I have the OEM Motorola car dock which allows for audio output via USB. When connected this way, the media volume is locked (at ~80%, if I had to guess) and the phone's volume buttons won't do anything; I have to control the volume using my car stereo's volume knob. Unfortunately when the media volume on the phone is higher than ~70%, my car speakers experience a lot of distortion.
Is there any way to lower the media volume on the phone when audio is being output via USB?
Thanks
Questions go into the Q&A, not the development thread.
SGMD1 said:
I have the OEM Motorola car dock which allows for audio output via USB. When connected this way, the media volume is locked (at ~80%, if I had to guess) and the phone's volume buttons won't do anything; I have to control the volume using my car stereo's volume knob. Unfortunately when the media volume on the phone is higher than ~70%, my car speakers experience a lot of distortion.
Is there any way to lower the media volume on the phone when audio is being output via USB?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There might be a hackish way to do this.
Googlage tells me that this is a known Android bug (or feature) stemming back to Froyo. The bug report even includes a snippet of the code responsible, in an AudioPolicy system library:
Code:
hardware/msm7k/libaudio-qsd8k/AudioPolicyManager.cpp:258
// in car dock: when using the 3.5mm jack to play media, set a fixed volume as access to the
// physical volume keys is blocked by the car dock frame.
if ((mForceUse[AudioSystem::FOR_DOCK] == AudioSystem::FORCE_BT_CAR_DOCK) &&
(stream == AudioSystem::MUSIC) &&
(device & (AudioSystem::DEVICE_OUT_WIRED_HEADPHONE |
AudioSystem::DEVICE_OUT_WIRED_HEADSET))) {
volume = CAR_DOCK_MUSIC_MINI_JACK_VOLUME_MIN;
}
If that same logic is tied to the car dock USB audio, that would explain your observed phenomenon. Certainly, the comment "set a fixed volume as access to the physical volume keys is blocked by the car dock frame" is a little bit short-sighted. I guess car docks would always come in a form factor that blocks all manner of volume control mechanisms.
If someone who's on a more friendly basis than I with the Gingerbread codebase can verify that the same code is in the 2.3 version of the same AudioPolicyManager.cpp, we might be able to patch the code and compile a more dock-friendly version of the system library.
Short of recompiling the source, you might try the pre-compiled version of libaudiopolicy.so at this page, but since that's two years old I'd be skeptical. Maybe someone else has a more modern version. But I, paranoid as I am, would probably prefer to go the source code route. (I don't take candy OR pre-compiled system libraries from strangers.)
Hi,
When pairing up with a Loewe Speaker2Go Bluetooth speaker using aptX my Sony Z3 compact defaults to max volume and the volume control is not configurable from the phone (I am aware this is a KitKat "feature"). The main problem is that this only allows a small scale on the speaker between no sound and very loud sound (3-4 volume presses). Has anyone experienced this kind of problem with other speakers and is there a solution? Thanks,
rimutituki said:
Hi,
When pairing up with a Loewe Speaker2Go Bluetooth speaker using aptX my Sony Z3 compact defaults to max volume and the volume control is not configurable from the phone (I am aware this is a KitKat "feature"). The main problem is that this only allows a small scale on the speaker between no sound and very loud sound (3-4 volume presses). Has anyone experienced this kind of problem with other speakers and is there a solution? Thanks,
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I paired a Bluetooth Stereo Headset, LG HBS-800, has aptX. When they are connected, I can press the volume rocker on the Z3C and it'll pop up a Bluetooth Volume. My headset has its volume control and works independently.
Yeah, same on my Sony Bluetooth Headphones. Volume control via volume rockers both on phone and headphones (independantly).
My SuperTooth Disco 4 Wireless Portable Bluetooth and NFC Speaker when connected, I get a Bluetooth Volume slider. Apparently it uses the aptX protocol too.
No issue here with the Definitive Technology Cube. NFC, Throw, AptX, and Bluetooth all works together in harmony.
It's a bit of a shame for the OP as that item is pretty expensive that it does that, when much cheaper speakers don't. Odd.
It is a shame as the speaker is very good and worked perfectly with earlier versions of android. Based on the compatibility list it has not been tested with 4.4+ though... Based on the previous replies I guess it is not a sony problem as other Bluetooth aptx devices can still be controlled from the phone. For the devices this works with is the volume in sync on the phone and speaker?
My speaker is controlled entirely by the phone, it has no volume controls itself.
Ok, this seems to be an issue with the Loewe speaker and not the Z3C. I've just been to an hi fi store and tried pairing the phone with a number of Bluetooth aptX speakers, including AudioPro T9, AudioPro T10, Marshall Stanmore and the Sony SRS-X9 and with all these devices I could control the volume from the phone as well. Will check one more thing on the Loewe when I get back home - it had phone and media pairing on (not just media like the other speakers) so maybe this is the problem. If not, looks like the firmware on the Loewe does not support Android 4.4+.
