RadioSHARK Control Program

alpax · 01-27-2009, 05:35 AM

Are there any RadioSHARK owners around? Here are some good news for you.

I have found a control program for RadioSHARK, and modified it so it could be used with RoadRunner. It does not require original software and supports both versions of RadioSHARK!

==================================================
RoadRunner RadioSHARK Control Program Version 1.0
Based on ControlSHARK2 version 0.2.2 by QUEBits
Portions Copyright (c) 2009 APSoft Systems
==================================================

About
=====

RadioSHARK is a USB AM/FM radio manufactured by Griffin Technology.
The radio simply streams audio to USB, so any program, which can
handle different audio input devices can be used to play it, for
example VLC, Media Player Classic, or Winamp with LineIn plug-in.
Just select radioSHARK device as the input in those players.

This control program allows changing frequencies on RadioSHARK either
from command line, GUI or by receiving messages from RoadRunner.
Both radioSHARK and radioSHARK 2 are supported.

Command line parameters:
/fm 101.1 - tune to 101.1 MHz FM
/am 730 - tune to 730 kHz AM

The original ControlSHARK1 and ControlSHARK2 programs were created
by QUEBits (http://www.geocities.jp/ne533/shark001.htm). Thanks a lot
to that guy from Japan who decrypted the radioSHARK communication
protocol, created a program to control the device, and made the source
code available!

Installation for RoadRunner
===========================

RadioSHARK Control Program can work with RoadRunner using the
communication method originally designed for HQCT radio, which is
natively supported by RoadRunner (that is why the EXE name is
RRHQCT.exe).

So to make it work you need to do these steps:

1. Copy RRHQCT.exe file from this archive to the existing
\RoadRunner\HQCT folder (none of the files there are required for
RadioSHARK, so you can just delete them or move somewhere else).

2. Run RRConfig.exe, and in Radio Settings select HQCT and enable
"Use Line-In Plugin" option.

Or you can just manually edit the following settings in rr.ini:
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
[Radio]
radiomode=4
uselineinplugin=true
lineinpar=line://title=Radio,srate=44100,bps=16,nch=2
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Of course you also need to install the LineIn input plug-in for Winamp
if you didn't do it before.

Restart RoadRunner, open Radio screen and enjoy your AM/FM radio with
RadioSHARK!

Added on Feb 11, 2009:
Note: If you don't hear radio with Winamp/LineIn plug-in, you may need to open Sounds and Audio Devices Properties in Windows Control Panel, and select radioSHARK as default sound recording device.

pcpete · 01-27-2009, 09:26 AM

I would of jumped on this a year ago, as I had a radioshark, but I've since moved on to a visteon HD radio module.

I had bad reception with the RadioShark (i think i had v2) , the visteon works great, and I was able to plug it in to my cars antenna cable. How's your reception...?

alpax · 01-27-2009, 01:50 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by pcpete

I would of jumped on this a year ago, as I had a radioshark, but I've since moved on to a visteon HD radio module.

Yes, it's a bit late. RadioSHARK is not even offered on Griffin's website anymore (though it's still there, I believe).

Quote: Originally Posted by pcpete

I had bad reception with the RadioShark (i think i had v2) , the visteon works great, and I was able to plug it in to my cars antenna cable. How's your reception...?

Well, I am only on the first stage - reading, exploring, preparing components, trying different software at home...
I have radioSHARK2, and its reception inside my house near computer is not excellent, but passable. I can tune to all major stations we have here, even AM sounds quite well. It seems to be a bit better with an external antenna, so I hope I'll be able to use it in the car.

Oh, and one thing I didn't mention in my first post.
If someone has the original radioSHARK ver.1 (the white one) - can you please try this software and let me know. It should work, but I didn't have a chance to try it myself.
Thanks!

pcpete · 01-27-2009, 02:26 PM

My FM was passable, but AM was terrible, and I really wanted mostly AM, for news and sports talk...the visteon is like having my oem radio back...don't want to trash the shark too much, hope it works for you...

alpax · 01-27-2009, 02:54 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by pcpete

My FM was passable, but AM was terrible, and I really wanted mostly AM, for news and sports talk...

Yes, I need mostly AM too - that's why I've chosen radioSHARK, and not some other USB FM radio. I basically need just one AM station - our local traffic radio, and it works just fine (at least at home), another news station is also OK - not worse than FM. I guess I'm just lucky that the signal in our area is strong enough.

Quote: Originally Posted by pcpete

the visteon is like having my oem radio back...don't want to trash the shark too much, hope it works for you...

I thought I'd give radioSHARK a try first - just need some stub for the radio, as I'm planning to remove the stock unit (it's just too big - 2-DIN), but don't want to lose AM/FM completely.
If it won't work for me, I'll switch to something else. I'll keep that Visteon in mind - thanks for mentioning it.

