• What is BridgePal ?
• Hardware Requirements
• Setting Up the System
• SUMMARY
• PC Setup
• Download PC Components
• WiFi Network Setup
• Scoring Unit Setup
• Using Non-Android devices
• Scoring Programs
• Documents
• Users
• What Users Say
• Gallery
• Forum
• Useful Links
• BridgeScore
• Bridge Solver
• BridgePal on Bridgewebs
• Contact Us

Scoring Unit Setup

Initial Scoring Unit Setup

An internet connection is not required to use the phone/tablet as a BridgePal device, so you can remove the sim card if required, as BridgePal only needs a wifi connection. You may very occasionally need to connect the BridgePal device to internet in future in order to install updated versions of the BridgePal app in which case you can connect to internet via a wifi.
During the setup dialog when powering on a new android device for the first time, you will need to create a free google mail account on the device. The same google mail account can be used for all BridgePal devices, so create it when setting up the first device and simply sign in into the account on the other devices.

If you are using a different router for the BridgePal application ensure that the router is now turned on. Put the phone/tablet into Aeroplane mode and then enable wifi. This will ensure that the device does not waste battery power by maintaining a connection to a mobile network. Go into the settings menu, and display the list of visible wifi networks. The network name of the BridgePal router should be visible in this list assuming that the router has been configured to transmit the SSID of the network. Tap on the network name in the list to initiate connection to the network and enter the network password when prompted.

See BridgePal Forum for an example.

BridgePal App

Normally the BridgePal app is downloaded and installed from the google play store. For android devices that do not come with google play store installed the BridgePal app can be downloaded from this link.

Start the "Play Store" app, search for "BridgePal" and install the BridgePal app.

It is possible to replace the standard device launcher with BridgePal launcher. This way when you power up the device it will automatically start the BridgePal app.
For smaller phones the traveller is best displayed in landscape mode, while for larger phones and tablets, portrait mode is better. Use app menu to set this.
See BridgePal menu and app guide for more details.

Configuration of the BridgePal app with the ip address of the PC is automatic. When the BridgePal app is started it will attempt to initiate communication with the PC. You will see the message "CONNECTED, Session Not Yet Started" displayed on the scoring unit, unless a wireless scoring session has already been started from scoring program in which case the initial screen, with a "Start" button, will be displayed.

Bridge Solver

Install Bridge Solver app. This can be used with the 'Play' button on BridgePal traveller screen to replay the hand just played. The app can be downloaded from the google play store. If play store access is not available on the device then the app can be downloaded from this link (for devices supporting android 4.4 and upwards)

BridgeDealer

Install BridgeDealer app from google play store or from here. This can be used with the BridgePal app to deal a preset hand before it is played, or to read a hand shuffled deal into a PBN file. It runs on Android 4.4 or later. The app is fully integrated into BridgePal. Also See Youtube demo.

Caffeine

In order to preserve battery life you might wish to install Caffeine app. This used to be available from google playstore, but if you cannot find it there, you can download the apk directly from here or from here.