Jim,
I'm happy to have helped.
Can I have more than one phone or tablet connected to the WIU at a time for multiple throttles ? I haven't received my yet , so I wanted to know. I did read the online manual but didn't see anything about it .
Thanks in advance.
Dave
Yes.
MTH RMD, while trial running with One of possible Four TIUs in the future, I have 2 comments. I'm practicing with an Android tablet. (10.1"
1. The coupler needs to be in the same screen as the throttle for switching purposes.
2. When running with the remote, my engines continue in the same condition if they momentarily lose the signal from the TIU. Is the app designed the same?
Thank you
I concur with Susan's comment #1, but I don't think there's space enough to fit both couplers in. Fat fingers is a problem when using a smartphone.
Susan, re comment 2, yes, unfortunately, including a failure of device-wifi/tiu connections (including the E-stop). Having a remote fired up is something to consider.
Regarding RJR's note to MTH RD on 1/8/16:
MTH RD, you asked:
Regarding the fixed 2 power up problem, are you saying that with active engines on fixed 1 simply applying power to fixed 2 makes the engines go inactive or, are you saying once fixed 2 is powered and you hit refresh (read) the engines go inactive? These are very different and if the latter, the bug fix I've talked about should resolve it.
In my own testing today, I found that applying power to fixed 2 after applying power to fixed 1 and refreshing the read makes the engines go inactive and the same thing happens when applying power to fixed 2 first and then to fixed 1. If only fixed 1 is powered or only fixed 2 is powered, I seem to have no trouble powering Var 1 or Var 2 (both set to fixed) and reading the engines on those tracks. As long as fixed 1 and fixed 2 are not both powered at the same time, I believe anything on a powered track comes up active. For testing I had up to 5 engines on each fixed track and it not seem to matter. I hope this assists the folks at MTH who have been working feverishly on all of this. As they used to say on TV: "Film at 11."
I also felt the uncoupling feature along with coupler 'close' should be on the engine control screen. It is a bit awkward bouncing back and forth between the two screens for realistic switching procedures. As for spacing, move the speedo up or make it smaller. The three coupling icons could be placed beneath. Just musing, not meant as criticism. I am quite taken with the app and my only issues were with a defective 'serial to usb' cable and router. Both have been corrected and there have been no problems with the MTH hardware or app other than the known playable whistle issue.
Jim,
along with coupler 'close'
AFAIK, that's not something that any engine can do, PS2 and PS3 engines included.
JIMRK, my android app only has 2 coupler icons, plus headlights, smoke, & engine sound.
Sorry for the confusion guys, due to my poor choice of words. What I meant was the 'CCS' coupler-close sound, which does not of course have an icon. 'CCS' could be used or an icon showing two couplers linked to-gether or something else if it ever sees the light of day. It's not a big issue, but only something that I would prefer for switching operations.
I don't recall encountering a coupler close sound, labeled as such. Is this only on some locos, and it might be one of the numbered sound keys, like SO2?
I believe that Jim is referring to the "Auto Coupler Slack" sound, which on a DCS Remote would be on a soft key.
On the app, it's on the engine settings screen under "SOUNDS". It appears to be off by default (at least on the beta app).
I was actually referring to SCC (not CCS as posted, sorry. I'm going back to bed and start over)) which appears as such on the DCS remote as SCC, and on page 227 of the DCS Companion-3, but appears as 'Coupler Close' under Soft-Key Sounds on the app. Personally, I use it pretty well every time I link up.
JimRK
MTH RD: Just want to report that the updated app & firmware appears to correct all the problems that I have reported. Good job in getting the deficiencies created.
RJR posted:MTH RD: Just want to report that the updated app & firmware appears to correct all the problems that I have reported. Good job in getting the deficiencies created.
Thanks RJR! And, yes, we did do a good job in creating the deficiencies. Fortunately, also in correcting them. Ha, ha... I knew what you meant. Too funny.
Very glad to hear the updates helped you. In this case, we found the bug and squashed it. So, improvements were expected. Sometimes, you can't find the bug and just throw poison around never really knowing if you've killed it. Those are the worst kind.
I apologize for the typo. I meant "cured" or "corrected."
DCS WIFI Guru's
We upgraded 4 WIFI units to the new version so they question is /are
1. After you wait the three (3) minutes and disconnect the unit - How do you know the WIFI unit was actually updated. Their isn't a confirmation.
2. Is their a way to validate the upgrade is on the WIFI unit. I have the base application on both my Iphone 6S and my Droid.
3. I can see all 4 WIFI units, each one shows up as an independent SSID so eventually I want to be able to create a Super TIU, When is this software update going to be available? How many can you link? I need the maximum amount possible or at least the same number of TIU's. Is their a plan to accommodate the use of up to to 5, 7 or 10 WIFI units?
4. Is their a plan to allow more than 5 TIU's to be put in to the super mode?
Thanks,
Kevin
When you log back into the LuCI web interface, you can verify by checking the Firmware version:
H1000,
That is what I thought. I will have to pull them off the layout and check. Thanks.
Their should be a way to see that the update was completed via the application once you access the application from the phone.
Or some sort of acknowledgement.
Kevin
I think MTH RD has commented that they will be incorporating a confirmation page in the future, but they compromised a bit and wanted to get the WIU out to us sooner. A small trade off I can live with.
Kevin,
3. I can see all 4 WIFI units, each one shows up as an independent SSID so eventually I want to be able to create a Super TIU, When is this software update going to be available? How many can you link? I need the maximum amount possible or at least the same number of TIU's. Is their a plan to accommodate the use of up to to 5, 7 or 10 WIFI units?
