Solex Follow/Remote need new tablet advise

drewjet · Jan 17, 2017

I am trying to get my Samsung Tab E (Freebie from T-Mobile a few months ago) to do follow/remote on Solex. I tried Bluetooth tethering to get Data from my phone. Solex will connect to my Solo, but I loose the video feed, and if I recall the rest of Solo info, but it will get past the splash screen. Tried rebooting tablet, no help. T-Mobile says the Tab will not allow data on the sim card once it sees it has a wifi connection, even if it is not an internet wifi connection.

Would rooting the tablet allow this?

I am of the conclusion that I need a new tablet. It seems Nexus 7 and Nvidia are the 2 best choices.

I can get a Nexus 7(2012) model with LTE capability on Amazon for $120. The 2013 no LTE and Nvidia are both about $200. Which would be best?

Chuck · Jan 17, 2017

Welcome, drewjet. I know some on here like the Nvidia, and some like the Nexus. I have the Nexus 7 (2013) wifi only, and I like it a lot. It has a lot brighter screen than the Galaxy Tab 4 I used to use. Also, Google keeps it up to date. Good luck, and safe flying to you.

W8NONU · Jan 17, 2017

drewjet said:
I am of the conclusion that I need a new tablet.

You could just use your phone when using Follow with the Solo app? Maybe it's time for a phone upgrade? I heard the new Note 8 is coming out soon with a "No Fire" guarantee.

drewjet · Jan 17, 2017

W8NONU said:
You could just use your phone when using Follow with the Solo app? Maybe it's time for a phone upgrade? I heard the new Note 8 is coming out soon with a "No Fire" guarantee.

My phone is a note 3, and due for an update. It will not do it either.

drewjet · Jan 28, 2017

OK, so I got a new Nexus 7 (2013) WiFi only. Updated it to Marshmallow 6.0

I am still having trouble getting internet and Solex at the same time. I used PDA Net to get Bluetooth tethering connected. It works fine. I turn my WiFi off, and have internet connection (slow due to Bluetooth). I open Solex, turn on WiFi and connect to my Solo, I only get partial connectivity, I get battery and satellite info, but no live video, and no map tiles, and it says no internet on Solex app. If I disconnect tether , I then get video feed. Reconnect tether and video feed goes away.

I tried a few Bluetooth tether apps, and could not even get internet through Bluetooth.

What am I missing?

Dogman1973 · Jan 28, 2017

I know not everyone wants to spend money on this stuff... but to be blunt... if you have a 3g capable tablet, why not put a cheap prepaid data sim in it, and all these problems go away.

I did this with a galaxy s2 tab, and then I use my cell as a solex remote/target if I need to

speatuk · Jan 28, 2017

Dogman1973 said:
I know not everyone wants to spend money on this stuff... but to be blunt... if you have a 3g capable tablet, why not put a cheap prepaid data sim in it, and all these problems go away.

I did this with a galaxy s2 tab, and then I use my cell as a solex remote/target if I need to

I did this on my Samsung tab s LTE.

Put a pay and go SIM card in on EE network (U.K.) data only £2/month for 100mb.

Works ace and as it's a dedicated "Solo" tablet nothing else on it so that amount of data is perfect for my needs.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

drewjet · Jan 28, 2017

The Tab E has a sim card in it. But as soon as I connect the WiFi to the Solo Controller the tablet stops getting Data from the sim, because it will not allow the data to be active if the WiFi is connected

Dogman1973 · Jan 28, 2017

drewjet said:
The Tab E has a sim card in it. But as soon as I connect the WiFi to the Solo Controller the tablet stops getting Data from the sim, because it will not allow the data to be active if the WiFi is connected

Perhaps this is an issue only on the lower end samsung tablets?
My Tab S2 is running android 6.0.1 Not a cheap tablet, but I must say the extra resolution (1536 x 2048) really helps with solex... I find it difficult to use (ie cluttered) on lower res devices

Jubalr · Jan 28, 2017

drewjet said:
The Tab E has a sim card in it. But as soon as I connect the WiFi to the Solo Controller the tablet stops getting Data from the sim, because it will not allow the data to be active if the WiFi is connected

with my Nexus 7 (2013) there is an option in settings I had to turn on to enable simultaneous Wifi/Cell data connections. I don't have the tablet with me, but will check when I can. But look to see if you have something similar.

Kelly Schrock · Jan 28, 2017

drewjet said:
I am trying to get my Samsung Tab E (Freebie from T-Mobile a few months ago) to do follow/remote on Solex. I tried Bluetooth tethering to get Data from my phone. Solex will connect to my Solo, but I loose the video feed, and if I recall the rest of Solo info, but it will get past the splash screen. Tried rebooting tablet, no help. T-Mobile says the Tab will not allow data on the sim card once it sees it has a wifi connection, even if it is not an internet wifi connection.

Would rooting the tablet allow this?

I am of the conclusion that I need a new tablet. It seems Nexus 7 and Nvidia are the 2 best choices.

I can get a Nexus 7(2012) model with LTE capability on Amazon for $120. The 2013 no LTE and Nvidia are both about $200. Which would be best?

