Aftermarket hopups:  Both conventional and digital cars can be equipped with different tires, traction magnets, and even motors to increase their performance.  Motor and magnet hopups cause the car to draw more amperage from the track and often require the track to be equipped with a higher-amperage power supply or separate power to each lane as well as aftermarket controllers with resistance values (or their solid-state equivalent) better suited to the needs of the cars.  With a conventional system power upgrades are easy, often plug-and-play.  Connection tracks, or power bases, often come with sockets for plugging in a power supply for each lane.  A variety of high-quality aftermarket controllers that plug directly into the various manufacturers’ connection tracks is readily available for conventional systems.  So far, however, there are no aftermarket upgrade controllers for digital systems, though that will undoubtedly change before long. 

With digital systems the power demands of modified cars collide with the power demands of multiple lane change gates to make power system upgrades, especially the separate powering of the lane changers, even more necessary.  None of the stock power systems that come with digital race sets will go very far with either before needing to be upgraded.  Modified cars require power upgrades on conventional tracks, too, but most people who are not engaged in all-out organized competition can add plenty of performance to their cars without needing to go beyond a simple plug-and-play installation of one standard power supply per lane.  (On this last point you’ll get vehement disagreement from some posters on slot car bulletin boards.  However, our long-term experience demonstrates that for most slot car hobbyists it’s more important to equalize their cars at a performance (and cost) level and set of driving characteristics they enjoy than to take every car to the outer limits of the performance envelope.  This great majority of home slot car racers simply doesn’t need extreme power upgrades.)

These are the basic factors that affect your choice between conventional and digital slot car racing.  Both are great fun and each has its advantages and disadvantages.  You may very well want further advice or information after reading this, and we invite you to call us at 310-858-8540.  We’ll be glad to have one of our technical experts give you all the help you need in making the best choice for you.