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PhilSkill
PhilSkill
Enthusiast II
February 13, 2018

Android Controllers and Setup, past the CR100 brick

  • February 13, 2018
  • 112 replies
  • 8635 views
As many of us are being thrown off of our CR100's, and forced onto an external third party device, please use this thread to say what device you will use or have tried, and advise what settings and configurations make it work.

Please keep it on topic, use the "Save the CR100" thread to put the world to rights on the bricking of our functioning devices.

Life must go on, The CR100 will die, lets try to help each other find our best solution.

To start,

I have just purchased a Lenovo Tab 7 Essential, 7" screen so similar overall size to the controller, ordered through Tesco Direct, very fast service available in 3 hours from ordering.

Tesco added a discount so got it for £62, although They advertised it as the Tab 4 7" which is actually a different unit with slightly higher res and should retail at £99 rather than £69 anyway its fine at the right price. both run Android 7.0

So set it up with no security as I don't want a pin entry each time I pick it up.

Installed Sonos from Google play and allowed Sonos net connections and connected straight to my system.

Then set the sonos options to "Show lock screen controls" and "Show Volume on Home screen"

Set the Android screen saver to Clock (its a bit too small compared to the Controller) but can be shown when docked (charging), so leave the unit on and it blacks out to a clock, can be digital or analogue.

One downside of this particular device is the micro usb charging port is not central, so Belkin docks wont work, so the cradle/dock could be an issue!? Any ideas?

Leave the Sonos app running and it comes out of the lock screen into Sonos.

Without a proper cradle its not so easy to directly compare, sometime touching the display unlocks, othertimes I need to press the side power button.

If you touch the button it goes to the home screen, which needs a swipe to unlock, a nice touch, if sonos is playing and running, then the home screen wallpaper is the artwork.

On the home screen are quick access play,stop and skip but no volume, there is a tiny expander arrow that opens up a menu that has a button to change volume, but thats way too complex, easier to double tap the quick access area and it opens the sonos app to show you the zone with volume control, art, queue etc.
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    112 replies

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    ratty
    ratty
    February 15, 2018
    do you have the brainwash version or non-brainwash?
    non-brainwash

    The volume buttons now do seem to control the app after I have pressed the lock button I am sure they didn't so will have to retest next time it goes 30-minutes and times out to see if still does it then but a manual sleep/lock seems to allow it.

    This capability may be sensitive to the smart power setting, which claims to disable WiFi when not required.

    I have a throw away stand that came from an exhibition, it needs more weight as poking the screen starts to tip it over.

    I like this one.
      jgatie
      jgatie
      February 15, 2018
      You can easily turn off sleep when charging, thus avoiding the lock screen. You need to turn on the developers options, then select the proper setting from the new developers option menu. To enable developer options, go to Device Options on the Settings menu and tap on the Serial Number entry 7 times in a row. The new developers options menu will then appear.
      John B
      February 15, 2018
      Here is my lockscreen

      Don't recall a brainwash vs non-brainwash decision! :)

      A tap on the control gets me into my already-open Sonos app.
        F00tS0re
        Enthusiast II
        February 15, 2018
        Here is my lockscreen

        Don't recall a brainwash vs non-brainwash decision! :)

        A tap on the control gets me into my already-open Sonos app.

        On the cheaper Fires at least there is an option to pay even less and get ads streamed to the lock screen. Saved £10 on the device cost. Ours was bought and loaded with kids programmes for a holiday in (2015) for use at airport/airplane/resort, since then it has sat in the drawer as quite frankly it doesn't quite match up to the iPad experience. I know it was on special at the time so cost something like £35 and I viewed it like the cost of two DVDs.

        It can be turned off for £10, there is also a jailbreak methodology, but will put a call in and ask nicely.
        Owner since 2006: Legacy System(8.4):3*CR100:1*ZP80:4*ZP100:1*Play 5. - S1 System:1*ZP100:1*Z120. - S2 System:5*Amp:1*Port:2*Five:1*Arc,1*Move:1*Play Bar:1*Subwoofer:5*Play1 : Long live the CR100!
        F00tS0re
        Enthusiast II
        February 15, 2018
        The volume buttons now do seem to control the app after I have pressed the lock button I am sure they didn't so will have to retest next time it goes 30-minutes and times out to see if still does it then but a manual sleep/lock seems to allow it.
        This capability may be sensitive to the smart power setting, which claims to disable WiFi when not required.

