So I'm getting back into the smartphone game again after being away awhile and I got a Nexus S today basically free of cost, practically brand new without a mark on it. Previous owner had it as a temporary phone during a warranty repair job of his primary phone and when he picked up the repaired one they said he could keep the Nexus S (wish I could get that lucky).
Anyway, while I know there are a ton of different ROMs available for this fantastic (albeit older) device, here's what I really want and I'm not sure it's possible. I've used CM in the past on several devices and one of the things that I always loved first and foremost was the ability to change tracks during music playback by holding the volume up/down button(s) (long press as a short press adjusts the volume). Now, I'm not a coder, not a developer, not a ROM builder, etc - I basically enjoy the work of others provided by their ROMs and so on.
This time out I've decided to try and stick with a pure stock ROM (which I'm not sure of at the moment, the NS has 4.1.2 on it but I plan to do testing with the factory 4.0.4 and 4.1.1 images as well just to see what's going on). Since those are factory images they're obviously not rooted so I can use WugFresh's Nexus Toolkit to handle the rooting for me.
So here's my question: is the ability to use the volume controls for changing tracks during music playback (with the screen off) a ROM-specific thing or is it kernel-specific - I've never been able to find an accurate answer to this question and I've asked it several times on different forums over the past 4+ years and still nothing of substance has ever been given as a response.
I know that some music players advertise they can do it (I've seen PowerAMP mentioned a few times but it just doesn't appear to work for me, ever, on any device). Again, I'd prefer to stay stock as much as possible, save for rooting the device, and then hopefully find out either a) I have to use a custom ROM with this feature enabled in it, or b) it's kernel related and I can just install a custom kernel which I can tolerate since it'll help on several aspects.
Sorry to make this so wordy but that's just how I am.
tl;dr version: I want to remain as stock as possible, with root only, and be able to change tracks during audio/music playback with the screen off by using the volume control buttons. Is it possible with just installing a custom kernel (given this Nexus S is bootloader unlocked) or not?
Hopefully someone can offer an answer that'll put a smile on my face but, if not that's fine too I suppose, I can just drop back to CM10 (4.1.1) stable and stick with it, not sure 4.1.2 really does all that much to improve things and 4.2.2 apparently is just too big for the limited 512MB of RAM in this NS to be smooth sailing.
Thanks...
This feature is build in with the app "Uber Music" its a setting called "Use volume buttons to control media"
It works great and its awesome if you don't mind putting in a few dollars to get the app
Cheers,
Luke
UberMusic looks nice, sure, but it doesn't do what I was hoping it would (and was suggested in the post above). The setting preference says "Enable headset controls" and I already have that ability: I have a cord from Apple earbuds where I removed/desoldered the original factory earbuds (because they're crap) and then replaced them with a pair of Koss IEMs that I like. So even though the cord looks like I'm using Apple earbuds I'm not.
Having said that, I can already control the Play (single click), Pause (single click), and Next track (double click) functionality, but obviously the dedicated volume buttons on the remote don't work for whatever reason. The Nexus S has a proper TRRS jack but it seems like no Android phone makers care enough to actually allow for such volume control through that jack. And the typical triple click Previous track functionality doesn't work either, sadly (and that's with any remote I've ever tried, even earbuds/IEMs that claim to work or are "designed for Android."
So again, I'm trying to control changing tracks (Next and Previous) with the volume rocker on the phone itself and when the screen is off, that's it. Since the phone is in my hand 99% of the time and my thumb is on the volume rocker, it's infinitely more efficient to change tracks with a slight movement of the thumb than trying to grasp the inline remote and double click or whatever.
Sure is odd why this question is so difficult to get an answer to over the years...
Most custom roms support this. It's not a kernel thing afaik. You may be able to find a mod to get it working on stock. It seems like I've seen it before in the ns4g themes & mods but I could be wrong.
As for triple press on the headphones, it's always worked for me with poweramp on multiple headphones.
Sent from my Nexus S 4G using Tapatalk 2
Related
Hi,
I've been several days with that "issue", and I'm not finding any proper answer..so, here we go:
It's simple. I don't like to pull out my phone to skip next track, or skip next recorded FM station, using wired headphones, of course. Is there any hack (or app, or homebrew app) to achieve this?
