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EPIC does have FM Radio hardware!!!!!

If you had posted something like, "It has FM hardware but limited range", or "the tuner is not very accurate", then there would be all kinds of bitching before the product even rolls out. Just sayin'
 
I read elsewhere, that even if it does have the FM radio inside it, that doesn't mean that it's usable because the phone may not be configured to use it. I don't care about the FM radio period so I don't remember what the guy said as I was just skimming.

It was a detailed explanation as to why it wouldn't work regardless, (something to do with parts of the phone not knowing how to use the FM transmitter regardless maybe...????) but it sounded plausible. If somebody searches through the forums, they may be able to find what the guy was saying.
 
It makes sense... would be similar to taking someone else's arm and surgically attatching it to you head. You can make sure it gets blood flow, but if you don't have nerves running to it it'll never work.
 
Mistiq said:
I read elsewhere, that even if it does have the FM radio inside it, that doesn't mean that it's usable because the phone may not be configured to use it. I don't care about the FM radio period so I don't remember what the guy said as I was just skimming.

It was a detailed explanation as to why it wouldn't work regardless, (something to do with parts of the phone not knowing how to use the FM transmitter regardless maybe...????) but it sounded plausible. If somebody searches through the forums, they may be able to find what the guy was saying.
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If it has hardware it makes a world of difference because then all you need are 3 letters... A P K

Which means you can download/make an application to use the hardware, without the hardware you're up shit's creek without a paddle. No phone has an FM transmitter that I know of they have FM recievers which allow you to receive FM radio signals, a transmitter would allow you to transmit a signal.
 
(looking into the sky with arms out) whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!
just something an HTC'er can throw in our face. So will the radio (police) scanner app work?
 
Mistiq said:
I read elsewhere, that even if it does have the FM radio inside it, that doesn't mean that it's usable because the phone may not be configured to use it. I don't care about the FM radio period so I don't remember what the guy said as I was just skimming.

It was a detailed explanation as to why it wouldn't work regardless, (something to do with parts of the phone not knowing how to use the FM transmitter regardless maybe...????) but it sounded plausible. If somebody searches through the forums, they may be able to find what the guy was saying.
Click to expand...

That reminds me of my experience with purchasing a laptop with an Arrandale processor, which has on-chip graphics. When the chips and laptops first came out, most people were expecting switchable graphics on the new laptops when coupled with a discrete card. No dice: it required a hardware implementation by the laptop manufacturers beyond that, even though it was sitting there and available.

However, given that other Galaxy S devices do have FM radio including tuners, and since the Epic has that necessary hardware, I would suspect that FM on the Epic is just a software issue. I wouldn't expect Samsung to go out of their way to change their manufacturing process to disable the FM radio hardware (in a physical manner) when it would otherwise only be available to modders and hackers in the first place.

Edit: post #9
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=7314420

"As far as the developers have been going about this, there have been a lot of signs that it's not existent. If you go about the threads, there are some posts about complete tear downs. Putting the two tear downs side by side, the FM chip hasn't been seen in the captivate where you would find in the galaxy-s (I believe the layout of the PCB is slightly different, but they couldn't find any chip that consisted of the proposed chip).

Also, if you try out the eclair i9000 rom, the FM app is included; however, the application states it fails to start the fm tuner."

Maybe they did change the manufacturing process on the US Galaxy S phones? I wouldn't have expected that. Do any of the US Galaxy S phones have FM working via modding/hacking?
 
Crutnacker said:
After my first experience inside a building with the Evo's FM Tuner, I have to say.... "no loss if it doesn't."
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You're forgetting one thing...most gyms now use FM to broadcast the audio from all the televisions in the gym. Having an FM tuner in our phone gives us options to listen to the stations while working out. Add the fact that you can stream Pandora, put your MP3s on them, etc. and the FM tuner makes one's smartphone a one-stop-shop for all things audio in the gym.
 
astrobill said:
You're forgetting one thing...most gyms now use FM to broadcast the audio from all the televisions in the gym. Having an FM tuner in our phone gives us options to listen to the stations while working out. Add the fact that you can stream Pandora, put your MP3s on them, etc. and the FM tuner makes one's smartphone a one-stop-shop for all things audio in the gym.
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My primary reason for wanting FM is for emergencies. When earthquakes, tornadoes, hurricanes, bad storms, etc. hit, a lot of cell communications cease. I know that I'm not always near a radio but my phone is always with me.
 
If you look at the specs it says yes but when I chatted with Samsung they said NO it does not.
They don't even know what their own phones have built in.....What idiots........:eek:
 
SebastianX said:
If it has hardware it makes a world of difference because then all you need are 3 letters... A P K
Click to expand...


Maybe something is different in the android world...

But applications control hardware by using drivers that come packaged with the Operating System. If the Operating system lacks such a driver then you can't write an application.
 
Many of the custom ROMS that folks are running include custom kernels.

If the hardware is present, it's entirely possible that somebody has included a driver in a custom ROM.

-SF
 
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