Hi there,
As you might have read on the PX5 board threads, I was struggling with the ease of use of the stock FM Radio app when driving. If you don't have to SWC you first have to press home from navigating, and open the radio app, or use the widgets, to switch channels. I didn't like that like, so I started to inspect the radio and radio widget .apk files. In there I found some pieces of code that remotely allow to control the FM Radio app.
What my app does is 'listen' to the information the stock FM Radio app is outputting. It can get the current frequency and channel. It shows this information on a notification on your HU. This notification also consists of three buttons to go to the previous channel, the next channel, and turn of the radio.
The current frequency and channel are also pushed to the Android Media Session with media button support. This means other apps (like AnyAutoAudio) or widgets can display the currently playing frequency and channel. You can also control the radio with the media buttons Android support. USB keyboards or BT devices that support these buttons should work! I haven't tested it, but this also means the FM Radio can be used in Android Auto. As soon as you open another media app (like Poweramp), that app will take over the media buttons (as expected). If you want to switch back to FM just press the power button on the notification and you're back.
This app is at an early stage right now. I'd like to see it as a proof of concept. It currently only works with FM. It can't show AM information yet. I am not an Android developer, so it might contain a few bugs and glitches. Let me know if you find anything.
I made a little video a few days ago when I had my first proof of concept working. This video does not display the media button support. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/JNUAi0KNGmM
Let me know what you think! Ideas and suggestions are always welcome.
Download: https://gerbenbol.com/android/com.gerbenbol.hctradiocontroller.apk
As you might have read on the PX5 board threads, I was struggling with the ease of use of the stock FM Radio app when driving. If you don't have to SWC you first have to press home from navigating, and open the radio app, or use the widgets, to switch channels. I didn't like that like, so I started to inspect the radio and radio widget .apk files. In there I found some pieces of code that remotely allow to control the FM Radio app.
What my app does is 'listen' to the information the stock FM Radio app is outputting. It can get the current frequency and channel. It shows this information on a notification on your HU. This notification also consists of three buttons to go to the previous channel, the next channel, and turn of the radio.
The current frequency and channel are also pushed to the Android Media Session with media button support. This means other apps (like AnyAutoAudio) or widgets can display the currently playing frequency and channel. You can also control the radio with the media buttons Android support. USB keyboards or BT devices that support these buttons should work! I haven't tested it, but this also means the FM Radio can be used in Android Auto. As soon as you open another media app (like Poweramp), that app will take over the media buttons (as expected). If you want to switch back to FM just press the power button on the notification and you're back.
This app is at an early stage right now. I'd like to see it as a proof of concept. It currently only works with FM. It can't show AM information yet. I am not an Android developer, so it might contain a few bugs and glitches. Let me know if you find anything.
I made a little video a few days ago when I had my first proof of concept working. This video does not display the media button support. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/JNUAi0KNGmM
Let me know what you think! Ideas and suggestions are always welcome.
Download: https://gerbenbol.com/android/com.gerbenbol.hctradiocontroller.apk
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