        Aaah, makes sense, I was fiddling with power stuff yesterday, in an effort to hold off sleep, so that may have done it. Although I don't really want it on all the time, would OK for my office but not for the bedroom, plus screen burn and energy use would be downsides.

        I have a throw away stand that came from an exhibition, it needs more weight as poking the screen starts to tip it over.

        I like this one.
        Hopefully the least of my worries! The fire still looks budget, and the test stand has already been weighted down with plasticine - thanks kids.

        I suspect the final version will be a more premium tablet, ideally with Qi charging, and an angled Qi charger stand similar to what you posted. All the offerings so far have been for kit that is 2012/2013. I would rather a new tablet that once I'm happy with I can just order 3, with stands etc all together. Trying to buy 5-year old kit off eBay seems a pain.

        Even better would be the ability to exit the app, on a temporary basis to use other stuff, with automatic return to Sonos on sleep. And a motion sensor! But I'll not hold my breath.

        Thanks for the input.
        Dave
        Owner since 2006: Legacy System(8.4):3*CR100:1*ZP80:4*ZP100:1*Play 5. - S1 System:1*ZP100:1*Z120. - S2 System:5*Amp:1*Port:2*Five:1*Arc,1*Move:1*Play Bar:1*Subwoofer:5*Play1 : Long live the CR100!
        jgatie
        jgatie
        February 15, 2018
        Just a note: While the Fire tablets are good, cheap, and will run the Sonos app just fine, they are not eligible for beta because Amazon requires a special build. So if you run beta now, or ever intend to sign up for a public beta, your Fire tablet will not be able to load the beta software.

        Edit: I stand corrected. If you remove the standard application and download the beta directly from the beta site, it will load. You just cannot load the beta from the update screen on the non-beta app.
        John B
        February 15, 2018
        It can be turned off for £10, there is also a jailbreak methodology, but will put a call in and ask nicely.Ah this does ring a bell now. I think I asked nicely and they removed the ads without charge, so worth a shot.
        John B
        February 15, 2018
        I know this is a bit tangential, but Sonos v8 introduced a new feature that many people seem to have missed. I use 'long press to group' quite often. Please see the thread linked below. Don't be put off by mention of Alexa, this thing involves real buttons, so I thought you guys might like it :)

        https://en.community.sonos.com/amazon-alexa-and-sonos-229102/playing-to-an-additional-sonos-speaker-via-alexa-6802409
          F00tS0re
          Enthusiast II
          February 15, 2018
          It can be turned off for £10, there is also a jailbreak methodology, but will put a call in and ask nicely.Ah this does ring a bell now. I think I asked nicely and they removed the ads without charge, so worth a shot.

          Thats the thing. Amazon kindly removed the ads free of charge (last years 240 orders probably had something to do with it). Now I get the app(let) on the lock screen just like your picture!

          Postman just been, so now got magnetic USB cable (I like these a lot - will be getting more)

          It's getting usable:
          - will always look ugly
          - isn't as dedicated as CR100
          - isn't waterproof
          - still needs manually plugging back-in
          - still can't pin so if others are desperate and the iPad is flat then it may disappear.

          But some of those can be overcome with hardware changes (nexus or similar).

          Dave
          Owner since 2006: Legacy System(8.4):3*CR100:1*ZP80:4*ZP100:1*Play 5. - S1 System:1*ZP100:1*Z120. - S2 System:5*Amp:1*Port:2*Five:1*Arc,1*Move:1*Play Bar:1*Subwoofer:5*Play1 : Long live the CR100!
          John B
          February 15, 2018
          Good to hear there is progress. Maybe when you get to the final position with a more modern tablet it will be better still. I understand that the CR100 has unique features that you value highly, but hopefully in the end your Sonos experience will still be a great one overall. At least you are taking positive action to get to the best place that's possible for you.
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