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S3 dock frustration

K

kdirk

Newbie
Just recently picked up a S3 on VM. Quite happy overall save for one thing. The Samsung smart dock does notwork with it. I did some resaerch prior to purchase and found several places stating it was compatible. Now I've discovered that the 4.1.2 update - which is stock on this phone -apparently broke the compatibility for the s3.

I've looked extensively on here and other android forums and have found complaints about the same but no real solutions. Anyone here know if there is a patched ROM that will fix this on a Virgin Mobile edition of the s3 or another dock solution that will work properly with usb and hdmi simultaneously.

Despite searching, I haven't found a way to roll back to 4.1.1 on this phone as VM introduced this phone with 4.1.2 and is now rolling out 4.3 ota which I haven't gotten yet.Not sure I want 4.3 either with the whole knox issue.

Appreciate any advice or insight on this. If this would be better posted in the VM S3 subforum, please advise.

KDirk
 
I am not sure what your complaint is? I have the smart dock and am using it without issue with a SGS3 and SGN 2, both devices charge and display their screen on a flat panel monitor connected via HDMI; sound is also reproduced (very good quality) via a connection to an Altec Lansing 2.1 system.

The upshot is, you can do all of the above, but you cannot sync to your PC at the same time!. The dock will sync, but if you have syncing via USB as a persistent connection then you'll lose the above - it states so clearly in the user manual.

I can live with that as a rarely have to connect my phone to my PC since I handle everything via WiFi and I do Nandroid backups to the external SD card. If and when I do, I just use an USB cable and connect it between phone and PC, simple as that. Overall this is the best peace of kit I have bought for a phone, ever. If you connect a mouse and keyboard to it then you can use the phone as a mini PC, it's powerful enough.

I hope this answers your question.
 
Ok, the question is what android firmware version is your sgs3 running? I have 4.1.2 on mine (bone stock) and it doesn't work with the smart dock:

- no hdmi output (monitor sees no signal from dock)
- no usb, s3 doesn't see the keyboard or mouse when on the dock
- no audio out whilst on dock, internal speaker on s3 remains on.

So, essentially the dock is working only as a charger. The sgs3 I have doesn't even know it's docked as it doesn't show the dock home screen. Also, the phone makes the regular charging sound when docked, not tbe click it should when placed on the dock.

Reiterating from the OP, my searching online shows that the 4.1.2 update causes the s3 to no longer work with the smart dock as samsung appears to have broken the smart dock sensing mode with that release .

Based on my reading of threads elsewhere the previous versions (4.1.1 at least) work as designed: dock the s3 and the dock home screen automatically appears and all dock unit ports are accessible.

So my real question is has anyone a custom ROM based on 4.2 or 4.3 that does not have the knox bootloader that will let the s3 work with the smart dock? I haven't seen anything so far that states unequivocally that 4.2 or 4.3 restores a working smart dock mode on the s3. Or is there a version of 4.1 .1 that will work properly on the VM version of the s3?

Kind of exasperated right now as my major reason for getting the s3 was because of the smart dock only to find it doesn't work because of the factory installed version of the firmware.

KDirk
 
It's simple. I have been running JB 4.1.2 TW based ROM and latterly JB4.3 also TW based (TouchWiz) - it works flawlessly on both. It must be your hardware configuration (Monitor, cable, etc.) As I mentioned, you cannot connect a USB cable to your PC whilst also having your dock connected to a Monitor or TV via HDMI. It has to be one or the other. Also, have you checked the output setting when your device is in dock mode. You'll find that under Settings > Accessory > Dock - tick Audio output mode, then go to HDMI and Audion output should be set to Stereo. That's it.

Finally, as far as mouse and keyboard are concerned try different ones. I am using a Microsoft Arc touch mouse, which is IR based, again, this works perfectly.
 
Thank you for that info. You are the first person to state that the smart dock works with an s3 running 4.1.2. Several reports that it doesn't work online, so I assumed my difficulty was due to the rom version. Of course, I do wonder if Virgin Mobile tweaked something in their custom rom that is causing it not to work.

If the smart dock works with 4.1.2 after all then I either have a hardware compatibility problem (have samsung monitor with two hdmi ins and a logitech usb trackball ) or a defective dock.

Will keep trying different combinations and see what I can get to work. Or, exchange the dock if nothing else works.

KDirk
 
You are a bit of a doubting Thomas, aren't you?

-RsdB4Z-00
 
Heh, not doubting your honesty for a second. I just know mine won't work so far. I see you have the international model (9300) sgs3. The one I have is sph-L710, a tweaked variant for the US Sprint network with customized ROM for Virgin Mobile.

There isn't much reliable information posted I've found regarding this model s3 with the smart dock. Seems the 9300 variant you have has no issue at all irrespective of the version android being run.

So once again, seems the US carriers have screwed up a good thing by doing hardware and software tweaks that the rest of the world doesn't have to deal with. I wish these tossers could stop being such busy bodies.

Looks like I will be forced to root the phone and try a cleaned up version of 4.3 or 4.4 as maybe the dock mode will work again in one of the newer updates. For now, it appears that 4.1.2 released on US versions of the sgs3 did break the docking mode per a thread I found over at xda.

If all else fails, I guess I can wait til they offer the s4 on VM here and use it with the dock. I'll probably need a second phone for work in the next few months.

Thanks for your input!

KDirk
 
KDirk, I'm having the very exact same issue. I have returned the first dock only to find that the second one will not do anything beyond charging my sgs3. I too have the Sprint SPH L710. If you ever figure out a solution to this problem, please let me know.

Thanks,

Mark
 
Will do. As it happens, my brother has a S3 on Verizon. Tried his and it doesn't work with the smart dock either. It is running 4.1.2 as well (Verizon specific variant of course).

I have chosen to forego the OTA 4.3 update so far. Wish it would stop nagging me constantly though. Now that the knox-free 4.3 build and associated fixes linked here from XDA seems stable I am planning to root the phone and load that. Maybe 4.3 will fix whatever was broken in the 4.1.2 build that causes the S3 not to work with the smart dock. So, won't know until I try it. Kind of busy and the phone is working ok on 4.1.2 save for the dock issue so I am not in a huge hurry to do this until my schedule settles down - probably after the first of the year. I figure I will blow an evening tweaking the thing and just don't have the time presently.

I have a lot of experience doing customized firmware work on embedded systems and other oddball stuff like arcade games and car ECU's but this will be my first go at rooting a phone. Not really difficult I know, but don't want to brick it or have to wipe it and load it multiple times to get it right either.

Of course, if anyone else here can confirm that 4.3 on a VM S3 restores the smart dock mode, please feel free to chime in any time!

KDirk
 
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