Develop Bugs

Need Car Panel Tutorial

Just upgraded to 2.2 and there is a new "Car Panel" application that looks interesting. But I can't find anything on how to use it or what options like auto-launch and auto-connect mean. It looks like is mates up with my car (voice nav through the car speakers?) bluetooth, but does anyone have a Google or HTC link to some documentation? Thanks!

I thought it was just something you click when you are in the car so things you would readily need you have quick access to and it's large buttons.
Nothing more.

pixelpop said:
Just upgraded to 2.2 and there is a new "Car Panel" application that looks interesting. But I can't find anything on how to use it or what options like auto-launch and auto-connect mean. It looks like is mates up with my car (voice nav through the car speakers?) bluetooth, but does anyone have a Google or HTC link to some documentation? Thanks!
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LIke you, I know nothing more about it than what I can see in the application itself, but it all seems fairly self-explanatory.
Auto-launch will cause the Car Panel app to run automatically when you place the phone in a (yet-to-be-released) car dock.
Auto-connect will cause the Car Panel app to automatically pair your phone up with a selected bluetooth device (presumably your car's bluetooth receiver, if so equipped).
Other than that, it just seems like the Car Panel is a nice finger-friendly way of navigating to the most critical apps while in your car (the auto-nighttime mode looks pretty cool).

sohr said:
Auto-launch will cause the Car Panel app to run automatically when you place the phone in a (yet-to-be-released) car dock.
Auto-connect will cause the Car Panel app to automatically pair your phone up with a selected bluetooth device (presumably your car's bluetooth receiver, if so equipped).
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Thanks for the info and these are the reasons I had asked the question. I hadn't heard about any car dock being available and my phone already pairs with my car via Bluetooth for handsfree calling. But I was wondering what new features might be available if it pairs thru this Car Panel (and does this pairing replace the one I use now)? I think there might be more here than is immediately noticable just from the UI.

Has anyone noticed issue with running the music player and navigation at the same time?
When I was on 2.1 the music would just pause and the navigation would speak...now if I have the music open and I open navigation, the music player shuts down.
If I open navigation, and then the music player, it works as I would hope, the music pauses and then the navigation speaks. But another turn, the music player shuts down by itself, at least it did in the one or two attempts I tried at it.
Anyone else have issue with this? I have a full car dock setup and one of the main reasons was so I could use the phone as a music player integrated with calls and navigation.
By the way, HTC, a landscape mode for the music player would be GREATLY appreciated.

I don't think the music player for the EVO (one installed by default) is HTC's. I think it is Sprint's music app which replaces the default one. I hate the default sprint music app. I installed the original one and use that, which works great in landscape mode. There are a few really good free music apps from the market which are even better (MixZing is my favorite so far which includes a good navigation menu and gestures, then their is Meridian and DoubleTwist which if had all the features I want, would be really great...).
Why doesn't the Car Panel allow landscape mode??? The Android 2.2 default Car Panel app allows landscape mode (has two screens) with extra slots to set your own apps, has music app built in... Sprints modified version does look better than Android's default, but is severely hindered in optimization! Why remove features!?? modify it, but keep features or add to it! Hell, give me option to choose or something...

Auto start of car panel with mini/micro USB adapter
I bought a mini to micro USB adapter and used it to charge my Evo with my old G1 charger. Interestingly, when I do so, the Car Panel application auto starts.

Maxy6 said:
I bought a mini to micro USB adapter and used it to charge my Evo with my old G1 charger. Interestingly, when I do so, the Car Panel application auto starts.
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Mine does the same. It freaked me out at first.

