Running Legacy Engines with Bluetooth and the Lionchief App

cjack posted:

It seems like the Legacy Base is needed when running a Legacy engine/Bluetooth with the Lionchief  App (actually just one test to see if that's true and it seemed so). How does that function work?

Hey Chuck,

Nope, you just need a transformer, a smartphone or tablet and some track to use a Legacy engine WITH Bluetooth and the LionChief App.

I just did this last week under my Christmas tree and my new H10. Simply place the engine on the track, power up (I used a CW-80) and the engine sounds will start. Now open the LionChief App and connect to the engine and you are off, no Legacy anything needed.

Do note that this only pertains to the LionChief App and NOT the iCab App which DOES require a Legacy Base as well as LCS WiFi.

Hope this helps!

Like Daniel says, no base needed with the LionChief App.  Not a bad way to run a train, as long as you are always track side.  If I put the phone in my pocket and took more then two steps away from the track the locomotive disconnected and stopped.  Even if I didn't put the phone back in my pocket it would disconnect if I took a couple steps away.

But on the flip side, it never had any issues reconnecting or finding the locomotive, and it gives you a decent amount of control.  I actually like the ability to control the volume of the sound types separately, you don't get that fine of a control with the Cab-2 for sounds.  I just wish it would maintain the settings when disconnected from the app.  Makes it hard to use for displays if the locomotive stops when you walk away and then resets when you reconnect to it.

sinclair posted:

But on the flip side, it never had any issues reconnecting or finding the locomotive, and it gives you a decent amount of control.  I actually like the ability to control the volume of the sound types separately, you don't get that fine of a control with the Cab-2 for sounds.  I just wish it would maintain the settings when disconnected from the app.  Makes it hard to use for displays if the locomotive stops when you walk away and then resets when you reconnect to it.

Sure you do, you just have to know how to use the CAB2.   There are two different volume settings available, that's all the RailSounds system offers.  For the master volume, use the volume keys directly on the CAB2, for the background sounds (chuff, prime mover, etc.) hit AUX1 and then the appropriate volume key.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

sinclair posted:

But on the flip side, it never had any issues reconnecting or finding the locomotive, and it gives you a decent amount of control.  I actually like the ability to control the volume of the sound types separately, you don't get that fine of a control with the Cab-2 for sounds.  I just wish it would maintain the settings when disconnected from the app.  Makes it hard to use for displays if the locomotive stops when you walk away and then resets when you reconnect to it.

Sure you do, you just have to know how to use the CAB2.   There are two different volume settings available, that's all the RailSounds system offers.  For the master volume, use the volume keys directly on the CAB2, for the background sounds (chuff, prime mover, etc.) hit AUX1 and then the appropriate volume key.

John,

My Android App running on my Google Pixel 2 XL crashes every few min. I remember you mentioning this in the H10 thread. Aside from buying an iPad what can we do? The Bluetooth feature is trash if the darn train stops every 5 feet and I have to close the app and reconnect.

This was happening under my Christmas tree so it's not like I have this huge layout lmao just a standard o36 oval.

Happy holidays by the way!

Thanks!

gunrunnerjohn posted:

sinclair posted:

But on the flip side, it never had any issues reconnecting or finding the locomotive, and it gives you a decent amount of control.  I actually like the ability to control the volume of the sound types separately, you don't get that fine of a control with the Cab-2 for sounds.  I just wish it would maintain the settings when disconnected from the app.  Makes it hard to use for displays if the locomotive stops when you walk away and then resets when you reconnect to it.

Sure you do, you just have to know how to use the CAB2.   There are two different volume settings available, that's all the RailSounds system offers.  For the master volume, use the volume keys directly on the CAB2, for the background sounds (chuff, prime mover, etc.) hit AUX1 and then the appropriate volume key.

The app allows you to control the bell/whistle, prime mover/chuff, and crew talk separately in addition to the master volume.  The Cab 2 is master volume and the AUX1 plus volume is the prime mover/cuff.  You can't change the volume of the crew talk and the bell/whistle separately.

I guess I never felt the need to fine tune the sound that much, so I didn't miss it.

Do you lose any features by controlling a Legacy Locomotive with the Universal Remote? I seem to remember reading not everything is available.

Yep, quite a few.  You get basic control, whistle, bell, couplers, and basic crew-talk.  You don't get any extra lighting features, control of the smoke, quilling whistle, sequence control, etc.

I have used the LC app with only one Bluetooth engine and that was my new Lionel UP 1943 diesel. I found it easy to use and beings I also use TMCC I see no reason to get the legacy base. 

The features I loose not having the legacy base are ones I rarely use.

The one thing that has to be improved is the strength of the Bluetooth itself, but that will come.

Dave