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Radio app on Samsung XCover 4s - Can't adjust volume

(Topic created on: 06-01-2021 01:02 AM)
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jorgk3
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I have a Samsung XCover 4s which comes with an inbuilt FM Radio and a corresponding Samsung Radio app (version 10.1.00.43). Radio reception is rather poor, worse than on my old and much cheaper Nokia 1.

 

When the radio app is active, the volume cannot be adjusted. To adjust the volume, the app needs to be pushed into the background, for example by pulling down the notifications. It's really quite terrible that an audio app blocks adjustment of the volume.

 

So I filed an error report in the app itself: Options > Contact us > Error reports. Despite sending the report, there is now no trace of it although the phone is registered om the Samsung Store. Two questions:

 

1) Where can I check the status of the error report?

2) Any plans to improve the radio app in the future? I guess the bad reception is caused my the FM chip and can't be improved, but at least adjusting the volume would be a minimum requirement.

 

Since the radio apps are so hardware specific, you can't just get any old radio app from another phone.

2 Solutions


Accepted Solutions
Solution
pjzzz
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SOLVED!

It's Google's assistant that blocks your volume buttons. (That's what Samsung told me in a reply on my phone)

  1. Just open Google assistant on your phone with your home button.
  2. Click on your profile picture.
  3. Choose devices
  4. Switch off your headset and voila headset and volume buttons on the phone  work for your radio-app 😀

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jorgk3
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I'm glad it's solved for you. When I press the "Home button" (middle button) something that looks like "Google Assistant" pops up (I know I launched it accidentally before). When I tap the profile picture, it asks me to sign in. Since the phone is not connected to any Google account, I therefore can't get to "devices". Sadly "devices" is also not available from within the Google app. Disabling the Google app however, brings back the volume control in the Radio app - go figure! I wonder what else has stopped working now. At least long press on the "Home button" no longer launches the assistant. That's a plus. I also noticed that the Phonograph app now also allows volume adjustment on long press as it should.

 

Altogether these devices which are pre-loaded with stuff I don't want and I can't uninstall and which has subtle side-effects, that is rather frustrating.

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10 REPLIES 10
pjzzz
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I've noticed the same problem and I bought my Xcover 4S yesterday because it's on of the few rugged phones that has FM Radio.

I need to control the volume because otherwise listening to FM is useless. I've tested with 2 original Samsung headsets and both can't control volume. The headset and phone volume buttons work just fine when I play any other media.

I've also noticed that the wired headset that came with the phone has terrible FM reception but my other wired Samsung headsets provide good reception. (Samsung Level EO-IG930 and one that came with my Galaxy Note-4)

I've also filed an error report to get this annoying bug solved.

If Samsung can't or won't fix this bug ASAP  I will return my phone.😡

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jorgk3
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Please note the workaround: Pull down on the notification area to put the radio app into the background. Then short-press the volume buttons. Clumsy, but works.

 

Please note my investigation into the matter, in summary, volume control is a total mess:

 

YouTube App, foreground: Volume short/long press works as expected, with or without headset.
YouTube App, background: N/A, only works in foreground.

 

Phonograph, foreground+background, with headset: Volume short press works, long press is ignored.
Phonograph, foreground+background, without headset: Volume short/long press works.

 

Radio app (only works with headset), foreground: NOTHING WORKS. You can press the buttons as much as you want. Nothing.
Radio app, background: Volume short press works, long press is ignored.

 

I tried another music playback app, Timber, it behaves the same as Phonograph.

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pjzzz
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I've noticed the workaround but I can't use it because I'm using my Xcover in a harsh environment and only can control my phone over a wired headset.

I've also noticed that the quick action button requires you to first unlock your phone before you can use it.

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jorgk3
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Thanks for the clarification, no harsh environment here. I bought the phone since it fulfilled my requirements: 1) replaceable battery, 2) FM Radio, 3) Dual-SIM, 4) "smallish" (one-hand operation). The ruggedness came as a bonus. It's a nice phone in almost all regards, but the FM Radio is quite disappointing and (as mentioned) worse than on the old Nokia 1 (which did cost a third at the time). Yes, the quick action button isn't truly useful, but that's another subject.

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jorgk3
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Just as an annoying titbit: I used "Ask question" in the Samsung Members app. The first reply was to reset the Radio app's data losing all the programmed station information and favourites, the second answer was to do a factory reset. Sigh, why is support so poor?

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pjzzz
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I had contact on the "Ask question" in the Samsung Members app  as well and they kept insisting to check my WIFI en data connection and reset it . I told them there's no such thing as a data requirement to receive FM Radio (maybe RDS exception but that's data over FM wave 😁)

Next thing they told me I should contact them over Samsung Members app chat but that would require setting up Facebook Chat and I'm principally rejecting anything Facebook related. I will call them tomorrow.

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jorgk3
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I can do Facebook chat if necessary. But no support person on the planet can "fix" a software fault. All they need to go is get the model, plug in a headset and turn on the Radio app. If they can adjust the volume, then I'm prepared to listen to them. If they can't, they should just post a bug with R&D.

Solution
pjzzz
Explorer
Options

SOLVED!

It's Google's assistant that blocks your volume buttons. (That's what Samsung told me in a reply on my phone)

  1. Just open Google assistant on your phone with your home button.
  2. Click on your profile picture.
  3. Choose devices
  4. Switch off your headset and voila headset and volume buttons on the phone  work for your radio-app 😀
0 Likes
Solution
jorgk3
Explorer
Options

I'm glad it's solved for you. When I press the "Home button" (middle button) something that looks like "Google Assistant" pops up (I know I launched it accidentally before). When I tap the profile picture, it asks me to sign in. Since the phone is not connected to any Google account, I therefore can't get to "devices". Sadly "devices" is also not available from within the Google app. Disabling the Google app however, brings back the volume control in the Radio app - go figure! I wonder what else has stopped working now. At least long press on the "Home button" no longer launches the assistant. That's a plus. I also noticed that the Phonograph app now also allows volume adjustment on long press as it should.

 

Altogether these devices which are pre-loaded with stuff I don't want and I can't uninstall and which has subtle side-effects, that is rather frustrating.

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