LionChief APP HotSpot Mode with Universal Remote

If you're using the UR in hotspot mode. Can you use it to run trains with it or is it hotspot mode or running trains only but not both? 

Thanks for the video explanation, Dave.

A couple of question for Dave, or anyone that has a chance to play with the remote in hotspot mode: 

1. Does hotspot mode only control RF engines, or can you also control Bluetooth engines throught the hotspot?

2. Does it extend effective operating range? (i.e., phone to remote max distance + remote to train max distance = extra long distance...pic below to try to illustrate what I'm trying to ask)

Trainlover9943 posted:

If you're using the UR in hotspot mode. Can you use it to run trains with it or is it hotspot mode or running trains only but not both? 

The Universal Remote can only be in one mode at a time. So if in hotspot mode, it cannot run Bluetooth trains at the same time.

JD2035RR posted:

Thanks for the video explanation, Dave.

A couple of question for Dave, or anyone that has a chance to play with the remote in hotspot mode: 

1. Does hotspot mode only control RF engines, or can you also control Bluetooth engines throught the hotspot?    Only RF.

2. Does it extend effective operating range? (i.e., phone to remote max distance + remote to train max distance = extra long distance...pic below to try to illustrate what I'm trying to ask)   Yes, but only for RF engines.

@Dave Olson thank you for the informative video! It was fun using my older RF Lionchief equipment using the app. I have a few minor glitch issues and suggestions:

1. Can we please not have max volume as the default when a loco connects? I previously used the remote to set the volume where I wanted it. But the app immediately cranks up my LC+ engines full blast,  waking up the whole house before I can turn it back down. Maybe default to medium-volume?

2. The "available engines" screen will only appear with the correct number of available engines for exactly 5 seconds. Then, the number of available engines drops back to zero. Perhaps it could time-out after say 10 or 15 seconds?

3. The bell button's "on/off" color status gets out of sync with the bell "on/off" operation. It is sometimes blue when the bell is off or vice-versa. The issue is that the button changes color faster than the bell can respond. Maybe have the button  color change  only occur after one's finger is on the button for a certain number of milliseconds?

4. Upon disconnecting LC+ steam locos, the engine sits there beeping, as it should. But the smoke fan motor turns on full blast and won't stop. This happens about half the time. It is a really odd glitch.

5. There are frequent disconnects. What is the distance limit from loco to U remote, and from LC app device to U remote? Can other Lionel products interfere with the  LC frequency spectrum? Do you have any advice as to whether there are bad placement locations for the U remote, such as too close to my  ZW-L, Legacy base, LCS Wi-Fi, or other LCS modules?

Thanks again for a great product, and making the app backwards compatible!

GregR posted:

1. Can we please not have max volume as the default when a loco connects? I previously used the remote to set the volume where I wanted it. But the app immediately cranks up my LC+ engines full blast,  waking up the whole house before I can turn it back down. Maybe default to medium-volume? I'll test this out to see what might be best. It comes down to preference. Other people may get annoyed that the volume would default lower and that they would have to go into the APP and increase the volume every time.

2. The "available engines" screen will only appear with the correct number of available engines for exactly 5 seconds. Then, the number of available engines drops back to zero. Perhaps it could time-out after say 10 or 15 seconds? This might be device specific. What device are you using? Android or iOS? What model?

3. The bell button's "on/off" color status gets out of sync with the bell "on/off" operation. It is sometimes blue when the bell is off or vice-versa. The issue is that the button changes color faster than the bell can respond. Maybe have the button  color change  only occur after one's finger is on the button for a certain number of milliseconds? This is again probably device specific.

4. Upon disconnecting LC+ steam locos, the engine sits there beeping, as it should. But the smoke fan motor turns on full blast and won't stop. This happens about half the time. It is a really odd glitch. This is odd. What engine did you see this happen on?

5. There are frequent disconnects. What is the distance limit from loco to U remote, and from LC app device to U remote? Can other Lionel products interfere with the  LC frequency spectrum? Do you have any advice as to whether there are bad placement locations for the U remote, such as too close to my  ZW-L, Legacy base, LCS Wi-Fi, or other LCS modules?

From the RF loco to the UR, the range is pretty good. I would say at least 50 feet. From the UR to the phone, it is completely dependent upon the Bluetooth module in the phone. Different makers use different modules, but we've seen an average of 30 feet. 

No other Lionel electronics should interfere with the Bluetooth or RF LionChief electronics.

I tested the hotspot feature with 3 of my non-bluetooth LC and LC+ locomotives:

6-82828: UP GP38 LC+
6-82964: Milwaukee Road Hudson LC+
6-28653: Polar Express 10th Anniversary LC

The hotspot feature does work for all these locomotives, but it doesn't unlock any additional features. (i.e. individual volume control for the bell, horn, etc) As Dave indicates in his video, this is due to hardware limitations... which is perfectly understandable.

