Stop aux audio being muted by Google NAV

[Chatten]

While driving I'm running Google NAV and also playing music via aux out to my car.

When Google gives a voice instruction the music is muted for that period of time (although it continues to play, causing a "skip" in the music track).

 

What I would prefer is to lower my music while NAV gives instructions; not cut if off completely or, in the alternative, prevent NAV from cutting my music off and lower it's own speech volume.  The media volume controls both Google's NAV speech as well as my music so I know it's using the same stream(?)

 

I'm guessing there is some kind of "over-ride" (intent?) used by NAV to do this?

- or there is a "hidden" stream tied to the media volume?

 

Any clues on how this is being done and how to manupulate it?

 

 

[Matt R]

I believe it is the Google navigation app grabbing audio focus. The problem is with the music app. A proper music app should deal with losing audio focus. Contact the music app developer to find out why it isn't.

Matt

[Chatten]

It's doing this on the stock player as well as DoubleTwist.  I'm going to try a few more.  When I use the Tasker speech function it mixes that with the music playing instead of muting the music audio.

I'll have a look in XDA and see if anything pops up.

- Do you or anyone else have the same issue or are the two mixing together?

[Matt R]

I use poweramp and beyondpod and they both pause when Google nav (or waze) makes an announcement.

Matt

[Chatten]

 I didn't do a good job of explaining what I am trying to figure out - so I'll give it another try:

 

1. NAV takes control of the audio when my music is playing and mutes my music completely.

2. When I use TASKER to "speak" something while the music is playing, it mixes with the music instead of muting the music.  This is the same with notifications such as text/email -- it mixes with the music

3. I'm trying to find out how NAV is able to seize the audio channel, in effect over-riding everything, and speak it's directions...

 

I am looking for a way to "mix" NAV's speech while my music continues to play - both together.

 

Reason?  Long trips via Interstate I could care less about "stay left', "stay right" so I would make a task to (1) reduce NAV's output volume and/or (b) mute it completely until I turn it back on.

 

Second, I'm just curious about how it's being done - NAV over-riding the audio and muting everything else.  It's like there's a hidden audio stream in the O/S to do this.

 

:)

[Matt R]

Google navigation uses audio focus to seize control of the audio. Google "android audio focus" and I'm sure you can find an explanation of exactly how it works. You can't use Tasker to stop Google navigation from grabbing audio focus, but the Google navigation app does have a mute function. Why don't you just use that?

Matt

[Chatten]

Duh.  Sometimes I look for the complex solution and not the simple one...

I suppose I could use DPAD to do this unless I find an intent.

 

Thanks for the simple approach!

[Stupifier]

My Google navigation while music is playing works differently. Both are mixed. My music plays without stopping while Google Nav gives directions. This is with CM 10.1 ROM on Galaxy S3.

I only wonder how to apply different volume levels to each (the Music and the Navigation voice). Sometimes the music is a bit loud

[Matt R]

Play around with the different audio stream volume levels and see if you can find out which one nav is on. Might be media or system.

Matt