The WiFi direct mode has replaced Bluetooth as it could handle video better due to the volumes of data being transferred.

This isn't really a problem for anyone.

Anyone with a device that could have connected to R2 on bluetooth, can connect to him over WiFi. WiFi Direct ensures that even if you don't have a wireless network involved, you can still connect.
It'll be faster than bluetooth would have been, and with a better range.
No device that has bluetooth, does not have WiFi as well.

So in terms of what's been lost here, it's really very minimal indeed. I can't think of any practical difference this would cause.

whats the difference though between the 2 connections? why not just connect one way and have done with it, why does it need 2 types? does one work better than the other? does one offer more features over the other? im a bit confused as to why there is 2 different wi fi connections available

Ok. So would that mean that if r2 is connected to local wi fi you could be anywhere and he will operate? Or do you have to be on the network with it? If so then what is the point in that? May as well not bother and just connect direct

Ah right ok, so generally there isnt any difference then.

It just made me think along the lines of my hive thermostat i had fitted earlier in the year. That is connected to my router, and i can control my heating from anywhere i want - down the pub, at work, whilst shopping etc, so it had me wondering if the local wi fi connection allowed the same thing with r2, if that is connected to my router, the app logs on over the cellular network to the r2 on my broadband. Then i could remotely patrol my house. That would have been super cool.

Also, going back to the bluetooth, im beginning to understand why the decision was made not to use it to control the droid, but wouldn't it have been a great idea if it was kept and we could say stream music to r2 to play out of the speaker (such as the star wars theme) whilst driving him around? Feel you missed a trick with that one as it wouldnt have taken any extra hardware, just programming on the orange pi...

No worries.

I cant wait to start playing with my droid when my final 3 issues get delivered. Getting itchy feet lol.

They were just thoughts thats all.

Sure, there may be some weird Android models that have bluetooth and not wifi, but if they run the relevant compatible version of the OS and they satisfy the other requirements for the app, they definitely have wifi as well, is my point.


Part of the problem here is that "WiFi Direct" is a specific term that means something specific, as you've found, but what DeAgostini are referring to is being called that as a description; they're only talking about the ability to make a peer-to-peer wifi connection between a phone and R2.


None of what you've described is a problem for R2.
Because your phone is acting as a wifi router, you can just set up R2 to connect to the wifi it's putting out in Local WiFi mode.

R2's modes are made to suit the two methods of WiFi that people have set up:

1) Local WiFi is where a user has an existing WiFi network that their devices attach to. In this case, R2 can also attach to the existing network, and any device on that network can run the app and communicate with R2.

2) WiFi Direct is where a user wants to connect the device that can run the app, directly to R2. No other connections to R2 are allowed, and the device that runs the app won't be able to connect to a second WiFi network at the same time it's talking to R2 (of course, if it's a phone, it could still be connected to 4G or whatever phone line you have).

The first is great if you have a home network set up and just want to plug R2 into it without having to change your phone settings every time you want to run the app, and the second is best if you don't have a wifi network where you want to run R2 (like on the street) or you just want a connection that doesn't interfere with anything else.

So after finally getting my build finished, it turns out that you can't use a device as a hot-spot and controller at the same time.
This means I would only have very limited functionality for 9 months of the year, only being able to use all of the features when back at home.
So after some to and fro-ing with deag, (they initially claimed that they never said Bluetooth would be available and had to send them a still of their own promo video to prove it) they have offered a refund... But it has to be returned to Italy!
It's really disappointing to have to do that, and I know it should be OK for most people, but at the end of the day, this situation has come about due to deag changing the spec without telling anyone and denying it for two years.
All the best to everyone and hope your r2s keep you entertained for years to come