I was just checking out the set up procedure, in anticipation of the arrival of my Argon and a couple of Xenons. I was looking through the procedure and it keeps requiring me to use an ‘App’ in order to set it up. I looked on my table which when I tried to add a device only gives me the options to set up a Photon, Electron or Core, no choice for any of the new stuff. Now I know it not the latest table, its a Samsum SM-T230 running Android 4.4.2.
Is this going to be an issue? Is there not a command line option for setting up Argons and Xenons? Coz I’m not going to bother to buy another tablet, which will be out of date before I can open the box. And as for the apple eco system why pay 3 times over the odds for kit that can be disabled by an Angles tear at 30 paces…
Well I did already have it, on my tablet, so i un-installed and re-instaleld it no change. Also whilst it lists my cores, electron, photons and Red Bear Duo’s, its not up date, not showing one of the cores as being online, although looking at the data stream directly on the app, shows it outputing data as expected, just not getting the blue dot on the ‘Your Devices’ screen… strange becasue it shows two other devices online correctly…
But pressing the ‘+’ icon still not showing anything other than Photon, Electron and Core… So not sure whats going on.
I can get it, that its too old to work with mesh eco system not sure how to work around that issue, but I never really trust apps or the app eco system coz unless to have the latest toy they are REALLY unreliable, for example its not showing one of my devices which I know it operating, coz I can see it on my console and even the app is reporting its data flow, just getting fussy on showing its status…
But is there a command line set up for the new mesh eco?
Actually the question is: “What version of the Particle App have you got installed?”
Also, Android 4.2.2 might not support the required BT standard for setting up mesh devices?
I’ve got an ancient 4.1.2 device hanging round and that’s also incompatible with the mesh setup requirements, hence I only get Particle App 2.2.2 while more modern devices get v2.3.4.
So chances are that 4.2.2 is not much better than my 4.1.2 in this regard.
As it seems, minimum Android version is 5.0.0 (Lollipop)
Ah, Do the mesh use BT-LE? I had this issue with some other projects using BT-LE. The hardware on the tablet supports it, but Android 4 will not. And Samsung will not relase updates past 4.2.2 for this device. I bought the tablet becasue it had the hard wear support it, but ii is being limited by samsung thinking I’d be stupid enough to buy another unit. I’m lucky enough to say I can afford it, but its the principle that is putting me off replacing actually functional hardware, just becasue of corporate greed. No wonder the landfill sites are overflowing.
I could try and install android myself, but I do not have the time to go through the learning curve, and downloading prepaired images off the net is frought with issues, and often the are reported and being highjacked.
Well atleast I have a sensible answer, ok, not sure how that will play out for mesh and me. Maybe I can borrow a device to get them claimed, but will it mean I have trouble when it comes to changing wi-fi settings?
You can change WiFi settings via CLI particel serial wifi and I'm pretty positive that in future you'll be able to fully setup the devices via CLI too.
Ok, so it looks I’ll have to smile at a few chaps at work to get them claimed, and I can use the cli after that.
Might be worth the particle team putting a note on the install instructions letting people know they need a certain Android level to set up the mesh, coz I can imagine I’m not the only one who will come up against that issue…
I might try making a pull request on the git hub, but I’m offline for the rest of the day, as I’m deep cleaning my desk, which will take all day for unplug 3 pc’s, Pull the desk out and de-spider the area…
Thanks for the link… I’ve a chap who might be able to help me upgrade my tablet, he’s nuts for all things Android… Tea and cake might the the currency of persuation…
But thanks for the thoughts… as ever your advice is greatly appreciated…
Before my reply above I asked Rick from Particle where the Lollipop limitation was documented and he couldn't find it either, so I'm positive they will add that crucial piece of information.