Hi!

Is there a mode implemented for the empeg in which it will happily play
my MP3s, but interupt those as soon as a traffic announcement is
received?
To be more precise: Is this kind of mode available for the MK-I and/or planned for the MK-II (with the optional, not yet available(?) tuner module)?


cu,
sven

Is there a mode implemented for the empeg in which it will happily play my MP3s, but interupt those as soon as a traffic announcement is received?

This is a common question. As I understand it, this feature is planned but not yet implemented. The cool thing about the empeg is that features like this can be added with a simple download of a new piece of player software (once the feature gets written).

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong...

___________
Tony Fabris

>> Is there a mode implemented for the empeg in which it will happily play my
>> MP3s, but interupt those as soon as a traffic announcement is received?

> This is a common question. As I understand it, this feature is planned but
> not yet implemented. The cool thing about the empeg is that features like
> this can be added with a simple download of a new piece of player software
> (once the feature gets written).

This does sound to me as if it might never be written. I already posted this question (to the onelist.com empeg mailinglist) about 6 month ago, and as far as I remember, I got about the same answer. Because I rely on TAs (I´m travelling quite a lot, and traffic jams aren´t that uncommon in Germany), this would mean to me that I would either stick to listening to the radio, or get stuck in some traffic jam. Both not valid options to me.
On the one hand, I can´t stand waiting to finally order my empeg MK-II, on the other hand ordering the empeg does not really make sence as long as the above feature is not available (yet), or at least projected for the near future.



cu,
sven

Well, there are two options; either wait for the tuner/RDS on the empeg (which, although much better in terms of reception than the mk1 tuner, won't necessarily compete with the best from Sony, Blaupunkt, etc - after all, they have large teams of people who just design tuners & write RDS code) or use a 2-head unit system using the Sony/whatever head unit as the amp for the empeg.

That way, you get full tuner/RDS service without any issues, plus empeg. The TA will interrupt the "aux" input on the Sony & Panasonic models I've tried.

Hugo

I take this as answer like it will take a looong time before there is done
anything with the radio part???


TommyE

Is there any information on how to extract the RDS data stream from the tuner? Maybe someone (I doubt if I could do it, but it sure would be fun to play with) could implement something to extract the relevant info. Are the RDS specs available online anywhere?

Will the software to control the Mk2 external tuner be the same as for the Mk1 tuner? I mean, is the connector on the Mk2 sled simply an external duplication of the internal connections used in the Mk1? (I may not have worded that very well, I hope someone knows what I am wittering on about!)

Geoff
---- -------
Got one of the first Mark 2 empegs...

The software is compatible between mk1/mk2 tuners. The tuner device just sends commands out over serial instead.

The RDS packets come out of /dev/rds (8 bytes - 4x16 bit error-corrected packets making one RDS frame). The code which decodes the entire frame, saves AF lists, TA flags, etc is already in the player - it's just not completed.

Hugo

Not necessarily, but we are resource-limited, yes.

Hugo

The software is compatible between mk1/mk2 tuners. The tuner device just sends commands out over serial instead.
The RDS packets come out of /dev/rds (8 bytes - 4x16 bit error-corrected packets making one RDS frame). The code which decodes the entire frame, saves AF lists, TA flags, etc is already in the player - it's just not completed.

I understand that you don't have MK2 tuner ready for production yet. If you have some new code what could improve RDS features (AF alias Alternative Frequency, TA/TP alias Travel Announcements and Radiotext that supports special characters like äöü) on MK1, why not let out software update for only MK1.
Is there any RDS features added in next software release v1.1 , what thiese might be and when the first v1.1 beta will be released???

Veiko
veiko@lc.ee

MK1 #317 - 20GB blue

It seems the empeg team has development of the tuner part of software on rather low priority, as they haven't been able to deliver a tuner to the Mk2 yet and no one bothers to even answer me about new features in future software release.

Veiko
veiko@lc.ee

MK1 #317 - 20GB blue

I suspect that this may be due to the fact the team is busy with other work (not necessarily just the empeg car). Curiously enough, even V1.1 is on a relatively low priority, since it does not generate the majority of the company's income. Additionally, the SonicBlue takeover has resulted in a number of priority changes.

