and hold the button to change lanes, the gate will not open until the eye on the car passes over the eye on the track.

Once the gate opens you can see in the photo that there is a small return post on the gate. The guide on the model contacts this post and closes the gate behind it. We really thought this was a great system and it means you cannot force another car to change lanes and once the car closes the gate another car cannot enter even if it is right behind it.

Power

The power base or "Black Box" that Carrera calls it is the heart of the system. Each controller plugs into a port utilizing a small phone type jack and everything plugged together easily. The transformer in this set is a little higher than the standard ones found in traditional sets, especially in the amperage department. This model was rated at 17 Volts DC with 1450mA. This extra power is certainly needed if you are going to race up to 5 models. Although it is stronger than standard versions, with 4 models on the track you can tell that more amperage could benefit the system as when one person de-slots, the other models get a slight burst of power. Does this prevent the system from functioning or hinder the fun factor? NO. I am sure we will test multiple after-market power options in the future, but as it stands now the system functions as intended and was more than enough to enjoy.

The Black Box also has a race future built into it to allow a more organized start to your racing. Place the cars in the starting grid areas and press the start button. The lights on the box will act as a "Christmas Tree" and count down to the last light. When that happens you hear a tone ad you can start racing. If you jump the gun and start before you were supposed to, the light corresponding to that lane will flash indicating who committed the foul.

Let's Race!

The very first laps with this new system told many of us that we were in for one fun weekend of racing. At first it bugged me that the NASCARS were going clockwise, but that passed quickly. Passing each other and "drafting" these models were a sight to see. Of course one thing became VERY clear while we tested it: You will crash into other cars, and when you do it isn't pretty. However, this was exactly what I wanted to see. Basically, many of us treated these models like we were having a demolition derby and not a "real" race. The Superbird's with the nose on the front acts just like a shovel and you can literally "scoop" your opponent right off the track!

It is almost hard to put into words how much different...and how much fun this new type of racing can be. Fast and furious is one of them! At almost 17 volts these models are really moving and when a car de-slots or gets booted out of the way, the models take very hard tumbles to the ground. With 3 or 4 cars on the track you can literally drive them flat out without ever letting up on the throttle.

I am glad we raced this way because I wanted to see how these models would hold up. Newcomers to this hobby will most likely treat these models the same way at some point, and we felt it was important to push this system to a certain level of abuse. The models held up very well except for the wings. These popped loose rather quickly and we simply set them aside during racing to protect them.

What about those who want to race with a little more attention to detail? We soon discovered how challenging this new racing can be and that careful reflexes are key to cleaner racing. Timing a pass just right to slip in between 2 other adversaries is something you won't soon forget, and adds a lot to the realistic driving effect.

Tactical Racing

Carrera is also releasing a PIT LANE feature to this system and that added effect is what they have dubbed "Tactical Racing". The pit lane feature will add another element to the racing by forcing you to stop for "fuel". If you don't get to pit lane on time your car will begin to slow down. Since the pit lane will only accept one car at a time, it forces you to time your pit stop correctly against other racers.

Questions & Answer Time

Some enthusiasts that are now with us have had many questions about this system and we will cover some of the more important ones. Keep in mind that most of the conclusions are not simply my own opinion, but from many other racers who tested the system here. 

Can you convert existing models to the digital system? The answer is no. Is this a big limiting factor to this system? Not really. After racing on this system, I asked several veteran enthusiasts if they would want to try any conversions. Since witnessing the hard racing these models went through, no one was eager to convert their favorite Fly Classic or new Vette anytime soon.

You have already the choice between the Classic NASCARS and Formula 1, and of course there are more model choices soon to follow. Regardless what anyone might say, the facts from our testing tell that most average racers that purchased this system would not take the time or effort to even worry about converting other models. You can paint these PRO-X NASCARS just like you could a traditional model, so creating a larger field isn't that hard to do. Again, remember this system is just getting started and more models will take time to release.

Will standard models work on digital? Of course the answer is no. You will need decoder equipped models to utilize the digital system.

What about after-market controllers and power? Well, again the system is brand new. You must use the controllers that are in the set. I have no idea what the controllers are rated at, and to be honest it doesn't concern me. They actually function very well for thumb type controllers and after seeing the abuse they took, I don't see a reason to have them changed. According to the instructions, the only power supply advised is the one that comes in the set. However, we will test other DC power supplies later on to see if the set still functions. I briefly tested one power supply and the models and system still functioned fine, but, long term use is another story. I would advise leaving it the way it is as it provides plenty of power to enjoy the racing.

Final Thoughts

Given the amount of fun we have had with this new system, I can only give it praise. It functions as it should and provides the user with a very satisfying slot car experience. Whether you are a veteran of our hobby or just getting started, if you choose to get this system, you will most likely have a great deal of fun which is what this hobby is all about.

-Harry

 

 

Kurt Moser was a visitor here during the testing and has sent in his thoughts on the system. You owe yourself to take the time and give this a read!

As always feel free to contact me about this article or just the hobby in general at harry@homeracingworld.com, or better yet drop into our Message Forum and share your thoughts with other enthusiasts!

I would like to thank Carrera and LGB of America for providing us with this new system!