[Q/App Requests] - Thunderbolt Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

I'm posting here to avoid flaming, though I think it could also go into the Applications forum. I have 2 questions/requests re my Thunderbolt:
1: The stock music player picks up EVERYTHING loaded to card. The annoying ones are ringtones (typically with similar names as songs I cut from), as well as a bunch of Rockband sound effects (names like a, aa, ab, b, etc) abound in my playlist. I like the stock app, as it offers lockscreen skip controls. I can find no setting to exlude or select folders to scan, nor an app that doesn't replace the music player to include the option (like doubletwist). Does anyone have a solution?
2: I intend to buy a car mount soon. While the default car dock is nice (much better than my Fascinate's bing'ed/vzw'ed one) I really liked using a semi customized AOSP Google Car Cradle app developed by Adrynalyne that included Voice Dialing and other helpful extra buttons. Jcase was going to post instructions on how to mod apk's, but has been busy providing us with other goodies. Anyone have such an app, that will auto load when inserted into a VZW car dock?
Thanks for replies!

Related

[Q] Eris as a media player

So, I am moving on up from my eris and wanted to set it up as a remotely controlled wifi stereo with my speakers. I was wondering if there was any way to use my new phone to remotely control it? (aside from having google voice set up on it with tasker so I can start an app) Any help would be appreciated.
I'm in the same situation as you. Recently upgraded, but still love my Eris and would love to re-purpose it. As far as your question goes I found this article that you might be interested in. XDA isn't letting me post a link but if you google "VNC android" look for "Remotely Control Android Phone [VNC Server]". The website is taranfx.com.
Now in the near future posts like this are going to become more and more prevalent as more people move away from the old Eris to bigger and better phones. I would be really excited if I could download a ROM for the Eris geared toward media player/iPod Touch like functionality. Maybe strip out phone and messaging stuff and pre-load some headphone controls, equalizers, video players or VNC functionality like the OPs question? I'm just throwing ideas around but I figured this would be a good place to put my suggestion.
zakalwe79 said:
I'm in the same situation as you. Recently upgraded, but still love my Eris and would love to re-purpose it. As far as your question goes I found this article that you might be interested in. XDA isn't letting me post a link but if you google "VNC android" look for "Remotely Control Android Phone [VNC Server]". The website is taranfx.com.
Now in the near future posts like this are going to become more and more prevalent as more people move away from the old Eris to bigger and better phones. I would be really excited if I could download a ROM for the Eris geared toward media player/iPod Touch like functionality. Maybe strip out phone and messaging stuff and pre-load some headphone controls, equalizers, video players or VNC functionality like the OPs question? I'm just throwing ideas around but I figured this would be a good place to put my suggestion.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
*IF* you use your computer as your media hub/server/DVR like me then you can remotely control VLC/VideoLAN and Media Player Classic for Home Cinema with Android apps for the purpose, over WIFI. I don't actually do it because my phone IS my internet right now, but it looks solid.
i was in the same situation a while ago too. someone told me about webkey. its in the market, and you can control the phone from anywhere (doesnt need wifi or bluetooth).
from what ive read, you can not directly connect to the phone if you live in america. i do, and whenever i try, the browser times out. using the webkey website and logging in however, works just fine. actions you do from the computer happen on the phone within 1 second, but sometimes it may take 3-4 seconds to refresh the picture on the website.
i will look into this vnc thing..
First step would be a way to toggle the CDMA radio off, while leveaing wifi and bluetooth on. I know you can use *#*#4636#*#*, but when you reboot the radio is back on.
Bump.
I too would like to re-purpose my Eris as a music or media player of some sort.

[Q] Customize or replace htc car panel app

I use my car dock and I'm glad to have it. However, I don't like several aspects of it. I'd like to be able to change what apps it gives shortcuts for (specifically want google play music and pandora) and want it to auto start bluetooth (but not auto turn-off when removed). Would anyone point me at instructions for modding the factory app or make any recommendations for 3rd part apps?
I like an app called Car Widget at the Play store?.
Google Car Home still works on this phone, you need to hunt down the apk, it won't show available in the market.

