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liquid_smoke · 05-10-2004, 08:26 PM

Is it possible for you to make a stand alone app that just pauses winamp or wmp when an incomeing call is recieved and unpause when the call is over. No gui or anything (at the most a pop up box saying incomeing call answer/hangup ) and if possible have it run as a service?

Although i do really like your current app, i just find that for me its just safer to use the actual phone while im driveing.

So.... what do you say?

Thanks in advance

zorro · 05-11-2004, 03:22 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by liquid_smoke

Is it possible for you to make a stand alone app that just pauses winamp or wmp when an incomeing call is recieved and unpause when the call is over. No gui or anything (at the most a pop up box saying incomeing call answer/hangup ) and if possible have it run as a service?

Although i do really like your current app, i just find that for me its just safer to use the actual phone while im driveing.

So.... what do you say?

Thanks in advance

Yes, but it would be kind of redundant

Why you don't simply edit the Skin file/config, set the window of PhoCo as small as you need it, place it anywhere on the screen and place the panels you need (e.g for an incoming call) in the upper left corner. You even can leave the backgound picture of the main window out, then it will let the desktop shine through.
Then set the <AutoHideTimeout> to 1 or 2 and the window will disappear almost immedeately.

liquid_smoke · 05-11-2004, 07:30 PM

that sounds like a good idea, ill do that when i get home tonite and let you know how it works out.

pyros · 05-12-2004, 01:25 AM

Please share for those of us who are deciding on one. If you could give your comments on how well it works and how you've mounted it that'd be great too.

Thanks!

Goose · 05-12-2004, 06:47 PM

I am wondering about the same thing... I need a microphone so you will not get a ecco effect with...

rando · 05-12-2004, 08:05 PM

Haha, i was about to ask the same thing.

god_of_cpu · 05-12-2004, 08:20 PM

I had to make this decision about a month or two ago. I'm assuming you want the best voice recognition mic. I think the options are really quite limited. The best mics are obviously headset mics and those are the ones that are most readily available, but those are out of the question cause there not cool in the car. The next best option for gathering sound at a distance are array microphones and is what I went with. There not too many available, in fact, I only found two this one which is probably too big for most car applications and this one which is the one that I went with. It's probably the best mic you can get for the application for the price and you can really notice a difference in the level of background noise. The one problem with array mics is that they have a tendancy to amplify certain background noises if there is not a louder noise currently happening. i.e. you speaking so you really do need to use an activator key with it if your going to use it in a noisy car envioryment.

One other option is to get a really good regular microphone like this that *may* be better then the array microphone just because its mad quality and it should be mounted at a set distance for voice recognition.

pyros · 05-13-2004, 02:27 AM

thanks for the reply.... those array mics look mighty interesting. IBM manufactures one also and someone has it up on ebay right now.

I was going through the phonecontrol thread and noticed that Zorro posted which Mic he uses. Well he said its hard to get, but I think I found the same one now being marketed/manufactured by Logitech:

http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/pr...CONTENTID=6776

$50 Canadian or about $1 US (just kidding).

What about one of those tie-clip mics used by profs in lectures?

Goose · 05-13-2004, 03:53 AM

Great suggestions guys, but isn't those microfones with high sensityviti?
I belive using one of those will make a ecco effect for person you are talking with...
We need a microfon for the PC that is like a handsfree microfon...
They are not that noisy...

Or what do you think guys?

craigyb · 05-17-2004, 01:15 PM

Zorro

Considering all the hardwork you have put into phone control, then maybe a paypal donations link on your website would help towards the SDK.

I've tried phonecontrol, but so far I've been unsuccessful. But if in the future it was to be of more use to me then I would gladly donate now.

If anyone out there wishes to donate to Zorro, I think now is the time to step forward.

Regards

Craig

mbaratta · 05-17-2004, 02:07 PM

Zorro,

Any thoughts on doing a mini version of phonecontrol?

One that uses a barebones cellphone and a microcontroller?

see thread:

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/general-mp3car-discussion/26287-gps-cell-phone-output-somehow.html

I think this is a great idea, and if you have experience coding for microcontrollers this could be a simple project.

Phonecontrol jr. Gps edition.

thanks

zorro · 05-17-2004, 06:26 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by mbaratta

Zorro,

Any thoughts on doing a mini version of phonecontrol?

One that uses a barebones cellphone and a microcontroller?

see thread:

http://www.mp3car.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=26287

I think this is a great idea, and if you have experience coding for microcontrollers this could be a simple project.

Phonecontrol jr. Gps edition.

thanks

Yes, you're right, simple it would be. If you use a Basic Stamp, you even don't need experience for microcontroller coding ... cause it's simply Basic.

But it wouldn't be cheap anyway. Just a short calc:

1 x Basic Stamp: ~$50 (not the big one)
1 x Starter kit: ~$130 (just one needed)
1 x Mobile phone: ~$80 (2nd hand, cheap one)
1 x GPS mouse: ~$100
1 x "Mainboard": ~$40 (where you mount the Stamp on. ports, a power regulator, converters, plugs and stuff)
1 x Layout & PCB: ~$15
1 x Case: ~$10
This makes round about: $295 (without the Starter kit and without any kind of backup battery). I think, there are some solutions out there you can get for less but at least for the same price without doing any soldering / assembling.

Beside, don't forget that your GPS mouse / antenna has to be mounted somewhere on your cars roof (at least where it can be "seen" from the satellites) and GPS signals are not very powerful. This makes it a kind of vulnerable. You just have the rip of the GPS or cover it into something that keeps the satellite signals from the receiver.

However, I like the name you gave it: PhoneControl Jr.

Ricky327 · 05-17-2004, 06:46 PM

Zorro,

I think the project can be made much cheaper.

A PIC based should only cost about £20 the most. Thats including the board, regulator and support chips.

The BASIC stamp is not exactly an economical solutions...so stay away from them

zorro · 05-17-2004, 07:05 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by Ricky327

Zorro,

I think the project can be made much cheaper.

A PIC based should only cost about £20 the most. Thats including the board, regulator and support chips.

The BASIC stamp is not exactly an economical solutions...so stay away from them

Yes sure, but a Basic Stamp is a PIC (with just a bit more software on board)

And you'll still need some kind of mainboard where you place the regulator / converter / plugs for the GPS and the mobile phone.

In fact the expensive parts are the GPS and the mobile phone.

There would be an imginable solution using the LBS (Location Based Services) then you'll need only the phone. But:
1. LBS is not yet available everywhere (if you leave such a location, your car's gone)
2. You'll need a phone with a bit more intelligence (such as the ones with a Symbian OS for example)
And guess what... then you'll pay for the phone as much as for the other stuff togehter

Ricky327 · 05-17-2004, 07:10 PM

In fact the expensive parts are the GPS and the mobile phone.

We already have them, so its not part of the cost

Most poeple in here just want the controller.

By the way...phone control is really nice. Thanks for the good work.

I just installed it but cant get it to work with infrared. Not sure if im doing it right.

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