hi i have just set up my car so that i can play audio through my headunit and use tomtom navigation software, all is working well i was just wondering if anyone knew of a patch or something that would mute/lower volume of the music when tomtom speaks a command.
currently at the moment i am running windows media player in the background and tomtom on top, i am successfully able to hear the music and the tomtom commands allthough sometimes the commands are hard to hear with the music playing
As far as I know the sound API's are not on a per application basis, you only have a choice of hardware, or software through bluetooth. you could perhaps set WMP at a lower level than the main device volume, and have TomTom louder though.
Related
The version of Windows Media Player in my Exec doesn't allow me to control playback unless it's the foreground application. This isn't good when I've got music playing with TomTom in the car and I want to switch tracks or pause the music. The new TomTom 5.1 forces itself to full-screen mode which means I can't quickly flick back to WMP to change the music. Pain in the Ass. :evil:
There are several solutions to this problem:
- use an alternative music player that allows me to assign persistant hot key combinations that work even if the application isn't in the foreground
- stop TomTom forcing itself to full-screen mode, like I could do in TT3 perfectly :evil:
- learn how to achieve this with the existing setup. I've tried mapping obscure key combinations in WMP but they just don't work unless WMP is in the foreground.
I really don't like this latest version of TomTom. My v3 was much more flexible In the good old days of XDA2 I could tell WMP to keep the button mappings while it was in the background too, I think.
Anybody got any suggestions?
Edit: Title of post changed to reflect the outcome of the thread, in case it's useful for someone else...
Have you tried phm keys?
V
Trying it now....
Thanks for the tip. Will report back asap.
Edit:
Nope. Doesn't work. Doesn't have any effect while TomTom is running.
Also, only allows me to map the four hardware buttons. Was hoping that I could use keys on the standard keyboard to control WMP. WMP allows me to map any key to its controls and I want these to be persistant.
Should I try TCPMP? Does that allow button mapping? Can't find any info on their website(s).
Found one solution, but it's not elegant: The Task Switcher (Alt-Tab) control of PocketPlus works in TomTom so I can use it to switch to WMP and control the music, then swap back to TT.
It's a fiddle though, and I'd still like to find a way of doing it with one button press
I think TCMP does allow persistent button maps, and pocket music I think as well. GSPlayer also, from memory. Hopefully one of those should work!
GSPlayer is free and open source, so well recommended. However, no idea how WM5 compatible these are.
I'll try to have a look into the phm keys issue, should be quite feasible, but the problem is using the keyboard to launch progs - I've not got a universal, so it's not an issue I've ever looked into (hopefully getting one soon though, to develop on).
V
Sorted! TCMP has wonderfully flexible persistent button mapping, it works perfectly, and I'm happy!
I can control my music playback with keyboard keys while TomTom is running. As well as this, TCMP allows me to boost the volume of its playback so the music volume is higher than the TT voice directions (so TT doesn't interfere with the music too much).
My final hope is that TCMP automatically pauses playback when an incoming call comes in, but I'll have to test that later.
So, I'm close to achieving the perfect set up in the car: TomTom giving me on-screen directions and TCMP giving me shuffled non-stop music. Audio output is played from the Exec headphone socket to my car's head unit except when a call comes in, when it switches automatically to my BT headset. One day I'll also play movies through TCMP so my wife doesn't get bored on long journeys!
All I need now is a powered car mount.
I think TCMP does pause playback as soon as it loses focus, eg reminders or calls. Tell us how it goes though!
V
Yeah, just tested it on the way home and TCMP worked exactly as planned. Driving along with music playing and TT nagging me, I pressed my headset button, got the voicedial prompt, spoke the number, the music paused, I had a conversation, pressed the headset button again, the call ended and I was back to The Verve and TT. All automatically
The whole thing got confused when my wife rang me, but I think that's because the Exec wasn't powerful enough to handle everything that was happening when the call came in. I suspect that TT5.1 isn't fully WM5-compatible yet and so it's much slower and more demanding than it will eventually be when TomTom eventually release an approved WM5-compliant version.
Interestingly, when I made the call the call audio was coming from both the car speakers (via the Exec audio jack) AND my BT headset, so all passengers can join in the phone conversation too.
SiliconS - what kind of gprs are you using?
V
vijay555 said:
SiliconS - what kind of gprs are you using?
V
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Umm... the regular kind? The kind that O2 set up in their settings. GSM, not UTMS, btw.
Sorry, my doh. GPS, not GPRS!
V
Ahh. All is now clear
I've got the TomTom Bluetooth one, bought in the box with the software. Works fine with the Exec and the (cracked, until TT release a genuine WM5-compatible version) 5.1 version of the software.
