Android Remote Display App

[JamesO]

The dongle is actually pretty easy to set up IMHO. The BT is harder than the serial portion.

You only need to change the serial interface speed and turn off the Hardware Flow Control

A few simple ATXX commands. Just look at the instructions. As long as you can enter a AT command and you get a OK reply you are very close to getting to the end result.

The hardest part is getting a terminal program to work and hoping you have the correct cables.

 

[n9mxq]

Put it on my Samsung Galaxy tablet and it runs flawlessly, and even turns on the bluetooth for me.. Now, all I need is the bluetooth adapter

 

[garetgarrett]

New update on sourceforge. https://sourceforge.net/projects/bluetoothscanner/files/

Volume control slider added, fixed a couple preference items: GPS on/off checkbox now shows correct value, and Scanner update frequency setting now works. You can slow down the scanner poll rate to maybe conserve some battery power.

 

[garetgarrett]

OK, got the adapter in the mail today. I have the Bluetooth connected and cable connections. Can you provide a writeup for the terminal programming?

Thanks!

EDIT: I used the same model you listed: Wireless Bluetooth RS232 Serial Adapter | eBay

Sorry for the long delay. Here's a pic of how you should set up putty for first-time config of your adapter. You'll have to figure out which COM port is in use. I have my usb serial adapter driver set to always be COM1.

Since you got the same adapter I did, let me describe how I set it up:

The DCE/DTE switch is pushed towards the DB9 connecter (away from the antenna).

type the following commands into putty after connecting to your adapter:

AT (start session, not sure if needed, but will let you know if it's working)
ATC0 (disable flow control)
ATL5 (115200 baud)
ATQ1 (turns off sending the string "CONNECTED" when connected, but it should prob still work w/o this)

Set the baud rate on your scanner to 115200, and switch the DCE/DTE switch towards the antenna.

Let me know if you run into any trouble.

 

[praxidike]

Awesome. Volume works. Good job. Coming along great. Maybe you should put some text in under the volume slider that says "volume control" or something so people know it's purpose

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[garetgarrett]

Awesome. Volume works. Good job. Coming along great. Maybe you should put some text in under the volume slider that says "volume control" or something so people know it's purpose

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

Thanks. Didn't have much time this week to make some of my planned changes. I abandoned the idea of using the hardware volume buttons to set the scanner volume. I got one of these bluetooth audio transmitters, and I'll need to save the hardware buttons to control phone volume:

Amazon.com: iClever IC-BTT01 Portable Stereo Wireless Bluetooth Transmitter/Adapter Dongle for TV, Desktop, Laptop, Tablet, MP3/MP4 Player, CD and DVD Players and all other Audio Devices with 3.5mm Audio-out Jack: Cell Phones & Accessories

I should be able to pipe the audio into the phone with this, and record it as well. I haven't even tried it out yet.

I also started on a virtual keypad. I'll have to replace the log listview, though. I'll add tabs so you can switch from the main view (display + keypad) to the log view.

 

[praxidike]

Groovy. I've been busy with work so I'll be on here sporadically throughout the week.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[N8JJ]

I notice when you "quit" it still seems to continue to run. The icon stays in the header and shows as when you do the swipedown.

You should change the name. There are other apps on the play store named Bluetooth scanner. Maybe bluetooth scanner control

 

[garetgarrett]

I notice when you "quit" it still seems to continue to run. The icon stays in the header and shows as when you do the swipedown.

You should change the name. There are other apps on the play store named Bluetooth scanner. Maybe bluetooth scanner control

Yeah, that's an annoyance I haven't figured out... sometimes it won't die. Other times, it stops working when it's in the background. Sometimes I find I have to clear the memory via RAM manager and restart the app to make it work correctly.

About the name.. I wasn't sure what to call it. I obviously wanted to avoid infringing on the Uniden name. When I make a "real" release on Play store, I'll rename it. "Bluetooth Scanner" makes it sound like it does something else ... like search for bluetooth devices (which is what all those other apps do) "Bluetooth Remote Scanner Display" seems too long.

 

[VE3RADIO]

I find it incredibly funny that a end user has released an app (although for a different purpose) before Uniden could release siren lol ...Good work dude!

