Well, the digital age has finally reached our beloved hobby, and just like everything else that technology touches, there is good, and there is bad. For the last 40 years or so the world of 1/32 slot cars hasn't changed much. Until now, the concept has been simple, one slot car per lane with one person controlling that car and you race with another guy in a totally separate lane. Well, with the introduction of digital slot cars, the whole concept has been blown out of the water! Each brand is somewhat different, but in general the advantages seem apparent. Now up to 8 cars and drivers can compete on a two lane track (depending on the brand you select), making for a more real world racing scenario. The need for multi-lane tracks to accommodate more than 2 drivers has been eliminated and for Scalextric, Ninco, and Carrera owners, you can adapt your existing tracks to digital by adding the appropriate digital slot car accessories. (SCX uses only SCX digital track).

So, it's all good right? Well, maybe not. Let's take a closer look.

One of the biggest drawbacks I can see is that your current 'analog' cars of say the Ninco and Fly slot car brands, will not function on all the new digital slot car tracks. Now there are two digital track systems that will allow other non-digital brands of slot cars on their digital track. The first to do this is Scalextric. Their digital track sets have been out since June 2004. The new guy on the block is Ninco N-Digital. This is also the approach they have taken. For Carrera and SCX, you can only race Carrera Digital 132 (or their Digital 124 line) and SCX Digital respectively and this may be a concern depending on your taste for slot cars! It doesn't take long for someone in this great hobby to acquire a great collection of slot cars; that is a tremendous amount of the enjoyment of the hobby for many of us. Many of us don't want to have to limit ourselves to one particular brand of slot cars. We definitely aren't about to give up on our beloved favorites.

However, for those of you who are just getting started, check out Carrrera and SCX; they may be just what you are looking for. Carrera has a nice collection of Carrera Digital 132 cars; SCX has a smaller collection but still probably enough for pure digital racers. All of these digital systems have different accessories, and technology. You just need to see which one fits your needs the best!

Another concern for those of us who have been in the analog a little while: many of us own expensive lap counters and controllers that will automatically become obsolete...you need digital lap counters, controllers, etc. to communicate with these digital cars. One last concern for some of our customers is that digital is more expensive. Cars and track sets will be approximately 20 to 30% higher in cost. Servicing cars will be more difficult and there is just plain more to go wrong with them. Sensitive electronics inside the car could be hurt in the unavoidable (you are trying to avoid them right?) crashes and possible kiddo/pet mishandling. Part of the attraction of the 1/32 slot car hobby for many slot car fans is the simplicity. Kids from ages 8 to 80 can enjoy the hobby almost from the very moment they put finger to trigger.

That said, I think the digital concept is extremely exciting! I've been hearing that kids totally love digital...hmmm kids, cars, crashes...I can't see the connection myself! Adults? It's been mixed...Lots of guys are calling and telling me they are having a blast with the digital; some of them are diehard analog guys; and digital isn't for them. So, it depends on what you are looking for there. But, I really think digital is here to stay, and for a lot of slot car nuts; it's just the ticket!

We do get lots of calls from customers trying to decide which digital track set to buy. Here are the questions we ask you and info we always cover:

Most important... do you have lots of space? Do you have a basement room or a ping pong table area? If you say... "I have lots of space"... then great! So far you are still good for any of the digital track sets. If however, you are more of the table size variety, then honestly, you need to eliminate Carrera. This is a great system; but it is like putting a St. Bernard in an apartment. Yikes! All of our track sets give you space required; so to get a better feel of what we are saying take a look at the biggest Carrera set and the biggest Scalextric set, then check out how much space they need.

Let's rule out the space issue and see what the other big differences are between these 4 brands. (If you need to eliminate Carrera, then just focus on the other three.) The big differences right now are:

Carrera, Scalextric and SCX digital sets come complete with ready to race digital cars. Ninco's newest digital set does include digital cars, but their N-Digital Mastertrack does not include them, so be careful on your choice. Ninco has the fewest digital cars (just added these in 2008 due to customer demand). Ninco wants you to pop in adaptors on analog cars and so for now, their focus is to offer just a few 'starter digital' cars.

Scalextric offers both Scalextric digital cars and microprocessors so you have RTR digital; then you can adapt any 1/32 analog car to their track. In 2007 Scalextric started offering 'digital plug ready' cars, these analog plug ready cars can be fitted with the digital plug in less than a minute, and then if you decide you want to do some analog racing, you can take out the 'digital plug' just as fast. Their 2008 line up is really expanding on this concept. Carrera Digital 132 and SCX digital only allow their own brand of digital slot cars; no adapting other cars. (However Carrera Digital 132 has a 'switch' on the bottom of their cars, so you can race analog also, and Carrera has a nice selection of Carrera analog cars that can be 'chipped' to increase your digital car selection.) Ninco digital set is set up for you to purchase analog 1/32 slot cars of any brand, (however our Ninco rep tells us, Ninco only guarantees Ninco cars can be chipped). Scalextric also says that you can take one of their digital cars and race it on non-digital track.

Track differences: The big one here is that SCX digital only works with SCX digital track. So, if you are interested in expanding beyond the basic track system; the dollars can add up. (SCX Digital track system does come with 3 cars and 3 controllers...so figure that in when you compare prices.) Carrera, Scalextric, Ninco all use analog track. Then you add the digital track pieces as needed for passing etc.. Expansion with these systems is much easier on the budget!

These are the biggest differences as we see them.