Thank you.
PS: I know Samsung phones can "doubletap" to skip song, but I love HTC
Sorry, could you explain what you're actually trying to do? I get what you don't like (pulling out the phone) but not what you're asking for, app-wise. "Some way to switch tracks while the phone is in my pocket" is a little bit vague.
Hi,
I'll try to explain myself. If you're listening music, and you wan't to skip to next song, usual procedure is to tap Volume Button, and tap in screen the icon "next song". But, in order to do that, you have to pull out your phone of your pocket.
If you make skips very often, it's very annoying. In my older Android, if I press twice VolUp in wired headset (which I have for my HTC), it skips to next song. That's what I need. I don't have to pull out my phone, and tap in the screen.
I want that behaviour also to FM radio, to skip between stations.
In Samsung Focus/Omnia (WP7 phones), things work like that.
So, I can see a few options ahead:
- An app/hombrew app/registry tweak to change the behaviour of the buttons in my wired headphone, so when I click twice, it skips next song/FM station
- An external FM radio app and/or music player with that option: click twice and skip song
If none of the above is possible, I'm thinking of developing one, but I'll like to know if it's feasible (I'm not much in app paradigm in WP7, maybe it's impossible to circunvent button behaviour).
I think it's all.
Thank you very much for your time.
Ignacio Siles.
Just click twice and it will work.
Also you can click triple and seek to the begining of track.
Well, It doesn't work to me...
If I click Play/pause wired headphone button, the song stop/resume twice, but I can't get to next song.
And if I click VolUp wired headphone button, I can only raise volume.
I'm testing WP7 in a HTC HD2 Twilight ROM 7.008, before buying an actual WP7 phone.
So, does it work like you said in HTC HD7? Which build?
Thank you.
Ignacio Siles.
Useless guy said:
Just click twice and it will work.
Also you can click triple and seek to the begining of track.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
are u sure?? i also have the hd7 and this thing doesn't work on mine
Works on my Optimus 7 with 2 types of headphones.
Yes. I've read that works with LG and Samsung phones, but no luck with HTC.
Please, can you confirm that double click can change from one FM preset to another?
Maybe HTC it's not the best choice with WP7...
What do you think about my ideas? App/hack/registry tweak..maybe flash different ROM, from Samsung or LG
Works on my HTC hd2
@chorl:
HTC has the best homebrew currently, although Samsung isn't far behind and is catching up. HTC also includes some neat "functional" apps, like Hidden WiFi and Sound Enhancer. However, if this feature is a big deal for you, it might be better to go with a different OEM. Alternatively, it might be coming in an update.
Flashing a ROM from a different OEM will NOT work. ROMs include drivers, and given the hardware differences between devices, you'd be very lucky to even get it to boot, let alone work right.
fabicio said:
Works on my HTC hd2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Fabicio, how could you achieve that? Which ROM / build for your HTC HD are you using?
Thank you!
GoodDayToDie said:
@chorl:
HTC has the best homebrew currently, although Samsung isn't far behind and is catching up. HTC also includes some neat "functional" apps, like Hidden WiFi and Sound Enhancer. However, if this feature is a big deal for you, it might be better to go with a different OEM. Alternatively, it might be coming in an update.
Flashing a ROM from a different OEM will NOT work. ROMs include drivers, and given the hardware differences between devices, you'd be very lucky to even get it to boot, let alone work right.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes, indeed. I know the risks about find different ROM, but...it's so frustrating...
Well, I think Samsung it's a good OEM, but you know about Mango update issues...I'll try to improve this a little further..
Thank you GoodDayToDie.
I've read on other forum info about Samsung headphone hardware related to the capability for "double click".
Maybe same headphones with HTC hardware may work properly...
Would be nice if someone can take the test
I have been loving Tweaked 2.0 so far, but it doesn't seem to handle volume hacks right. Ages ago (maybe when I first tried Infinity?) my alarms were able to gradually increase from barely audible to full volume (if I took that long to snooze it!) but here lately the alarm comes on at the lowest notch above silent which is still too loud. Any way to bust up the alarm volume stream (or any of them for that matter) from the standard 7 steps to 20/30/100?
