New (G2) firmware 1.9.34 (2/11/09)

drowe

New Member
Oct 14, 2008
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New firmware when I refreshed tonight! Has a sleep timer, auto-off when power removed, lots of user requested features.

Here are the specifics about the firmware changes per RomeE on Slacker Forum!

What's New:

1. Automatically pause of music when external power is lost

- Music Playback will pause under the following conditions:
a. Take player off of a powered dock
b. Unplug player from USB cable (CPU Host or USB Power adaptor)
c. Power loss from a cigarette lighter adaptor in a car (i.e.
ignition off)
- Playback will not auto resume when power is restored (i.e. you must
still manually press the play button to resume playback).
- The device will sleep after 2 minutes of puase (to save power)
- The device will power off after 2 hours in sleep (to save more power)
- (these last 3 behaviors are not new but are pertinent in this case)

2. There is a new Sleep Timer function (found on the Settings menu).

- The sleep timer may be set to one of eight settings
(off, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, 180 minutes).
- The 'off' setting is the default (until you change it).
- The setting will be sticky across all operations and power cycles (except
factory reset). This is just like, Brightness, Backlight time, etc.
- The Sleep Timer counts down from the last user interaction (heart, ban,
menu navigation, volume, play, pause, skip, etc.).
- If the sleep timer expires and music is playing the music will be paused.
- Music will not resume until you press the play button.
- The device will sleep after 2 minutes of puase (to save power)
- The device will power off after 2 hours in sleep (to save more power)
- (these last 3 behaviors are not new but are pertinent in this case)
- If the G2 is locked the sleep timer is counting to expiration (regardless
of user interaction).
- This is to accomodate conditions where a user may accidently bump buttons
on their device and hence wake up the backlight but not want to continually
reset the sleep timer countdown (such as sleeping on an airplane).


Example use cases for sleep timer:

1. Use it to cause your device to pause/sleep/shutdown as you fall asleep.
- Set the timer (say to 30 minutes).
- Play your music (radio, playlist, etc.)
- Set the device on your dock, or nightstand, or wherever
- The device will pause after 30 minutes of playback and will shortly
thereafter sleep and then poweroff completely.
- If the device pauses and you are not yet alseep then press the play
button to receive another 30 minutes of music.

2. Use it to 'perfect' your auto use case when your cigarette lighter is not
controlled by ignition.
- Set your sleep timer (say to 2 hours)
- Play your music
- Turn off your car (park first).
- The device will pause within 2 hours (depending upon how much you
interacted with it while driving) and sleep, shutdown eventually.
- Note that if your power source (cigarette lighter) is powered off when
the ignition turns off then your device will pause instantly due to
USB power loss and the sleep timer function is not needed in this case.
 
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DAB

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Thanks drowe for the update notice, I usually stay on top of this, but I've been out and away from a computer almost all day today.

This is a great update, I had little dialog with the chief engineer on the Slacker forum about the sleep timer, he said he couldn't make any promises, but I am so happy they added this feature. The auto off when power is removed will really make it nice for use in the car too. Jim (this chief engineer) is saying more user request are coming, so Slacker is really listening to users to make the G2 the best that it can be.

Just a word on this update. Once again after you download the software, you shut down and restart it will run the update. I did find that once again it starts going from one dot to another and eventually sticks on a single dot for a long time then just shuts down. You'll have to manual restart it. It will then update your station files and come to the home screen.

Again I give BIG KUDO'S to the Slacker Engineers for making the G2 one great little portable!
 

drowe

New Member
Oct 14, 2008
25
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Thanks drowe for the update notice, I usually stay on top of this, but I've been out and away from a computer almost all day today.

I couldn't believe I beat you to the punch ;) Thanks for adding the specifics!

David
 

MNXMFan

Member
Oct 24, 2008
95
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Woohoo, a sleep timer! I really can't wait to get my Slacker back, hope they shipped it overnight!
 

DAB

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I used the sleep timer last night and WOW that was great because usually it just plays all night. Today using the home dock in my company car, I've made several stops and of course soon as you turn the ignition off it pauses. I LOVE IT!

This is indeed a great feature update! :bigthumbup:
 

snakester

Member
Oct 29, 2008
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Lovely Seacost NH
Is the power off when external power removed toggle-able? I can see the reason for it, but A: I don't charge it in my car (even though I have an FM transmitter with USB charging) B: Even if I did use it, my car's outlet is always on and (most important) C: I have a little portable speaker type thing that I like to bring around the house with me. It would be annoying to have to unpause everytime I unhook it from power with it hooked to the speakers.

Sleep timer is a GREAT addition though.
 

styckx

Member
Nov 11, 2008
250
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Hopefully an alarm clock will be in the next firmware. I know that has been requested plenty.
 

styckx

Member
Nov 11, 2008
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Just noticed a new bug w/ this firmware.

Usually when I get home I connect to refresh,, then attach the USB cord for power (off the PC). Never had a problem with this method until tonight

Came home, hit connect, "signing in" plugged in USB.. It got stuck on signing in.

Restart Slacker option

Unplug from USB

Hit connect, waited for it to sign in this time. "Searching for new songs" plugged in USB

Then it got stuck on searching for songs.

Canceled.. Unplugged USB, connect, and it zipped right through this time after leaving the USB cord unplugged.

I prefer wifi over USB refreshing so that's why I connect first, then plug in the USB.
 

DAB

Mod Emeritus
Oct 9, 2008
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Is the power off when external power removed toggle-able?

No it is on by default and there is no way to turn it off. I plug mine into a set of speakers during the day, but no power, I have not found this impacts that at all. However, clearly if you remove power it is going to pause. I personally like that, but perhaps they should have given it an menu item to enable and disable it. In my use today it is been GREAT! Leaving it enabled all the time would work for me.

Just noticed a new bug w/ this firmware.

Usually when I get home I connect to refresh,, then attach the USB cord for power (off the PC). Never had a problem with this method until tonight

Interesting, but I doubt there are very many people that do this. Connect via Wifi then connect to a USB port on a computer to charge it? :scratch:

It would have thought it would automatically try to switch to USB refreshing when plugged into the USB port. I assume you have auto-refresh turned off?

Hopefully an alarm clock will be in the next firmware. I know that has been requested plenty.

Jim the chief engineer has said this is on the list, but not very high on their list, so I wouldn't expect it real soon, though if they add a clock they may add this along with it, thought he said this would require a lot of work (The Clock) and I think they'd rather add user request that don't require so much work.

One of the things that I wish they would fix more than anything is the annoying "Battery Charged" screen that requires a button push to get rid of it. I can understand this screen popping up for say 15 or 20 seconds, but it should automatically go away like the "Battery Charging" display does. If you move from dock to dock as I do this can be annoying. I am sure for most people this more than likely isn't bothersome at all.
 

styckx

Member
Nov 11, 2008
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One of the things that I wish they would fix more than anything is the annoying "Battery Charged" screen that requires a button push to get rid of it.

OMG! I've been bitching to myself about this annoyance since I got the Slacker. I never mentioned it cause I thought it was being picky. Glad I'm not the only one that this drives nuts
 

DAB

Mod Emeritus
Oct 9, 2008
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OMG! I've been bitching to myself about this annoyance since I got the Slacker. I never mentioned it cause I thought it was being picky. Glad I'm not the only one that this drives nuts

We need to make mention of this on the Slacker forums and maybe it will get addressed. They seem open to pleasing.

I think I'll do that now! ;)
 

styckx

Member
Nov 11, 2008
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We need to make mention of this on the Slacker forums and maybe it will get addressed. They seem open to pleasing.

I think I'll do that now! ;)

link me so I can support this. Can't believe this has never been mentioned before.
 

DAB

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Oct 9, 2008
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Here is our response Stycks.... (I know, I know DAB's got it going on) LOL hehehe

DAB wrote:While this thread has The Developments attention. The "Battery Charged" screen is it really necessary to make this screen so that you have to push the scroll wheel button to get it to go away. I understand having the notification that the battery is charged, but why not make it like the "Battery Charging" screen where it pops up, but then goes away.

I find this pop up screen for showing "Battery Charged" very annoying and really think is behaviors shouldn't be where you must push the scroll wheel button to get rid of it.
Thanks for the reminder on this. I've considered a few times about making this screen timeout on its own (would certainly be nice for the car users).

I think we initially made it so that you needed to clear it manually for two reasons (both of which are kind of low priority if you ask me). The reasons, as I remember them were one, so that the user knew when their battery was fully charged and ready to go (if this screen is auto-cleared no one is going to really see it that often) and two, we really wanted users to have to acknowledge that they had charged their battery all of the way because this is an important first step to get the battery calibrated.

I think both of these reasons are outweighed by the annoyance of having to clear the screen to see your album art or something else.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Jim Amidei - Principal Firmware Engineer - Slacker Inc.
 

JMII

Member
Nov 21, 2008
50
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Margate, FL USA
Glad they added the pause when removed from USB power :) AWESOME feature! As soon as the dock came out I suggested this very feature since it makes perfect sense. Now I can use the USB/iPod port on the Pioneer deck in my car to power/pause the G2 Player automatically! Turn the radio off and G2 pauses, then shuts itself off, I don't have to remember anything. Just wish it automatically un-paused when the USB power came back but can live things as is.
 

DAB

Mod Emeritus
Oct 9, 2008
9,434
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Louisiana
Glad they added the pause when removed from USB power :) AWESOME feature! As soon as the dock came out I suggested this very feature since it makes perfect sense. Now I can use the USB/iPod port on the Pioneer deck in my car to power/pause the G2 Player automatically! Turn the radio off and G2 pauses, then shuts itself off, I don't have to remember anything. Just wish it automatically un-paused when the USB power came back but can live things as is.

The chief firmware engineer is taking feedback on this request right now, so go the to the thread listed above in my post and make it known you'd like to see it automatically unpause when it gets power again. We'll like get this with enough feedback.