[Q] Car Dock Mode

Hello
For a short while I had an HTC One X running ICS. One great feature was the Car Dock, which presented a nice landscape mode home screen, and dialler to the phone. I changed the One X because the Bluetooth profile V4 just would not connect reliably to my 6 year old BMW in car kit, so I exchanged the phone for a Galaxy Nexus (Nexus 3) which is running JB.
There is no car dock mode included in the operating system unlike HTC, so it must be an HTC feature. i tried many many Car Docks from Google Play, and although some present a nice home screen, when you touch the icon for "phone" you get the stock Android dialler for Portrait mode, instead of a landscape mode dialler designed for in car use. In all the cases i tried this was also true for other "apps" once the app was launched you got standard app not something designed for in car use.
Can the forum point me towards a 3rd party Car Dock app, which includes not just a nice "HOME PAGE" but also a well designed Landscape mode dialler?
Thanks
Guy

[Q] Multimedia desktop dock sound problems

Greetings.
I just received the Samsung Universal Multimedia Desktop dock for my Galaxy Nexus. While it does charge the phone, and the phone knows its been put into a dock, it refuses to switch the audio output though the dock connected speakers.
Ive even tryed downloading a program to automatically switch it, but it doesn't work either.
Does anyone have any ideas on how to get the dock audio output to work?
[edit] Also, when i goto the sound settings, the Audio under Dock remainds disabled, even when docked, but the insert sound option works.
Thanks
Digging into it, i found another poster with the same issue on the google. His discription is more detailed than mine, and has the same problem. Reading though his, it seems to be an issue with the phone or OS and not the dock.
I have a Samsung Galaxy Nexus (Verizon, i515) running stock 4.2.2. I also have a Samsung Galaxy Multimedia Dock (http://www.samsung.com/us/mobile/cell-phones-accessories/EDD-D200BEGSTA)
When I insert the Nexus into the dock, I want to use the Audio line out to run an external speaker. But that option doesn't seem to exist on the phone OS.
In earlier versions of Android (2.3 for instance), the documentation says when you insert the device into a dock, you have the option of enabling the audio on the line out port. (http://support.google.com/android/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=168598)
I have daydream enabled and daydream starts, so the device is aware it is docked. While docked, I go to settings - sound and look at the Dock settings (there are only two). Audio (grayed out) and Dock Insert Sound.
When I start some music, the sound plays from the Nexus internal speakers.
Is there a way to enable the audio to play out the line out port of this dock? The audio must be redirected to the audio line out through the Nexus USB charging connector.
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Ok, if nobody knows a solution to this, does anyone know where i can obtain the Desktop Dock with Pogo Pins?
I really need a dock with audio out, and im pretty disappointed that the one i got doesn't work. I'd be nice to know if ti was because it was incompatible, or because the dock was bad.

Lyian said:
Ok, if nobody knows a solution to this, does anyone know where i can obtain the Desktop Dock with Pogo Pins?
I really need a dock with audio out, and im pretty disappointed that the one i got doesn't work. I'd be nice to know if ti was because it was incompatible, or because the dock was bad.
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Did you ever figure this out? I just bought 2 official Samsung docks that were advertised as working with the Nexus, and the phone doesn't switch to audio out for either. I have the same issue where it detects it is docked but doesn't enable the dock audio settings.
(I also, along with everyone apparently, really wish there were landscape pogo pin docks out there. But for the past 6 months I've looked I've never seen one, and they were _super_ expensive.)

ChrisAshton84 said:
Did you ever figure this out? I just bought 2 official Samsung docks that were advertised as working with the Nexus, and the phone doesn't switch to audio out for either. I have the same issue where it detects it is docked but doesn't enable the dock audio settings.
(I also, along with everyone apparently, really wish there were landscape pogo pin docks out there. But for the past 6 months I've looked I've never seen one, and they were _super_ expensive.)
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Nope. I've been checking in on this thread every now and then hoping someone knows. It still doesnt work. Currently ive been plugging in the power and speakers separately, which works, but is annoying.

