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By Mike Garrison
LiveRC.com
Whether it's wheel nuts, wings, tools, tracks, trinkets and/or anything in between, the LiveRC staff gives their testimonial and review of each every Thursday morning!
Tekin HotWire 3.0 with Bluetooth USB Interface
TT1452, $59.99
www.teamtekin.com
When it comes to brushless speed controls and motors there is a lengthy list of assorted brands to choose from. Some have been around since the pioneer days of R/C racing, others joined the scene with the introduction of brushless technology, and some were born last night - literally. Tekin is a brand that has been strong for many years, and one that most consider to be an industry big-name brand. I have personally used several of the major big-name brands over the years, and I have grown rather fond of the Tekin product line, their customer support, and the people behind it (specifically the Campbell family and Randy Pike).
While I don’t have many complaints about Tekin, one complaint that I have had since my first experience using the brand is the HotWire. At the time of it’s original release, it was a super trick method of setting and fine tuning your speed control by disconnecting your ESC from the receiver, plugging it into the HotWire, plugging the HotWire into your computer, and making the adjustments. As time went on, hand-held programming boxes were introduced by other brands, and the once super trick HotWire became a burden to haul around a laptop to simply adjust your drag brake while others used a plug and play programmer the size of a business card.
Soon after, Tekin released the capability of using nearly any Android device, in which the HotWire 2.0 could connect with a USB cord. This is great for Android users, but as someone who jumped on the Apple iPhone bandwagon with the original iPhone release, I am now trapped in a mobile world of iOS. With no Android devices of my own, this left me still hauling around the trusty laptop, and clearing pit tables to setup camp for programming my ESC.
Tekin ESC’s do allow for “Quick Tuning” using the old school blinking light method, but I don’t have the time, nor patience to deal with counting colored lights on and off for each parameter. Not to mention, ESC lights are like light up tennis shoes - they were cool at one time, but now the cool kids just make fun of anyone wearing them.
While attending the IIC in Las Vegas last year, I had the pleasure of spending some time with Tekin President Jim Campbell, his wife Sherri, and Tekin team manager Randy Pike. During this time, Randy was kind enough to share a little sneak peek at something new in the pipeline – the HotWire 3.0 with Bluetooth technology designed for use with the Tekin HotWire app on either iOS or Android devices.
(The HotWire 3.0 Bluetooth concept first seen on display at the IIC 2016)
To say that I was excited about the news of the HotWire 3.0 is an understatement, but at that point I knew there was still a hefty wait ahead as it was still in testing. On July 10, 2017 tears of joy ran down my face as I packed up my ESC programming laptop for good, for Tekin had officially released the HotWire 3.0. Less than 10 days later, and I’ve taken full advantage of testing out the latest programming technology from Tekin.
The Details
The HotWire 3.0 connects to Android or iOS devices using Bluetooth wireless technology, or Windows computers and Android devices using a USB connection. In additional to the fine tuning and setup options for your Tekin ESC, the HotWire also provides access to additional tools such as data logging, adjustable BEC settings, etc. Before you throw away your bulky laptop completely, you should know that updating your ESC firmware and/or HotWire software still requires a PC connection (which is not very often, but highly recommended when a new update is released). The HotWire 3.0’s Bluetooth technology allows it work with Android 4.3 and newer devices, and iOS 8 and newer – for Apple folks that means you need an iPhone 4S or iPad 2 at the minimum. If for some terrible reason you would rather not take full advantage of the Bluetooth technology, you can still connect by USB using an Android 3.1 or newer device or PC running Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, or 10. In order to USB connect using a Mac, Tekin recommends trying Bootcamp or Parallels (although I am an iPhone junky, I am not a Mac guy, which means I have no clue what that means). The Tekin HotWire app is free and available for download in the Google Play or iOS App Store. The original HotWire devices required you to unplug the ESC from the receiver to connect, however the HotWire 3.0 connects to Tekin GEN2+ ESCs with the EZ Data Port– no disconnection from the receiver required.
The Test
Any success that I have ever had in R/C racing comes from off-road, however, each year I get the itch to venture out once or twice and try something new. The current itch has led me to dragging out my original TLR 22SCT 2wd short course truck, blowing off the cobwebs, and building a rear motor 13.5 SC Hobby Stock for the upcoming Kansas Dirt Oval Championship. While my vehicle for the race might be slightly outdated, I made sure that my Tekin RSX ESC is not. With the latest firmware update completed using my laptop, I was ready to try out the new HotWire 3.0 to get the ESC dialed in for the oval.
(Note: V255 is not the latest firmware, however, it was the firmware installed at the time of these screenshots and prior to learning my laptop was still required for the firmware update.)
I downloaded the Tekin HotWire app on my iPhone, plugged the HotWire 3.0 into my ESC’s data port, clicked the HotWire bind button, and voila! I was connected, and ready to start choosing my settings. Inside the app there are multiple tabs which allow you to adjust the following:
Setup Tab
Brake Tab
Throttle Tab
Timing Tab
Setting up an ESC is not everyone’s forte, and if you find yourself in trouble the side bar has an option labeled “Defaults”. This option allows you to return to all default settings on your ESC, and dig your way out of whatever hole you may be in. I chose all of my desired settings, tapped “Apply” on the side menu, the ESC made some chiming noises, and I was off and running. Once you bind the HotWire 3.0 with your mobile device, you don’t have to touch the HotWire again – therefore if you are looking to test and tune “on the fly” it can be left mounted in the car. During my initial setup and fine tuning, I left the HotWire in the car. I only drove it for a short time before realizing I needed to decrease my drag brake. I simply drove the car close enough that the Bluetooth could connect, made my changes on the app, applied my changes, and drove away. For product testing sake, I did the same over and over for various settings. Each time the app and HotWire worked flawlessly.
I do not own an Android device to test the HotWire 3.0 via the Google Play App, however, I would assume that since it has been able to connect via USB to Android devices for some quite some time that it will perform just as well on Android as it does on iOS.
Once again, for testing sake only, I also brought out the laptop for an old school connection of the HotWire 3.0. As expected, the PC connection and tuning method worked very well – just as the USB to PC HotWire relationship has done for years.
Pros:
Cons:
Final Word:
My final word on the new Tekin HotWire 3.0 is simply, “Hallelujah!” Whether you mount the HotWire in your car for drive up setting changes, or simply plug it in each time when you need to make a change, the Bluetooth technology and free HotWire app makes the process so much easier than connecting it to a PC. While a PC is still required for ESC firmware and HotWire software updates, assuming you have a compatible device (listed above), the HotWire 3.0 eliminates the need for anything but your phone, your ESC, and a bit of ESC programming common knowledge. If you lack in ESC knowledge, the team driver setups and preset profiles take the guess work out of that too.
If you own a compatible Tekin ESC, an Android or iOS device that has been updated at any time since roughly 2014, and you are still dragging out a laptop and/or USB cables to program your ESC – you might as well order yourself a brushed motor and matched set of NiMh batteries to go with it.
Tekin is not the first, nor will they be the last, to introduce Bluetooth technology to ESC setup and programming. I am awarding the Tekin HotWire 3.0 a full five stars, not based on innovation or being the first, but rather on its incredibly user-friendly operation and interface, adjustment and programming capabilities, flawless performance so far, and the fact that it has eliminated my personal need to haul around my PC to every race that I may want to make the slightest change on my ESC. $60 spent on a HotWire 3.0 will save you far more than that in time and frustration.
Rating: 5 out of 5
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