[APP] BrickController2

[PasBeenBricked]

I am trying to connect a Duplo train to the iOS version of BrickController2, ver 2.6, but the app will cannot find the hub.  I have two of the duplo trains, neither is connecting.  I was able to successfully connect the 88009 hub that comes with the batmobile, and also an Xbox One controller.  

At the end of this video you see the app controlling a duplo train, so it seems it should work. 

Should version 2.6 connect to the duplo train, hub no. 5?

 

 

Two other details.  Both duplo trains successfully connected to the lego duplo app, and I could control them with it, so I know they are working. 

And I am running the BrickController2 app on an iPhone8 plus, iOS version 13.3.1.

[kbalage]

@PasBeenBricked this is my video, if you check the subtitles I mentioned that it was a test build of the app with a basic support for the DUPLO hub. I don't think the the public version has this support implemented yet.

[PasBeenBricked]

Ah, I missed that, thank you for clarifying!

[imurvai]

Hi, yes, as @kbalage mentioned the official latest version (2.6) doesn't support the duplo train yet as BC2 is not functioning 100% with that.

[Gimmick]

Again something on the Lag-Topic Android 8 Oreo:

I found this

If I follow this process everytime it seeeeeems (more experiences needed) to solve the problem.

[imurvai]

17 hours ago, Gimmick said:

Again something on the Lag-Topic Android 8 Oreo:

I found this

If I follow this process everytime it seeeeeems (more experiences needed) to solve the problem.

Ah, good to know such an issue exists. Please let us know about your findings.

[Philo]

17 hours ago, Gimmick said:

If I follow this process everytime it seeeeeems (more experiences needed) to solve the problem.

It doesn't seem to solve my huge lag problem on my Android 8 Moto G5, but the process described is not utterly clear, so I may have goofed somewhere...

[Gimmick]

3 hours ago, Philo said:

It doesn't seem to solve my huge lag problem on my Android 8 Moto G5, but the process described is not utterly clear, so I may have goofed somewhere...

What I do/did:

• Installed "Bluetooth Auto Connect"
• Connected the gamepad
• In "Profiles": Checked "Media Audio (A2DP)"
• in "Devices": Selected the gamepad, checked "Media Audio (A2DP)", too.
• Scrolled down to "Advanced Options": "Continuous Connect" -> 2
• Exit Bluetooth Auto Connect completely
• Deactivated Bluetooth on my phone
• Waited until the gamepad turns off completely
• Started "Bluetooth Auto Connect"
• It asked to turn on BT -> Yes
• Turned the gamepad on
• It connected
• Did not close "Bluetooth Auto Connect" -> started BC2
• Loaded the profile -> turned the hub on

I tested a few minutes again: Sometimes there are still small lags, but not those huge 3-4 seconds lags (until now of course, it's realy a strange problem). I ordered a cable now, that I need for my Wacom tablet anyway, and I hope gamepad <-> smartphone per usb cable is possible, too.

3 hours ago, imurvai said:

Ah, good to know such an issue exists. Please let us know about your findings.

As I have zero experience in developing software with BT connectivity, it's realy more "try and error and google"

I switched to HID as it seems to be the standard profile for input devices -> lags again.

[Philo]

1 hour ago, Gimmick said:

What I do/did:

Thanks for the detailed walk through, I'll test again!

[Gimmick]

On 4/4/2020 at 1:43 PM, Gimmick said:

I ordered a cable now, that I need for my Wacom tablet anyway, and I hope gamepad <-> smartphone per usb cable is possible, too.

Maybe I'm not the only one who didn't know this:

For connections between USB-device<->smartphone you need an OTG-Cable... :D So test with cable is delayed by 1-2 weeks :<

[Micha]

Hallo! 

Ich habe das Problem das die Verbindung immer wieder abbricht, und das Modell sich selbstständig macht. Ich habe 3 buwizz verbaut und benutze den PG-9025 Controller. 

[tismabrick]

Translated:

“I have the problem that the connection is interrupted from time to time and the model makes itself autonomous. I have installed 3 buwizz and use the PG-9025 controller.“

[imurvai]

1 hour ago, Micha said:

Hallo! 

