WeatherFlow installation on Weather Display

Like a good boy, I initially tried to install the software on an Android phone and failed miserably. I invoked the app and the download went on and on and on for several hours. Since then, the Play Store on the phone has disappeared. As I don’t have any other Android equipment, I was a bit stuck.

I do have an Android simulator working under Windows, called BlueStacks, and I thought that that may be the solution to my problem but, for some unknown reason, WeatherFlow would not accept any of the software’s Bluetooth apps, so that I was not even able to install the software. Grrrrr!

Looking through Brian’s video, it would appear that the only info needed to set up Weather Display was the marked number. I surmised that the four figure serial number on the bottom of the Hub was the same. I tried that on an installation of WD but it hasn’t worked, probably because it requires all the other Android data. Anyway, I’m now completely stuck on the installation as I don’t have any other Android equipment or an iPlayer.

Watch this space!

How old is your version of Android? A newer version of Android is probably required - I have Android 7.0 on both my tablet and phone and I had no problem establishing the first contact.

When you proceed through the steps of the WeatherFlow Smart Weather app, and establish a contact (via your internal WiFi network) to the WeatherFlow Hub, an identification number is assigned to your station (or to the hub) - the station ID number is the number that is required by Weather Display.

You might have to check with one of your neighbours to find out if any of them would have a phone with a modern version of Android (ie: greater than 6.x).

I wish I had a PC solution - unfortunately, the first contact must be made from a phone/tablet… :frowning:

Thanks, R_o_B, you have probably hit the nail on the head, my Android phone is 2.3.5, a cheap Samsung! I’m not one of these people who change the phone every time it rains (although this year we are in severe drought). My last phone was a Nokia which lasted over 10 years but this one is only about five years, so far!

yes, you need to use the app to set it up (via blue tooth)
are you able to borrow a compatible device?

No browser interface :frowning:

the setup is done via bluetooth
but some laptops now have that
so a windows program setup could be possible I guess?

That’s true, my laptop has bluetooth :slight_smile:

Nope!

My PC has both WiFi and Bluetooth - unfortunately, the PC could not be used for original setup. I had to use my tablet with Android 7.0 and ‘Bluetooth Low Energy’ (ie: Bluetooth 4+) which is only available on more modern devices.

what I mean is that WF could develop a windows program

All new IoT devices I have installed in my home, including the Amazon Echo devices, needed their first contact to be initiated by an app that is designed to only works on Android or iOS - the more likely reason is that normally, desktop computers do not have Bluetooth nor WiFi installed … and companies think that most people now-a-day (must/should) have a phone they can use… :?

Have tried every which way to get WeatherFlow working with two computers, one tablet and one phone, none of which worked. All of them balked at Bluetooth even with the computers set up for Android.

Much to my regret, it looks like I shall have to buy a new phone with an up-to-date version of Bluetooth. This annoys me as I dislike planned obsolescence in equipment. My present phone is only about five years old and works perfectly well, still with a good battery. I don’t consider it useful to simply borrow a phone just to install the app because I would have no backup if, for any reason, I had to reinstall. GRRR!

Having been watching this for a while I would be put off from buying one of these stations if my VP1 packed up just because of their idea to only allow bluetooth to be used for set up. In my view there should be a web interface as well as bluetooth. I think they need to rethink their strategy.

Stuart

I agree with you that WeatherFlow would be better with an inbuilt web interface and with a Windows setup procedure which would be more tolerant of the age of the software. I must admit that I’m not impressed with the acrobatics I’ve been trying to get it to work without an ultramodern version of Bluetooth. I’m sure that I would’ve had it working several days ago if it had not been for Bluetooth (all versions that I have are prior to version 4!)

As I wrote previously, almost all new devices (such as for home automation, etc.) can only activated from an Android or iOS device (phone/tablet) - WeatherFlow is not the exception - phone/tablet activation seems to have become the norm sometime last year.

As I wanted to ‘modernize’ my home automation system, I needed to replace my ‘antique’ X10 controllers and my aging Insteon controllers. My only options were to use either Z-Wave or Zigbee controllers - unfortunately, the two communication protocols are not compatible. So, I opted for the Z-Wave communication protocol and started looking for replacement light dimmers/switches, power outlets, etc. I quickly found out that all those new controllers needed some specific brand name hubs or bridges (such as Samsung SmartThings, Philips Hue, Lutron Cas

All of this does not make it right. Having a web interface does not stop one using a phone if you have one but why force this on everyone.

Stuart

you are never going to please everyone

Stuart, it certainly does not make “forcing people to use a phone to activate a device” right, unfortunately…

If you look around at the last two or three younger generations you will noticed that they spend most of their time with their ‘nose’ in their phones, no one talk to each other, they prefer typing rather than talking … even when they are sitting next to each other…

Unfortunately, most companies are now producing their applications, their devices and their software for those generations (the ‘TL;DR’ generations = “too long; didn’t read”, some text is being ignored because of its length), the generations that live ‘on their phones’…

Yes R_o_B I agree, many times I have people walk into me as they are too busy on the phones! I just think it is short sighted of companies to rely on that technology 100%.

Stuart

I’m surprised it doesn’t insist on a Facebook login too :lol:

Eureka! I’ve got it kinda-sorta working! :slight_smile: I have not yet installed the two outside items in their definitive place where they would be meaningful but I have the answers on the WD display. Too early to be definitive but there does seem to be a couple of differences between it and my two other weather stations. The Hub does not contain indoor temperature and humidity sensors so I’ll remove those features from the display. The barometer seems to be about 10 hPa out, compared with the other two. However, it is still early days before I get everything set up comme il-faut.

In the end, I bought a new phone to be able to do this, but I still feel a little disgruntled at this being necessary, the old one (~nearly 5 years old) still being in its prime. I resent the time necessary to set it up again, particularly pairing Bluetooth with other apps!