signal noise , music auto stop, weak fingerprint scanner n wifi signal

[AndrewTo]

hi I'm completely new in android, n hving quite alot questions n probs need assistance. .
I can hear "beep beep beep pause beep beep beep pause beep beep beep" in earphone when therez radio activity, is it normal to hv a 2days old new phone hv dis issue? or it is a known flaw?
perhapz itz da stock music player's prob, music will auto stop after around 10mins, happens on both with earphone n speaker.
(stock Task Manager & installed Adv.Task Killer both certain on not include music player in auto kill list)
also da fingerprint scanner has very slow responce plus poor recognition . . I'm used to ibm thinkpad 's fingerprint scanner n perhapz I expected too much?
my bedroom has poor home wifi signal but Ipod n everything works fine, only atrix tends to auto disconnect overtime,

 

[WolfmanRobby]

Andrew,

Welcome to the world of Android. Let me see what I can help with. Your post is a bit hard to read. This is a forum, not twitter/facebook, meaning there is no 140 character per post limit, so there is no need to use shorthand/lulz type. Taking the time to properly type out your message makes sure that we can understand what you are saying, and makes it easier for others to help you.

Anyway, a couple of the points to check:
-The fingerprint scanner. You didn't specify what you mean, just that it's not performing like you expect. I can tell you that 1) you have to go slow, too fast and it won't read. 2) Make sure your finger is flat against it, just like when it read it to set it up. The scanner only knows the part of the fingerprint that touched the sensor when you set it up. So, if you set it up with the finger flat, running your finger rolled to the sides won't read. This is a contact based scanner, I think the one on your laptop would be optical, so it reads parts of the fingerprint that aren't making contact.
If all else fails, try clearing it out and resetting it. Making sure to run your finger flat, slow and with good contact (not pressing in, not just lightly touching). Even then, most people have to scan 2 or 3 times to unlock. I find it's usually from being in a hurry and going too fast or turned at a angle.

-WiFi... it will shut off over time (With no activity) to save some battery life. I find that, if I don't touch my phone for about 30 minutes, when I pick it up, the WiFi is off, and takes about 30 seconds to power back on and re-connect. This is normal. Most smartphones do something similar.

-What Music player app are you using? The stock one or have you downloaded one? Also, go into Advanced Task Killer / Settings / Manage Ignore list and make sure that you see what ever music app you are using on that list. If not, then it is not ignoring it, and killing it. That's my first, gut reaction on what's going on here. On a side note, if you like listening to music on the phone (like I do), then one of the best apps I've found is "PowerAMP" - it's $5, and about the only paid app you'll find on my phone. (I'm cheap and if there is a free app, I'll use it!) However, "PowerAMP" rocks! Especially when you configure it's lock screen option. No need to unlock the phone to skip, pause, back...

-As for the beeps, can you be more specific? I'm not sure what you mean. You can hear beeps in the background for emails/tweets/txt's... depending on what apps you are using and what you have set those apps notification settings to be.

I hope what I posted helps. If not, can you post some more detail for us?

 

[AndrewTo]

Andrew,

Welcome to the world of Android. Let me see what I can help with. Your post is a bit hard to read. This is a forum, not twitter/facebook, meaning there is no 140 character per post limit, so there is no need to use shorthand/lulz type. Taking the time to properly type out your message makes sure that we can understand what you are saying, and makes it easier for others to help you.

Anyway, a couple of the points to check:
-The fingerprint scanner. You..........

sorry for the typing, it is really hard to type accurately on android.
and thanks for the quick response!
Right, the fingerprint scanner on my laptop does have big difference on appearance (dark mirror)

for wifi, I mean it slows down over time, and finally no respond and browser telling me "Page Could Not Be Displayed". Has to be turned off then on again to be able to continue browsing. This never happens to my ipod gen1 and gen2, Palm Pre (webOS) and my gf's SE Arc(Android 2.33)

Music app I use is the stock one, in ignore list indeed. Music stopped but not killed, still on Status Bar.

Signal Noise, I mean phone interference which makes speakers of your computer emit rhythmic noise "dod-dod-dod------------dod-dod-dod---------------dod-dod-dod---------dooooooooooood-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-d-dooooooooo ......." on and on if you don't go away from your computer speakers (or home AV amp) while using the phone

 

[WolfmanRobby]

OK, the fingerprint scanner on your Laptop IS optical if it looks like a mirror. That means it can read parts of your fingerprint not touching it. Your Atrix is based on touch. That has to match. I would reset (rescan) and make sure you do it with your finger flat. And, then, make sure you scan it slow and flat to unlock each time. Just know it can be flaky.