Ich habe das Problem das die Verbindung immer wieder abbricht, und das Modell sich selbstständig macht. Ich habe 3 buwizz verbaut und benutze den PG-9025 Controller. 

Maybe the model goes out of the bluetooth range of your phone?

1 hour ago, tismabrick said:

Translated:

“I have the problem that the connection is interrupted from time to time and the model makes itself autonomous. I have installed 3 buwizz and use the PG-9025 controller.“

Thanks ;)

[Micha]

Das passiert auch wenn ich erwarte 50 cm vom Modell weg bin. Es verliert  immer wieder die Verbindung,. Manchmal geht's ein paar Minuten, und manchmal nur ein paar Sekunden.

[login]

Hi, I hope it's ok if I just say here thank you @imurvai for the app you created. So far I've been using it with my 42099 (Samsung Galaxy A50 and PG-9089 controller), it all seems to be running quite well. At least I think it's much more satisfying than using the Control+ app (I simply cannot simultaneously look at my fingers so as to keep them at the right position on the screen and watch where the car is going).

One small problem I bumped into: the controller wouldn't show the correct button mapping in the BrickController2 app at the start, it looked as if all actions were mapped to keyboard characters (no matter how I tried to switch the controller regimes); this fixed itself after I ran a controller tester app, so I guess it was the controller's issue. Just in case anyone encounters something similar.

[Donout]

Hi everyone

Maybe you can help me with an issue I got recently. So I got myself an IPEGA-9156 controller to use it for my lego creations. My phone (Samsung Grand Prime with Android 5.0.2) sees the device, it pairs and work properly but for some reason BrickController2 app doesn't see it. Searching for devices or trying the "controller tester" tab doesn't show anything. Maybe you have some tips what to check or what to try to make it work? Would be sad not to use it because controller itself is quite nice and I bought it because I saw IPEGA in your youtube tutorial&review of the app.

Regards

EDIT1:
I checked on a newer phone (not mine) with Android 9 and the app sees this controller properly and everything seem to work fine.
EDIT2:
I checked also on older phone (Galaxy S3 with Android KitKat 4.4.4) and the app doesn't even open. I get info "BrickController2.Android has stopped".

EDIT3:
I was trying to fix the issue I was talking about and I discovered that sometimes when I pair my gamepad to phone I can't control the phone through it. Other time I can normally navigate through gamepad. In the second case BrickController2 sees the controller and works properly! :D Im writing it in case somebody had similar issue to mine. Still a little sad that the app doesn't even start on Android 4.4.4.

Edited April 26, 2020 by Donout

[Pirks]

@Donout you can try Home+X. Solved the problem on my PG-9118.

[amorti]

Woah... Looks like I'm late to the party and it's 34 pages long. Few questions if I may:

I don't have a playstation etc so would have to buy a controller, is any gamepad in particular best for this app? I'm only really looking to drive cars so two analogue sticks would do it. I don't want excessive buttons.

I'd want it to control one or two buwizz and a 42099 hub. Can you switch buwizz speed modes on the control? Do you get any extra speed from the Lego hub?

I have a Samsung A5 2017 on Android 8.0 if it matters.

Thanks.. off to read up now 

Edited May 8, 2020 by amorti

[Gimmick]

10 hours ago, amorti said:

I don't have a playstation etc so would have to buy a controller, is any gamepad in particular best for this app? I'm only really looking to drive cars so two analogue sticks would do it. I don't want excessive buttons.

I'd want it to control one or two buwizz and a 42099 hub. Can you switch buwizz speed modes on the control? Do you get any extra speed from the Lego hub?

I have a Samsung A5 2017 on Android 8.0 if it matters.

Thanks.. off to read up now 

I'm using a XBOX controller, @kbalage uses a ipega PG-9025, others a playstation controller... not sure if there is "the best"

You can change the Buwizz output modes while using a gamepad, not sure if you can bind this function to a button. You do not gain extra speed, the limit of the hub is the same. But if the Control+ profile has built in limits like the 42109 profile they do not affect you anymore of course.

