2009 Feb: The first SSD version have been on sale for about a year now and are still available in kit form from Pendle Slot Racing. Digital track racers have become more accustomed to the technology and are wanting more from the controllers. A new version is being tested and should be ready for production in a few weeks.
2009 Oct: Production is under way and a kit version as well as complete controllers will be available soon. Expected date is towards the end of October.
Images and information should be in the web site in the next week or so.
2009 Nov: Stock of boards has arrived now. Test results to finalise the response curves that will be available are to follow soon. Stock should be available towards the end of November this year.
2009 Dec: Stock has been built for Pendle Slot Racing and is available from their web site www.pendleslotracing.co.uk
2010: A £58 introductory price has been decided for the new Digital Controller and is available direct from TruSpeed or via participating dealers.
2011: The new branded controller handles are almost ready now and the final designs for the electronics are being tested. The new range should be available early next year. Pre-orders are being taken now to send out as soon as stocks are ready.
2012: The SSD controller has been upgraded with a new handle and has a new 36 step contact board. The quality has improved but the price has dropped since the own branded parts have reduced production costs on buying 3rd party handles.
2013: The SCX-D has been tested and is due for release at the end of April 2013.
See the review on the Slot Car Illustrated Forum.
2013 May: Delays in manufacture of boards has pushed these to be available at the end of June 2013.
2013: The SCX-D is now available on the web site under digital controllers.
2013 Oct: The Carrera-D is due to be launched by December 2013. It is a direct replacement for the original controllers, but has the extra feature of a control to adjust the sensitivity even while you are driving. Smoothness of control over all lanes will be lot easier with this addition.
2013 Oct: The Scalextric SSD II now has a Sensitivity Control upgrade. Instead of fitting different fixed curve Contact Boards to change the trigger feel, an adjustable board has been developed. This is the Contact Board 4.0 for SSD II
2014 Jan: This month sees the release of the new SSD III, Carrera-D, SCX-D and Ninco-D controllers. Each has an adjustable sensitivity pot and a Brake switch. The aim is to have the all with the Spring tension adjusters fitted as standard once stocks of the new mechanism come in.
2019: Constant attention to the contact system has lead to a re-design of the digital controller main boards across the range.
This is a simpler and more reliable system that has also sped up production times and so enabled prices to remain as low as they have been.
Increases to cost of production have now forced some selling price rises for 2020.
2022 June: The global issues caused by Covid, the war in Ukraine and general financial downturn has led to multiple problems for manufacturers everywhere.
I have managed to produce most of the digital controllers to the point where they just need the plastic handle casings. These casings have been held up Shanghai for several months and are expected only late in August this year 2022.
Availability will return to normal after the handle casings arrive.