The Mk2 tuner seems to be the thing most asked about on this board; Rob has repeatedly answered questions about it and has asked for patience. When the Mk1 came out, the tuner was roundly criticised all round with the most frequently repeated comment here being "I don't use it anyway". Given this type of comment, and that the player is primarily an MP3 player, it makes sense not to place a vast resource and development priority on a low-volume item that only a limited number of people appear to want anyway.

Tony, can you put a FAQ entry up along the lines of:

Q: What's the progress on the Mk2 Tuner unit?

A: Be patient.

PS. Although empeggers do appear here regularly, this is an unofficial site, and no one guarantees to answer, or even read, your questions here. If you want an answer, then you have to mail empeg directly.

One of the few remaining Mk1 owners... #00015

Well if its a question of priorities then maybe we can be constructive in helping to set them.
A while ago, one of you had some sort of a voting/polling system on this bbs allowing peeps to declare their interest in the empeg etc..
How about something similar. Ideally it would list the major developments, v1.1/Voice Recognition/Tuner/etc and allow the customers, say 1 month to specify they're prefered order of priority. It would also give the empeg guys some idea of the number of tuners required.
Problems are it may not help if #1 priority is doing work for S3, its going to take somebody's time,skill, and effort to arrange this.

Just trying to be constructive

Actually I'm not interested in MK2 tuner as long as i can't connect it to MK1 but I'm waiting for software update to make more use of MK1 tuner. The AF feature would help quite poor radio of MK1 so at least i would allways have the strongest signal available.
Does anyone know how to improve the MK1 tuner, maybe adding some more antenna amplifiers, instead of one, or something else? I would not like the idea to have two head units in my dash, i like things more integrated (not have to use separate remotes etc).
Is there any hardware restrictions why MK2 tuner will not be compatible with MK1?

Veiko
veiko@lc.ee

MK1 #317 - 20GB blue

Curiously enough, even V1.1 is on a relatively low priority, since it does not generate the majority of the company's income.

Actually, 1.1 is, according to a recent e-mail I received on the Alpha tester's mailing list, "very near and dear to their hearts". The world should be seeing 1.1 very soon.

Tony, can you put a FAQ entry up along the lines of:(...)

It's not good to put up FAQ items that will become obsolete soon. That would have been like putting up a FAQ of "When will I be able to order a Mark 2?" a couple months ago. And (if I recall correctly) it looks ugly if I delete a post on the BBS because a header gets left behind.

I think it's best if the FAQ just answers long-standing technical questions. Besides, all of the official Mk2 tuner information is available at their main web site.

___________
Tony Fabris

Does anyone know how to improve the MK1 tuner, maybe adding some more antenna amplifiers, instead of one, or something else?

Actually, some folks have reported that reception improves when they remove the supplied antenna amplifier. This doesn't work for everyone, though it's worth an experimental try.

I think this is because many modern cars have antenna amplifiers already built-in.

___________
Tony Fabris

It seems the empeg team has development of the tuner part of software on rather low priority, as they haven't been able to deliver a tuner to the Mk2 yet and no one bothers to even answer me about new features in future software release.

This might also be because you dragged up a 4 1/2 month-old thread. I think that they've scrapped the tuner design they were going with when this thread started. At this point I believe they were designing an AM-free tuner, but they are now looking at one with AM.



DiGNAN

We have internal priorities on all the features, and projects jostle for developer time; the tuner module shipping is delayed by both sourcing issues (we've had quotes of around 6 months for our preferred tuner module - though we hope we can get this down) and hardware design time. VR is also dependent on external developers delivering code that we are happy with, so this is currently in limbo until we get libraries that perform well enough.

We have a small number of tuners which we're doing development with; these will ship well before the volume production arrive due to the tuner module scarcity.

Hugo

Curiously enough, even V1.1 is on a relatively low priority

No, 1.1 isn't low priority - it is just taking a heck of a long time. We have had licencing related delays, and it's true that we have had to divert resources to other projects from time to time. However, the next car player release is very important to SONICblue and it will hopefully go out to alpha testers before Christmas.

As for tuners, these seem to be the bane of our lives! Car audio component suppliers move at a snails pace, and delays were incurred when we decided the FM module was junk. The AM/FM module is far from junk, and we have taken delivery of components for an initial batch. Right now our manufacturing and acquisition processes are undergoing a major overhaul but this should settle down in the new year and hopefully we'll get some tuners out without too much more delay.

Rob