I have the same smartphone, currently there seems to be a bug in Android, that can cause huge delays. You can fix that with the "Bluetooth Auto Connect"-App (see above) - but it gets a bit laborious tbh. =/

Edited May 9, 2020 by Gimmick

[iuliand]

I can't give advice for ios but for android here is my experience. 

First of all the controller must have bluetooth and be supported by android. Choose a mainstream one that a lot of peope have and use. That way you increase the chances of working without issues. That's why bluetooth console controllers are best.

If you already own a controller you can check if it is supported by android by connecting through bluetooth and upon moving the joysticks you shoud see the cursor moving over the apps.

Some time ago I was in the situation to get a bluetooth controller for BC2 and I choose the PS4(v2) controller. At that time I had the unpleasant surprise it did't work with BC2 but it was quickly fixed by Imurvai and it is now supported.

If you decide to go for a PS4 controller I must warn you that not all android apps and games support it properly because of the quirky way it talks to the app. For instance Minecraft is not controllable with it because the controller will continuously steer in one direction.

Recently I also got a bluetooth Xbox One controller. It works fine with BC2. For other apps/games I only tested Minecraft so far, but I don't expect to have issues because it doesn't have any strange way to talk to the apps like the PS4 one does.

I'm not sure if the Xbox One controller is supported by older android versions being such a new controller, so this is something to keep in mind.

[amorti]

3 hours ago, Gimmick said:

I have the same smartphone, currently there seems to be a bug in Android, that can cause huge delays. You can fix that with the "Bluetooth Auto Connect"-App (see above) - but it gets a bit laborious tbh. =/

Thanks, good to know about the issue with the same model of phone. I've been looking at getting a new one anyway since the battery on mine is getting to the end of its life and it won't be possible to change it while keeping the phone waterproof. I'll probably get the equivalent new Samsung with later Android version.

@iuliand I was thinking playstation controller rather than Xbox as the last console I had was a PS1, so at least it will be a little familiar in the hand.

Does it matter if it's an OEM Sony pad or a replica? I would guess replicas cost a lot less.

I'm not too worried about compatibility with Android games, I'm way too old for Minecraft.

Maybe that can be my next big Amazon order, new phone and PS4 controller. 

[Gimmick]

Just now, amorti said:

Thanks, good to know about the issue with the same model of phone. I've been looking at getting a new one anyway since the battery on mine is getting to the end of its life and it won't be possible to change it while keeping the phone waterproof. I'll probably get the equivalent new Samsung with later Android version.

Additional info: if the phone and controller can be used with OTG-USB cable it should work better. maybe @imurvai can give an recomendation concerning the phone/pad combination.

[amorti]

Good suggestion but I think that would detract from the fun if I had to have a cable from the pad, to my phone in my pocket. Since the phone is nearing end of life anyway, maybe someone has a suggestion of a Samsung phone which has stronger Bluetooth range? Idk if that's even a thing...

[Gimmick]

Just now, amorti said:

Good suggestion but I think that would detract from the fun if I had to have a cable from the pad, to my phone in my pocket. Since the phone is nearing end of life anyway, maybe someone has a suggestion of a Samsung phone which has stronger Bluetooth range? Idk if that's even a thing...

It's not a range problem, but a "protocoll thing" - no idea what exactly is wrong. I bought a cheap clip for the pad to attach the phone :D works pretty good.

[amorti]

I'm thinking of improving the max distance from the phone to the model rather than the phone to the gamepad.

I've just been looking into it, and it seems that our Samsung A5 has Bluetooth 4, while some new phones have Bluetooth 5 which has 4x the range. That should make a big difference in playability.

This wish is because I've found when my Greyhound model gets out of buwizz range it takes a split second for the boxes to realise and switch off all the motors. At Fast or Ludicrous speeds a lot can happen in that moment and my model ended up falling off a drop.

30 minutes ago, Gimmick said:

It's not a range problem, but a "protocoll thing" - no idea what exactly is wrong. I bought a cheap clip for the pad to attach the phone :D works pretty good.