 

[CATAWBA911]

So I received my serial to bluetooth adapter (the same one you have). I am using putty to set it up and have ran into a little bit of an issue and I want to make sure I am doing everything correct. When I am running the app, the hold, next, l/o and volume works. The app does not display anything other than the buttons. I am running the app on a Motorola Droid Razr Maxx (Android version 4.1.2) the most up to date version for the phone.

In putty I did the AT, ATC0, ATQ1 and lastly the ATL5 commands.

Thanks for any help.

One last question, will this program work on a kindle fire?

 

[JamesO]

So I received my serial to bluetooth adapter (the same one you have). I am using putty to set it up and have ran into a little bit of an issue and I want to make sure I am doing everything correct. When I am running the app, the hold, next, l/o and volume works. The app does not display anything other than the buttons. I am running the app on a Motorola Droid Razr Maxx (Android version 4.1.2) the most up to date version for the phone.

In putty I did the AT, ATC0, ATQ1 and lastly the ATL5 commands.

Thanks for any help.

One last question, will this program work on a kindle fire?

Thank you for posting this question.

I have been running into a very similar issue. Actually ordered a 2nd Serial to Bluetooth adapter as I thought my first unit actually had a defective switch.

So here is my situation.

I have 3 - 996XT and 2 - 396XT, so far I have tried 3 of the 5 radios, many different cables, directly connected to the rear of the 996XT and I have had intermittent luck. Even restarted the phone a number of times and removed and reinstalled the App.

I can ALWAYS send commands to the radio, but only 2 times was I able to have the display info sent to the phone. When I first received my 2nd Serial to Bluetooth adapter I set everything up and it worked correctly right out of the box without much issue. However, I decided check the 1st adapter to see if it was really bad or some other strange issue.

So I reconfigured to use the orignal adapter, kind of a PITA as it was tricky to delete the adapter in the App and it did not seem to automatically read the adapter MAC address automatically again. Lots of screwing around, about 3 hours, restarting the phone, deleting the app, deleting and re-pairing the BT. Finally was able to get the orignal adapter working again, but as first found, just sent commands to the radio.

Then assumed the first adapter was bad, so figured I would just configure the new adapter AGAIN. Lots of hoops to jump though, things did not play well, FINALLY was able to get the new adapter to pair again and the App to recognize it. GUESS WHAT, no display, I could only send commands again!!!

Out of frustration, started to turn on and off features, GPS, Auto Detect, and other things. Was able to get display to show up for a few seconds, then again gone!

I have 5 Android phones at my disposal, I have tried with 2 so far and had similar issues.

Current phone is a Driod 4 running Andriod 4.1.2. Need to try the Samsung Galaxy 4 again and verify the Android version, should be newer than my Driod 4?

Also for anyone playing with the $40 ebay serial to BT adapter. BE CAREFUL, thought I had issues with the adapter, thought I may have blown the RS232 driver at one point as there was not echo or reply from the adapter.

Tried to use the reset command, not sure I did it correctly, BUT you need to turn the ATQ back to 0 rather than 1 otherwise you will not see the AT command response.

Yes is was late, I may have screwed up and only typed in ATZ rather than ATZ0, at 2:30 am after a full day your mind does not always work as expected. Wife and kids can be a big distraction and I have to stop and then figure out where I left off each time I sit back down and try and sort issues out. So I wait until everyone is unconscious in the house so I can have peace and tranquility!

I have yet to dig out the oscilloscope, RS232 lightbox and RS232 breakout box, but something is up with the App IMHO. I realize this is a Beta type of release and the author has been very gracious to do this and offer it to the forum and he is not being compensated, but this does not appear to be a one off problem now.

I think if we all work together on this, progress can be made.

I suspect something with the BT Stack/Security in the Android OS or something with the BT security??

The phones will allow easy transmitting/streaming of BT, but many have restrictions, blocks on BT connections/data coming into the phone/App for security reasons.

I have enough hardware on hand and since I have seen the display intermittently appear that I do not think this is a hardware problem at this point.

My issue is I currently do not have large blocks of time to devote to playing with this and I need a get another micro SD card to try out 3 of my older Driod phones.

So I am all ears and willing to try anything as I do think this is a very useful App and offers some great features.

Anyone else running into intermittent display working on this App please speak up.