I'm not talking about an app that does this but a ROM where this tweak is baked in (although if there is an app that will do this compatible with Tweaked, I'm listening). dwitherell, if you're watching, please advise if this is something you could mod in your latest build. Thanks.
I use Alarm Clock Plus from the Market. It has a mode that lets you start the alarm out at a very low volume and smoothly increase the volume over a specified period of time, at which point it maxes out. It's a dock mode app as well, so if you have the desk dock, you can have it autolaunch on the dock.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...usDock&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDNd
shrike1978 said:
I use Alarm Clock Plus from the Market. It has a mode that lets you start the alarm out at a very low volume and smoothly increase the volume over a specified period of time, at which point it maxes out. It's a dock mode app as well, so if you have the desk dock, you can have it autolaunch on the dock.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/...usDock&feature=nav_result#?t=W251bGwsMSwyLDNd
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep I got that one. I first noticed the change while using AC Xtreme then thinking it was an issue with the app, tried out AC Plus. Both apps can start at low volume but it's still not as low as I originally experienced back in the day. My query is around how much customization can be done on the volume steps themselves within the framework and if that can be built into the custom rom.
Hmm... I suppose I could look into this, but I have no real knowledge offhand for where to start (or if it's possible). You said this sort of thing worked on infinity - what build was it?
dwitherell said:
Hmm... I suppose I could look into this, but I have no real knowledge offhand for where to start (or if it's possible). You said this sort of thing worked on infinity - what build was it?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not positive it was Infinity but if it was it would have been the 1211 version. I thought I could get to the audio settings menu via TSM Parts but I couldn't figure out which option corresponded to dial code *#*#197328640#*#*, found here:
http://androidforums.com/vibrant-tips-tricks/136997-secret-codes-3g-lock-built-day-time-firmware-gps-test-more.html
I may presume too much, but I am hoping that the backmenu audio settings cover all audio streams and not just in-call volume.
EDIT: I restored back to stock to try the dialer code for adjusting audio which didn't work under Tweaked. It didn't work under stock either. I then re-flashed Infinity_1211 to verify my earlier claim and... FAIL! It doesn't seem to handle the volume streams any differently. So I'm back to square one with this, until someone can confirm a dialer code for audio that actually works on the Charge.
Brianakin said:
Yep I got that one. I first noticed the change while using AC Xtreme then thinking it was an issue with the app, tried out AC Plus. Both apps can start at low volume but it's still not as low as I originally experienced back in the day. My query is around how much customization can be done on the volume steps themselves within the framework and if that can be built into the custom rom.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I was going to suggest AC Xtreme but never mind. Perhaps could it have something to do with the option for the ascending ringer in TSM Parts? (Dwitherell?)
You could try this to see if it helps at all.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.matthew.rice.volume.master.lite
Thanks all for your input. I came to the conclusion that the ROMs are not to blamed, but possibly the kernel or even Gingerbread (yes I'm saying it may have been as long ago as when I was on stock Froyo). I am trying Gentle Alarm and it does what I expect volume-wise and it allows me enough customization to create all the alarms I need.
I find that the smart alarm is quite subtle but it may not be your cup of tea.
Feature 1:
Lockscreen widget for music player lost the "Previous" button. I can skip a song, but I have to unlock the phone and navigate to the now playing screen to restart a track or go back to a previous one.
This was available in 4.4.4. It's a bit annoying, specially when you're driving.
Feature 2:
This might actually be a bug...
While playing music, incoming messages/call notifications do not play. The music merely lowers in volume. Again, while driving, I might not notice the 1 one second drop in music volume for a message, and sometimes I even miss a call.
On another note, I believe feature wise, Kitkat was the best(pratical and feature wise) rom we had. Had a few non Omni-related issues with Lollipop, most of them minor but still annoying.
Lockscreen is one for example. The default, unprotected Lollipop lockscreen is too easy to unlock. I found myself running out of money a few times because firefox was accidentally launched while the phone was in my pocket. Or sometimes the phone app calling random people.
[AltaiR] said:
Feature 1:
Lockscreen widget for music player lost the "Previous" button. I can skip a song, but I have to unlock the phone and navigate to the now playing screen to restart a track or go back to a previous one.
