[ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Hey guys, i finally release my QT Empty Frequencies Finder (E.F.F.)!.This app is not just a gui for the E.F.F shell script, is a complete new app (i have been working on it for at least two months), the only common thing is the way of tuning the reciever. I tested the app many, many, many times and works fine (at least on my N900). I would be glad if someone can create a better icon image to put than mine :).

INFO:
E.F.F. (Empty Frequencies Finder) is a utility that lets you choose a range (only 87.5 FM - 108.0 FM) to scan from, for empty/unused frequencies, using the reciever of N900 and headphones as its antenna. For example you can use this utility to find empty frequencies, so you can easily transmit from your N900 to your radio. If you are not satisfied with the emptiness of the frequency scanning results you can select between modes, to find a better one.

The following are required to run the app:
PR 1.3
Headphones

I have a dpendancies problem which i dont know how to solve. If you install the app fapman shows that the app has no dependancies listed inspite the fact that i have : at the control file. Does anyone know something? (Dont worry about this, if you have PR 1.3 installed there wont be any problem).

I also work on an other app (propably release it tommorow) called "T-CONTROL" (transmitter control) which is curently just a gui/front-end of fmtx_client. In future it will have a push button that will automatically scan and set the transmitter to the first empty frequency found and will not require headphones (sounds nice :D). I have a question about that (might be dumb but i did not find the answer): how do i include si4713.h header at http://www.mjmwired.net/kernel/Docum...nux/si4713.txt :D?

I know that you will ask me to upload it on extras-devel but i really dont know how and i will do it when i find some more time (i have a lot of homework and tests to do :()

Thanks to:
*pycage for various reciever questions (i have been bombarding him with questions since 2-September-2010 :D)
*SubCore for qt related help
*MohammadAG for packaging and other help
*billybobjones for the icon

NOTE: THE POSSITION OF THE HEADPHONES DIERCTLY AFFECTS THE RESULTS, TRY NOT TO HAVE THEM LIKE A SKEIN/BALL.

***CHANGE-LOG***
0.9.1
*Intial release

0.9.2
*Changed icon

0.9.3
*Scanning process is paused if headphones are removed during scanning process
*Extensive scan searches for emptier frequencies
*Some other fixes

Here are some screenshots:

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Hi,

I don't know if you're using QProcess to run fmtx_client but I actually wrote a clone of fmtx_client using the Qt libraries (OK, I lie slightly: I use GLib to parse argv and argc. libkde and the qwt libraries come with option parsers implemented in native C++ but GLib comes with Maemo ;))

I don't know if it'll help you or not, but anyway:

Code: http://slexy.org/view/s2uQQMEpEo
Project file: http://slexy.org/view/s20jGlgKW9

One mistake in the code, however: rds_ps and rds_text should be g_freed after they're done with.

I don't know myself, sorry, but it seems that it implements the V4L interface for external control, have you tried that?

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Euh..finally this application is free?? yay i'm Joking! Thanks for this dude!!!

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

This is one of the best compliments to the N900s media player. Thanks a bunch.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

I ve been waiting for this. Thanks man. I ll give it a try.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Here's an icon I slapped together, if this is acceptable let me know and I'll send you a PNG in the size you would need.

http://i1221.photobucket.com/albums/...FinderIcon.jpg

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Yes, its acceptable. Why not? Its definitely better than mine :).

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

English is not my native tongue so may be I didn't understant all that you said. Your app all to scan frequencies.

Is it possible to make an app that allow N900 to send a "RDS Eon" code to the car receiver. the goal is to establish a synchronisation between the N900 and the receiver to change frequency at the same time. Indeed, when i drive in surburbs there is not a lot of empty frequencies. Then I have to change manually frequency on N900 and my car receiver. It's not easy when you drive :)

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

I dont know if its possible (actually i have never heared such thing) but i will make some google search and learn, sounds a very good idea :).

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Thanks. i think FM transmitter is very pleasant to use when you're static. when you're driving is not easy. In paris you have a lot of stations. Use FM Transmitter is useless because each 10Mhz you have one radio. Then there are also a lot of interferences.

Nokia N900 have a RDS Decoder. May be an "AF" function (refer to RDS AF). All cars receiver have a RDS AF function. It's easy to say but I think Nokia N900 should send a code in the FM transmission to tell the receiver to synchronize with it.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Just added the icon made by billybobjones.

Btw, if you tried the app, please report back if it works fine or not.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

I like the idea of this app, but it would be great if this app has a car mode in which the UI consists of just two elements: The frequency (on which the transmitter is currently set) and a big button "search". When the button is pressed, the app searches for a free frequency (the frequency with the most "free space" to the next occupied frequencies) and sets the transmitter to this new frequency.

If I'm driving in my car, I don't want to know how many frequencies are free and I don't want to set my own threshold :-)

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

I have installed the EFF from the repositories and found out the fact that this is your previous shell version 1.4.2. This application works and seems to be very useful, but please, let me know whether Your last GUI version, You are writing about, is available anywhere. Thanks.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

The last version of QT E.F.F. is availabale for download on the first post of this thread. The shell script version in the repositories was not uploaded by me so i cant remove it or change the name, but i will contact the uploader.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

I just installed the latest version and there is no icon for it.... Am I missing something..

