Thread: FM/DAB digital radio - THAT WORKS!!

Hi Craig, plugin stoped working . i have presed to rescan for stations today, and getting stuck on 98%, found 67 stations, started playing one, but CF not operatable, cannot use the screen due to searching window. yesterday was ok.
Ctrl+Ald+Del only option.

When i restaet CF and switch for radio, it starting searching again and geting stuck on 98% all the times.

@Roadwarrior: Thank you for the review.

@zenonek: Can you try the Windows standalone plugin. Does this crash at 98%?

Originally Posted by craigbrass

It is just a case of powering down the unit and then disconnecting the virtual COM port on shutdown / hibernation / sleep and then reconnecting as soon as it comes back online.

I expect this is something you will be making the plugin do Craig ?
At the moment, the XP test program does not automatically sense which COMM port the module is connected to.

Yes. Both the Windows application and the Centrafuse plugin will be doing this shortly after we have made some tweaks...

Originally Posted by mitchjs

im looking for Experienced RR users to test

Done some testing for you Mitch and comments below (with screenshots where appropriate).
I am still feeling my way around RR and Winamp so if there is anything related to these I may need to configure, please let me know so I can make sure they are correct.

- Volume controls change volume settings of Winamp but not Venice module.
Hence if Venice module has low volume setting then radio output is not heard.
I found this out while debugging my audio, by plugging earplugs directly into DAB+ module and heard faint music which did not change in level with controls in RR.

- Some station names (in DAB mode) and info display (in FM mode) overlap display window
I have my XP display settings to normal font (not large font)

- Signal strength display in DAB mode also overlaps window

- Though Winamp starts with RR I am getting a second instance of Winamp starting when I start the DAB+ radio

- (Question) Can we make the title bar configurable for us here in Australia to have "DAB+ RADIO" ?

- (Question) How do we turn off the radio ?
Going back to the main RR screen keeps the radio playing (as expected) so that navigation can be used concurrently, but what if we do not want the radio playing at some point while navigating ? I expect Mute will also mute any navigation commands.

Originally Posted by mitchjs

the tuner only supports 10 presets for DAB and 10 for FM

Only 8 preset buttons are in the RR skin.

These comments are for Mitch really.

- Volume controls change volume settings of Winamp but not Venice module.

In my modules, I have a Reset Volume function which resets volume output from the Venice to 100% so that you can then control the volume fully with the system volume.

- (Question) Can we make the title bar configurable for us here in Australia to have "DAB+ RADIO" ?

I suppose that would have to be manual. There is no way of detecting if it is DAB or DAB+.

Originally Posted by RevheadKev

- Though Winamp starts with RR I am getting a second instance of Winamp starting when I start the DAB+ radio

SOLVED ... checked "Single Player Instance" in RR config of Music Player.

Originally Posted by RevheadKev

- (Question) Can we make the title bar configurable for us here in Australia to have "DAB+ RADIO" ?

Yes Craig, I was thinking of a config line in RR.ini with the other radio properties.

Originally Posted by RevheadKev

Going back to the main RR screen keeps the radio playing (as expected) so that navigation can be used concurrently

In the Navigation screen "DAB" appears in the header bar of the screen.
The radio switches off when any other audio source is selected (such as Music or Video)

- (Question) What could be put into the Album and Artist lines of the main RR screen when the DAB radio was playing ? Both rows of the display text (station name and currently playing) ?

@RevheadKev
My Dab radio works in RR but I have nothing in the Info window. Has it worked for you without changes (e.g. font) ?
With Dab_master.exe I have the proper info display.

@craigbrass
The windows test app is still not running at my windows7 "head unit". VC08 redist is installed. At the XP tablet it runs.
Do I need to install the dll to a special path?

Peter.

Hi Craig

You noticed that OpenMobile are using FTDI's D2XX drivers rather than the virtual com port stuff? This would appear to be a much more reliable solution into the future. It would save having to select a com port in the setup, and from experience, direct to USB stuff is always going to be more reliable than VCP's.

The other advantage with this way, is that longer term, you could use a custom VID/PID together with a custom INF file to identify the module. The code would need to be re-winqual'ed if custom ID's are used though, since the CAT file would no longer match (or put up with unsigned driver warning). Could also self-sign the code (with class 3 code signing cert) and stick it into a custom device class (pre-installing cert into trusted publishers). This gets around all warnings in Vista/7 kills the XP unsigned driver warning, but still leaves you with the 'found new hardware' wizzard appearing in XP. For x64, you also need to sign using the cross certificate or it will refuse to load.

An installer for the drivers is easily build using DifX (difxapp or difxapi). If you ever go this route and need a hand, give me a shout.

Nigel