View Full Version : N900 and FMradio
Hello.
I have now read the manual for the Nokia N900. And on page 73, it explains the FM reciever.
http://nds1.nokia.com/files/support/nam/phones/guides/Nokia_N900_Rover_en-US_es-LAM.pdf
Here it explains that the FM cannot be used while the headset is plugged in. And only be used if useing a car radio or Home Stereo System.
I thought it was able to use FM, like the Nokia N90, where you plug a headset in, with builtin reciever, and then it plays.
But seems like its not able to do that?
From Kehaan.
The manual (wow, what a lot of pages!) talks about the FM transmitter, not the receiver. The transmitter can be used to make the N900 emit FM radio so that you can listen to it on a FM radio, e.g. in your car.
But yes, there's also a FM receiver built-in, which the manual doesn't talk about.
Andre Klapper
2009-10-02, 10:50
there's also a FM receiver built-in, which the manual doesn't talk about.
If I remember correctly it is not mentioned because there is no UI available to use it.
Rotkaeqpchen
2009-10-02, 10:55
So will there be a FM-receiver application for download?
Very likely yes I think someone is already working on it.
Rotkaeqpchen
2009-10-02, 11:11
Wonderful! Great to hear!
koivjann
2009-10-13, 16:33
Actually there is already one FM-radio application ready. I tested it with my proto and it works nicely.
Hey
Good to hear :) Now i just need to wait 2 days to it shuld arrive :P
Thanks.
From Kehaan
prometoys
2009-10-27, 09:48
oh kids, you should check out fmradio from extras-testing (when you know what you are doing, packages extras-testing have the potential to harm your device).
It is really awesome. Still here and there buggy, but works most of the times. And the interface is just ... awesome!
I'm especially interested to hear from people who had problems with the FM receiver on the N900 so far if this new version fixes the driver problems, since the n900-fmrx-enabler has been updated as well (the app manager pulls the update automatically when you update the FM Radio app).
I'm especially interested to hear from people who had problems with the FM receiver on the N900 so far if this new version fixes the driver problems, since the n900-fmrx-enabler has been updated as well (the app manager pulls the update automatically when you update the FM Radio app).
It's working reliably now AFAICT. The new UI looks pretty neat as well.
koivjann
2009-10-27, 12:22
Thank you of the new release. its nice looking UI.
The only big problem is that there is no voice at all.
Previous version worked well. I have booted the device and there was no help
Thank you of the new release. its nicel ooking UI.
The only big problem is that there is no voice at all.
Previous version worked well. I have booted the device and the was no help
Can you check via dmesg if it's a problem loading the driver?
If not, you can try different headphones, but I assume the ones you are using were those that worked before. The last thing to check would be the audio volume.
Rushmore
2009-10-27, 13:19
Seems odd. Why have a FM receiver if you can not use it out of the box? Seems superfluous.
Is it because the receiver is part of the chipset, but Nokia could not be bothered to provide a simple interface since they did not care it was there?
If the N900 is meant to be a marketshare gaining effort, they seem to be missing basic things that are being relied upon too much by aftermarket efforts.
Techies will care less, but Nokia is NOT going to gain share with this device only making the (very much appreciated) techies happy.
koivjann
2009-10-27, 18:54
Can you check via dmesg if it's a problem loading the driver?
If not, you can try different headphones, but I assume the ones you are using were those that worked before. The last thing to check would be the audio volume.
Hey it works!!
There is a feature you should work around. I had my N900 at work in silent profile. When I changed profile to normal then the radio worked as it should.
Nokia headphones with microphone gives quite bad voice quality other headphones work fine.
There is a feature you should work around. I had my N900 at work in silent profile. When I changed profile to normal then the radio worked as it should.
Well, silent profile is supposed to be silent. ;)
At least the N900 didn't fail on this. :)
Seems odd. Why have a FM receiver if you can not use it out of the box? Seems superfluous.
The IR transmitter cannot be used out of the box either. But it's there so that 3rd party software can make use of it.
Is it because the receiver is part of the chipset, but Nokia could not be bothered to provide a simple interface since they did not care it was there?
The receiver is part of the Bluetooth chip. And I think that Nokia does care about it because otherwise they could have used the other Bluetooth chip without FM radio that was in the early prototypes.
Techies will care less, but Nokia is NOT going to gain share with this device only making the (very much appreciated) techies happy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8To-6VIJZRE
Nokia knows that they now need developers, developers, developers. So they make the device appeal to the tech-savvy people before launching a Maemo 6 device to the mass market.
it seems mic is on while Radio is playing, that is the reason of worse quality than using ordinary headphone (all sounds around are translated over to headphones too)
Is there any way to turn off the mic while radio is on?
There is a mixer switch for setting the type of headet. The OS changes this automatically. Maybe forcing it from Headset to Headphones will help. We'll have to try.
You can play around with the mixer settings in X-Terminal with the command
alsamixer -c0
But be careful to not enable any filter bypass switches there because sending unfiltered low frequencies to the speakers can damage them.
I'm especially interested to hear from people who had problems with the FM receiver on the N900 so far if this new version fixes the driver problems, since the n900-fmrx-enabler has been updated as well (the app manager pulls the update automatically when you update the FM Radio app).
Doesn't work for me. This (http://talk.maemo.org/showpost.php?p=351609&postcount=105) fix makes fmradio-tool work, but the GUI doesn't do seem to work: no audio on either headphones or speaker, always says 87.5MHz, often crashes.
Also, if I add a station and then press the * button it goes into a screen showing that station and no way to back out.
