Let the Lionel LCS WiFi games begin! Post your thoughts here!

Vince,

I'm hedging my bet that DCS WiFi will also let me connect to my home network. 

That's how the current beta DCS app works, and how the production release will work, as well.

  Then I can run the LCS app and the DCS ipad app simultaneously on my ipad.

That's exactly how I'm running the two apps right now.

That's great to hear, Barry.

I finally got the LCS up and running.  However my IPAD is constantly losing connection to the base.  It is not a matter of signal strength.  Any ideas.

Thanks,

Terry

Have you tried shutting down both Legacy and the iPad LCS app, then starting both up again?  I seem to recall that this worked for me.

   Bob A.

They have both been turned off and on several times. 

Do you have your WiFi module as the first LSC device in the bus?  I read in one of the manuals that WiFi should be the first device connected to the Legacy Base. 

What version iOS and model iPad are you using?

Are you using the WiFi as an access point or trying to connect through you home network?

The wifi is the only device in the bus.  I have a first generation Ipad.  The wifi is an access point.

Have you tried another channel?  There could be something interfering on that particular channel of the WiFi.

On Page 2 of this thread, there was similar issue which ultimately cleared up. It might be worth reviewing that to see if there are any suggestions you haven't tried yet.

When it is connected, does the green LED on the WiFi stop blinking? Does the "link" icon in the upper right corner of your iPad go from red to green? When connected, are you able to operate locomotives of switches, even if only briefly?

When the connection is lost, what message (if any) do you see? What state are the red and green LEDs in, and what is the color of the link icon when the connection is lost?

I had something similar happen after it all worked well. I kind of got things out of "sync" or something by asking the iPad to update the Base with engine info. I seemed like it was never going to happen, so I cancelled it. Then I had the iPad trying to join and going on and off with the connection. I closed the App and that did no good. So I closed the App completely...that means I double clicked the iPad round button, showed all the Apps that were still actually open , pressed one for a couple seconds to bring up the "minus" signs, and then absolutely closed all the Apps including LCS. Then I held down the iPad side button and shut down the iPad. Meanwhile I turned off the Base and LCS wifi power. Then I restarted the iPad, turned on the Base and applied power to LCS wifi, and opened the LCS App on the iPad. It all worked again. YMMV, but thought I'd pass this along.

I love what Lionel is doing with LCS!

Unfortunately, I stare at a PC screen for 8-12 hours a day for my job...it was a chore just to get me to view OGR on my wife's iPad, which I am glad I did.

The problem though is that my eyes need a break from a digital screen...I still read all my novels in paperback form...so soothing to the eyes after a day of PC screens.

I am a techie geek, but to add LCS on top of OGR Digital as much as I love it, will bring my eyes over the eye strain limit.

I want to use the LCS system so bad, but I need to at least wait until such time that my PC screen time for work related stuff becomes less.

Maybe when I retire.

Is there any reason why we can't get the prime mover sounds to ramp up when we control the engine from the LCS on the iPad?  They work normally from the Legacy remote, but they remain at idle all the time when running from the iPad.  This can't be intended operation, right?

VinceL just posted in another thread that the WiFi uses 802.11b, is that really true?  Why would Lionel use an obsolete and slow protocol for a brand new product?  What was the reasoning behind that choice?  Why not at least 802.11g, I can't imagine that would cost any more to do and it would cause less congestion on the channel when joining a home network.

I searched the manual, but nothing in the specifications about the protocol choice.

802.11b is 11Mbps which should be adequate for LCS, as a dedicated network. Range should be fine for train rooms as well. It also is not as easily obstructed as g/n. 

Edit: Though a router could just has easily had the option for higher speeds afforded via g/n/etc if you are unobstructed. 

The problem is when you join a network with this adapter, it hogs a lot of the bandwidth, which is probably why they mention performance issues when joining a network.  I normally block 802.11b connections for that reason on stuff I install.  I'll have to adjust my thinking for this installation.

My train room is in a detached building from my house.  I had Cat5e cable buried between the building and the house so I can have hard-wired Ethernet.  I installed a Wireless Access Point and a switch in the detached building.  The only wireless traffic going to this access point is the LCS WiFi and my ipad; so, fortunately, the bandwidth issue of the 802.11b isn't really an issue for me.  With MTH WiFi coming in the future, I don't want to have to switch networks between Internet, LCS and MTH with my ipad.  Barry has confirmed that MTH WiFi lets you join your home network like LCS. 

GRJ, maybe you want to install a separate wireless access point on your network just for LCS and the ipad?

Well, I could do that, but that wasn't my first choice.