RedMeanie · 02-05-2009, 10:27 AM

I will get a white one off eBay and try it....I was going to give it a shot to have AM available anyway for Baseball season. The rest of my radio time is spent on XM....I will put trying it within about a week when it gets here...
Thanks!

alpax · 02-05-2009, 11:59 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by RedMeanie

I will get a white one off eBay and try it...

Thanks in advance, RedMeanie! Please let me know about any result or if you'll have any questions.

T_Blaze · 02-11-2009, 08:47 PM

I tried it and can't seem to control anything in RR. The file opens up outside of RR but seems to not be embedded in RR

alpax · 02-12-2009, 12:27 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by T_Blaze

I tried it and can't seem to control anything in RR. The file opens up outside of RR but seems to not be embedded in RR

Ha! You know what? I didn't use the radio for a while, and now have found that it stopped working on my machine too!

But I've figured out one step I did before, but completely forgot and didn't mention in the readme.

You need to open Sounds and Audio Devices Properties in Windows Control Panel, and select radioSHARK as default sound recording device.
After that everything should work as described above.

Please note the control program does not embed into RR - it just provides the frequency switching functionality - that's why it starts minimized - its UI is not supposed to be used in normal conditions. You use RR & skin screens to select radio stations.

BTW, what version of RadioSHARK do you have - v1 (white) or v2 (black)?

mitchjs · 02-12-2009, 06:38 AM

dont wait too long, there is a bunch of Directed dmhd1000s on ebay now
for cheap!!!!

once they gone they gone, both units have been out of production for some time (directed/visteon) + i prob wont produce cables much longer

mitch

T_Blaze · 02-12-2009, 09:28 AM

i have the black one (v2).... will try and see if it works... thanks

T_Blaze · 02-12-2009, 05:33 PM

It didn't work for me. Outside of RR the program opens up but could not control inside RR. For some reason, I can't even switched to FM in RR. It's stuck on AM.

alpax · 02-12-2009, 06:57 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by T_Blaze

It didn't work for me. Outside of RR the program opens up but could not control inside RR. For some reason, I can't even switched to FM in RR. It's stuck on AM.

But does it work outside of RR?

Let's go step by step...
Have you selected radioSHARK as default sound recording device?
Do you have Line-In plug-in for Winamp installed and set up?
Open Winamp, right-click, select Play - URL..., enter line:// there, and press Open. It should play radio.
Then start this RRHQCT.exe, open its window, and try to change frequencies and press FM and AM buttons.
If it works, the radio itself is ready to go.

Now, let's see what's up with your RR settings.

Have you selected HQCT in RR Radio Settings and enabled "Use Line-In Plugin" option as described in readme?

And finally, what skin are you using? Note - the skin must support radio properly. For example, it works fine with BMWE36, BMV2 and Carwings-V2, though it's called HD Radio in Carwings, and there is no AM/FM switch in the latter two - you just enter the frequency and if it's out of FM range, it just switches to AM.

T_Blaze · 02-12-2009, 10:37 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by alpax

But does it work outside of RR?

Let's go step by step...
Have you selected radioSHARK as default sound recording device?
Yes

Do you have Line-In plug-in for Winamp installed and set up?
Do you mean the volume control?

Open Winamp, right-click, select Play - URL..., enter line:// there, and press Open. It should play radio.
Will do tomorrow morning

Then start this RRHQCT.exe, open its window, and try to change frequencies and press FM and AM buttons.
If it works, the radio itself is ready to go.

Now, let's see what's up with your RR settings.

Have you selected HQCT in RR Radio Settings and enabled "Use Line-In Plugin" option as described in readme?
Yes

And finally, what skin are you using?
DFX 4.0

Note - the skin must support radio properly. For example, it works fine with BMWE36, BMV2 and Carwings-V2, though it's called HD Radio in Carwings, and there is no AM/FM switch in the latter two - you just enter the frequency and if it's out of FM range, it just switches to AM.

Just to clarify, the radio itself works outside RR. Maybe the skin just doesn't support it?

alpax · 02-13-2009, 01:28 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by T_Blaze

> Do you have Line-In plug-in for Winamp installed and set up?
Do you mean the volume control?

I mean this plug-in. I don't remember if I did any special setup for it. Just make sure you see radioSHARK in the list of devices in LineIn plugin configuration window, and when you open "line://" URL in Winamp it actually plays radio.

Quote: Originally Posted by T_Blaze

Just to clarify, the radio itself works outside RR.

Please note: it should work in Winamp - not in the standard RadioSHARK application, which comes with the device.

Quote: Originally Posted by T_Blaze

Maybe the skin just doesn't support it?

I don't really know. I've just downloaded and tried DFX, but it is so complicated that I could not even add the Radio button to its menu.

But I believe it should work, if you set up Winamp and RR properly.
Anyway, try some simpler screen first - one of those I mentioned.