MTH DCS Wifi (my results of testing the module.....so far!!)

Thanks Roger. I'm eager to get the wifi module as well so this is very helpful!!

Hello all, Here are some of my complaints/concerns.

 

I think MTH should have provided a USB to serial (RS-232) adapter for the WiFi module. Most MTH users who use DCS already have the TIU that has the RS-232 serial port. It will become increasingly hard to try to find the serial adapter for this module. Most newer desktop computers do not have a serial port installed on them.

 

The other issue is MTH home WiFi signal strength. I'm using my Android LG phone which has the latest software upgrades. The signal strength is excellent when within 1-2 ft. of the module. As I get farther away from the module the signal weakens. My layout is 37'x20' with 2 parallel mainlines, sidings and 7 track yard. I'm having a hard time adding my engines to the WiFi module. I don't know if this is because I have 25 active engines on my layout. I may have to add them one at a time like I do with my DCS handheld using a programming track. There were times that it added an engine and another engine would start that wasn't added to the WiFi module. I also had to uninstall my Android DCS app several times because it would not show the soft keys in the app. (I downloaded the standard version. You can't see the softkeys in the free app.) Once I reinstalled the standard app, it worked fine.

 

My next test will be adding the DCS WiFi module to my home router. I'm hoping that I will be able to get better results using my home network system..................rogerw.

 

Roger,

There's no reason that MTH should include a serial to USB cable. It would increase costs and be of no value if the purchaser has a Rev. l or newer TIU.

WiFi signal strength is purely a function of your router if you're in Home mode and having issues if you move around.

Hello Barry, Thanks for your response, I must correct you on the TIU's. I have a Revision I and Revision I-3 and both of them have serial ports. I think it's only Revision L that has a USB. I'm using MTH's home mode now. I going to test linking the MTH router to my Netgear router to see if it will improve signal strength. I also have installed in my home a Netgear signal extender (access point) to improve signal strength between floor levels (1st floor and basement/train room/den room) and walls.......rogerw.

 

Correction, I mistaken your Revision l for the letter "L"..............rogerw.

Hello Barry, Maybe you can answer this question for me. I'm using a Apple I-pad 4th generation. I've previously loaded the free DCS app onto my I-pad. When I tried to add my engines to my I-pad, it would only let me add 6 engines and would only allow me to put 3 engines in the active list. Those engines are numbered in the 30's and 40's. I thought previously that the reason why I wasn't able to add any more engines was because I was using the free app. I then downloaded onto my I-pad the Standard $4.99 version. I reset my I-pad, uninstalled and re-installed the standard app, and reset the WiFi module, and recycled the power to the TIU. I went to in the app to ADD MTH ENGINES. It will only read the previous engines that were already entered into the app. The app will not read any of my other engines. Is there a fix for this issue??

Roger,

First, ensure that all engines are on powered tracks that are connected to the same TIU to which the WIU is connected.

If that doesn't correct the problem, then all I can offer is that there's a bug in the app that prevents it from adding an engine if there's already an engine in the app that has the same DCS ID#.

Try editing the engines in the app to have different DCS ID#'s and then try adding the other engines again.

Thanks for your response Barry! I've tried adding the engines using a programming track and the I-pad. They added correctly. When I connected my layout back to the TIU, the app was able to start the engines on the layout. I think that I'm going to have to add them one engine at a time (that sucks big time!!). The other issue is that I was able to add those engines with no problem using my Android phone......Roger

Roger,

I repeat...

First, ensure that all engines are on powered tracks that are connected to the same TIU to which the WIU is connected.

Did you do so?

Hello Barry, I only have one TIU. Revision I. All of my engines are on powered tracks. I've already started adding the engines via my programming track one at a time. Once they are in my Android phone and on my I-pad the engines respond correctly...........rogerw.

Roger is right in this case. I can tell you first hand, as a dealer, most DCS users have the old TIU w/just the serial port. The nature of the hobby makes us all want to use what we already have!

Here's what you need to have to use the MTH phone app:

A smart phone with a big screen, or tablet

DCS version 5.0 on your TIU

Serial to USB cable 6'

Perserverence and the the ablility to reason

We stocked up on the latest shipment of TIU's for store inventory and are slowly updating them in our shop to the latest code so our customers are ready to go.  In the near future, I see the traditional 50-1001 DCS and remote set becoming obsolete eventually while the Wifi/TIU becoming the operating system of choice for anyone just getting started in DCS.

 

We have had the WIFI unit installed on our in-store layout for a couple of weeks now and running flawlessly.  Several of my customers has the free app installed on their phones already and operating our layout.  A few of them are already experts as the apps seem to be very user friendly.  Next step is to install this unit on our clubs 20'x50' modular layout and test it's capabilities there.

 

I say congratulations to MTH for an outstanding (so far) product!

Hello all, the only problem that I'm having (I've already sent and received an email from MTH) is with my Android phone. When I download the Standard app onto my phone, I can see the softkey menu for each engine. when I turn off the app on my phone and restart app. the softkey menu will not appear. I also have the Standard app on my I-pad. The softkey menu show whether I have the app on or not. I'm at work with my I-pad and the softkey menu along with the other menus show up....................rogerw.

I see one additional MAJOR up side with the WiFi use of DCS -- The end of the dreaded "train show cross talk" situation where a controller on Layout A is wreaking havoc on Layout B due to duplicate engine addresses. Now you can set up the layout on a router and only communications from your group's remotes will activate the trains. With Legacy WiFi, you eliminate it at the controller end, but duplicate engine addresses on multiple layouts within range would still be a problem since Legacy uses a radio signal from the track.

 

Hello All, Here is my letter to Dave from MTH. We've been sending emails back and forth on Monday trying to figure out what was causing the DCS WiFi app to not show the softkey menu. I able to figure it out after troubleshooting my Android phone.......rogerw.

 

Hello Dave, I figured out why the softkey menu wouldn't show up on my Android phone. Last night I was troubleshooting my Android phone and I went to system settings/apps/WiFi DCS and tapped on the force stop button. When I go back to the DCS icon on my smartphone screen, the main MTH page shows up. I tap on "run my trains". The start up menu shows. I then tap on the softkey menu and now it shows up. I can get the startkey menu to show whether I have my trains on or not. When I shut down my trains and close the app, and then reopen the app the softkey menu will not show up until I go back and tap on the force stop button. Then the softkey menu will show up. It's a little annoying to go through these steps to get the softkey menu to show, but I'd rather do that than to reset the app and re-enter all of my engines back into my phone..................Roger W.

Hello All, Here is my response back from Dave at MTH:

 

 

Hi Roger,

 

This is very helpful feedback.  We have a ticket open to review the issue.  As I mentioned before, we have not seen or heard of this before so, it could be peculiar to your hardware or latest OS version.  We’re looking into it.  This kind of detailed  feedback is very helpful and appreciated.

 

It sounds like there is some glitch in the app itself to me.  Forcing the app to close and reinitialize resolving the issue points toward the app. 

 

We’ll get to the bottom of it and thanks again.

 

Dave