Wednesday, February 7, 2018

Lionel toy and model trains have simple functional remote control. Best option: LionChief Plus with Bluetooth.

This guy makes the case pretty well:

It's a good introduction to modern technology in toy trains.

You can slide past his detailed description of this particular locomotive to the functional stuff about remote control. I've been researching the current options, including those from:
- MTH: Uses WiFi through a router from loco to its app on phone or tablet.
- Bachmann: Uses a simpler Bluetooth connection from loco to app on phone or tablet.
- BlueRail: Makes the circuit boards and software used by Bachmann in its HO locos; BlueRail products can also be purchased separately.

I was all set to get MTH stuff but trying to decipher MTH options and product lines and way too much confusing extra hardware delayed my decision. Then I thought Bachmann was the way to go; no WiFi, just Bluetooth and no extra hardware. Now I prefer what Lionel has done:

- Very simple physical remote control (forward/reverse, sounds, including announcements), I think first introduced in kids sets for TOY trains as distinguished from MODEL trains:
        - Thomas
        - Polar Express
- LionChief
- LionChief Plus with Bluetooth connection from loco to app on phone or tablet. But Bluetooth is only in some newer locos. So far, not easy to determine which.

Note: Some of the kids sets have battery powered locomotives with a simpler but functionally same remote control. They retail for about $100 and run on plastic tracks. They are G scale (large). This is a very good value. The main negative is that the loco is powered by six C batteries. I don't know how practical it is but functionally it would have been preferable to have something like a rechargeable lithium ion battery, the type that we use in phones and tablets.

Be careful of older LionChief locos, introduced around 2015. Later Lionel came out with LionChief Plus. All LionChief and LionChief Plus locos have the physical remote that is nicely paired to its loco using radio frequency, NOT Bluetooth. However, only some newer LionChief Plus locos also have the Bluetooth connection to the app, which among other things can control the volume of the sounds; LionChief Plus locos can also have their volume controlled via the remote. The plain LionChief locos have their volume set to VERY LOUD and the volume cannot be reduced no matter what some Lionel documentation states. The only option is to turn the loco upside down and flip the sound on/off switch. But even that only eliminates the sound of the announcements and, I think, idling (cannot recall). The buttons for bell and whistle still work and are VERY LOUD.

I now think the way to go is LionChief Plus with Bluetooth. It's got BOTH a physical remote AND access to the more functional app. Except for MTH, I don't see that the others have a decent remote and MTH, I think, outsmarted itself and awoke Lionel, which made a big comeback. A few years ago the Lionel CEO was essentially removed:

Lionel CEO left April 16! Howard Hitchcock is the new president. TUESDAY, MAY 13, 2014

Dealers had been ignorant about this tech evolution in the last five years and I've only just caught on in 2018. I had been ignoring the clumsy alphabet soup mess that the industry had been engulfed in trying to satisfy too many old guys who wanted anything new to also work with their old stuff ... if at all.

Note: Most, if not all, apps were initially written for Apple products. My guess is that the decision makers were not too computer techie and defaulted to Apple iPads and iPhones. Later some added app versions that ran on devices running the Android operating system.

But even now the Lionel Layout Control System (LCS) app is still only Apple; no Android version in sight.

Monday, February 5, 2018

Altice One set top box turns itself off regularly.

All through the day and certainly overnight. If I use the remote control to turn on the TV, I see this on a blank screen (ignore reflection, the screen is blank):


If there is an "INPUT button" I have no idea where it is; I checked remote and box.

My Altice service started 1/15/18 after moving and switching from Verizon FIOS. Altice is the parent company of Cablevision Optimum.

Altice is probably still learning how its new boxes operate in the real world but I had a tech person out here a couple of days after my service started to address this problem and nothing was actually done and there has been no follow up and the problem persists.

What the heck?

Thursday, February 1, 2018

Altice One box: more problems.

My previous post on Altice described an initial problem. My service started Jan. 15, 2018.

Altice set top boxes "turn off", i.e., the red power light goes on. What the heck? SATURDAY, JANUARY 20, 2018

Since, more problems:
- voice recognition fails to function at all; error message on screen
- info button on lower right of remote sometimes fails
- DVR function sometimes does not function; advised to try later
- guide sometimes not available
- freezes up sometimes.

Settings: very little of substance to set.

Three button clicks to reach the guide rather than a dedicated button. No indication of a user defined button that might make the guide available much more directly. This is needed since the voice search fails often.

More info:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r31814636-AlticeOne-FAQ-Information-LAST-UPDATED-2-1-18-With-PICS

AlticeOne is Optimum and Suddenlink's New All-In-1 Box. It combines your Modem, Router and Cable Box into a central hub. With Every Minibox added in addition to the Main Box, they are your typical cable box but with WiFi Extender built-in. The Mini Box are Essentially Creating a Wireless Mesh System, To Help Eliminate WiFi Dead Zones You May Have In Your Residence.

Manufacturer: Sagemcom

AlticeOne is Mostly Geared Towards Those Who Don't Know A lot About Networking As Its Still A Web Managed Router From Optimum With Limited Firmware Options.
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Altice has problems but should be tried. TUESDAY, APRIL 10, 2018