Well, silent profile is supposed to be silent. ;)
At least the N900 didn't fail on this. :)
The profile should only affect the various ringer notifications, all other audio should obey the volume slider.
But be careful to not enable any filter bypass switches there because sending unfiltered low frequencies to the speakers can damage them.
Since:
We need headphones plugged in for the FM antenna
Plenty of people will only want to listen through headphones (not speakers)
Would it be possible to send the receiver output directly to the speakers without recapturing (& hence save battery) when the phones are plugged in?
Rushmore
2009-11-11, 16:22
So there is currently no functioning radio with good quality and does not require a computer science degree to operate? ;)
We need one fast or the coming flood of posts will be even greater by us noobs! :eek:
Would it be possible to send the receiver output directly to the speakers without recapturing (& hence save battery) when the phones are plugged in?
The next version will send the output directly to the headphones because this is safe. But the receiver output must not be sent directly to the speakers, because very low frequencies are dangerous for them and have tio be filtered out.
To sum it up: you can save battery in the next version if using headphones for listening.
So there is currently no functioning radio with good quality
Reception quality is good. Filtering out low freqs for the speakers doesn't hurt much on the usual FM radio program.
and does not require a computer science degree to operate? ;)
No, you don't need a degree to operate. :)
Either it works, or it works not.
If it doesn't work, you can try switching off Bluetooth before activating the radio, or wait for an update. There is currently an issue with Bluetooth that is being worked on.
Don't get frightened by our tech talk. :)
The FM radio is safe for users, hence it's in the extras-repository and on http://maemo.nokia.com/maemo-select
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8To-6VIJZRE
Developers! Developers! Developers!
Yeah, I fell for it. steverolled again.
Rushmore
2009-11-11, 17:15
Reception quality is good. Filtering out low freqs for the speakers doesn't hurt much on the usual FM radio program.
No, you don't need a degree to operate. :)
Either it works, or it works not.
If it doesn't work, you can try switching off Bluetooth before activating the radio, or wait for an update. There is currently an issue with Bluetooth that is being worked on.
Don't get frightened by our tech talk. :)
The FM radio is safe for users, hence it's in the extras-repository and on http://maemo.nokia.com/maemo-select
Cool. I thought there might be a noise issue due to the microphone and in order to offset the problem or the low freq issue, you had to hack some registry changes.
The next version will send the output directly to the headphones because this is safe.
Yes, that's what I meant! That's great news (assuming you're talking about the next version of pyFMRadio, not the next N-series!).
Thanks for all the work.
Yes, I'm talking about the next version of the FM radio app, which I am currently working on.
Anyway, any sound you hear on the built-in speakers, no matter if from the media player or from FM radio is high-pass filtered, because this is a necessity for the speaker hardware. So FM radio doesn't sound worse than playing music with the music player. Both go through the HP filter.
Does anybody know if it is possible to use a bluetooth divice in combination with the FM radio?
Or is this still 'under construction"?
Nevertheless, as a complete noob, iḿ happy with you developers!:)
sparkle58
2010-01-12, 23:30
Did a search but couldn't find the answer, is the FM receiver supposed to output in stereo through the headphones and speakers? I'm only getting mono through the 'phones which is a bummer, not fussed through the speakers as I only use them for background music at work.
FM radio ought to be in stereo if the signal quality is strong and the station broadcasts in stereo.
sparkle58
2010-01-13, 11:04
FM radio ought to be in stereo if the signal quality is strong and the station broadcasts in stereo.
Thanks for your response pycage. I'm in Sydney and all fm stations here broadcast in stereo at all times and signal is generally strong. I'll keep plugging away at it.
Btw thanks for the work done on it, I use the radio more than any other ap so was really hanging on its release.
rldstover48
2010-01-21, 03:55
its not on maemo-select
It used to be on Maemo-Select. Maybe you can convince Nokia to put it back there.
rldstover48
2010-01-22, 19:35
im running 2010.01.15 if this not your current testing version could you please tell me where to get it so i can plug into application mgr i think this is a really cool program aside for bugs which im dealing with n know will be resolved i use it alot. thanks for any help, keep up the good work
Hi guys. I am noob here but I use FM Radio everyday on my way to work for at least 40 minutes. My car has a very crappy fm radio so i use my n900 as the main source of FM radio. I have few issues with the current version that may make this best fm radio i have ever come across since n82.
1. The music playing on the radio stutters when it switches to the power saving mode.
2. Is there anyway to use the screen as a large button to switch a station, because currently i have to unlock the phone and then press the small area on the left or right to change stations while driving which is quite tricky. Maybe assign the camera button to switch stations when the FM radio app is running and back to normal when switched off.
If you someone could implement these things then this would be the best app for me on the n900. I love my radio during my way to work and using my n900 as the main player is great.
obhishap
2010-10-20, 18:29
Sorry to bother u guys but as i am a noob, i need to know that, is this normal when i turn on radio it also turn on bluetooth ???any reply would be helpful. thanks
Laughing Man
2010-10-20, 18:34
Sorry to bother u guys but as i am a noob, i need to know that, is this normal when i turn on radio it also turn on bluetooth ???any reply would be helpful. thanks
Yes it's normal. They are both on the same hardware chip.
obhishap
2010-10-20, 18:46
Lolz and i was thinking that its a bug...well thanks for the info Laughing Man.
MOST_WANTED
2010-10-23, 07:47
thats what i was looking for i guess...my radio player doesnt work on my N900,it says error: cant load radio drivers i deleted that one and installed another one through app manager but that one doesnt want to start at all (( who knows how to fix it ? plzzz help !
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