Flashing LED Notifcations for SMS

[Guest Phil_UK]

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 <_<

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

[Guest lozzd]

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.

[Guest Phil_UK]

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

[Guest Phil_UK]

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

[Guest Webreaper]

Not wanting you to have wasted your time :wub: 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. ;)

[Guest sc0user_75]

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?

[Guest Phil_UK]

Hi

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

[Guest sc0user_75]

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 ;)

[Guest Webreaper]

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.

[Guest Phil_UK]

Hi

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 ;)

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. :wub:

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

[Guest NuShrike]

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.

Edited September 13, 2007 by NuShrike

[Guest sc0user_75]

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 :wub:

Phil, glad you didn't see my comment as a dig ;)

[Guest flashflash]

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.

[Guest Phil_UK]

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

[Guest Everton1878]

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

[Guest Phil_UK]

Hi

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

[Guest flashflash]

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

[Guest Phil_UK]

Hi

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

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

Regards

Phil

[Guest sc0user_75]

Wow! You don't hang about phil ;) I'm gonna say nice job - even though I can't test the software out as I dont have a tytn II yet :wub:

[Guest flashflash]

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.

Edited September 18, 2007 by flashflash

[Guest Phil_UK]

Hi

Edit: Full details and download at: http://www.modaco.com/downloads-file2400.html

Regards

Phil

KaiserNotification_cab.CAB

Edited September 19, 2007 by Phil_UK

[Guest AlD044]

Working fine for me... Using the blue notification for email/xMS is great.

I've yet to fully charge my device - so I don't know if I'll also lose the solid green "fully charged" LED (in addition to the solid amber "charging" LED you already mentioned)... Even if that happens, it's still worth it to not have to squint and figure out if the blinking LED is green/amber when checking for new email.

Thanks!

[Guest DragonStar]

Just wanted to say Phil_UK your program works great! Currently got it set to have no light with bluetooth on (pretty much all the time), red for missed calls, blue for SMS and green for emails. Works a charm, good work!

[Guest FlangeArtist]

I love it too. I personaly only have the missed calls, un-read SMS/MMC or Email enabled. Nothing else. Means I can simply look at the lights to see if there is anything needing my attention, and I don't have to wake it up..Brill :-)

[Guest Phil_UK]

Hi

I love it too. I personaly only have the missed calls, un-read SMS/MMC or Email enabled. Nothing else. Means I can simply look at the lights to see if there is anything needing my attention, and I don't have to wake it up..Brill :-)

Glad others are finding it useful.

The more I think about the more silly it seems of HTC to not have included something similar or at least made the default flashing of the LEDs more useful.

I find the Kaiser much better now knowing I can easily see if anything has arrived if I have been out of earshot without the need to turn it on, good for battery power too. This sort of indication prior to my little app was something I was really missing on the Kaiser, as I was used to my mobile phone having an LCD display on the outside that would always indicated missed calls or new messages without having to open it.

I've removed the attachment of the program from this thread as it now lives at: http://www.modaco.com/downloads-file2400.html

Regards

Phil