I am having a similar issue but it presents itself when going above the 4th notch on the Bluetooth volume on my XZ3C. Volume goes from 0% to %15 to 30% to 80% to 60% and 70%. When my computer connects to the same bluetooth audio dongle it has a smooth range. I suspect it is a problem with the XZ3C protocols that interfere with certain bluetooth devices and not a hardware problem.
I have the same issue with my JBL speaker. I can't change the volume on the speaker without the Bluetooth volume on the phone rising or reducing. It seems that there isn't any independent control using my z3 compact but if I pair it with my LG g2, it works independently.
Same here with the Jensen Scandinavia Buddy. My Z3C cannot control the volume but my Galaxy S2 running Cyanogenmod at 4.4.4 can.
Still an issue after upgrading to Lollipop.
the good, the bad and the funny
Xperia Z3 Compact, Android 5.0.2
I connect my phone to a Philips BTB 7150 home audio system.
- the phone does not change the volume of the audio system upon connect (good)
- i cannot control the volume of the audio system through the phone's volume rocker (bad)
- when i change the volume directly on my audio system whilst connected with my phone, the phone shows the Bluetooth Volume popup and the slider moves in sync (funny)
So there seems to be some kind of control connection, but only one way.
On the other hand: no problems with iOS devices here. When connected to an iPhone the phone controls the system's volume and system volume changes are reflected on the phone's volume setting.
wenigtelefonierer said:
Xperia Z3 Compact, Android 5.0.2
I connect my phone to a Philips BTB 7150 home audio system.
- the phone does not change the volume of the audio system upon connect (good)
- i cannot control the volume of the audio system through the phone's volume rocker (bad)
- when i change the volume directly on my audio system whilst connected with my phone, the phone shows the Bluetooth Volume popup and the slider moves in sync (funny)
So there seems to be some kind of control connection, but only one way.
On the other hand: no problems with iOS devices here. When connected to an iPhone the phone controls the system's volume and system volume changes are reflected on the phone's volume setting.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Xperia Z3 Compact D5803, Android 5.0.2 (Nordic stock ROM, no hacks)
Home hi-fi system with Philips BT adaptor: phone can control the BT audio volume output (as expected)
Home mini hi-fi system: phone can control the BT audio volume output (as expected)
Car BT audio system: phone can control the BT audio volume output (as expected)
JBL Charge BT speaker: phone cannot control the BT audio volume output (oops) ; I need to use the speaker's volume control
So, quite a few gadgets work well, but in fact my JBL speaker suffers from the same problem, which I never realised before.
Is it a speaker BT standards problem ?
Or is there something in the phone's BT implementation that needs refining ?
Same Problem here
I have the following problem:
I use the Z3 compact with a Sony BM-10 BT audio receiver. When a make a call with my BT headset which is not set to maximum volume the volume of the music is set to maximum from time to time afterwards. Also the volume slider shows the BT symbol or loudspeaker or the throw symbol randomly. I tried many things to solve this as pairing the BT devices again. Anyone any idea?
So I was using RR Marshmallow, but just went to the stock Marshmallow ROM the other day. When I was using RR and I was connected to my bluetooth speaker, changing the volume on the speaker changed the bluetooth volume on the phone (i.e. would actually show volume on phone changing). Since I went to stock, the volume on the speaker is separate from the phone. I would prefer it to be in sync and changing one changes the other, but I don't see any way to set that. Anyone have any advice?
Thanks!
When my phone is connected via Bluetooth to my car's hands-free kit, some audio could do with being made a little louder.
For example the navigation prompts from Google Maps are plenty loud enough, but some audio-book MP3s played via MD Player and phone call audio could do with being a bit louder.
I have the volume on the Note 8 and the hands-free kit on maximum.
Is there a way I can apply an audio boost when connected to that particular Bluetooth device (or have it controlled via Tasker)?
There seem to be lots of audio boost/control apps in the Playstore, but many seem to allow control of volume for a device without the ability to boost the volume above "normal".
I tried "Precise Volume (+EQ/Booster)", but the boost function didn't seem to make any difference.
If it makes any difference, I'm using Android Auto when connected to the car.
Bump - Anyone?
the only app in the play store that I have found that actually boosts the volume on this phone without being rooted is one called "volume Booster Goodev"
be careful, though, as it can really crank the volume up..
Thanks for that .... had been looking for a volume boost on the headphone out without rooting and this seems to do the job perfectly.
When I use the volume buttons on my Bluetooth headphones they change the internal volume of the headphones themselves, but they don't change the device volume. They do do that on other phones.
Am I the only one having this issue or is this a bug on all Mi A2 devices?
Haven't really taught about that one but yeah I think you're right. On stock my headphones and systems media volume are separated but on custom roms my headphones media buttons controls systems media volume. However theres a toggle in developer settings to keep systems and headphones volumes separated and I prefer it that way. On stock rom that toggle doesn't seem to have any kind of impact but I don't really care since I prefer separated volume levels.
There's no scientific evidence behind this, but I think that I get the best sound out of my headphones when I keep system volume at about 80-90% and adjust volume levels from headphones to be suitable for the environment.