I picked up a couple different cheap duplex hotspots. One of them pretty much worked out of the box aside from setting up to the wifi. I was able to update the pi-star software by using the built in update function.
The other one, which looks like the one you have, was a bit more challenging as I had to select a modem type as well as the screen type and port. I spent a few hours on that one, bit in the end it works fine.
So I now have two duplex hotspots for about $225 total. One tiny one with white OLED screen and a loud-ish fan, and the other, like yours, fanless and silent with a three inch full color LCD screen.
Doing that dance with the modem type and screen type can be a bit of a bother. I know I've spent hours on one device doing exactly that, but like you, once I cracked that nut, it worked fine :-)
My experience was nearly identical with a pi zero w dual hat unit that I formatted the SD card trying to get the wifi file installed upon (my mistake). I've got it sending on both time slots but doesn't appear to be receiving. Haven't tried simplex but saw others did likewise.
Geez. Thanks for sharing the details. Seems like a barrier to entry for new users to enjoy DMR. I wouldn’t want to go through that. Is use of DMR worth that pain?
I host two DMR repeaters at my 2000’ elevation home, and have an admitted bias to using RF for the “last mile” rather than the “last foot”. Still don’t understand the attraction of using the DMR or other RF HT into a hotspot then into the network. Why not microphone into an app then into the network. Then, why RF at all?
But obviously I’m outvoted by the success of hotspot products and the large number of users that enjoy using them.
Oh, and I failed to respond to your barrier point. I couldn't agree more. The learning curve is a vertical wall and until that becomes easier, we likely won't see a change in the rate of DMR uptake.
I talk about use cases for internet-connected modes like AllStar in a previous post. In my location, the RF interference is so horrible that one of my radio-based devices is simply unusable. In my sooner-rather-than-later future, I plan to put a DMR mobile rig in the pickup truck. I'm looking forward to that simply because it will expand my radio world while I'm traveling.
I picked up a couple different cheap duplex hotspots. One of them pretty much worked out of the box aside from setting up to the wifi. I was able to update the pi-star software by using the built in update function.
The other one, which looks like the one you have, was a bit more challenging as I had to select a modem type as well as the screen type and port. I spent a few hours on that one, bit in the end it works fine.
So I now have two duplex hotspots for about $225 total. One tiny one with white OLED screen and a loud-ish fan, and the other, like yours, fanless and silent with a three inch full color LCD screen.
Doing that dance with the modem type and screen type can be a bit of a bother. I know I've spent hours on one device doing exactly that, but like you, once I cracked that nut, it worked fine :-)
Just like with codeplugs, it's a learning experience and it gets easier each time you do it 🤓
My experience was nearly identical with a pi zero w dual hat unit that I formatted the SD card trying to get the wifi file installed upon (my mistake). I've got it sending on both time slots but doesn't appear to be receiving. Haven't tried simplex but saw others did likewise.
Geez. Thanks for sharing the details. Seems like a barrier to entry for new users to enjoy DMR. I wouldn’t want to go through that. Is use of DMR worth that pain?
I host two DMR repeaters at my 2000’ elevation home, and have an admitted bias to using RF for the “last mile” rather than the “last foot”. Still don’t understand the attraction of using the DMR or other RF HT into a hotspot then into the network. Why not microphone into an app then into the network. Then, why RF at all?
But obviously I’m outvoted by the success of hotspot products and the large number of users that enjoy using them.
Oh, and I failed to respond to your barrier point. I couldn't agree more. The learning curve is a vertical wall and until that becomes easier, we likely won't see a change in the rate of DMR uptake.
I talk about use cases for internet-connected modes like AllStar in a previous post. In my location, the RF interference is so horrible that one of my radio-based devices is simply unusable. In my sooner-rather-than-later future, I plan to put a DMR mobile rig in the pickup truck. I'm looking forward to that simply because it will expand my radio world while I'm traveling.