I can't help on the music app. I don't use the stock app myself. Download the trial of "PowerAMP" and see if it has the problem.

The WiFi is strange. How are you set up? WEP/WPA/???

And, the noise on your computer speakers is not the phone itself... that's good old, GSM EDGE (2G). It means you are not getting 3G/4G signal (I bet your signal says "E" instead of "H"). That is a magnetic carrier wave and the speakers are picking up on the signal. You'll hear it in the car, on your TV... it's a signal interference. The best thing to do is turn off your speakers/amp, or turn the volume down when on a call. This goes away when you get a 3G/4G signal. If you are getting that a lot, you can complain to the carrier about your signal. I purchased an AT&T MicroCell tower (Got it for $100 on eBay) and that took care of it for me.

 

[AndrewTo]

OK, the fingerprint scanner on your Laptop IS optical if it looks like a mirror. That means it can read parts of your fingerprint not touching it. Your Atrix is based on touch. That has to match. I would reset (rescan) and make sure you do it with your finger flat. And, then, make sure you scan it slow and flat to unlock each time. Just know it can be flaky.

I can't help on the music app. I don't use the stock app myself. Download the trial of "PowerAMP" and see if it has the problem.

The WiFi is strange. How are you set up? WEP/WPA/???

And, the noise on your computer speakers is not the phone itself... that's good old, GSM EDGE (2G). It means you are not getting 3G/4G signal (I bet your signal says "E" instead of "H"). That is a magnetic carrier wave and the speakers are picking up on the signal. You'll hear it in the car, on your TV... it's a signal interference. The best thing to do is turn off your speakers/amp, or turn the volume down when on a call. This goes away when you get a 3G/4G signal. If you are getting that a lot, you can complain to the carrier about your signal. I purchased an AT&T MicroCell tower (Got it for $100 on eBay) and that took care of it for me.

yup, I shall abandon the stock player as I don't like it anyway.
I was saying I can hear the signal interference when using earphones with the Atrix, maybe Atrix is not designed to run at 2G network? once in 2G network it interferes itself?

 

[WolfmanRobby]

No, it runs on 2G (EDGE) just fine. But, your headphones will pick up the noise just like other speakers. The wire works like a big antenna, and the speakers in the headphones are just powered speakers.

You will hear the GSM signal noise in any powered on speakers... your headphones, your computer, your TV, your stereo... even if you are using wired earbuds to talk on the phone.

It's simple physics between a magnetic carrier wave creating a field that the electromagnets in the speakers pick up on. The headphones/speakers can't tell the carrier wave from the electromagnetic pulse coming through the wire and so, they they they are getting a signal and try to reproduce the sound.

Believe it or not, it's no where as bad with the newer phones (like the atrix) like it was on some of the older, EDGE only phones. My old BlackBerry Curve (8300) would set off every computer speaker within 30 feet in the office when I got a txt message or incoming call!!

 

[AndrewTo]

No, it runs on 2G (EDGE) just fine. But, your headphones will pick up the noise just like other speakers. The wire works like a big antenna, and the speakers in the headphones are just powered speakers.

You will hear the GSM signal noise in any powered on speakers... your headphones, your computer, your TV, your stereo... even if you are using wired earbuds to talk on the phone.

It's simple physics between a magnetic carrier wave creating a field that the electromagnets in the speakers pick up on. The headphones/speakers can't tell the carrier wave from the electromagnetic pulse coming through the wire and so, they they they are getting a signal and try to reproduce the sound.

Believe it or not, it's no where as bad with the newer phones (like the atrix) like it was on some of the older, EDGE only phones. My old BlackBerry Curve (8300) would set off every computer speaker within 30 feet in the office when I got a txt message or incoming call!!

ouch I though I could exchange a new Atrix from the dealer, I guess I should just deal with these minor problems that everyone would come across...
sorry mate I really though I've got a defected phone, my apologies on raising a meaningless topic.

 

[WolfmanRobby]

It's not a meaningless topic. A lot of people don't even know about this since, for the last 2 or 3 years, most phones have been 3G, in areas with strong 3G signal.. or, on a CDMA carrier like Verizon or Sprint that does not have this problem.

There are some tricks, like wrapping the headphone cord around a small, ferrite magnet to help isolate the noise. (Google GSM signal speaker noise and you'll find a LOT of stuff on it including tips)

But, it's not your phone, it's the signal. Keep calling the carrier. I assume you are on AT&T? Try picking up a "MicroCell" on eBay.