Editing Digital Command Control (section)

== System components ==
The fundamental DCC system consists of a single command station, and at least one of each of the following: a power station, a throttle and a decoder.  The command station, power station and throttle are conceptually distinct devices but are often found combined into a single physical "all-in-one" device as an entry-level product.

* The '''command station''' acts as an interface between the throttles and the decoders. Any DCC system will only have one command station. The communication protocol on the throttle network is not specified by any DCC standard and as such, command stations are devices that convert signals from a throttle network to the standardized DCC encoding (but without power amplification). They often include many other features not necessarily part of any DCC standard.
* '''Power stations'''<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2021-04-09 |title=S-9.1 DCC Electrical Standard |url=https://www.nmra.org/sites/default/files/standards/sandrp/DCC/S/s-9.1_electrical_standards_for_digital_command_control_2021.pdf |access-date=2024-01-07 |website=National Model Railroad Association}}</ref> (commonly known as '''boosters''') act as current [[Amplifier|amplifiers]], and provide most or all of the electrical power required by DCC vehicles by amplifying the command signal from the command station. The number of power stations required in a DCC system will depend on the number of vehicles that are intended to receive commands (and thus draw current) from any one command station.  
* '''Throttles''', both virtual and physical, provide an interface for the user to interact with the DCC system. Commands issued by a user via a throttle are sent to the command station to be forwarded to the decoders (or another throttle). The number of throttles required in a DCC system will depend on the number of users interacting with the system. Typically a user will not operate more than one or two throttles at any given time.
* '''Decoders''' are receivers to commands forwarded from the command station. Each decoder is assigned an address and respond only to commands issued to their respective address, hence it can be thought that they 'decode' messages. Some decoders are [[Transceiver|transceivers]], which can transmit data back to the command station to be forwarded to the throttles. Despite their name, decoding addresses is only a portion of a decoder's purpose. Decoders typically contain additional circuitry (e.g. for power regulation, motor control, sound synthesis) because once the decoder receives commands destined for its address, decoders need to perform the command requested of it. Mobile decoders are designed to be installed in a moving vehicle, such as a model [[locomotive]], and control nearly every aspect of the vehicle's behavior, such as direction of travel, speed of travel, lighting effects and sound effects. Accessory or stationary decoders enable basic [[General-purpose input/output|GPIO]] to operate any other stationary features, such as [[Railroad switch|turnouts]], [[Railway signal|signals]], or any animated scenes.