You can go one better here with your automation I think, if prepared to try it. I use it on my Jam but havent tried it with the JasJar yet. If you use Microsoft Voice Command it has commands for WMP. You can hit the voice prompt button and say "Start Windows Media Player" - it will start WMP if not already opened, or switch to WMP if already open. Nice thing about Voice Command is you can issue commands to WMP, such as "Play the Verve" or "Play Coldplay" or "Play X&Y" for the album - saves you having to scroll through searching for songs while driving.
BTW just hit the Voice Command button and say "Start Tomtom" and it will revert back to TomTom.
admisi said:
You can go one better here with your automation I think, if prepared to try it. I use it on my Jam but havent tried it with the JasJar yet. If you use Microsoft Voice Command it has commands for WMP.
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Click to collapse
That's a very interesting idea. I wonder how it would work, though, if there is music playing in the background when trying to use the voice commands. I already find voice dialling through the BT headset is unreliable if I'm driving so more ambient noise would screw things up even more, I'd have thought.
Would be interested to hear others' thoughts though.
Has anyone else tried to use their xda exec/jasjar/universal in the car as a music player while using tomtom5. I've been doing this for years with various editions of the xda, using the headphone output to a cheap under dashboard amp - but am getting a bit frustrated with how my old setup doesnt seem to work as well with the xda exec(wm5) and tomtom 5.
I've found that tomtom 5 seems to "hog" all the cpu usuage, which means that whatever music player being used that is running in the background - e.g. windows media or mortplayer for example, it is impossible to have constant playback while tomtom is running onscreen, when each track ends there is a massive delay before the next track starts (sometimes never).
I have noticed though, that if a route is planned on tomtom, then the screen is pressed, then the windows button, and task switching back to the player, that the music player then goes to the next track ok, as long as it is displayed, and tomtom does seem to keep running in the background... but I'd rather see the map display than the player controls!
In the past I did find it useful to map the hardware buttons to each program, but again, it doesnt work unless the animated display on tomtom isnt running - so its damned fiddly. The old hardware buttons on the xda2s were so much easier to press without looking at them, being more tactile. But the exec generally is so much better its such a shame after upgrading my killer app setup now doesnt work seamlessly... what makes it even more of a shame is that recently I got a really cheap 4gb sd card which means there's lots of music to listen to on long journeys.
Does anyone have any suggestions to solve this priority issue? Are there any tools or tweaks that can make tomtom 5 run with less cpu priority?
Otherwise I guess I'll have to resort to buying a cheap sd based mp3 player for the car and some kind of audio mixer under the dash (groan) its so frustrating when this could be perfect if it only worked seamlessly, my old xda2s had no such problems with this setup
Regards
Derek
Tomtom 5 and Windows Media Player
I have the same problem - i have a TYTN WM5 and TOTOm 5.21 installed. I can listen to my media player and have tom tom displayed and working, however the media player stops after each track and doesnt start until i press play again. It works fine on a wired headset but not on my HTC stereo bluetooth. I use this on my motorcycle and the wired option is very distracting with the wire flying around all over the place!!! I do not think it is a cpu problem otherwise it wouldnt work on the wired headphones. I think its a bluetooth problem - anyone any ideas - maybe a registry tweak.
Gary
I tend to listen to audiobooks on Mortplayer and sometimes have Tomtom 6 running; I haven't noticed much of a problem.
grayme said:
I tend to listen to audiobooks on Mortplayer and sometimes have Tomtom 6 running; I haven't noticed much of a problem.
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Do you not notice that Tomtom halves the volume of other outputs?
apd said:
Do you not notice that Tomtom halves the volume of other outputs?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Erm, nope I haven't.
Maybe because I use an FM transmitter it compensates somewhere..... ?
Is it possible to send voice commands from TOM TOM to a bluetooth enabled device?
What are the settings? I can get the voice commands to work with my Jabra headset but not my receiver...
I just got a nifty car receiver that takes A2DP music and phone calls. GPS routing over BT would complete it!
I did some more testing.
It seems that the tomtom signal comes over the A2DP bluetooth signal.
So on my car stereo, the tomtom commands will come through, only if I have the stereo on bluetooth mode. Not the best if you wish to listen to the radio.
Is there a way to force the tomtom commands over the HCP (Hands Free Profile)? That way the voice commands will be forced to the car stereo and interrupt radio play.
kww
there used to be a registry patch or program that peeps used to use to allow them to listen to music through the BT headset. This was before A2DP existed hence the need, most peeps dismissed it because it was mono and poor quality audio (like listening to your music over a phone line,) but I have a feeling it is exactly what you are looking for !
I have downloaded a couple of programs, but they don't seem to work.
What is needed is some sort of program where you can pick the software to rout the audio either to a2dp or HFP...
the software im thinking of gave the choice of routing ALL system audio (including music) via headset profile bluetooth or not, at your choice !! trust me, it is what your looking for.
