How can you limit top speed on ARC PRO

[MikeySpeedman]

Hi guys. I myself have some young kids and can’t be around all the time to set the app to reduce speeds so would also advocate for simply setting a lower throttle for the arc pro. Alternatively, add the functionality in the wireless controllers instead like some analog ones had in the past. Not complicated and clearly enough people want it.

In saying that, when I change the power setting in the app, nothing happens. Even when I take it down to 5%. It’s still full power. When I also attempt to “calibrate the car” in the app, with the exact model of car in the setup, the first  + increment in speed is full all out maximum. Nothing changes in race mode either.

has anyone had this before where the power settings don’t take affect? Is the arc pro faulty?

 

Edited February 17 by MikeySpeedman

[Expidia]

Hi Mikey.  I just joined today and a newbie at the hobby plus I'm 75 years old, so I find their app very unuser friendly., but had the same question on another slot forum.  I have a used 20 year old Scalextric set with older controllers.  As someone suggested above one solution is to drill a small hole and screw in a small phillips screw just to the side of the trigger, so the trigger can stop on top of the screw at different power levels.  I did this right after I picked the set up two weeks ago.  Now I can adjust the trigger by just turning a screw. Caution: Don't do this if you are still under warranty.  First open the controller up and make sure there is open space where you are drilling the hole, so you don't drill into wires etc.  This works great as long as the cars are similar.  I have 9 older cars that I run analog and each uses different power, so I have to adjust the screw when switching cars.  

Next, I went to digital and over to the Pro Platinum setup and I find very true what every one is saying above about Scalextric making it easier to limiting a cars speed (since I have 4 young grand kids 6,6,7 and 12 and their friends)  . . . and I was going to go with Carerra Digital just for this feature alone.  But I already own 43 Scalextric Sport track sections.  from reading the various fourums, I found Scalextric is not doing a great job keeping up with the needs of it's users IMO.  A better way for us to control the maxium speed should be a simple task for them.  I fiddeled with the app the whole day and it is a frustrating app with no documentation other than their simple quick start guide.

Last week my Platinum setup arrived with two cars with stripped screws.  When I tried to call Scalextric last week to have them just simply send me two plastic body replacements their voicemail said their c/s rep "is on leave" (this is a first ever I've heard a "corporation's" message like this) !  And that I should contact them by email them.  Nope, not after spending $700 . . .  live c/s support is already built into that cost IMO. So for my money, I simply returned the entire set.  Do they mean to tell me a company their size only has "one" c/s rep and that they can't channel c/s calls to someone else temporarily.  Idea: just have a manager take a walk around the office and who ever is sitting there texting . . . channel the calls c/s to them!

I don't know if there is room for a screw with the wireless controllers and I'd have to wait until the Arc Pro that is arriving shortly is out of warranty to try the screw mod.

But one other thing I'm trying is to use a variable power source.  They are like $15-20 on Amazon and some come with like 15 different tips hopefully one fits the Arc Pro.  I have one that I got off Ebay, but no tips, so I'll try and first connect it and see if I can bring the power down to 9 volts for the kids.  I can't return it anyway, so if it works I'll cut the connector off it and replace it with the Arc Pro female power in port.   I'll report back if that works.  

But bottom line is Scalextric should configure their app to make it easier for us to limit a cars speed without having to repeatedly adjust every cars speed.

Or maybe they want us to buy a bunch of "My Pillows" 🤣

  

 

[Andy P.]

On 2/17/2024 at 8:43 AM, MikeySpeedman said:

Hi guys. I myself have some young kids and can’t be around all the time to set the app to reduce speeds so would also advocate for simply setting a lower throttle for the arc pro. Alternatively, add the functionality in the wireless controllers instead like some analog ones had in the past. Not complicated and clearly enough people want it.

In saying that, when I change the power setting in the app, nothing happens. Even when I take it down to 5%. It’s still full power. When I also attempt to “calibrate the car” in the app, with the exact model of car in the setup, the first  + increment in speed is full all out maximum. Nothing changes in race mode either.

has anyone had this before where the power settings don’t take affect? Is the arc pro faulty?

 

If the controllers are bound correctly and the car set up you should see a change.  Try reinstalling the app and reconnect the cars one at a time testing them each time. There are some tips here as well: https://slotracer.online/community/showthread.php?tid=181&page=4

[Expidia]

I came across this article online from Jedlam Toy store.  It mentions that the Scalextric analog controllers used to have a 4 position switch under the trigger to limit the overall speed of each car.  It also says with their wireless versions, the speed is controlled by the Arc App.

One wonders why with Scalextric's $700 premium Pro Digital set, why they didn't just include that 4 position switch on their wireless controllers too???

Excerpt from 2020 article:

Jadlam Toys . . . The controllers in the latest standard sets are a new version that has four power-limiting settings – 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% – selected by a sliding switch just below the trigger. The switch limits how far the trigger can be pressed. Full power on the 25% setting will be slow, 50% is perfect for full-throttle racing and the two highest settings require some skill and throttle control to keep the cars on track. These controllers are ideal for learner-drivers and guarantee lots of fun without too many crashes and potential damage to the cars.

The ARC Air and ARC Pro sets have power settings that are only adjustable when a race is being run with the ARC app. It’s a great feature, but does mean that younger racers will need to be supervised until they become expert Scalextric drivers.

[MIleage712]

It would be nice to see the four position physical throttle stop on all the wireless controllers. This would of course have a cost to change the injection molds.

At some point it would be even better to have a bit of non-volatile memory in the controller and put in a max power value in each controller. The app could set this once and it would be there when the track is powered up. The app race modes could then override/change these stored defaults in the drivers profile or the car profile. I don't know how much storage is on the controllers not but there is some as there is firmware that can be updated. Also there is some room to store which controller id is set for the various colors on top of the Arc Pro powerbase (essentially controller 1 thru 6).   if the app can't be updated to do the settings then the firmware could be revised to allow a button combination to change max power. (eg: hold brake and lane change for 5 seconds. then press one of the other to move the max power to the desire level with the LED on top blinking faster or slower to indicate the setting (or use haptic rumble intensity, or both LED and haptic/rumble), finally press both buttons or pull throttle to set the powerlevel and leave selection mode.