Amundsen, SMS and Samsung Galaxy S4

[Minimoke]

Hi

 

Can one of you knowledgebale people please advise if an Amundsen in a Mk3 Octy has the ability to display (in the maxi dot) incoming SMS texts from a GalaxyS4 connected via Bluetooth?

 

I ve just been looking on the ICE section of these forums and ended up more confused than when I started!

 

Thanks

 

 

[Genoa1893]

Hi,

it happens I ahve the same "setup". Can't rememner but I will look for this and will report.

[Minimoke]

Hi,

it happens I ahve the same "setup". Can't rememner but I will look for this and will report.

That would be helpful genoa.

[Gabbo]

I have an S3 with Columbus & Maxidot & it doesnt display anything except calls on the Maxidot (or Columbus).

 

However, I did read that you can get some apps which translate your text message into an incoming call alert so it displays the SMS text instead of the name but I've not tried these out.

[Genoa1893]

Look at what I found meanwhile:

 

http://www.connectedrogers.ca/how-to/how-to-have-the-galaxy-s4-read-messages-to-you/

 

The s4 seems able to read SMS, which would be better than let the driver read them.

 

HTH,

[Minimoke]

Look at what I found meanwhile:

 

http://www.connectedrogers.ca/how-to/how-to-have-the-galaxy-s4-read-messages-to-you/

 

The s4 seems able to read SMS, which would be better than let the driver read them.

 

HTH,

I agree that this would be the way forward - if it worked properly.

 

Hands free mode on the Samsung works by turning on S Voice. It will then accept incoming calls and texts, verbally announce them and you can answer or reject calls using voice commands But you cannot make any outgoing calls or texts handsfree unless you have a Wi Fi or data network connection. That would be acceptable to me as I simply want to hear incoming texts and not to reply to them.

 

However this works only whilst the Samsung is in stand alone mode. As soon as you connect to the Amundsen via Bluetooth the incoming text messages are no longer announced or read out on either the phone or the Amundsen.  The phone functions continue to work via the headunit as  usual.

 

So I am now seeking other third party Android apps to see if I can get incoming texts either read out by the phone and/or displayed by the headunit.   

[Phil-E]

It sounds like the phone is currently connected in HFP (Hands Free Protocol) which doesn't support SMS.

 

You would need to get the connection working via rSAP (Remote Sim Access Protocol).

 

I'm not sure if this is supported by the car. I assume there would be a setting for it somewhere.

 

Luckily most Samsung phones support rSAP out of the box.

 

Phil

[Pinsharp]

Hi

 

Can one of you knowledgebale people please advise if an Amundsen in a Mk3 Octy has the ability to display (in the maxi dot) incoming SMS texts from a GalaxyS4 connected via Bluetooth?

 

I ve just been looking on the ICE section of these forums and ended up more confused than when I started!

 

Thanks

The Maxidot can't display text messages and I don't think you would want to be reading text messages anyway while your driving!

 

If you use the Headphone SMS app from the PlayStore you will have your messages read out without a problem. Works very well a bit confusing when it reads out a number. (When you get one with a number in it you will know what I mean).Also be careful who is in the car with you as all messages are read out aload!

[allan1888]

My maxi dot in my Mk2 FL vrs displays my text messages from my galaxy S4 I al so have Columbus too. Would be strange if the MK3 didn't do the same

[Minimoke]

Hi:

 

Phil: You are correct – the phone is indeed connecting in HFP mode and as far as I can see there is no way to enable rSAP on the Amundsen through its settings.

 

allan - The Amundsen does not appear to have the ability to display SMS on the maxi dot

 

pinsharp - I only saw your tip after I tried the app below. I may try your suggestion tomorrow. Thanks. You are right to correct me - I meant to ask about spoken SMS rather than reading them. I wrote without thinking!

 

 

I think I have managed to get incoming texts spoken though the Amundsen by using an Android app called  “SMS, My Car and Me”. The developers provide a DMO version for test purposes as they recognise that integration with the different ICE units out there can be problematic.

 

I have not yet had time to try out the paid for version of the app (all of £2.49!), but I don’t see why it would not work. If anybody is interested then here are the settings I used to make it work:

 

Within the app:

 

Automatic Activation

Enable In Car Mode and Connected to Bluetooth Mode. NOTHING else is enabled.

