Android app not working in background

Support
#1

I’m trying to use the android app on Chromeos but also need other apps to run at the same time - PDF reader and web browser, for instance. When I switch to other apps the app pauses. It seems like this is a flag which you can control - could you release a new version which will continue working while the app is not in focus?

Thanks you.

#2

Hey @itay.horev

Note there actually IS a version for Android that plays in the background… See this here: ProTip #28 - An Android version of Syrinscape that runs in the background

But note… there is some questionable performance for this one. I found the sound quickly broke up… Syrinscape does some pretty heavy audio processing. Give it a try anyway?

NOTE the info copied from our FAQ page:
Syrinscape uses the super powerful Unity engine for its 3D surround audio. At the moment that’s what’s stopping it from going into the background. Think of Syrinscape more as a fully fledged sequencer (like Garage Band = stops in the background) than a music player playing a single mp3! Often Syrinscape is playing back 20 or more sample simultaneously, each with dynamic positioning, reverb and even doppler effect. Performance and responsiveness becomes a BIG issue when processes go to low power mode, and there’s issues with keeping Unity running and not destroying the rest of the Tablets system, thus Unity (and hence Syrinscape) pauses atm. I have actually found it is best to have Syrinscape sitting open on the table in front of me so I can change Sounds with just a single touch. Just make sure you keep the screen brightness low-ish so as not to drain your battery.

ALSO: Remember you can sign in as you on up to three devices at once, so you might get one of your players to bring a tablet to devote to Syrinscape for the game, with the bonus that they will get to keep the sounds when they are home too. Just make sure you leave a chunk of time to download necessary content.

Does that all make sense?

That said, should it become possible to keep Syrinscape running in the background at some time in the future, be assured, we will DEFINITELY go for it! It’s something I would like too!

#3

Any news on this? I am testing out Syrinscape for an upcoming run of DoIP and I usually run most things off my Samsung Note10+ running in DeX mode to an external monitor which allows me to have multiple windows/apps open at the same time (upto 4) but everytime I “tab out” which is propably much the same as putting it in the background… it stops playing… I am guessing that this .apk that allows BG play, has not been updated in a while?

The other option I have would be to run Syrinscape native on the phone and then the rest on the external monitor… but this means keeping the screen on my phone on with the added battery drain, instead of just using the external monitor…

#4

We never really managed to get a build of the App that would run in the background and deliver good quality reliable sound.

  • some devices would break up as soon as the app went into the background
  • some devices would run for a while, but when the screen timed out, or the power mode was lowered the sound would break up

Sooo… after a long search we put that dream aside.

A better option really is to use the Online Player.

  • control Syrinscape from your phone or tab (the Master UI will happily go into the background
  • run the sound on a second device plugged into power and the speakers in the corner.

More details here: https://www.syrinscape.com/online/

Works?

#5

The online player works, but I want to reduce the amount of cable clutter and devices I need to run the session… and my Note10+ has no problem with running the custom apk linked here… happily runs in the background no issue. I am aware however that it would differ from device to device, how about a toggle in the settings with a warning stating that there could be issues with it running in the background?

I know that this is pretty much an edge-case, but one can dream :wink: