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 Flashing LED Notifcations for SMS
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Phil_UK
post Sep 9 2007, 15:17
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Hi

When the phone is in standby it flashes the left LED to show connection with the network. The manual states:

"Shows Green and Amber lights for HSDPA/UMTS/EDGE/GSM/GPRS standby, message, and network status as well as for notification and battery charging status. Shows a flashing red light when the battery level reaches 5% or lower."

But doesn't state what colour is shown for what and I've only seen a flashing green LED. The description is a joke in the manual as it doesn't really tell you anything, and I have searched the PDF version for LED and found no other information dry.gif

I want to be able to see I have had a text message/voice message left without having to turn the display on, how do we do this?

Regards

Phil
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lozzd
post Sep 9 2007, 22:40
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As with all Windows Mobile phones, I highly suspect the green LED just flashes quicker. This is what usually happens anyway. Also check it's turned on, and how long it flashes for by looking in the notifications "control panel" in settings.
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Phil_UK
post Sep 10 2007, 08:51
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Hi

Thanks for the response. I looked at the settings and the LED settings seem to be ignored here for SMS Text notifications.

Someone has said it flashes orange when there is a text message, however to my eyes with such a quick blink it's hard to tell if it's orange or green by just a glance. When charging it's a static orange, but it's really more yellow, which makes sense if it's a bi-colour LED with one of red and one of green then both lit would give yellow rather than orange. If you are colour blind you stand no chance at all!

There must be a way to change this? Perhaps turning off the flashing for network signal would just mean then it flashes only when a text is received. Anyone with any thoughts?

Regards

Phil
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Phil_UK
post Sep 13 2007, 14:23
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Hi

Okay making some progress here with these flashing LEDs!!

I've made a rough application that will:
  • Change the network status light to a flashing Red LED (much less annoying but still shows your phone is on and connected to the cell) or it can be turned Off completely.
  • Have the LED change from Red to flashing Green for unread SMS, MMS, Emails or Voice mails.
If anyone is interested in this let me know and I will tidy it up and post it here.

Regards

Phil
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Webreaper
post Sep 13 2007, 14:50
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Not wanting you to have wasted your time wink.gif but I believe Paul already posted an app to switch off the network indicator, but I kinda like it.

And I'd recommend PhoneAlarm, which indicates new emails, SMS, missed calls etc with a flashing orange LED. smile.gif
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sc0user_75
post Sep 13 2007, 15:30
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QUOTE(Phil_UK @ Sep 13 2007, 15:23) *
Hi

Okay making some progress here with these flashing LEDs!!

I've made a rough application that will:
  • Change the network status light to a flashing Red LED (much less annoying but still shows your phone is on and connected to the cell) or it can be turned Off completely.
  • Have the LED change from Red to flashing Green for unread SMS, MMS, Emails or Voice mails.
If anyone is interested in this let me know and I will tidy it up and post it here.

Regards

Phil


So what colour would the flashing light be to indicate an almost dead battery?

Would it not be better to have the red flash as an almost dead battery. A green flash for network signal. And a quick green flash for an alert?
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Phil_UK
post Sep 13 2007, 15:41
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Hi

QUOTE(sc0user_75 @ Sep 13 2007, 16:30) *
So what colour would the flashing light be to indicate an almost dead battery?

Would it not be better to have the red flash as an almost dead battery. A green flash for network signal. And a quick green flash for an alert?


It's not that simple unfortunately. All I can do at the moment is say flash the LED or turn it off, and what colour to flash it. The left LED allows a flash colour of Green, Yellow/Orange and Red. The right hand one allows flashing for Blue and Green, and if both selected it flashes alternate blue and green.

I don't seem to have control over flash rates, which is a shame, but will keep experimenting.

Regards

Phil
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sc0user_75
post Sep 13 2007, 15:47
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QUOTE(Phil_UK @ Sep 13 2007, 16:41) *
Hi



It's not that simple unfortunately. All I can do at the moment is say flash the LED or turn it off, and what colour to flash it. The left LED allows a flash colour of Green, Yellow/Orange and Red. The right hand one allows flashing for Blue and Green, and if both selected it flashes alternate blue and green.

I don't seem to have control over flash rates, which is a shame, but will keep experimenting.

Regards

Phil


So, hows about different colours for different scenarios?

I'm the last person to be joining in this topic cuz I know sh1te all about computers let alone programming and all that lark.

But good work Phil. Hope my post didn't sound like I was taking a dig smile.gif
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Webreaper
post Sep 13 2007, 16:26
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Have a word with Vijay at Xda-Developers. He managed to do something like this (low-level control of LED flash rates and colours) but last I heard was it was device-specific and very unstable.
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Phil_UK
post Sep 13 2007, 16:47
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Hi

QUOTE(sc0user_75 @ Sep 13 2007, 16:47) *
So, hows about different colours for different scenarios?

I'm the last person to be joining in this topic cuz I know sh1te all about computers let alone programming and all that lark.

But good work Phil. Hope my post didn't sound like I was taking a dig smile.gif


These are the options we have for the LEDs:

Left LED: Off, Flash Green, Flash Red, Flash Yellow
Right LED: Off, Flash Blue, Flash Green, Alternate flashing of Green and Blue

No didn't take it as a dig. smile.gif

We can't have a different colour for low battery as we can only change the colour when the device is on (or turned on) and in that case we can see from the battery indicator anyway. I also think the flashing Green for Wi-Fi is pretty worthless as Wi-Fi is only on when the phone is so you can tell it is on from the icon, why flash an LED when you could use it to indicate something else?

Regards

Phil
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NuShrike
post Sep 13 2007, 22:38
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QUOTE(Phil_UK @ Sep 13 2007, 09:47) *
These are the options we have for the LEDs:

Left LED: Off, Flash Green, Flash Red, Flash Yellow
Right LED: Off, Flash Blue, Flash Green, Alternate flashing of Green and Blue
To add:
Left LED:
solid yellow = charging
flashing green = umts/gsm active
flashing yellow = missed call and/or message? doesn't flash for voicemail
solid green = new SMS message/voicemail (not sure)

Right LED:
flashing blue = bluetooth active
flashing green = wireless active
flashing yellow = gps active

Same as what you saw in the manual right?:
Left LED: Shows Green and Amber lights for HSDPA/UMTS/EDGE/GSM/GPRS standby, message, and network status as well as for notification and battery charging status. Shows a flashing red light when the battery level reaches 5% or lower.
Right LED: Shows a flashing Blue light for Bluetooth system notification of powered-up and ready to transmit Bluetooth signal, or a flashing Green light for Wi-Fi status. When both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi are enabled, their lights flash alternately. Shows Amber light for GPS status.


This post has been edited by NuShrike: Sep 13 2007, 23:16


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sc0user_75
post Sep 13 2007, 22:41
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I've just got back from a grueling game of football - my minds switching off me thinks! None of this is registering. Must go to bed. Must rest. Must close my eyes. Must rest my tired limbs. Bu**er - I need to brush my teeth first sad.gif

Phil, glad you didn't see my comment as a dig smile.gif
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flashflash
post Sep 14 2007, 07:36
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Hi Phil, I'd be interested in your app. The LEDs have always bugged me. The orange has never really grabbed my attention on the original JAM, Prophet or Hermes, but the LED and the chrome around the LEDs on the Kaiser make it impossible to notice the difference between orange and green. At least the Prophet used to flash at twice the rate to indicate a message.

I would prefer to have RED flashing on receipt of a message rather than orange (much clearer). I hardly ever let the battery run down to less than 10% anyway, so I dont need to be reminded.


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Phil_UK
post Sep 14 2007, 08:52
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Yes this was my problem the LED's just were not useful enough. I'm trying the following on my phone which I think makes more sense, to me anyway.

The left LED shows the following:
Flashes Red for when mobile on (much less distracting and confirms the phone is on and connected).
Flashes Orange when Bluetooth is on.
Flashes Green for missed voice calls or voice messages.

If you don't use Bluetooth (or use it that often) then it's really clear if you have a missed call or a voice message as it changes from Red (which isn't very bright) to a pretty unmissable green flash.

The right LED shows:

Flashes Blue for SMS/MMS messages. My assumption here is if you have a text message waiting you would want to know about it sooner rather than later as they tend to be more real time communications, and the blue LED can't be missed even across a room. It seems a shame to use Blue for Bluetooth as it really is the best for grabbing attention, and I know when I have turned Bluetooth on or off anyway!

Flashes Green for unread emails although only useful if you have push or a schedule set for downloading email, otherwise if you schedule a synchronisation manually you'd be at the device anyway to see new messages!

If you have both SMS and emails then the right LED shows one flash of Blue then one of Green.

Notice I have not bothered indicating Wi-Fi. As Wi-Fi only works when the device is on, you can see it's on when you look at the screen, why flash an LED as well?

The only issue is we lose the charge indicator LED. For some reason once I issue a command to the LED it stops responding to any other commands from the phone itself. This is good as it means it doesn't keep going back to the usual colour, but I haven't found a way of making the LED light permanently, so I can't show a charge indicator, but I don't think this is a particular issue, you can look at the screen anyway.

I may be able to give some flexibility to colour assignments so it can be configured, but it does get a bit complicated allowing full configuration in the code so it may be limited.

The application is written in C# and is event driven so doesn't put any extra strain on the CPU or battery. The code that turns on/off the LEDs has come from code originally put up for the Hermes (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=295729&page=2) so credit to 'piopawlu' for that. Luckily the Tytn II seems to have been made compatible to the same switching signals, which would make sense for re-use of code at HTC, although there are some differences to how it responds to them, but this code was obviously a big help to this little project.

I'll see if I can have something finished and polished up for this weekend sometime. Already for me this change has made the phone so much better as when the phone is on my desk and I go away and come back, I know I can't possibly miss anything received in my absence and don't feel compelled to keep looking or switching the phone on.

Regards

Phil

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Everton1878
post Sep 14 2007, 11:07
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I need to switch the flashing lights off at night as I currently have to place it screen down on the bedside table so I can sleep without the light disturbing me
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Phil_UK
post Sep 14 2007, 14:42
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Hi

QUOTE(Everton1878 @ Sep 14 2007, 12:07) *
I need to switch the flashing lights off at night as I currently have to place it screen down on the bedside table so I can sleep without the light disturbing me


Yes I had thought about that and will include an option to turn them all off, perhaps if I'm feeling adventurous I could add something so it's done automatically based on the time of day.

Regards

Phil
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flashflash
post Sep 14 2007, 15:54
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QUOTE(Phil_UK @ Sep 14 2007, 15:42) *
Hi
Yes I had thought about that and will include an option to turn them all off, perhaps if I'm feeling adventurous I could add something so it's done automatically based on the time of day.

Regards

Phil


To be honest just the function to change LED colours will be a huge result. Its been the biggest disappointment of WinMob devices for me. I never understood why HTC stuck with the current green for signal and orange for messages and alerts, the colours were to close together. I know what you mean with regards to the Blue LED, its the most attention grabbing LED on the device!

cheers


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Phil_UK
post Sep 17 2007, 16:54
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Hi

I've uploaded a small application for providing some control of the LEDs to:

http://www.modaco.com/downloads-file2400.html

Regards

Phil
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sc0user_75
post Sep 17 2007, 16:59
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Wow! You don't hang about phil smile.gif I'm gonna say nice job - even though I can't test the software out as I dont have a tytn II yet sad.gif

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flashflash
post Sep 18 2007, 09:45
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The link to your app seems to be down or incorrect? I'd been keep to try it. I've been waiting for this kind of app for a long time! Thanks for all your work.

This post has been edited by flashflash: Sep 18 2007, 10:24


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