Carrera Digital Control Unit vs Carrera Digital Black Box - Programming Slot Cars

Before the release of the Digital Control Unit (CU) circa 2009, Carrera digital slot car tracks used the power base and control center called the Black Box (BB).
The video demonstrates how the Carrera D132/D124 CU functions (speed, brake, fuel level, and encoding) were set using the BB despite it not having the corresponding buttons on the user interface for Carrera D132/D124 slot car tracks.
Although the older Black Box will work for a Carrera digital slot car track, the features are not as comprehensive as those of the current Digital Control Unit. Some of the features that the current CU added over its predecessor are that it supports the advanced pit lane functions (when using the pit lane adapter) whereas the BB does not and only the basic pit functions are available. See the pit stop video listed below for more information about pit lane configurations.
Also, the BB does not have integrated lap counting like the CU, therefore to enable automatic lap counting the older lap counting track module (part #30342) must be used. Speed, braking, fuel, and coding of car programming is not as intuitive with the black box, nor does is support the Bluetooth module for connection to a phone or tablet in order to employ race management software. It does, however have the ability to wire to a Windows PC using a serial-to-USB (TTL) converter cable.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Subhuman Racing merchandise is also available and can be found here:
milkhousepress.com/product-ca...
------------------------------------------------------------------
Other Slot Car Racing Videos that May be of Interest
Pit Garage Build for My Carrera Slot Car Track - 3D Printing Scenery
• Pit Garage Build for M...
Converting Carrera Analog Slot Car Track to Digital - Carrera D132/D124
• Converting Carrera Ana...
Carrera Pit Lane Modification - Pro-X Dual Pit Auto-Sorter for Digital 132/124 Slot Car Track
• Carrera Pit Lane Modif...
Carrera Tires vs. Urethane Tires in No-Mag/Magnetless Slot Car Showdown
• Carrera Tires vs. Uret...
Are Carerra Tires Any Good? - Carerra 132/124 Slot Car Tire Care and Feeding
• Are Carerra Tires Any ...
Slot Car Track Update - Carrera Digital 124/132 Club Track
• Slot Car Track Update ...
How Do Digital Slot Cars Work - Scalextric, SCX, and Carrera Digital 132/124 Slot Car Track Sets
• How Do Digital Slot Ca...
Carrera Digital and Analog Track Compatibility - D132, D124, Evolution, Exclusiv Slot Car Track
• Carrera Digital and An...
Building a Slot Car Tire Truing Machine for Cheap - Carrera D132 Slot Car Tuning
• Building a Slot Car Ti...
Repainting a Slot Car - Livery Change for Carrera D132 Road Runner Stock Car
• Repainting a Slot Car ...
Coding Carrera Slot Cars Without the Control Unit - Alternate Programming for Carrera D132
• Coding Carrera Slot Ca...
Replacing the Digital Decoder Chip in Carrera Digital Slot Cars - Carrera Digital 132
• Replacing the Digital ...
Motorized Rotating Sign for a Slot Car Track - Design and Build
• Motorized Rotating Sig...
Quick Track Tip - Banked Turn Supports Carrera 132/124 Slot Car Track
• Quick Track Tip - Bank...
Quick Track Tip - Customizing Borders Carrera 132/124 Slot Car Track
• Quick Track Tip - Cust...
Slot Car Racing Set TV Commercial - Street Racing Downtown • Slot Car Race Track Se...
Custom DIY Guardrails For Your Slot Car Track
• Custom DIY Guardrails ...
DeKon Monza Slot Car - Carrera Digital 1/32 Scale
• DeKon Monza Slot Car -...
1/24th Scale Slot Car Racing - Carrera Digital 124
• 1/24th Scale Slot Car ...
Carrera Digital Slot Car Pit Stop -Setup, Features, Functions, and Operation
• Carrera Digital Slot C...
New Test Track - Carrera Digital 124/132 Slot Car Track Layout
• New Test Track - Carre...
Building a Digital Slot Car Track - Design Considerations Part 3
• Building a Digital Slo...
Building a Digital Slot Car Track - Design Considerations Part 2
• Building a Digital Slo...
Expanding Your New Slot Car Track - Recommended Features to Add First
• Expanding Your New Slo...
Carrera Digital 132 No Magnet Slot Car Racing
• Carrera Digital 132 No...
Carrera Digital 132 Slot Car Review - 1969 Torino Talladega
• Carrera Digital 132 Sl...
Starting a Slot Car Racing Club - Things to Consider (Part 2)
• Starting a Slot Car Ra...
Starting a Slot Car Racing Club - Things to Consider (Part 1)
• Starting a Slot Car Ra...
Building a Modular Table System for Slot Car Tracks
• Building a Modular Tab...
Tuning a New Slot Car (for Non-Slot Car Nerds)
• Tuning a New Slot Car ...
Carrera Digital 132 - Nissan GT-R GT500 Showdown on 95 ft Track
• Carrera Digital 132 - ...
Building a Digital Slot Car Track - Design Considerations
• Building a Digital Slo...
Carrera Digital 132 Ferrari 599XX Showdown
• Carrera Digital 132 Fe...
Carrera Digital 132 Slot Car Racing
• Carrera Digital 132 Sl...

[@supercommando440]

Maaan I’m glad I ran into yor vids. I almost bought a big $500 carrera digital set but realiZed there’s no simple way to run my collection of analog cars on it. But then I realized I can just swap the control tracks out but then I can only run one or the other. Trying to run em combined is a lot trickier/convoluted than I thought it would be. Carrera should just make a control track section that simply lets you switch any lane to analog from digital. No chips, no extra converters. Make it simple Carrera!

[@thomasrusu1647]

Thank you! This is the exact info I've been looking for. I found the black box and lap counter on the cheap, so my son can upgrade his evolution track and jump into the digital world. It may not have all the bells and whistles, but it at least gets him started. My apologies if I overlooked it, but I was looking for a video on your channel that explains how to convert a scalextic car to work on Carrera digital. I did some Googling, but got stuck in information overload.

[@SlotCarLeagueOfChampions]

I believe the new system came out in 07’. Another great video, keep them coming. SCFL!

[@bomamo9620]

Hi over there. You are right. Carrera Digital came in 2007 and exchanged the Pro-X system. 🙂

[@steveadams5417]

Your videos always help me make my track run better, especially when I have a number of racers. The link to last year's video for the alternative method to code cars with the controller - brilliant! Wish I knew that 2 weeks ago, could have avoided the grandkids telling everyone to "go wreck yourself" so they could code a different car (because kids always want to change cars). Keep up the great messages!

[@johnniehobby]

Always good to hear my videos help out. Thanks for the comment. You'll need to excuse me but I'm gonna go and wreck myself.

[@davidwendt2805]

Great channel! Love the Mud Hens jersey

[@johnniehobby]

Thanks. Love the comment.

[@IrrerasCarrera]

Glad to see you making videos. Informative as per usual👍👍

[@johnniehobby]

Glad you like them!

[@austinwilliams4269]

very good information.

[@MichaelRachal]

Johnie. Another great video! Can you please do a video that shows how to achieve Vehicle performance measurement on a Carrera Digital track. I know this is possible by setting up multiple check lanes connected together but the illustration show like 5 connected together. The previous section in the instructions covers Sector timings and states the max is 3 sectors. So here are my questions: Are these mutually exclusive? Can I have 3 sectors (2 check lanes) and a series of 3 or 4 connected check lanes to act as a speed trap in one of those sectors? My assumption is "no" but I thought I'd ask.

[@johnniehobby]

I pulled up the instructions and see the area of confusion. The way I read it is there is a maximum of three timing sections, but doesn't actually say there is a limit on the number of timing tracks adjacent to each other, even going so far as to note that you need more than three consecutive units for proper performance measurement. Thus, I'd go with that. I don't have any experience with that component, though, so I can't offer much more info at this time.

[@SinappiaSuupielessa]

Does that controller that you used with the black box work with the controller unit?

[@johnniehobby]

Yes, it does.

[@SinappiaSuupielessa]

@@johnniehobby Ok! Thanks!

[@electricfootballhero1349]

Both require a $45 addon for the privilege of Bluetooth connectivity with racing aps, and that's utterly ridiculous in 2024.

[@johnniehobby]

Agreed. Carrera isn't cheap. Years ago when using the Black Box the BT wasn't a thing and the only way to use race software was to connect to a PC via cable. Carrera sold the "PC Unit" to do that and it cost $100. We made our own (USB TTL Cable with a PS/2 end from an old computer mouse) for about $20, and we are still using it today.

[@SewfastSpeedway]

Bought a a old digital set that came with the black box and no instructions, wasn’t fun. Bought a CU and everything was good. This video would have helped.

[@man_manty]

What happens if you run out of fuel in the middle of the race?

[@johnniehobby]

It depends on how the pit lane is configured. If using the pit lane adapter (PLA) and you run out of fuel, the system no longer counts your laps as you cross the start/finish line. If not using the PLA, then the car slows down to about half speed, although it will continue to count lap crossings.

[@man_manty]

Thank you

[@BUY_YOUTUB_VIEWS.800]

Loved it!