OmniSlotBox enables use of any analog slot car on Carrera digital track.

 Yes when in the Digital mode, all Carrera functions work as they should. Of course you cannot use the switches in Analog mode.  Normal Analog function is one car per lane. Race formats are typically "round robin" so any number of drivers can be accommodated.  All drivers run all lanes for equal time.  Most laps wins. 

No.  OmniSlotBox provides true high power analog.  So you can use any analog controller that suits your car.  Also using a variable power supply you can tune the track power to the speed and sensitivity to a sweet spot.  With two power supplies you can adjust each lane independently to match them or to slow down cars for young drivers. 

Through careful design, robust construction, years of testing easy installation asn accessible support. OmniSlotBox makes switching between carrera Digital and true high amperage Analog practical.

Mixing standard Carrera analog and Carrera systems without OmniSlotBox will definitely cause failures.  Complex rewiring or using decoders in boxes to power analog lanes cars is also fragile and unreliable.  Early Carrera Pro-X era lane switches had jumpers that connected the two lane into one circuit. For analog to work correctly lanes must be on separate (Isolated) circuits.  

It seems all recent  Carrera product is wired for isolated  lanes.  The only exception seems to be on curved switches.  For this reason, we include a tool to confirm isolation and instruction on how to easily isolate your lanes if any lane jumpers exist. It is as simple as removing the screws in a plastic cover and unplugging a jumper wire.  This voids the Carrera warrantee on the switch, but damage has never resulted from use in 5 years of heavy actual race testing. 

If lanes remain connected, analog will not work correctly as both lanes would be powered by one controller, but even then, there would not be any damage to Carrera components.  

Here is why: Carrera lane switches and accessories connect to the positive rail of one lane and the negative of the other. This works because in digital mode, both lanes are in the same circuit. OmniSlotBox separates the two lanes so no current  flow through the Carrera electronics at all in analog mode.. 

 Good question, because the curve switches seem to be the only Carrera parts that still have a jumper between lanes. To run analog on any track the two lanes must not share a connection between positive rails. All OmniSlotBox kits include a conductivity test tool so you can easily check for and find any connections between positive rails. Usually this is only found on curve switches and some older switch sections. On removing the plastic cover, the jumper is easily removed. We recommend it be repositioned to join the rail in the curve to the same rail in the next section. Easily done with, NO special tools, parts or soldering required. Full instructions are included in the owners manual. Thanks for asking! 

 On most of our power supplies we  limit top voltage modifying the adjustment knob and adding a rubber bumper that prevents turning the voltage knob beyond
18 volts. The bumper could be peeled off or the knob could be removed and
repositioned, if one wanted to use the full 30 Volts, but as you know, that
risks damage to the Carrera CU. Also there is no application for slot cars
above 18 volts. The voltage meter will always show the current setting.  When in Digital Mode Voltage must always be set between 12.5 and 18 volts. or damage to Carrera component could result. 

 When using a variable power supply with Carrera digital is important to always set voltage between 12.5 and 18 volts.  In the unlikely event that you do use voltages out of this range for analog (why would you?) adjust voltage  before switching to Digital mode.  Carrera electronics and switches will not work properly at lower or high voltages and failures could occur. The most common failure is a switch flipper getting bent due to an incomplete or slow switch.  This sometimes occurs with normal Carrera use, but the most likely cause is insufficient voltage to the switch.  For best performance and reliability we recommend multiple power taps on large tracks and running 18 volts when in digital mode. Most customers with good power taps like running 14.5  volts at all times with both modes. Carrera 1/24 scale cars are slow on 14.5 volts, so either adjust to 18vlts when running them or fit your 1/24 cars with RMS  motors and they will be plenty fast on the same 14.5 that the 1/32 like. When running 18 Volts in digital mode 1/32 cars will be too fast but you can slow them with the CU speed control or in race control software.  

 OmniSlotBox has connections for two analog controllers and outputs for two analog lanes. More analog lanes can be added with wiring and driver panel kits from Slot Car Corner or Professor Motor.  To run more than two lanes with ALL being Analog/Digital switchable will require a special unit. We are designing a 4 lane unit, but delivery date is uncertain. We are not convinced yet that there is demand for this as most clients feel that two lane Digital/Analog with any additional lanes Analog only is fine. There is in no problem with more digital lanes such as pit lanes or wide tracks, but sharing those lanes as independent analog lanes is more difficult. If that is what you need, let us know, as we could do a custom unit or front burner the 4 lane project.

Several things... Chipping a fleet of cars can really add up, and installing chips in some cars is difficult and time consuming.  Most track owners i know have an average of 25 cars.  Chipping 25 cars $40 per car is $1,000.

Chips limit motors that can be used.  They can only carry so much current before overheating. With true "chipless" analog and a good power supply you can run a whole universe of cars that would kill chips including vintage cars that often have less efficient motors and more powerful motors including those used in metal chassis commercial cars.  

If you really want to scratch build, you can even wind your own armatures and prepare motor set-up as the racers of the 1960's did and top racers still do today. Tp quality motors are tunable and rebuildable.  You are not limited to generic disposable motors.  

We really like Digital racing, but true "chipless" Analog has other advantages too.  There are a huge variety of analog controllers from very inexpensive to extremely exotic for analog racing. They make a real difference in driving experience and lap times.   

Finally, not everyone always enjoys the traffic that sharing lanes in digital brings in.  It is nice to chase the perfect lap without being blocked by slower cars, running into cars stopped in your lane, or being crashed in imprudent switches.  This is especially true with driving rare vintage treasures or a scratch built car you have spent many hours perfecting!

Jim Cunningham, creator of OmniSlotBox answers:  I am a fan of all forms of slot racing.  I started with Aroura Model Motoring HO in 1962.  When I started racing at large commercial tracks in the mid 1960's I experienced slot cars "Golden Era".  When I began winning races I learned that if I won the Wednesday night race 3 weeks in a row on the fourth week few wanted to race, so I developed a habit or retiring winning cars and starting a new series to work my way up. In this way, I have raced about every scale and style of slot car over the past 50 years. I have kept most of my "retired" cars, maintained and ready to run. the high detail f recent 1/32 cars seduced me and they form the bulk of my 1500 car collection now.  I developed OmniSlotBox, to enjoy all that the hobby offers. I think the variety of forms and the challenges they offer is what has kept my passion for slot cars alive.