FM Transmitter car charger issue

[zail]

I have been looking around trying to find out more info about the issue of fm transmitter appearing not to work when I have car charger plugged in and i'm a bit confused having read what seems to be contradictory information...

Bug 6792 (https://bugs.maemo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=6792) seems to suggets it is a bug, and although not fixed in 2.2009.51-1 update should be at some point in the future...

Various posts I have read on here seems to suggest that the strength of the fm signal drops when either PC usb or car charger USB is plugged in thus causing the charger issue in the car...

So, here's what i've found:

1/ FM trans won't work when plugged in via USB on PC and I get a little yellow message telling me so..

2/ FM trans will work when plugged into mains via Nokia USB charger

3/ FM trans won't work when plugged into car via genuine nokia charger (can't recall model number)

I've installed FMBoost and it doesn't affect 3/ above.

So, my question is, is the FM transmitter car charger thing a bug? Does the latest firmware released on 16th Feb (which I still can't see!) fix it? If not is it likely to be fixed in a new update at some point or is it something which will never work....

[buxz777]

i read an all about symbian article that stated that it wouldnt work due to something t do with the engine of the car and the alternating electric and interference , i cant find the article now , however its not just the n900

the n97 , n86 , x6 apparently all suffer this issue mate

[gom4381]

Might need to flash phone. I have a micro usb charger from Sprint that I use in my 2004 Chevy Malibu. the car charger plugs into car and phone. the reeception drops when I first plug in the car charger but after I restart the program it come in a lot better. i also downloaded fm boost. you must use that after you plug in for better sound in car. I personally have not had the issues you describe with my fm transmitter. the fm boost app is in the app manager. no extras-devel or anything. hope it helps

[maxximuscool]

fm transmiter interfaring with the usb charging, it will produce lose in quality of the audio to your radio. The reason may be the FM transmiter is using the USB port as antenna. So charging will make the FM transmiter either stop working or lose in sound quality. Solution for now is to not use FM transmiter while charging.

anyone report this bug yet?

[mcdull]

i also downloaded fm boost. you must use that after you plug in for better sound in car. I personally have not had the issues you describe with my fm transmitter. the fm boost app is in the app manager. no extras-devel or anything. hope it helps

actually, I'm confused about how to use fm boost.
Is it activated after installaton?
or do I need to run it from the menu?
looks like it starts the xterminal and run some script and exit
should I run it before turning on transmitter?
or run it after turning on the transmitter?
do I need to run it everytime after turning on the transmitter?

[maxximuscool]

actually, I'm confused about how to use fm boost.
Is it activated after installaton?
or do I need to run it from the menu?
looks like it starts the xterminal and run some script and exit
should I run it before turning on transmitter?
or run it after turning on the transmitter?
do I need to run it everytime after turning on the transmitter?


that app didn't do anything at all on mine. just execute and then exit and there is no changes to the fm

[zail]

Thanks for replies but am no nearer to understanding whether this is a bug or not! Any nokia people or N900 gurus care to comment?

[Bratag]

FMBoost does two things. First it turns on the fm transmitter - second it changes a value in a specific system file that increases the "power level" of the transmission, resulting in better reception.

[KurrentEweser]

It could be an FCC(and/or EU equivalent) rule to disable or reduce the power of such transmitters. Because the charger lead will act as an antenna. They only want the signal to go a few feet not a few hundred feet.

[shadowjk]

fm boost needs to be run after switching on fm transmitter and after plugging in charger.

Plugging in charger, removing charger, or switching fm transmitter on/off will nullify fm boost's changes.

[amihalceanu]

It could be an FCC(and/or EU equivalent) rule to disable or reduce the power of such transmitters. Because the charger lead will act as an antenna. They only want the signal to go a few feet not a few hundred feet.

That is exactly the case. FM boost works nicely. Start fm transmitter, plug in phone THEN start fm boost. The idea is the the phone automatically reduces fm transmitter power when anything is plugged into USB. So you need to start fm boost after EACH time you plug in USB cable

[mcdull]

fm boost needs to be run after switching on fm transmitter and after plugging in charger.

Plugging in charger, removing charger, or switching fm transmitter on/off will nullify fm boost's changes.

