About OnCue

OnCue be built on top o' Apple's frameworks t' allow wireless, peer-to-peer connectivity over Bluetooth. Th' followin' be some tips t' get things runnin' fer yer crew as well as a history an' future outlook fer th' technology, savvy?

Because these frameworks be limited t' iOS devices, an' due t' th' inherit limitations o' th' technology, OnSong has a technology called OnSong Connect which requires a network connection. OnSong Connect allows fer more robust communication as well as support fer many more devices.

OnCue Version

Newer versions o' OnSong can use newer an' more reliable protocols t' send OnCue information. If ye be usin' an iOS 7 or higher device, a new version o' OnCue be enabled by default. If ye be runnin' iOS 6 or earlier, th' older version o' OnSong be enabled. Be sure t' use th' version that meets th' needs o' every device that ye need t' connect. Fer instance, if ye have an original iPad that runs iOS 5.1.1, ye will need t' switch all devices t' th' older OnCue version fer interoperability, matey. This can be done in Settings » Menu Settings » Sharin'.

Tips

Wireless technology changes at a rapid rate, an' iOS has followed an' led many o' these trends, Arrr! When th' original iPad launched in 2010, only Bluetooth was capable o' settin' up an ad-hoc network o' devices. With each iOS release, Apple began transformin' th' wireless sharin' landscape. Today Apple uses Bluetooth t' configure direct WiFi, peer-to-peer functions. WiFi features much higher bandwidth than Bluetooth.

Number o' Devices: One major limitation t' Apple's frameworks be th' number o' concurrent devices. While not documented in th' original Game Kit Framework, th' generally accepted number o' peer-to-peer devices be around five maximum. Th' newer frameworks support a maximum o' six devices.

Frequencies: However, some networks be not friendly with these WiFi requests an' different versions o' iOS handle this connection differently. We recommend that ye turn off WiFi an' turn on Bluetooth when performin'. This be because WiFi frequencies can become overloaded in crowded environments such as a concert. Bluetooth be generally limited t' 30 feet an' be not as connected t' th' otherwise crowded WiFi space.

RF Noise: Another consideration be radio frequency noise. Since nearly all consumer electronics (includin' microwave ovens) operate in th' 2.4 Ghz an' 5.0 Ghz range, there be th' possibility o' too many wireless signals bein' present. This noise makes it difficult fer transmissions t' complete an' reduces overall bandwidth.

Network Engineerin': If ye be usin' WiFi or Bluetooth at a performance level, work with a wireless communications engineer t' ensure that ye don't have competin' frequencies. This applies t' not just networkin' equipment, but t' wireless microphones an' audio reinforcement hardware as well. Many problems can be alleviated with more professional-grade equipment that can seamlessly switch t' less cluttered channels, savvy?

History

When OnSong launched with th' first generation iPad, this was th' only way t' accomplish wireless networkin'. Over time, Apple has changed th' way this networkin' works an', as such, effected performance on newer versions o' iOS, Blimey!

Th' followin' provides a history o' wireless connectivity in these iOS versions.

• iOS 3.2 was th' original operatin' system fer th' first iPad. This featured Bluetooth wireless networkin' usin' Apple's Game Kit Framework. This framework only used Bluetooth 2.1 EDR fer communication.
• iOS 4.x did not change th' underlyin' Bluetooth communication system an' only appeared t' make th' Game Kit Frameworks an' Bluetooth connectivity more stable.
• iOS 5.x added th' ability fer iOS t' send wireless data over WiFi if Bluetooth be not enabled. Th' default protocol remained Bluetooth.
• iOS 6.x switched th' priority o' wireless protocols, optin' t' send data over WiFi if available. Th' issue be that some networks be not capable o' relayin' this information, an' there be no provision fer selectin' Bluetooth over WiFi connections. This release made wireless communication less reliable, but overall faster fer supported networks. Turnin' off WiFi an' turnin' on Bluetooth resolves th' reliability problem.
• iOS 7.x be when Apple rebuilt wireless sharin' with a new protocol an' deprecated th' original frameworks. This new protocol be not supported on devices runnin' iOS 6 or older. It uses Bluetooth t' configure a direct WiFi connection fer peer-to-peer communication.
• iOS 8.x continues th' new model o' wireless communication usin' Bluetooth LE t' maintain connections with devices.