[DEV] Stop sound from official Radio, Mediaplayer, DAB, etc

Hello,
I'm trying to write a mediaplayer application for the MTCB. An issue that I'm not able to solve now is to stop the music from the other stock applications when my application start.
Does anybody has an idea about how to do that ? Seems that's not a possibility to use audio focus ...
Any help will be much appreciated.
mumu02 said:
Hello,
I'm trying to write a mediaplayer application for the MTCB. An issue that I'm not able to solve now is to stop the music from the other stock applications when my application start.
Does anybody has an idea about how to do that ? Seems that's not a possibility to use audio focus ...
Any help will be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Decompile stock apps and look inside.
mumu02 said:
Hello,
I'm trying to write a mediaplayer application for the MTCB. An issue that I'm not able to solve now is to stop the music from the other stock applications when my application start.
Does anybody has an idea about how to do that ? Seems that's not a possibility to use audio focus ...
Any help will be much appreciated.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
You should try and PM Booroondook. Below is a Google-translation of his post on this matter:
,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
The developers originally wanted to make a device completely replaces the car's radio. Moreover, up to the most complete simulation interface to motorists who allegedly used to. In addition, radio conceived such that it immediately ( "out of the box") would perform all the functions inherent in the car radio. Therefore it developed a set of so-called "factory" of applications that simulate the function of "advanced" regular radio - "Radio", "a DVD", "Music", "Video", "Photos", "the iPod," "Handsfree Bluetooth". By this set has also been added to the navigation functionality - as Application- "starter" selected by the user of the navigation program.
More precisely, mutual exclusion - integration system has been created for these applications. You work, "Radio", you run the "Music" - "Radio" is turned off. Launched the "Video" - disconnected "Music." And so on. It has even invented a special function (called by the MODE key), switching these applications in a circle - by analogy with the head unit.
These applications (according to developers) would have to cover all the needs of the motorist. And the Android operating system was the basis of fashion or marketing reasons, or both.
All would be good, but the developers have not considered (or ignored) the fact that the Android OS allows you to install additional applications. These additional user-installed applications do not "fit in" with the original logic of the functional simulation regular radio.
We take your specific example. You factory application "Music" chose a third-party, the establishment of additional "Google Music" app. It is clear that it is your choice to which you are entitled. But the developer is not able to assume that you install this application - and therefore your "Google Music" is not involved in "switching system" applications and "dampens" the other application.
What's in this case? Either put up with such behavior (ie, do not forget to manually turn off the "Radio" before turning on the "Google-Music"), or you can use some tricks to automate this business - good Android OS lets you do things with the help of supporting applications and system modules.
Members of our branches also have repeatedly faced with problems similar to yours. Force enthusiasts have developed tools that optimize the behavior of third-party applications such as media players.
Do not be lazy, look at the cap, there is a lot of links. Note the module Car Audio Service, as well as a set of tools from a reputable MVG-V70.
.............................................
Link to original post
.............................................
Unfortunately he is not that active on XDA
If someone is interested, finally it's very simple
private AudioManager am = null;
this.am = (AudioManager)context.getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE);
// Cut sound from stock audio applications
this.am.setParameters("av_channel_exit=dtv");
// Enable sound from stock audio applications
this.am.setParameters("av_channel_enter=dtv");
mumu02 said:
If someone is interested, finally it's very simple
private AudioManager am = null;
this.am = (AudioManager)context.getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE);
// Cut sound from stock audio applications
this.am.setParameters("av_channel_exit=dtv");
// Enable sound from stock audio applications
this.am.setParameters("av_channel_enter=dtv");
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Could you please elaborate? I'm having the same issue, however I want to apply this behaviour to already existent apps, eg. Google Play Music (to pause everything else when Google Music starts)... Does your solution apply to my case and how should I procceed? Thank you so much in advance!
sarruma said:
Could you please elaborate? I'm having the same issue, however I want to apply this behaviour to already existent apps, eg. Google Play Music (to pause everything else when Google Music starts)... Does your solution apply to my case and how should I procceed? Thank you so much in advance!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think one solution is to write a very simple application with just the mentionend code Inside. Then use tasker, and when you launch Google Play Music ask him to launch the small program before.
I can build the small app for you if you want to try ?
For my media player it's not working 100%. I'm able to cut off the sound when I launch my app but when I want to launch again the stock radio , it dosen't actually stop my mediaplayer since I can't get any notification Inside my app from the stock app.
