Push Notification Sound

[Yam_SA]

Hi there

Just purchased the application and it works well.

The only thing I can fault is the Notification sound. It's too short!
Will definitely not alert you adequately if you are sleeping.

Please consider allowing the user to select a custom sound file with the next update.
I'm sure this feature will be appreciated by many users.

Thanks

[SKJM Support]

Thank you for your feedback.

The option to change notification sounds has been requested in the past and is currently on our list of potential features to implement in the future.

[Yam_SA]

Hi there

Thanks for the feedback.

I see that this was a request back in 2009

http://skjm.com/forum/index.php?topic=556.msg2358#msg2358

I'd like to know how long it normally takes for a feature request to be implemented or if there are any real plans to make this a feature soon.
Judging by the number of views on this thread, I'm certainly not the only one eagerly anticipating this feature :-)

PS running on Android.

Thanks

[35remington]

I'd like to know how long it normally takes for a feature request to be implemented or if there are any real plans to make this a feature soon.

JFK was president the last time these guys crossed something off their "list of potential features to implement."

[Stefan]

It turns out that notification sounds can either be the phone's default sound or a sound file built into a released version of iCam. It is not possible for a user to use a sound file of their own choosing.

If users have specific sound file choices that they would like to include as options built into the next version of iCam, please let us know.

[OUAnthony]

There's no way to allow the user to choose one of the phone's existing ringtones or songs? Bummer!

With that being said, I don't have anything specific in mind right now, but definitely a longer track...and ramp up the amplitude, if possible. To appease everyone with the track length, perhaps there could be a slider (in .5 or 1 second increments) that can determine how long the alert will play for after the user selects their alert? It would also be cool if there was a schedule feature where it would play a longer alert during prespecified hours (like at night, when I'm sleeping hard). That would be very helpful as a security feature.

[Stefan]

Yes, the notification options are pretty limited, unfortunately. Also, the volume level of the sound notification would also be limited to whatever volume level the phone was currently set to.

A longer sound would be possible, but any type of slider option would require a different sound file for each duration since you can only specify the name of the sound file, and that's it.

Here is the Notification Payload specification, if anyone is interested: http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/RemoteNotificationsPG/ApplePushService/ApplePushService.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40008194-CH100-SW1

Having different sounds play back at different scheduled times would be possible since it is the iCamSource that handles the sending of the notifications as well as the various scheduling settings.

[OUAnthony]

So there's no way (or it's impractical to program it) to import an audio file(s) into the app and then be assigned a standardized filename like "1.aiff", "2.aiff", etc, for push notification reference purposes? For example, maybe a user could import up to 10 custom aiff files...where they would be displayed in a spreadsheet format, with a friendly filename along with the "track number." The "track number" would actually be the filename so the push notifications can always reference 1.aiff, 2.aiff, etc, and not have to worry about the custom filenames. I'm not an app developer/programmer, so maybe it isn't possible...or isn't easily implemented (and therefore impractical). I'm just thinking out loud. If it was possible/practical, you'd have to figure out how to allow the import of custom sounds...by URL (using a free service like dropbox) or by selecting the files in iTunes (Device > Apps tab > File Sharing - below the list of apps). It seems like this would give an option to have customized sounds "packaged" with the app. Then, in icamsource, where the user would select the notification sound (maybe on a per camera basis?), there would be 2 radio buttons...one for a pre-packaged sound with a dropdown box (some selections might result in display of slider -- see below)...and the 2nd radio button would be for a customized sound -- dropdown list 1-10, with user directed to iCam app to see the aforementioned "spreadsheet" display of customized files currently available so they know what they're selecting...and maybe include a test button in icamsource that would send the appropriate push notification to the phone so the user can verify their selection works, etc.

For the slider, maybe you could make 5-10 varying length audio files for 2 or 3 prepackaged audio alerts (maybe using some of the loud default alert/ringtones on the iPhone...such as "bell", "electronic", "alarm", "bark", "doorbell", "old car horn", etc...ones that could be looped together to form longer lengths as the slider increases). For example, at the lowest slider setting, "alarm" would play the alarm sound only once (which would presumably require you to edit the original ringtone?), then repeat it more and more as the slider increases (so it sounds more like the repetitious ringtone).

As far as the scheduling goes, it would be awesome if you could select different alert sounds (or the same sound with different play lengths) depending on certain hours. If there's motion detected while I'm sleeping, I'd want that thing blaring for 30 seconds. haha

Anyway, those are my questions/ideas...sorry if I rambled.

[OUAnthony]

Oh yeah, one more thing...regarding the volume of the files. I've created custom ringtones for my phone, and used audacity to increase the volume of the original file by 50%. I then tested each file on my phone, and the edited audio file is noticeably louder than the original file. So you might be able to increase the volume of the files themselves by 25% or 50% without significantly affecting the audio quality. The great thing about editing audio files in audacity is you can see the waves pre and post edit...and can pretty much tell by looking at the waveform whether or not the audio quality will be blown out or whatever. Plus it's free. haha If you guys would like to hear by ringtone pre and post-volume editing, let me know and I'll send them your way...and you can test the volume difference on your phone.

[Stefan]

So there's no way (or it's impractical to program it) to import an audio file(s) into the app and then be assigned a standardized filename like "1.aiff", "2.aiff", etc, for push notification reference purposes?