Still looking for answers on this. Anyone have any ideas on how to get this phone to work with the dock audio?
Thanks

I got 99 problems but my dock aint one (jk its a problem too)
I have the pogo pin dock for the galaxy nexus (I would post a link but I can't because I'm still a noob), and as of today my sound stopped channeling through the dock which is really annoying. I've had problems in the past with redirecting sounds through my headphones/speakers. Sometimes I'll be playing a song through the speakers and the phone will switch the audio output to the headphone jack (even though I didn't plug headphones in). Luckily a free app let me take care of that quite well, it's called SoundAbout. As of today I have tried the Pro version of SoundAbout and reinstalling the ROM, both to no avail. For some reason, my phone is not even recognized in the dock when it is turned on but the phone charges in the dock when it is powered off. Also, my computer has stopped recognizing the phone and shows it as an unknown USB device. When I installed the drivers for it, it said that the device has stopped responding and to replace the device.

Still cant get this to work. Don't know wtf is wrong. Feel like i wasted money on this docking station. :|

Hi, not sure if this will help but from my Galaxy S4, Settings, My Device, Accessory, there is an option "Audio output mode". Checking this option should allow you to use external speakers when in docked mode.

silverpal said:
Hi, not sure if this will help but from my Galaxy S4, Settings, My Device, Accessory, there is an option "Audio output mode". Checking this option should allow you to use external speakers when in docked mode.
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Sorry, Galaxy Nexus (aka stock android) has no such option that i could find. The only option related to the audio and the dock is under (for stock) Settings - > Sound -> Dock -> Audio, which for me remains greyed out, even when docked.

Anyone find a solution to this? Just picked up the dock for work and would like to take advantage of the sound out option.

I have the same problem with Galaxy S i9000 with CM11 and Samsung Desktop Dock - no audio output via dock. Any solutions?

[Q] Car mode

Does G4 has car mode? Is there appropriate cable, car dock?

Also interested in knowing this.

I just got my Sprint G4 and Car Mode is working fine, including "home" going back to the car dock app. I'm using Car Dashboard for the app. I'm also using Bluetooth Car Mode to set the phone to car mode when it connects with my car.
It "just worked" for me... but I also did an LG Backup from my old G2 to the G4, and that transferred all this over to the G4.

There IS a car mode, but as far as I know, not launchable in the conventional sense. I use Tasker to activate car mode when I plug the phone into the car. You can also set it to car mode when connected to your car BT.

What does the car mode look like, or how could I try it out on my phone?

Nothing really - just an icon in the notification bar, and that screen brightness is at max. There's no Google Car Mode app or anything built in.

Can just add: when Car Mode is initiated, the call AutoAnswer becomes active and works without switching on Call auto answering in LG menu

I use Bluetooth Car Mode Starter to start car mode when the phone pairs with my car's bluetooth:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mohammadag.bluetoothcarmodestarter&hl=en
Prior to that, I used the Car Mode app to enable car mode manually:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.schwimmer.android.carmode&hl=en
(alternately, as mentioned about, you can use Tasker)
The Car Dock Settings app is helpful:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.cwfk.incar&hl=en
I've actually got the old Google Car Dock on my phone; I plucked the APK off my Galaxy Nexus and Google has moved it forward for me every phone I've had since. It's really ugly. As I said, I prefer "Car Dashboard".

alamo76 said:
There IS a car mode, but as far as I know, not launchable in the conventional sense. I use Tasker to activate car mode when I plug the phone into the car. You can also set it to car mode when connected to your car BT.
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I was trying to do exactly this. Do you know what activates car mode? I know I can use NFC but I was hoping to replicate a setup I had on my S4 where I plug into a dock and tasker detects it is in dock mode. If I recall on my Samsung S4 had to modify a USB cable for the S4 to detect this.
Cheers!

db2boy said:
I was trying to do exactly this. Do you know what activates car mode? I know I can use NFC but I was hoping to replicate a setup I had on my S4 where I plug into a dock and tasker detects it is in dock mode. If I recall on my Samsung S4 had to modify a USB cable for the S4 to detect this.
Cheers!
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Within Tasker I can search for Car Mode, but I have no idea how to find and initiate merely from the phone.