mumu02 said:
I think one solution is to write a very simple application with just the mentionend code Inside. Then use tasker, and when you launch Google Play Music ask him to launch the small program before.
I can build the small app for you if you want to try ?
For my media player it's not working 100%. I'm able to cut off the sound when I launch my app but when I want to launch again the stock radio , it dosen't actually stop my mediaplayer since I can't get any notification Inside my app from the stock app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What do you mean that you cannot get any notification?
What I've been doing till now is create a custom app using tasker (with a plugin called App factory, since my knowledge in programming doesn't go so far) and in fact use the created app to force close the radio app before launching, in my case, Google Play Music. But then, when I launch the radio app (or even the Bluetooth app)again, Google Play Music stops... So every shortcut of my preferred music app or even the mode.ini I use for the Xposed module I need to cycle through hu modes using my swc is associated not with the actual app, but with one custom made to suit my needs. Of course is kind of a mess, but so far haven't found anything better and working... Could you suggest anything better? Do you believe that there's an easier way for my case? Thank you so much for your help..!?
sarruma said:
What do you mean that you cannot get any notification?
What I've been doing till now is create a custom app using tasker (with a plugin called App factory, since my knowledge in programming doesn't go so far) and in fact use the created app to force close the radio app before launching, in my case, Google Play Music. But then, when I launch the radio app (or even the Bluetooth app)again, Google Play Music stops... So every shortcut of my preferred music app or even the mode.ini I use for the Xposed module I need to cycle through hu modes using my swc is associated not with the actual app, but with one custom made to suit my needs. Of course is kind of a mess, but so far haven't found anything better and working... Could you suggest anything better? Do you believe that there's an easier way for my case? Thank you so much for your help..!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What I mean, there is no communication between stock app and let's say a regular android app. I mean, when you launch a stock app, there is no way (at least I didn't find it) for another regular app to know that you launch the stock one.
In fact what I want to do is that when I launch my media player it stoppes the Stock app (This goal is reached) but then when I launch again a stock app, it should stop my mediaplyer app (Actually it just put the sound done. To sumarize what I want is that each time I bring an app in fordeground it should stopp all other (Music player). In fact it's the case between the stock media player and the stock radio.
So I think so far we are both at the same place
mumu02 said:
What I mean, there is no communication between stock app and let's say a regular android app. I mean, when you launch a stock app, there is no way (at least I didn't find it) for another regular app to know that you launch the stock one.
In fact what I want to do is that when I launch my media player it stoppes the Stock app (This goal is reached) but then when I launch again a stock app, it should stop my mediaplyer app (Actually it just put the sound done. To sumarize what I want is that each time I bring an app in fordeground it should stopp all other (Music player). In fact it's the case between the stock media player and the stock radio.
So I think so far we are both at the same place
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, no matter how much I have searched, I haven't found any better solution..! But I'll keep trying, this solution doesn't satisfy me and isn't at all instinctive... Any way, I'll let you know if I find anything else! Cheers... ???
I thought all this was sorted about 3 years ago when @agentdr8 developed his XposedMTC app ?
typos1 said:
I thought all this was sorted about 3 years ago when @agentdr8 developed his XposedMTC app ?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
My work on XMTC ceased a while back, but what was posted above was correct at the time. The audio output was controlled by the MCU, and triggered via different AudioManager object parameters.
The problem is, all Android app-based audio is done via 1 MCU output (av_channel=sys IIRC). So anyone designing an app would have to determine what the current av_channel parameter is set to. The stock MTC apps do that sort of (they just assume the newly-launched app is taking over audio control, and switches the av_channel).
agentdr8 said:
My work on XMTC ceased a while back, but what was posted above was correct at the time. The audio output was controlled by the MCU, and triggered via different AudioManager object parameters.
The problem is, all Android app-based audio is done via 1 MCU output (av_channel=sys IIRC). So anyone designing an app would have to determine what the current av_channel parameter is set to. The stock MTC apps do that sort of (they just assume the newly-launched app is taking over audio control, and switches the av_channel).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That was pre @7floor audio mod which bypasses the MCU and gives Android control of the audio IC, I wonder how XposedMTC works with that ? Not heard any one say that I remember.
mumu02 said:
If someone is interested, finally it's very simple
private AudioManager am = null;
this.am = (AudioManager)context.getSystemService(Context.AUDIO_SERVICE);
// Cut sound from stock audio applications
this.am.setParameters("av_channel_exit=dtv");
// Enable sound from stock audio applications
this.am.setParameters("av_channel_enter=dtv");