So while it's nice to have the option to run older non-bluetooth LC and LC+ locomotives via a smartphone or tablet, for me personally I'd prefer to just run them directly via the universal remote.

Some QA feedback for Dave Olson: When connecting to my LC PE 10th anniversary locomotive (6-28653) via hotspot the LC app just lists it as a generic diesel locomotive.   And the forward/reverse button on the app doesn't work for this locomotive in hot spot mode... it goes forward even when selecting to run the locomotive in reverse.  (tested from my iPhone 6s/iOS 12.4.4)

Joe_pgh posted:

 

Some QA feedback for Dave Olson: When connecting to my LC PE 10th anniversary locomotive (6-28653) via hotspot the LC app just lists it as a generic diesel locomotive.   And the forward/reverse button on the app doesn't work for this locomotive in hot spot mode... it goes forward even when selecting to run the locomotive in reverse.  (tested from my iPhone 6s/iOS 12.4.4)

Just tested this. Engine image pulls up and the direction button works fine. Used iPhone 6s.

Did you check that you have the latest version of the APP installed?

Dave Olson posted:

Joe_pgh posted:

 

Some QA feedback for Dave Olson: When connecting to my LC PE 10th anniversary locomotive (6-28653) via hotspot the LC app just lists it as a generic diesel locomotive.   And the forward/reverse button on the app doesn't work for this locomotive in hot spot mode... it goes forward even when selecting to run the locomotive in reverse.  (tested from my iPhone 6s/iOS 12.4.4)

Just tested this. Engine image pulls up and the direction button works fine. Used iPhone 6s.

Did you check that you have the latest version of the APP installed?

Thanks Dave.  I'm running the LC APP v1.3.7x16.

I just tested this again, and it seems that in hotspot mode sometimes clicking the button to toggle from forward to reverse works, and sometimes it doesn't.  (and vice-versa)  I have the locomotive, universal remote, and my iPhone within a few feet of each other.  (So not an issue trying to get this working across a long distance.)  Not a big issue for me, as I prefer to just use the universal remote (in non hotspot mode) to control my locomotives directly.

Did the smoke issue ever get sorted out with the Hotspot using older LC+ locomotives?

I have an iPhone 11 Pro and now the hotspot is not working from the remote. My iPad is not seeing the remote either. The universal remote works on it's own but not the hotspot feature. I have reloaded the LionChief app twice, reinstalled the 1.3 firmware update on the remote twice and rebooted everything with no success.

Anyone have a solution?

That stinks

@Captaincog posted:

I have an iPhone 11 Pro and now the hotspot is not working from the remote. My iPad is not seeing the remote either. The universal remote works on it's own but not the hotspot feature. I have reloaded the LionChief app twice, reinstalled the 1.3 firmware update on the remote twice and rebooted everything with no success.

Anyone have a solution?

@Dave Olson should be made aware of these issues by using the @function of the forum.  Dave is pretty on top of these things. I imagine he'll chime in looking for more information.

I haven't seen any update on getting the smoke functioning with some LC+ locomotives using the HotSpot mode.  That came to light months ago.

Here is another clue for @Dave Olson is that when I turn off the Lionchief remote and the iPhone Lionchief app is still running I get the notification on my phone that the Bluetooth accessory has been disconnected. To me that means the iPhone app is seeing the Lionchief remote but nothing is talking to any of my Lionchief only engines. I tried two more engines last night with no success. I go to the Bluetooth engine and the app works well even with the voice command.

 Anyone? @Dave Olson? Bueller?

All,

We investigated and found that the last update of the APP was incorrect and had disabled hotspot mode. This has been fixed and the APP update will be available later today.

Thanks!

That's great Dave, will this correct the LC+ steam smoke issue?

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

That's great Dave, will this correct the LC+ steam smoke issue?

Yeah, that was fixed. The APP will just ignore the smoke for the LC+ RF engines. The switch on the engine is master.

That beats the half-way function, thanks.

Thank you Dave!

@Dave Olson posted:

Yeah, that was fixed. The APP will just ignore the smoke for the LC+ RF engines. The switch on the engine is master.

So I got the hotspot feature working again but I do not see the icon for the voice command. What happened to the voice command? I think having the voice command is really a great function.

Today I tried with 2 different Android phones to download the latest app. Neither phone was able to see the non-Bluetooth locomotives. The I Phone though was able to see both the old RF and new Bluetooth engines and run any. ? 

@kj356 posted:

Today I tried with 2 different Android phones to download the latest app. Neither phone was able to see the non-Bluetooth locomotives. The I Phone though was able to see both the old RF and new Bluetooth engines and run any. ? 

Did you put the Android version into hotspot mode per the video?

I don't understand your comment regarding the iPhone version.

@Captaincog posted:

So I got the hotspot feature working again but I do not see the icon for the voice command. What happened to the voice command? I think having the voice command is really a great function.

That's no where near ready to release. It was accidentally in that version of the APP. Still a lot of work to do for that feature. Don't tell anyone, it ruins the surprise.