Any ideas on how to activate Car Mode?

I used my M8 in the car a lot but most of what I need involves Car Mode being active on the phone, it was no problem with the M8 as the HTC car kit contained a USB cable that enabled Car Mode when you plugged it in.
HTC assured me that the 10 was compatible with Car Mode and it was the dock part of the Universal Car Kit that activated Car Mode and not the USB cable. Their Universal Car Kit only comes with a Micro USB Cable and not Type-C cable that the 10 needs. Turns out it's most definitely the cable that activates Car Mode and not the action of placing it in the dock, so as there only seems to be normal USB Type-C cables on the market I can't get Car Mode to activate when I use the phone in my car.
Does any one have any ideas? HTC's social teams online are useless, even after telling me that the 10 was definitely supported for Car Mode when it wasn't they just kinda shrugged it off with no real answer.

It isn't installed on the HTC 10. They lied to you.
You will have to install them from this http://forum.xda-developers.com/htc-10/themes/patch-one-patch-missing-sense-apps-t3362787 but you will need to unlock your bootloader, flash TWRP and flash it through recovery.

Alternatively android auto in app mode will be out soon and likely sufficient.

nobnut said:
It isn't installed on the HTC 10. They lied to you.
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Sorry I should have been more specific, I'm not on about the "HTC Car" app, I'm on about triggering a Car Mode action dock event.
A lot of the apps I use function better when they're triggered by a dock event from Android system rather than being triggered by a Bluetooth or charge event.

indie1982 said:
Sorry I should have been more specific, I'm not on about the "HTC Car" app, I'm on about triggering a Car Mode action dock event.
A lot of the apps I use function better when they're triggered by a dock event from Android system rather than being triggered by a Bluetooth or charge event.
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Click to collapse
LOL
Easy. If you want to trigger car mode, just install an app that does just that. My weapon of choice would be Tasker. That way, you could trigger via an event or anything else really (e.g. bluetooth connection, NFC tag, whatever you like).
You could even simulate a dock event.

nobnut said:
LOL
Easy. If you want to trigger car mode, just install an app that does just that. My weapon of choice would be Tasker. That way, you could trigger via an event or anything else really (e.g. bluetooth connection, NFC tag, whatever you like).
You could even simulate a dock event.
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Click to collapse
Thanks, I'm having a look at Trigger, it looks like I can get it to trigger a car dock event when it sees that the phone connect to the car's Bluetooth AND is charging. And then it'll send an undock event when it disconnects from the car's Bluetooth and stops charging.
Will see how it goes when I get in the car later!

You may also like the Drivemode app. I'm using it on HTC 10 and it works pretty well. Triggered via BT connect to your car, but seems to trigger reliably.

I'm not using a HTC10, but found this thread when looking for the same thing as the thread creator here. I also used my HTC One M8 up until about a month ago with the HTC Car dock and the "special" cable that triggered car mode. From what I can see from this thread: https://forums.androidcentral.com/epic-4g-accessories/64959-what-triggers-car-dock-mode.html, it seems like the magic to trigger car mode is that the cable have a 619K resistor between pins 4 and 5 on the micro usb cable.
Does anybody know if something similar is valid for Type C usb cables and in that case where to get those kind of cables?
Since I got my new phone (which unfortunately was missing NFC, so I can't use RFID stickers in my car dock) I've used a Tasker profile to enable bluetooth on "Power AC" (=wall charger or 2.1A car charger) and then another Tasker profile to enable car mode when it gets connected to the car bluetooth, but this means it takes quite some time before my car home app gets started since the phone first has to enable bluetooth and wait to connect before launching the car app as opposed to with the M8 that triggered car mode immediately when the USB cable was being plugged (by docking the phone) and then let the car app enable bluetooth.