This was available in 4.4.4. It's a bit annoying, specially when you're driving.
Feature 2:
This might actually be a bug...
While playing music, incoming messages/call notifications do not play. The music merely lowers in volume. Again, while driving, I might not notice the 1 one second drop in music volume for a message, and sometimes I even miss a call.
On another note, I believe feature wise, Kitkat was the best(pratical and feature wise) rom we had. Had a few non Omni-related issues with Lollipop, most of them minor but still annoying.
Lockscreen is one for example. The default, unprotected Lollipop lockscreen is too easy to unlock. I found myself running out of money a few times because firefox was accidentally launched while the phone was in my pocket. Or sometimes the phone app calling random people.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2 sounds like it might be a bug, and it might be device-specific - you don't state which device you have.
It's not something I'd notice in my daily routine since I have an XM receiver in my car.
Entropy512 said:
2 sounds like it might be a bug, and it might be device-specific - you don't state which device you have.
It's not something I'd notice in my daily routine since I have an XM receiver in my car.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thought so too...guess I'd best report it in the device specific thread.
Own a Nexus 5, as mentioned in my sig. I guess these days sigs are so full of meaningless stuff that we don't really bother checking em out anymore. Iirc, there was a guide somewhere teaching how to make a useful one.
[AltaiR] said:
Thought so too...guess I'd best report it in the device specific thread.
Own a Nexus 5, as mentioned in my sig. I guess these days sigs are so full of meaningless stuff that we don't really bother checking em out anymore. Iirc, there was a guide somewhere teaching how to make a useful one.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I stopped including my devices in my sig ages ago because it was frequently inaccurate/out-of-date and I always assume someone else's sig is wrong/don't even look at it for that reason.
Does it happen on stock? I'm not sure if this is a 5.x thing in general, a device-specific bug, or an Omni bug due to some of @maxwen 's volume control tweaks . I won't be able to experiment with it until I get back from vacation in mid-late September.
I still use an app that has been discontinued quite some time ago.
The app was called Volume Control by dev Bigredpepper
It's on of the first apps I install on any new phone! Very convenient for adjusting volume by just sliding the edge of your screen (no not VolumeSlider allthough very similar I didn't like that one). Volume Control was far easier than buttons or even the newest Pie Volume slider imo.
But one day it is probably gonna break on a new Android version that's my fear, so I am wondering if there are any dev's interested in making a similar app.
So I was wondering if there is a place to bring new ideas as inspiraton to dev's?
I get so tired of not being able to hear my Assistant when I trigger it with the screen off and would really like a way to make sure that my adjustments to volume don't impact Assistant. I seem to remember something like this existing in the HTC days where volume could be controlled on a per-app basis but I haven't heard of anything recently. Is there such a tweak? You would think with how hard Google pushes their Assistant that they would have done something about it themselves.
They should have had a volume mixer for Android a long time ago. Similar to windows
rester555 said:
They should have had a volume mixer for Android a long time ago. Similar to windows
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agreed. I swear I used to use custom ROMs with this on my HTC devices but I never needed such functionality. Now that I have a Pixel that actually works with the trigger phrase (my OnePlus 9 would just randomly stop working so I mapped long press power button to Assistant instead), I want to use it, but when I use my device, I turn the volume down lower than it would have to be for me to be able to hear my Assistant from a distance so I end up having to pick my phone up anyway :/
EtherealRemnant said:
Agreed. I swear I used to use custom ROMs with this on my HTC devices but I never needed such functionality. Now that I have a Pixel that actually works with the trigger phrase (my OnePlus 9 would just randomly stop working so I mapped long press power button to Assistant instead), I want to use it, but when I use my device, I turn the volume down lower than it would have to be for me to be able to hear my Assistant from a distance so I end up having to pick my phone up anyway :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It used to be that you'd edit several lines in (I believe) build.props (or some props file) in a terminal app that would bypass the volume limit. That may still work, it's just been so long, I can't remember anymore but I might try searching old threads in old devices and see what I can find.
This might get you somewhere
Build.prop - sound quality improvement
Almost everyone who has ever put ROOT rights on Android has heard about such a file as build.prop and tweaks for it. In this article, we will look at all the lines of this file with which you can
devlister.com