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Thats why i am developing T-CONTROL :). But i can easily add a button to the current E.F.F. version to set the transmitter to the first empty frequency found.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

It will appear on the next reboot, unless you installed the shell script version.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

I uninstall the script version then installed the .deb file from the first post. All went well with the new installation. I have rebooted twice now and the icon is still not there... Thanks

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Type the following in Xterminal and post the output.

ls /opt/EFF

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

"No such file or directory"

I did a re-installation and still cannot find it..

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

When you re-install it you dont update it with the version in the repositories, right?

Is anyone else having the same problem????? Please post if the app works fine on your N900.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

I've installed it from the first post. It was in there. then a update notification poped out so I updated it it and it was gone. I'v uninstalled it, installed it again from the deb and it works for me.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Ok, Im good now.... The problem was; after the new installation, app manager prompted that there was an update and then I updated with the one in the repo... and that one was the older version that did not have an icon. Thanks for your help..

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

It work like a charm :P

BUT, once installed, the app manager show a new version ... but it's an error, because it's the old one.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

how can I run it?

edit ah never mind, this is great thank you

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Actually it would be better to set the frequency to the median of the first range of free frequencies. Or, even better, the median of the largest range of free frequencies.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Thanks! It works exellent. Waiting for T-CONTROL.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

NEW VERSION

0.9.3
*Scanning process is paused if headphones are removed during scanning process
*Extensive scan searches for emptier frequencies
*Some other fixes

REMEMBER THAT THE POSSITION OF THE HEADPHONES DIERCTLY AFFECTS THE RESULTS, TRY NOT TO HAVE THEM LIKE A SKEIN/BALL.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

nice! will try this, as the accuracy of the old version wasn't that perfect. I tried a lot of frequencies that seemed free but none of them really were noise-free, though it seems that the fm receiver on the n900 isn't that sensitive (to noise) than i.e. a car radio, which have a much better antenna.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

The app wont find really empty frequencies if you have the headphones like a ball... I will post some pics later.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

I just searched from 87.5 to 108 at extensive scan and i got only 21 empty frequencies. Only 10% of the range i scanned was empty frequencies. Btw you are right that the reciever of n900 isnt that sensitive, I hope that t-control will scan better using the transmitter instead of the reciever.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Thanks for all your hard work Blizzard mate, much appreciated!

Kind Regards,
D4rKlar

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

yeah I know as the headphones act like an antenna... but on a lot of frequencies the n900 is empty, there may be some noise on car radios, as they seem to amplify the radio signals better and from radio stations farther away.

And I guess that different headphones (with different shielding and cable length) probably also affect the reception and scanning results, right?

Mhm... With eff 0.9.2 I found more than 100 free frequencies on extensive search. While I'm writing I'm trying again with 0.9.3 and some headphones with a 2m cable in a straight line on my bed.

Btw. is it possible to broaden the frequency range to scan from 76MHz to 108 as I have unlocked them with the modified fmtxd.



========
One more Edit:
Ok scan has finished and it found 116 free freqs, thats 56% of the scanned freqs. What's weird is that it doesn't include a frequency that I've found manually while sitting in my car and searching for empty freqs. I still prefer to use this frequency up to today as it is still more noise free than I've tried from the results of eff.

I guess that eff scans every frequency for a more or less strong signal. But it seems that alot of "unused" and empty frequencies have noise from interferences.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

dude, why did you name the package the exact same thing, now the one in the repository wants to overwrite it and drives me nuts. I have to make an apt preferences file to block it...
why don't you rename it to EFF-GUI or something and just put a Conflicts: or Replaces: line in the control file?
oh, and fyi, the link to this thread in your sig is messed up.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

great app man excelent work....
seriously don't get the issue of the other almost non gui eff....

can u please fix that like change your eff's name cause it has been showing up again and again on the update....

and i don't know how to block the other one from appearing for update....

Tanks again....

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

Does anyone know how can i change the name of my project (eff) in Qt Creator? Should i manually rename the .pro file?

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

dude.. thanks a lot for ur kind effort..
i've installed it, but couldn't find it in the apps menu!
any conditions to run this app?

another point... normally, it's not possible to run the FM transmitter while the headset connected, so how it'll act as antenna?

thx a lot..

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

* Uninstall the version you cant find in the menu
* Install the deb version which is available on the first post of this thread
* Dont update with the (shell script) version availbale in the repos.

I didnt understand your second question. E.F.F. just uses the headphones as antenna and turns on the reciever to scan for empty frequencies (in extensive mode searches for the emptiest frequencies possible using the reciever and fm_rssi file). E.F.F. has nothing to do with the FM Transmitter.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

This gives me an error "cant find fm_rssi"

Edit: Couldn't get the one on the repos to work either
Running with command: EFF did the job to run the script from the terminal.

Re: [ANNOUNCE] (QT) E.F.F. Empty Frequencies Finder app!
 

great and useful app. many thanks

There is a slight problem with it. frequency signal reception differs from radio to radio. eg I get no signal from N900 on 93.0 fm but I get signal on an ericsson phone at 93.0 fm. since the empty signal should be on the receiving radio and not the transmitting (n900) it's a bit of a problem here.
I have scanned the all frequencies and I found 7 empty with e.f.f. on another radio these frequencies were not "completely" empty. only one of them had a little hissing noise.
I don't know what will happen with my car radio as I have not yet tested it and I am sure it has a very good reception. :confused: