Touch Pro 2 FM Radio Questions/Answers

[santod]

If anyone is interested. I have the Broadcomm/Widcomm Bluetooth SDK for PPC, which includes sample apps. and everything needed to program a Bluetooth app. with their chipset in Visual Studio. I am a novice programmer myself and am trying to figure out what's stopping the FM radio from functioning. However, someone more skilled may have better luck. Maybe something more is still needed, though I don't know what that would be.

P.M. me, if you would like a link for the BCM BT SDK for PPC.

[vzwdts]

A little birdie (read: BoyGeniusReport) told me that VZW's version of the Touch Diamond2 will have FM radio capabilities. Does anyone know if this phone has the same Broadcomm chipset?

[djsiva]

Don't know if these settings have been touched on yet, but here is a screenshot of FM related info in the registry.

Nate

[xTSFx]

Originally Posted by Mutiny32

EXCELLENT information!

This issue brings something to mind about a similar issue where Verizon got caught disabling bluetooth features on their phones through the software. As I recall, the FCC didn't like this and they were also hit with a class-action lawsuit and lost. It was only a partial block of features, but an intentional and un-needed feature nonetheless. They had to pay hefty fines as well as not block certain bluetooth features on any phones in the future & make a software update available to all users of existing phones in which the block was in place.

Since it is known and advertised that the BCM4325 does Bluetooth 2.1+EDR (3.0 in the future), WiFi, and FM radio, we can file complaint. Especially since there is no FCC restriction on the use of FM radio in conjunction with Bluetooth, CDMA, or WiFi technologies in the US. To further strengthen this, the GSM (actually it does WCDMA through UMTS, which is CDMA as well) handsets sold in the US through other carriers have this capability. When you install the HTC FM radio cab on a CDMA device, the hardware is active, but there is a software disconnect somewhere. You can tell when you plug in headphone/antennas and it is detected. To take it even further, the registry for both the Sprint and Verizon phones have several references to init strings that appear to have missing key values to allow for complete functionality of the FM radio.

I'm not going to give Sprint, Verizon, or HTC any warning. They've all been asked and it's comes down to corporate marketing to discourage competition with their own OTA pay music services. I'm filing a FCC complaint and a complaint with the Kansas/Missouri Attourney Generals' Offices. I encourage you to do the same. I'm not sure if it falls under trade secret, but since Broadcom has released the source code for this chip, it is no longer under NDA or trade secret. I've had it with tech companies intentionally crippling hardware to force you to purchase something that would otherwise be free.

Since the FCC is currently investigating Apple/AT&T for disallowing Google Voice applications on its store because it would allow for cheaper competition, I'd say HTC/Sprint/Verizon might want to just appease us and turn bad press into great press.

Excuse me, a nerve just got struck. I've got so many devices that I am paying for that are capable of so much more and yet the provider chooses to block it with software to force me to pay for a service or feature that would otherwise be free to me. But I am filing the complaints.

Well there is more than meets the eye. Not just verizon but all phone companies are doing this and it needs to be stopped. I absolutely hate them all. I really hope the FCC regulates everything... even down to when their "Marketing team" takes a restroom break.

I know an alltel/verizon employee. They hate em too. They criticized Alltel and everything it did along w/ att. I wish i could talk to some of their hire ups and give em a piece of my mind. I'm not sure about how att and everyone else operates but to me Verizon is the biggest stinch as far as carriers.

They screwed over alot of people just to get them to swich from alltel plans to verizon plans. Anything and everything they could think off. ( I know other cases of this than mine) They didnt respect my old alltel 1 yr warranty well so a rep said. He also i could always upgrade to a verizon plan and get a new phone w/ a contract. I left. (thank god i know an alltel employee). I got some kids in trouble but idk. The whole way they operate is pathetic.

Back to the quote. I would love to file a complaint

[dimitri]

Originally Posted by Borg561

Excellent idea and I will consider doing the same. You can file a complaint with the FCC online, but you're limited to 1000 characters. I think you can submit more information via fax/e-mail/snail mail, but it's probably easier to type a letter and snail mail it. A little heads up too, it can take a while to get an acknowledgement back from the FCC, even if you file your complaint online. A while back I filed a complaint online about Verizon (billing/refund issue) and it took about 2-3 weeks before I got something back simply saying they had gotten my complaint and would look into it. Not trying to stop you from doing this, just letting you know not to expect to hear back right away.

PS. Don't forget that the FCC is already investigating AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

Edit: Might not hurt to include information from this post about HTC and Verizon's responses when asked about the issue (HTC saying Verizon wanted it disabled [indicates the hardware functionality is there] and Verizon saying Marketing decides what features to include [marketing wants you to pay for music from their service]). Heck, provide a link or printout from the FCC docs showing the Broadcom chip, and include information from Broadcom indicating it includes FM Radio functionality.

Justin

This is something that all Verizon and Sprint Touch Pro 2 Users should do. But we all should have the same complaint and have it in the same Complaint type and Complaint Category. If we all did it this way, I think we could get more of a response from the FCC. For those that have already submitted a complaint please let us know which Complaint type you used and which Category you filed in.

[gman4471]

Originally Posted by santod

If anyone is interested. I have the Broadcomm/Widcomm Bluetooth SDK for PPC, which includes sample apps.

Is this any different than the "BTWCE-1_7_1_5201-SDK.zip" they have on their website? If so, I would be interested.

Originally Posted by dimitri

This is something that all Verizon and Sprint Touch Pro 2 Users should do. But we all should have the same complaint and have it in the same Complaint type and Complaint Category.

Good idea, let us know what you send in and who you send it to.



Here is a repository containing the source code for Android drivers:

http://android.git.kernel.org/?p=pla....git;a=summary


Unfortunately, I have not had a chance to work on Android development so this does not help me much with the exception that it does detail some of the protocol used to communicate with the hardware. Anyone familiar with Android care to chime in on this?


I am not too familiar with broadcom products, I mainly work with chips from NEC, TI, and Intel (generally more boring stuff) I'm having lunch with a friend tomorrow who may be able to give some advice since he has worked with broadcom bluetooth products.

[santod]

That is the SDK I am referring to. Does that not help? Is it not relevent to this chipset?

So far it appears to be based on the same bluetooth stack that we're working with here, no?

[Laos101]

I think, like the Verizon TP [GPS], this is a locked feature that needs an unlocker. basically a mixture of a SPL Unlock and some registry edits.

And yes, I am filing my FCC complain when I get my phone sometime next week.

[bostonshaker]

Originally Posted by p-slim

thanks for the info, i didn't know that. how come no one ever talks about their cdma phones?

Because they either speak Korean or Japanese.

[kitts]

They did the same with CDMA TP, now they did it for TP2.

I will be filing my FCC complaint next week.