Selective Bluetooth activation – not enabled

All other options left disabled

Content Providers – Enable Read Out SMS and leave all other options unselected

Speech Output

All options left as default

Audio Settings

Enable, Mute Media Player, Max volume when entering car mode,

Forwarding options - Put calls to phone speaker, Use phone speakers additionally, Send output to Bluetooth headset (found I had to enable this last setting but not sure why!)

Interaction

The following options are enabled but grayed out in the demo version:

Read out by default, Reply to Contacts only, Set limits for send SMS (set to 5)

Auto reply is not enabled

Language

Used defaults

Advanced

Nothing enabled

 

On the GALAXY S4 (running KitKat) mute the sound ( ie put it on vibrate).  If you neglect  this then the phone and the Amundsen will ring in unison. Also during incoming phone calls the speaker in the Amundsen and the Galaxy both work at the same time, and I found this sometimes caused feedback problems during the call. The app does not require that the phone has a data network connection of any sort.

 

When a text arrives, the media being played (if any) is muted and the message is spoken by the Amundsen and the caller ID appears on the screen. Media volume is automatically reinstated after the text message has been read. Incoming and outgoing calls continue to be handled in the usual manner by the Amundsen.

 

I will do some more testing if I get the paid for version (I think I’ll take the financial risk). I am not using the voice control features to send texts as I only just need to hear incoming messages.

 

I don't understand how this set up can work but it does.   Its just a pity this is not a native function of  the Amundsen, on safety grounds if for no other reason.

 

Regards BBN

[Minimoke]

Just to finish this off, I installed the paid for version of the app and tested it using the settings noted in my earlier post. I would add that the phone is using the Samsung TTS service by default rather than the Google TTS engine.

 

Seems to work fine, except that sometimes "unknown number" appears on the maxi dot when an incoming text is received despite the sender being in the contacts list. However the name is correctly provided as part of the voice announcement. So not a deal breaking problem for me.

 

The only other caveat I have is that I have not tested that it works if music is being streamed from the phone to the Amundsen via Bluetooth. As I never do this it is unlikely ever to be an issue for me.

 

Conclusion: £2.49 well spent.

[Bowiesst]

I have tried all the in app settings you have mentioned but still no joy. The test works but not for actual texts.

[Minimoke]

I have tried all the in app settings you have mentioned but still no joy. The test works but not for actual texts.

All I can say is that I received 2 texts on my way home this evening from the missus wanting me to get some things for her from Tesco! Worked perfectly.

I dont understand what you mean in saying that it works ok in test but not otherwise. The test version accepts a text you send from another phone but only the first word of the text is spoken. You have to buy the full version to hear the complete text.

Which phone are you using?

[Minimoke]

Ive got some spare time tomorrow so I'll try a different make/model of android phone and see whats what.

[Minimoke]

Couldn't get hold of a different type of phone, but borrowed my son's Galaxy S4 and that also works.

Both phones are not rooted and use the native SMS supplied by Samsung.

I see in the user reviews on the Playstore that an Audi user with a Galaxy S4 also reports the app works for him.

You didn't say which phone/sms app you are using. If not a S4 I suggest you email the devoloper using the contact section within the app. The user reviews indicate that the developer is one of those rare birds that actually does reply to queries and may be able to tell you if your particular set up is compatible or not.

[Bowiesst]

Im using an S4. When I get text messages through I get half of the text through my phone on loud then the second though the sound system

[Minimoke]

Im using an S4. When I get text messages through I get half of the text through my phone on loud then the second though the sound system

Which sms app are you using?

[Bowiesst]

SMS my car and me 3.1

[Minimoke]

SMS my car and me 3.1

I meant what app are you using for texts on the Galaxy. Is it the native Samsung app or another? Some third party messenger apps may not be compatible. There is a compatabilty list on the developers website.

And if you have not already done so also access the compatability centre option within the SMS+Car app itself and read what it has to say about Galaxy phones.

I've just tried my set up (using the native Samsung app) and long texts are spoken through the car speaker in their entirety.