BTW, Cataba, I work for Cheerwine and Richard's BBQ, but prefer Hendrix Hush Puppies!!

 

[JamesO]

One last question, will this program work on a kindle fire?

I think?? the Fire is Android based???

But I know I tied once to see if I could use an App on my Fire that was Android based, but the App was not showing up in the Amazon App store, so I did not go any further.

I believe some of the Android Apps work on the Nook?

The Fire may need a tweak to allow non Amazon Apps to load?

Just never spend the time to figure this one out.

 

[JamesO]

Anyone else playing with this App having intermittent scanner display issues??

Also anyone that is trying this App and you think it does n ot work, make sure you try Hold, Next and the Volume as you may only have one way control from the phone to the scanner.

Hopefully I can try my son's Galaxy S4 again this weekend with the newest release and see if I still have only 1 way control or if I can get the display back again on the phone.

 

[JamesO]

Just tried my son's Samsung Galaxy S4 with Android Version 4.3.

Still had issue connecting and pairing.

Had to delete the adapter from the App and the phone BT paired devices. Tried to connect App to adapter once deleted from App. Did not work, had to restart the phone, then this time re-paired adapter with phone, then launched the App that had no adapter paired and the list of paired devices came up.

App connected immediately to scanner, but again, no display, just one way commands from phone to scanner.

Can change Volume, L/O, Hold and Next work, but no display on the phone.

This is with adapter connected directly to 996XT and switch toward RS232 interface.

I have had this same configuration send display to phone 2 times, but have not had the display come back since.

The fact hat I have to restart the phone to have App find the BT adapter once removed from the App makes me think there is a bug in the App when clearing out the adapter MAC address.

Would like to hear from others and/or the author.

Will continue to play as time permits.

 

[praxidike]

@James, which S4 are you using? I have the Verizon model and it works just fine.

Anyway, hi gang. Haven't been around much due to being super busy with work. I began to think about the piping of audio from the scanner into the phone with one of those audio dongles. Would it even be possible to mate with another dongle so it could be plugged into an aux port on a vehicle? Just a thought, then life would be almost grand ha ha.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

 

[JamesO]

@James, which S4 are you using? I have the Verizon model and it works just fine.

Verizon Samsung Galaxy S4.

All phones are Verizon.

Something is up as the display is intermittent.

Will try some more configurations today to see if I can narrow down the issue.

GPS feature does work, but intermittently. If application is shut down, GPS will not start on phone even with GPS selected in App. You can then choose the App settings, GPS will show as selected, but GPS on phone will not be running. Select the GPS check box in App that is already checked and the GPS will start on phone, acquire GPS then send GPS info to radio.

So the program is buggy still, not an issue, just hopefully the author will have time to look these issues.

 

[CATAWBA911]

Good news! After setting the app and adapter to the side for a while I started messing with it again. After forcing the app to stop and clearing the bluetooth adapter from the app and going back through the setup, it worked! Thanks for a great product.

 

[scruggsy]

as much as i want to try this, i just can't bring myself to do it, I paid uniden for a product that as of yet they have not delivered, I feel ripped off and no way to get recourse.

 

[ra7850]

Would you consider sharing the tcl/tk app?

Sure, great idea, feel free to PM me... if you could get me several different samples of the STS command that would be helpful. Whenever you get time.



Easy-peasy, those slider controls can have a max value set on them. No prob.

Here's a little history on the evolution of this app...

If you can believe it, I just got my first cell phone at the beginning of this year.

I was previously using a HomePatrol hooked up to a Rasberry Pi computer and GPS in my car. I wrote some custom software in Tcl/Tk, using map tiles from OpenStreetMap.org. When the scanner was receiving, the map would highlight the area that was transmitting, and a popup would appear with the system/dept/channel/uid (also had different icons for different agencies)

You can see the status indicators across the top bar: GPS indicator, Map zoom level, Volume level, Recording indicator, and scanner connection indicator. The volume indicator showed both a number, and a 3 or 4 different icons plus mute, according to the volume level.

It was pretty cool, but I had wires running all over the place and I had to wait for the RPi to boot up and shutdown. Due to the unique hardware/software configuration, it had an extremely limited audience (just me!) This android version works better, and is usable by more people. Could be even cooler once I get better at java and the android api.