Thanks. Just tried that in my car and confirmed that's how to use it.
Now, it makes more sense to use the FM transmitter in car and also keep charging it. :D

[zail]

Hmmm.. interestingly I went to the car tonight and the fmTransmitter worked fine for the whole journey home with the charger plugged in... I think I did the following:

Plugged car into charger as I had a call to make
After I'd made call I thought I'd see if I could start fmTransmitter so used Simple FMTX desktop widget to sitch it on and that automatically started fmBoost, then started Media box and all was fine! Hopefully all will continue to work in this way....

[gom4381]

actually, I'm confused about how to use fm boost.
Is it activated after installaton?
or do I need to run it from the menu?
looks like it starts the xterminal and run some script and exit
should I run it before turning on transmitter?
or run it after turning on the transmitter?
do I need to run it everytime after turning on the transmitter?

You need to use fm boost after you run the fm transmitter program. You need to run it everytime. If you run another application or take a call you must use the fm boost program. It runs some script that makes the transmitters transmit at its highest power. It is tuned down by Nokia for some reason. Everytime you run transmitter and the signal is weak run the fm boost program. Just place a shortcut on the desktop and after you plug in the car charger, if you use one. The fm boost is the last thing you want to do before you put the phone down. You will see when you need to run it again and when not to. Just try it. It works well in Chicago in the city on the northside to the southside on 98.3. That is the station I use about 90% of the time. Sometimes when around big metal structures you get interference.

[Dexter1759]

Hi All,

My Brodit cradle & proclip arrived yesterday and I had the exact same problem. Simply wouldn't work whilst charging, I could have music and transmitter on and the second I unplugged it from my charge it worked like a charm. But plug it back in and it stopped!

I've just installed FM Boost, and already use the FM ON/OFF widget. So when I use the widget to turn the FM on or off will it automatically run FM Boost?

I'm gonna give it a go again this evening and let you know how I get on.

Thanks,
Dex

[Alex Atkin UK]

Hi All,

My Brodit cradle & proclip arrived yesterday and I had the exact same problem. Simply wouldn't work whilst charging, I could have music and transmitter on and the second I unplugged it from my charge it worked like a charm. But plug it back in and it stopped!

I've just installed FM Boost, and already use the FM ON/OFF widget. So when I use the widget to turn the FM on or off will it automatically run FM Boost?

I'm gonna give it a go again this evening and let you know how I get on.

Thanks,
Dex

Only if you configure the widget and tick the box to do so. ;)

[Dexter1759]

Right I sorted the widget to use FM Boost.

I plugged my N900 into the brodit charger, clicked the widget on my desktop and played some music, worked a charm.

Then I tested making a call, which naturally paused the music.

When I ended the call I used the widget to turn off the FM Transmitter and turn it back on again, then tried to play the music again. But couldn't get it working again!

Seems a bit hit & miss!

[Weedalot]

i got it as well.. but a bit extra on top of those bugs (might be just my charger) once i plug it inside the car's charger it won't let me run the FM Transmitter saying "USB device connected" after i plug it out i cannot run FM Transmitter as well due to same msg..

before i solder the charger into the car's 12V switch i noticed something else was off when i would take it out the phone would appear charging while the 12V input was in air.. so it does look cool to charge a phone out of thin air but something is seriously wrong..

any ideas?

[excelar8]

i got it as well.. but a bit extra on top of those bugs (might be just my charger) once i plug it inside the car's charger it won't let me run the FM Transmitter saying "USB device connected" after i plug it out i cannot run FM Transmitter as well due to same msg..

before i solder the charger into the car's 12V switch i noticed something else was off when i would take it out the phone would appear charging while the 12V input was in air.. so it does look cool to charge a phone out of thin air but something is seriously wrong..

any ideas?

download FM Boost

[Weedalot]

got it had it and the post above is the result

[Veix]

Can the fmboost run in some kind of "monitor" mode, so when i plug in the charger... it automatically runs fmboost script ?
Ofcourse it should happen only then fm transmitter is switched on.

My annoyonce is that with cars engine switch off/on the 12V plug gets disconnected and reconnected, so i have to manually click for fmboost every time.

Another solution is to hardwire 12V socket so it gets power all the time, without ignition.

[menno]

Yeah a monitor mode would be great.

I sometimes knock the charger plug out.

[mauriala]

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[Veix]

you tested it? imo all 3rd party addon fm transmitters are crap... because of low fm output power...

no need for monitor mode, custom fmtxd binary and its well powered