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does this code work as it is?
It is a java code isnt it?
You said it worked for you to cut the audio from stock apps, but inside there is the option to enable it as well? I don't understand?
I would like to stop dvd using this code in tasker. I assume I have to change dvr with dvd and remove this part : // Enable sound from stock audio applications
this.am.setParameters("av_channel_enter=dtv");
I am sorry but I dont unsterstand java.
A time ago I creaTed Modeswitch https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...t/app-modeswitch-spotify-swc-control-t3310966
An application to help with audio focus on our devices. I am now trying to optimize it to speed it up, and now allow it change the audio focus even if the mode circle didn't run ( that was a limitation of the releases until now)
I would appreciate your help
p_mike83 said:
Does this code work as it is?
It is a java code isnt it?
You said it worked for you to cut the audio from stock apps, but inside there is the option to enable it as well? I don't understand?
I would like to stop dvd using this code in tasker. I assume I have to change dvr with dvd and remove this part : // Enable sound from stock audio applications
this.am.setParameters("av_channel_enter=dtv");
I am sorry but I dont unsterstand java.
A time ago I creaTed Modeswitch https://forum.xda-developers.com/an...t/app-modeswitch-spotify-swc-control-t3310966
An application to help with audio focus on our devices. I am now trying to optimize it to speed it up, and now allow it change the audio focus even if the mode circle didn't run ( that was a limitation of the releases until now)
I would appreciate your help
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Wouldnt it be easier to go into factory settings and uncheck "DVD" ? That would remove the DVD from the circle entirely.
typos1 said:
Wouldnt it be easier to go into factory settings and uncheck "DVD" ? That would remove the DVD from the circle entirely.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am aware of this. Actually my app has already a setting to exclude dvd from mode circle. But its not what I am trying to do. If you are listening to a track on cd/dvd disk and you open spotify (or other music app) the audio from the track continues to play, and you have audio from 2 sources !?
p_mike83 said:
I am aware of this. Actually my app has already a setting to exclude dvd from mode circle. But its not what I am trying to do. If you are listening to a track on cd/dvd disk and you open spotify (or other music app) the audio from the track continues to play, and you have audio from 2 sources !?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Right, I thought this was sorted by @agentdr8 3 years ago with MTCXposed.
typos1 said:
Right, I thought this was sorted by @agentdr8 3 years ago with MTCXposed.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
p_mike83 said:
I am aware of this. Actually my app has already a setting to exclude dvd from mode circle. But its not what I am trying to do. If you are listening to a track on cd/dvd disk and you open spotify (or other music app) the audio from the track continues to play, and you have audio from 2 sources !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It was something I tried to address with XMTC and had moderate success with. Unfortunately that code has aged beyond the current ROM releases, and I didn't have time to keep it up to date.
In order to catch all launches of audio-outputting apps, you'd need an Xposed module to hook into either the current Launcher process to know when apps are opened, or into the system ActivityManager. From there, you could interrogate the AudioManager instance and get/set parameters to flip audio sources. It was something I was looking into for XMTC, but never made any progress.
EDIT: Not sure if you've tried adding in this to switch away from the dvd source and back to the Android source:
Java:
am.setParameters("av_channel_exit=dvd");
am.setParameters("av_channel_enter=sys");
Also, I don't think any of this would matter if the @7floor mod was done. Everything should be piped into the standard Android audio streams at that point.
agentdr8 said:
It was something I tried to address with XMTC and had moderate success with. Unfortunately that code has aged beyond the current ROM releases, and I didn't have time to keep it up to date.
In order to catch all launches of audio-outputting apps, you'd need an Xposed module to hook into either the current Launcher process to know when apps are opened, or into the system ActivityManager. From there, you could interrogate the AudioManager instance and get/set parameters to flip audio sources. It was something I was looking into for XMTC, but never made any progress.
EDIT: Not sure if you've tried adding in this to switch away from the dvd source and back to the Android source:
Java:
am.setParameters("av_channel_exit=dvd");
am.setParameters("av_channel_enter=sys");
Also, I don't think any of this would matter if the @7floor mod was done. Everything should be piped into the standard Android audio streams at that point.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Oh, I thought that XposedMTC was still THE way to stop 2 sources from playing at the same time and to add extra sources into the src button (I use the built in apps myself so dont use XMTC for that)>
typos1 said:
Oh, I thought that XposedMTC was still THE way to stop 2 sources from playing at the same time and to add extra sources into the src button (I use the built in apps myself so dont used XMTC for that)>
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! I came along this as I was trying to find the answer. (You have to remove "this" from the code). But anyway I already found an other work around ?. So time for testing my app. The first tests were successful!?