Super TIU is slated to be included the Pro version of the app, due out later this year.
4. Is their a plan to allow more than 5 TIU's to be put in to the super mode?
To the best of my knowledge, no there is not. However, you can try to add additional TIUs by "cheating", although this is not supported. For more information, refer to page 122-123 of The DCS Companion 3rd Edition.
This and a whole lot more is all in “The DCS Companion 3rd Edition", available for purchase from many fine OGR advertisers and forum sponsors, or as an eBook or a printed book!
PSU1980 posted:DCS WIFI Guru's
We upgraded 4 WIFI units to the new version so they question is /are
1. After you wait the three (3) minutes and disconnect the unit - How do you know the WIFI unit was actually updated. Their isn't a confirmation.
2. Is their a way to validate the upgrade is on the WIFI unit. I have the base application on both my Iphone 6S and my Droid.
...Thanks,
Kevin
1. The WIU will reboot when the upgrade is complete. That's similar to what WiFi routers do when you upgrade them.
2. About the only way (for now) is to log back in the WIU to verify the firmware version. Doesn't actually take long. Did the five at the club last Saturday.
Barry and Matt - Thanks for the answers - We need to pull all the WiFi's units off the NJ Hirailers layout each time we do an upgrade. It would be really nice to have a message pop up saying the upgrade complete much like when you upgrade the remote or TIU. I realize MTH is putting a lot of resources behind the updates - but that is a huge miss for many reasons including the lack of documentation in the recently released WIFI manual.
Barry, your tight with these folks - please see what you can do. Simple and easy documentation + next upgrade because they are coming needs have a window saying, after the 3 minute wait an automated pop up window should appear with ===> Upgrade complete - power down and disconnect. Or what ever term they want.
That's a must.
Kevin
Kevin,
We need to pull all the WiFi's units off the NJ Hirailers layout each time we do an upgrade.
There's no need to take the WIUs off the layout, or disconnect them from their respective TIUs, to do the firmware update.
I just updated my 3 WIUs by simply turning on the layout upstairs, walking back downstairs, waiting a couple of minutes for them to stabilize, and then just doing the firmware updates downstairs at my Mac.
please see what you can do. Simple and easy documentation + next upgrade because they are coming needs have a window saying, after the 3 minute wait an automated pop up window should appear with ===> Upgrade complete - power down and disconnect
There is already an indication that the firmware update is successful. The WIU reboots, with a message, and then a minute or so later the login screen reappears. In any case, noting the firmware revision before updating, logging-in after the update and seeing the new firmware revision will give you the explicit confirmation that you desire.
Regardless, I'm sure that MTH is aware that most folks would like to see an explicit indication that the firmware update was successful.
Barry,
Thanks for the info. I will have to start bring a laptop - Old fashion desk top is there now.
K
Kevin,
I will have to start bring a laptop - Old fashion desk top is there now.
That's unnecessary as long as the desktop PC has WiFi capability.
We didn't pull ours off the layout. Just go over to each WIU and switch it to "MTH" mode and they'll show up as WiFi hot spots to your laptop. Connect to each one and do the upgrade. While it's rebooting, connect to the next one and repeat the process. Afterward we switched them back to "Home". I'm not sure how we'll need to configure them when the "Pro" version of the App is released, so for now all of them, along with the Legacy WiFi are on the club's wireless
Matt,
so for now all of them, along with the Legacy WiFi are on the club's wireless
If you assign each a static IP address via your router, you won't even have to switch them to MTH mode to do firmware updates. In fact, you won't even have to touch them at all.
Thanks for the tip, Barry. I had already put the WIU's on reserved IP addresses when we got them. Hopefully the pro version of the software allows this configuration for Super TIU mode.
Unfortunately, the desk top PC is about 7 generations old - So no WIFI - In fact, I don't think WIFI was a thought at the time the ones we have were built.
So, we will make due with what we have.
Matt,
Hopefully the pro version of the software allows this configuration for Super TIU mode.
At this time, I see no reason why it would not.
Thanks for the tip Barry, static IP is the way to go. I really love the ease of use and reliability of this Apple router.
RJR posted:I wonder what percentage of DCS users use the all engines feature.
Better reply late tahn never.
We at the club (20 members) frequently use the ALL feature specialy during Open House sessions.
PSU1980 posted:Unfortunately, the desk top PC is about 7 generations old - So no WIFI - In fact, I don't think WIFI was a thought at the time the ones we have were built.
So, we will make due with what we have.
If your old computer supports USB, Netgear makes and USB WiFi network adapter that works very well.
Will this app development stop now?
Will we get the rest of the features in the pro version?
How about the functions list for consists (lash-ups)?
ie. Track signal?
Could we get engine sounds list to have actual descriptions?
Etc.. Etc..
According to the App Store, the last update was 2 years ago. I wouldn’t count on any new updates for obvious reasons. But you never know.
I have the app installed on an old iPhone 6 which is dedicated to running trains. Because it is an older iPhone version, it does not receive any iOS updates which would potentially break the app. Fortunately, I only have a small fleet of MTH engines. Once the app quits working, I’m dumping them on EBay. Someone else can enjoy these engines with their thumbwheel remote or pay $$$ for ERR upgrades.
I think once the smoke clears from the current MTH closure we'll know more. I would think if they are breaking up the PS / DCS part of the company to it's own entity it will take a little time for the dust to settle. I wouldn't say just yet there won't be any updates.