The word "Samsung" here jumps out at me immediately. Unfortunately, their implementation of multi-networking doesn't appear to allow tethered connections when you're on wifi. Android specifically does allow that, but Samsung's mutated quasi-Android doesn't. They earned a special mention in the documentation about Follow/Remote. I'd go for an Nvidia Shield K1, or a recent Nexus tablet. It's been confirmed to work on those devices.

FlyXlsa · Jan 28, 2017

Can I borrow that phrase "Samsung's Mutated Quasi-Android (O/S)"?

drewjet · Jan 28, 2017

Jubalr said:
with my Nexus 7 (2013) there is an option in settings I had to turn on to enable simultaneous Wifi/Cell data connections. I don't have the tablet with me, but will check when I can. But look to see if you have something similar.

I figured it out for the Samsung Tab E. I turned on the developer options by clicking 7 times on build number. In developer options it has a check mark to allow WiFi and Data at the same time.

Follow me/Remote works now. SWEET!

Thanks for the help

drewjet · Jan 28, 2017

Kelly Schrock said:
The word "Samsung" here jumps out at me immediately. Unfortunately, their implementation of multi-networking doesn't appear to allow tethered connections when you're on wifi. Android specifically does allow that, but Samsung's mutated quasi-Android doesn't. They earned a special mention in the documentation about Follow/Remote. I'd go for an Nvidia Shield K1, or a recent Nexus tablet. It's been confirmed to work on those devices.

I bought a Nexus 7 (2013). But I still cannot get it to have Bluetooth tethering and Solex at the same time. I can get Bluetooth internet, confirmed by web browsing, but then Solex will not allow live camera and says internet not connected

drewjet · Jan 28, 2017

Here is a video (sorry its upside down) to show what the Solex on the nexus 7 does when turning Bluetooth tethering on and off

Dogman1973 · Jan 28, 2017

drewjet said:
I figured it out for the Samsung Tab E. I turned on the developer options by clicking 7 times on build number. In developer options it has a check mark to allow WiFi and Data at the same time.

Follow me/Remote works now. SWEET!

Thanks for the help

That is good news... nice!

Kelly Schrock · Jan 29, 2017

drewjet said:
I figured it out for the Samsung Tab E. I turned on the developer options by clicking 7 times on build number. In developer options it has a check mark to allow WiFi and Data at the same time.

Follow me/Remote works now. SWEET!

Thanks for the help

Wow really?? That's great news, it means that other Samsung devices might have that option, making it possible for Samsungs to be used with Follow/Remote. What a strange thing for them to put that option under "Developer Options". I guess really, I should expect no less from Samsung.

Thanks,
Kelly

Kelly Schrock · Jan 29, 2017

drewjet said:
I bought a Nexus 7 (2013). But I still cannot get it to have Bluetooth tethering and Solex at the same time. I can get Bluetooth internet, confirmed by web browsing, but then Solex will not allow live camera and says internet not connected

Just so I'm clear, you're running a tethered Bluetooth connection from a different device, and tethering to it from the Nexus 7?

drewjet · Jan 29, 2017

Kelly Schrock said:
Just so I'm clear, you're running a tethered Bluetooth connection from a different device, and tethering to it from the Nexus 7?

Yes, It is tethered to my Samsung Tab E. The behavior is the exact same as when I was trying to use Bluetooth to tether the Tab to my phone. In the video in post 15 shows the behavior. When tether is turned on no video on Solex, when tether turned off, I get the video. Thanks for helping me with this Kelly.

I tried a few different Apps to make the Bluetooth tether, but none of them would make the internet connection. Is it possibly something in the PDA Net app that is doing this?

What app for tethering do you use/recommend?

Kelly Schrock · Jan 29, 2017

drewjet said:
Yes, It is tethered to my Samsung Tab E. The behavior is the exact same as when I was trying to use Bluetooth to tether the Tab to my phone. In the video in post 15 shows the behavior. When tether is turned on no video on Solex, when tether turned off, I get the video. Thanks for helping me with this Kelly.

I tried a few different Apps to make the Bluetooth tether, but none of them would make the internet connection. Is it possibly something in the PDA Net app that is doing this?

What app for tethering do you use/recommend?

In my case, there's no app that's required. Suppose for example that I use my Pixel and NVidia Shield K1. On the PIxel, I select Settings/More/Tethering and portable hotspot, and turn on Bluetooth tethering. On the NVidia, I open Settings, Bluetooth, find the Pixel, and hit "Connect". (I do this when I'm already connected to the Solo on wifi from Solex.)
When I open a Map in Solex or do a Follow/Remote (which requires an internet connection), I see the data I need, since it's coming through the tethered connection. In this case the Pixel is the "server" and the Nvidia is the "client".

I really have no idea what PDANet is doing in this case. But if you have a tablet running Android 5.0 or above, it already has what's needed in order to connect to the tethered phone. When things are set up as I describe above and Solex is connected to the Solo, it looks explicitly for an internet-enabled network connection on 4G, then Bluetooth, then on a USB connection.