Need Help with PX6 Android Head Unit WheelKey Study App.

Hello, I have just bought a PX6 Android Headunit for the car. so far it has been pretty easy to install, and modify. The problem I have run into, is modifying the Steering wheels buttons. The Headunit uses a pre-installed app called WheelKey Study V1.0. The app actually works perfectly as intended and have wide range of options for the button layout, what I am missing is a option to modify the mode button hotkey scrolling through the apps when pushing mode once, it cycles through a pre chosen list of apps, and I cannot add third party apps like Spotify or youtube or remove some I don't need like the pre-installed Music or video. If anyone here has some advice on how to open the coding of the app and change the list of apps bound to the wheelkey study it would be very welcome.

Android as Smart Panel

Hey guys,
I'm not really sure if this is the right place to post this question but as I don't really know where else in the web I could find help on this I'll give it a try
TL;DR:​Do you know any (and I really mean any - including writing an app or other hands on approaches) method to have a permanent (tabbed) navigation at the bottom of the screen to switch between apps or websites/PWAs?
The background of this question:​
I'm coming down a long road trying to hack together a DIY - privacy focused - smart speaker - mainly to switch lights and play some music. I started off back in 2018/19 and found snips.ai one of the most promising FOSS smart speaker projects for my plans and so I got me a Raspberry Pi 3b+ and a Matrix Voice board as foundation. Then half a year I later, when I found the time to put those together, I had to find out, that Sonos just bought snips.ai and their services were to be shut down...
Since then I had a long pause on this but always followed the development of FOSS voice projects including Mycroft (to expensive HW, to bloated, to tied to their web services IMHO), Sepia (to complicated to setup) as well as attempts on hacking OTS speakers like Alexa, Google Home, Sonos et al or combinations with web controllable wifi speakers like Teufel 3sixty (which is really a gold speaker but as tons of other radios has a frontier chip set with its awkward web interface) or even the awesome Squeezelite-ESP32 project. Lately I stumbled upon Rhasspy and got myself together to give my project a new try and was even kind of successful (got a self hosted voice assistant doing what I want - even if I had to learn and write some python here and there). But I figured out that 1) a smart speaker without a display is not really what I want and 2) I'm not really that kind of maker guy to 3d-print cases, plan and build circuitry and what not - or it's just missing me the time to do and especially experimenting on this
So I ended up with the idea of the software that I need (Rhasspy server side + a satellite app, Home Assistant, Logitech Media Server, Spotify/Tidal and maybe some others) and was then looking for some hackable device to serve as interface to that (display, speakers, microphone, wifi + maybe bluetooth). The Sonoff NSPanel Pro was a candidate but I didn't trust the quality of its speakers and read some reviews that were claiming a weak performance. Then I found the Lenovo ThinkSmart View that has all this and this XDA thread and immediately got me a new one for 60 bucks. Now I have a quality device better then I could ever make it with a blank(though not rooted) android, a Rhasspy Voice Assistant running on a local server ready to receive and send audio streams, a promising app to act as a Rhasspy satellite and some quality speakers to play music on. The last opponent I'm facing now is a nice UI on android that can bring all the bits together.
What I'm looking for now is a free (and ideally OSS) panel/kiosk solution with that I can seamlessly switch between Home Assistant (web UI), Spotify (web UI or their app) and some others like a self hosted Web music player. In my imagination I could switch between them with a permanent tab bar at the screen bottom but am open to other ideas. I'm not an Android developer but I consider myself a stable Java dev open to write an own app for this - I'd just need a starting point (read of Webviews, Custom Tabs, Trusted Web Activities but found them not really a solution to what I need - maybe is there some browser which's contents I can just include in an app?). Also I can write (progressive) web apps and do stuff with them but then AFAIK the only method to embed remote sites would be iframes which likely won't work with at least spotify).
I really do not want to bloat this forum with all that stuff - I'm just writing this in the hope that 1) someone is interested in this and maybe is on the same journey and 2) to give some context on my actual question above
Thank you very much in advance!
Just came across your post. I’ve been looking for something very similar and have also been considering the NsPanel pro. I don’t have as much concern for audio quality as I’m less likely to use it for playing music, just responses or notifications from Rhasspy. I have just ordered a Lenovo device as I’m sure I’ll have fun with it.
To answer your question above, I just found this in the HA companion app that might work for you: https://companion.home-assistant.io/docs/integrations/android-webview/#links It’s not perfect but could be used with a button or voice command to launch the app on the device. I’ve also seen other posts about using a key mapping app for using the volume buttons to do other tasks.
I’d be very keen to see what you’ve done for dashboards and how you’re using the Rhasspy app on your device. Has it been as responsive and accurate as you hoped?

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