Nope. The only way to have a sound played with a push notification is for the file to already be included in the application bundle when it is submitted to the app store, and the application bundle itself cannot be altered once it is installed on a device. Those are the rules that Apple has made for us, unfortunately.

As for the slider, yes, as long as there was a file already included in the app bundle for each length, that would be possible. The schedule effecting which sound to play at specific times would also be possible, yes.

As for increasing the audio volume, yes, that  is possible, but since most of the other alert tones are essentially normalized, we would probably want to differentiate between "normal" and "OH WOW THAT IS LOUD!!!" tones for the users to pick, although depending on their device's current volume setting they could may also not hear the sound or blow their ears out.

[OUAnthony]

Stefan,

Check out this article:

http://lifehacker.com/5912464/how-to-customize-iphone-alert-sounds-in-third-party-apps-no-jailbreak-required

Any idea if that might work to customize the push notification sounds?

Also, I agree on differentiating between the normalized and amplified versions. Maybe offer one set of sounds, with 2 sets of files...one normalized set and one amplified set....and have a checkbox labeled "Amplified" or "Loud" next to the notification sound selection dropbox. Checking the box would switch it to the amplified version of the file.

[OUAnthony]

So I downloaded iFunbox (free) to browse through my iPhone's files, as I was having issues with IExplorer (which was suggested in the article I posted). iFunbox works fine, and it's free. I found the push notification sounds: push.wav and push_short.wav. I didn't play around with it too much, but I replaced the push.wav file with a louder version of the same file...worked fine! But when I tried a different sound (with the same filename), the push notification sound failed to play on my phone. That file that failed was about 5 seconds in length, so I shortened it to 3 seconds and it still wouldn't work. Then I tried looping the default iCam push.wav file twice (.72 seconds long instead of .36), and that wouldn't even play. I'm thinking one of the following must be true:

1) iCam includes code that suggests the push sound should have a certain filesize or length
2) Apple imposes a length limit or filesize limit on push notification sounds

If the issue is #1, is there a way you could loosen the code so end users could modify the file as desired? It's very easy to do, and I'd be happy to write up some instructions for it.

Another thing I noticed, and meant to mention a long time ago: my dog is conditioned to the push notification sound...he goes on high alert when he hears it. He knows it means my wife or I just got home, just walked past a certain point in the house, or that there could be an intruder (if I prompt him by exclaiming "Who's that?!"). It's funny how fast he can switch from excitement that somebody's home (tail wagging like crazy...sniffing under the door) to pissed off that someone would invade his territory (hair from his head to his tail standing on end...body postured...barking furiously). hahaha So during this little bit of testing tonight, while playing the default sound over my computer speakers, he was running around trying to figure out what was going on. He was very confused when I played the sound repeatedly in a short amount of time. I think he thought we were being invaded.

[Stefan]

The only issues I could see with manually changing the app bundle would be if there were any checks that the device did to make sure that the bundle handn't changed, but I would think that it would be a "it either works or it doesn't" type of issue instead of a "it works sometimes" situation.

There is no code that limits the sound in iCam ... iCam isn't actually run when a notification comes in. The phone simply receives the notification info from the App server, sees which app it is associated with, and displays the message and app icon while playing the audio file from the app bundle directly.

The types or supported sound files are listed here: http://developer.apple.com/library/mac/documentation/NetworkingInternet/Conceptual/RemoteNotificationsPG/IPhoneOSClientImp/IPhoneOSClientImp.html#//apple_ref/doc/uid/TP40008194-CH103-SW6 ... 30 seconds seems to be the limit.

That's funny about your dog, and mine is the same. I have a camera in our garage and whenever my wife comes home our dog hears the iCam motion detection sound and runs off to greet her. 

[OUAnthony]

Hmm, interesting that the longer files wouldn't play, then...I used the correct filename/type. I wonder if iOS verifies certain properties of the file before playing it. That's a bummer. I'll play with it a little bit more...try to create a different audio file that matches filesizes with the original...then try a file with a different filesize, but the same length as the original.

[OUAnthony]

Good news...got it to work with the 5 second custom file that I mention in my previous post! I'm not sure what fixed it, as I did several things:

1) Changed the file from 48000 to 44100 Hz (which is what the original file was). Still didn't play upon push notification, so I'm not sure if this was necessary.
2) Rebooted iPhone.

Now I have a push notification sound that yells "Alert! Alert! Alert! Automatic defense procedures initiated." lol But I'm pretty sure that'll be annoying after a day of motion events.

Ok, so now I have a follow-up question: Is it the push notification alone that specifies the filename of the audio file to be played on the iPhone? It would seem that way since, as you said, the iCam code does not run upon a push notification. So if my assumption is correct, maybe you could provide some custom sound options in icamsource (custom1.wav, custom2.wav, etc) which are displayed by running a registry file....and there could be a sticky at the top of your forum with instructions on using custom push notification sounds, including a link to the custom sound option registry file.

Also, I have no clue how much work went into the iPhone file browser iFunbox, but maybe there's a way icamsource could be programmed to have the ability to transfer a custom sound file to the correct location within the iPhone (which would have to be plugged in via USB, obviously).