One significant omission from the LCS that I forgot to mention.  The track selection to build the layout map is pretty lacking.  There is very little there.  I would have expected at least most of the Fastrack stuff, but only a fraction of the available types of track are represented.

I would think that it needs a more complete track library to make it truly useful in representing the layout.

And what is there, results in broken track loops for me.

Question:

1. Are there plans afoot to complete the entire Fastrack product in the library?

2. Soon?

3. When?

BINGO!

Note that the track layout in LCS is just a caricature; you can overlap track pieces. They don't all have to click together. The point is just to get something similar enough that you can recognize a switch to be pressed, or accessory. Try overlapping to compress the view of a portion of a layout, and use multiple screens covering only layout sections.

   Bob A.

Perhaps Bob, but with no crossovers, Y-switches, etc., it's still pretty limited.  Besides, why have a sloppy looking display when you can have a decent looking one.

I know about the multiple screens, however that really doesn't address my problem.

I asked John Z about adding code to the app to be able to run my conventional log loader connected to an Accessory Motor Controller (AMC). He replied today saying that the AMC had too much baggage and that he would, somewhere down the road, put out a AMC2.

If you turn off "snap" you can create custom crossovers, align track that does not quite line up, ect.  The "snap off" mode allows for precise positioning with guide lines and your finger can move the track piece from anywhere on the screen.

The track pieces do not represent any particular track system, and are not to scale.  To do such would not be feasible on the limited real estate of the screen, even with the zoom function.

There is always room for improvement,just as the Legacy set is on Rev 1.52 from Rev 1.0 when originally introduced.  LCS will evolve.

Thanks for the ideas.  I'd still like to see a bit more variety in the track pieces, but we'll keep playing with it to see what we come up with.

I have to agree with Jon about the AMC, it is an odd duck.  It does serve a useful function, so an AMC2 would be a welcome addition to the product line.

I actually, with a small layout 12 by 14, got the whole thing on the iPad. So with the funny discontinuities it looked funny. But it does work and maybe I'll turn snap off now and smooth out the breaks. What's neat now are the switches which I can just poke and have them switch. Remembering which ones where what number was not as smooth as just looking at the layout on the pad and poking the ones to change a route.

So I'm happy with this so far, thanks to Lionel for keeping it interesting.

Lionel’s new Layout Control System looks pretty cool, but I have had the ability to operate my engines, switches and accessories from my computer for about 8 years and from my Android phone for about 3 years.  I have written my own Windows software and Android app.  It’s much cheaper than Lionel’s Layout Control System.  If you want to operate your engines, switches and accessories from your Android powered mobile device all you need is my Android app (available on the Play Store for $4.99), my Windows app (available on ebay for $29.95 ), a wi-fi network which you probably already have and an off the shelf serial cable to connect your computer to your TMCC or LCS base unit.

Please let me know if you have any questions.

Does it control Legacy engines in Legacy mode?

Are you a LCS Partner?

No it does not.  However, it does work with LCS and Legacy engines in TMCC mode.  I only designed it to work with TMCC because that was the only system at the time and Lionel had released all of the commands.

I'm not sure what a LCS partner is so I am going to say no.

Thank you for your interest.

Thanks

From Lionel's LCS webpage.  Might be something worth looking into to add to what you've built on.

LCS Partner Program

Sounds like you might be ready to do an upgrade for the Legacy Controls. Are you thinking about this Harvy?

Oh yes.  Now I know what you mean.  It would be nice to be an LCS partner, but I'm guessing I would have to rewrite both my apps with the new LCS command structure to be able to communicate with the new LCS wi-fi module and I don't have the motivation to do that at this point.

I'd say that I'd also recommend you get a decent writeup for the capabilities of the package if you expect people to try it.  The cost is indeed insignificant, but there's more than the costs involved. 

Does it really have the abilities of the LCS to report the positions of trains on the layout and the like?  The inability to run in Legacy mode will surely be a turnoff.  How about operation with DCS locomotives?

I'm thinking about it, but that's all at this point.

I have a very detailed write up for both if you click on the links.

No, it does not have the ability to report a trains position.  The only input my app has is the ability to record scenarios form the CAB-1 and CAB-2.  You can record up to 2,000 commands and as many scenarios as you want.

I've never tried it with DCS locomotives so I have no idea.

I've sold 190 of my Windows application and 21 of my Android app to date.

I will be looking at buying a copy as soon as my benchwork is completed.

Thank you.

Harvy:

I too would be interested in your software if it supported Legacy.  Maybe we can generate enough interest here to motivate you to tackle the project

dick

Well it does work with LCS and Legacy engines, you just won't be able to access the few additional commands that Legacy offers.