Problem is, most of those programs are/were pre WM5 and don't work with WM6, BTaudionav is an example. Regardless, if you come up with a software title, let me know.
ice_coffee said:
the software im thinking of gave the choice of routing ALL system audio (including music) via headset profile bluetooth or not, at your choice !! trust me, it is what your looking for.
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Click to collapse
you should search in the forum for the universal, that is where I would have seen it, as that is the phone I had at the time, It shipped with WM5 but was a long time coming with a rom that supported A2DP, in the mean time these programs popped up !
just stumbled accross this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=278778&highlight=a2dp
I am going to read through the entire thread, but the line of code that says:
"UseJointStereo"=dword:00000000
just turns off the A2DP; 00000001 enables.
Further, it routs all A2DP to mono.
Got through the thread, it really doesn't do what I want.
What I am trying to do is to have music port to A2DP stereo of my car receiver as normal, and have TomTom audio commands to the HFP.
That way you can play music over bluetooth, and when tomtom audio starts, it will pause music play and the tomtom command can be heard loud and clear.
As of right now here is what I can do:
TomTom audio commands via A2DP to car stereo (makes for a boring ride)
Music via A2DP to car stereo
Play both music and TomTom over A2DP, but music player is NOT interupted when a TomTom audio command comes through
I am going to search the tomtom forums, but I doubt I will have any luck there.
ice_coffee said:
just stumbled accross this
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=278778&highlight=a2dp
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Click to collapse
I see what your trying to do, and it is true there is nothing that quite manages it, the problem is that tomtom would have to be written or modified to use HFP when the commands are played, the best you could hope for is to reduce the volume of your audio to ie 70% and leave tomtom at 100%, this will make the tomtom commands really standout when they are played.
That would be a good compromise, thanks.
fwiw, I have the question into tomtom support, but doubt if those monkeys can do anything...
ice_coffee said:
the best you could hope for is to reduce the volume of your audio to ie 70% and leave tomtom at 100%, this will make the tomtom commands really standout when they are played.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hope you get a result, but as you already know, their support is useless
I have read a bit about mort script. I have to learn more, and perhaps there might be a way...
Try Teksoft BlueMusic, this routes all audio to headset.
I used to use it with Skype on the Athena, till I found Fring.
I have a x7500 and using Bluetooth Receiver setup with headphones and headset for phone. Good news is that all of this actually works pretty well overall. Bad news is that my MP3 music players restart automatically after I receive a phone call upon the ending of the phone call I can tell Pocket Player not to restart after the phone call and this works. However, iPlay still wants to start no matter what! Is there any way to tell the audio gateway or A2DP or ???.....NOT to restart music after a phone call ends.
I would appreciate any help on this. I have been searching forums and looking at registry entries but no success in stopping the restarting of music players so far.
that is a software compatibility issue
i have no problem listinging or watching movies via AD2P
when phone comes in, it pauses, and goes to Phone mode
when i finish talking, and hang up
it switches back to Music / Movie mode in AD2P
no restart no issues at all
using CorePlayer
i got 3 different headsets
Jabra BT8010
Moto HT820
Sony DS970
they all work perfectly
my guess is the Pocket Player you are using?
try another Audio Player software
Yes. I agree. It is a compatability issue but sometimes there are still options to exert control. So Pocket Player has option to restart after phone call but iPlay does not. Thus Pocket Player offers pretty good control in this area. However, it just so happens that iPlay has some very, very high end features that I really like but just does not have the phone handling at this time with the version that I have (although plays fine thru Bluetooth). I am hoping there might be some registry setting to tell A2DP not to try to restart music after a phone call.
Anyone ever heard of the ability to do this?
doesn't have to be a software issue. I have the same problem but with Touch Flo 3D skin. It starts playing music after the call, even if before the call I wasn't listening to the music I've tried to disable the Touch Flo 3D, but then the standard Media Player starts after the call . I have to remember to turn off the music after every call - it's driving me crazy!!
Hi!
I just started using Sygic as navigation software for my S4.
I'm alway listening to music with bluetooth audio in my car. Now the navigation voice comes through the same audio stream. (Music Stops, Navigation Sound appears, Music resumes). Ok ... but I want to force the Navigation sound to the Phone Speaker and listen to Music only via Bluetooth audio.
It seems, that isn't possible at actual android devices? If i activate Phone Speaker in Sygic Settings, also Music goes trough Phone speaker.
Is there any possibility or APP to split that up? Navigation through Phone Speaker / Music trough Bluetooth?
Or is any other Navigation Software able to do that? I'm not sure .. is it an general Android problem or specific sygic issue...
Thank's a lot in advance!
Schakl