Gravity - 3.5 and Carplay first impressions

[dbsb3233]

I think I tried that as I have a SXM sub through another car. Worked for a while and then it started barking about the trial was over and asking for a new subscription to be setup in the Gravity.

Even though it's really just a glorified cellular Android app there, it is behaving like the satellite radio model and wanting one subscription per vehicle.

Yeah, that's unfortunate. Not that another $5.99 subscription is bad, which I was gonna do anyway, but free is better.

But with Android Auto now, it isn't really needed since I get it there. The interface isn't as good for changing channels, but I may just stick with that anyway since my phone cell signal is better than the car's.

If the car had a real SXM antenna, I'd definitely get it's own subscription. But alas, another compromise.

 

[eelpout]

If the car had a real SXM antenna, I'd definitely get it's own subscription. But alas, another compromise.

was driving recently in the Sierras around Lake Tahoe. There was no cell service and FM radio was limited. So, i used a $20 AM radio to listen to "realtime podcasting" . (when I was tired of downloaded podcasts).

I'm not sure why Lucid decided not to use actual satellite radio, but IMO that was a mistake.

 

[9.81ms2]

check out IHeartradio as an alternative to SXM.

 

[dbsb3233]

check out IHeartradio as an alternative to SXM.

That requires internet connectivity too though.

The problem isn't SXM as an audio source, it's no antenna included in the car to receive the SXM satellite signal when there's no internet.

When you have internet, none of this is a problem. All the streaming options work fine IF you're getting consistent/dependable internet.

 

[tmichael]

That requires internet connectivity too though.

The problem isn't SXM as an audio source, it's no antenna included in the car to receive the SXM satellite signal when there's no internet.

When you have internet, none of this is a problem. All the streaming options work fine IF you're getting consistent/dependable internet.

Just attach a Starlink to the top of your car - you never lose the internet!

 

[dbsb3233]

Just attach a Starlink to the top of your car - you never lose the internet!

I do on road trips (inside window, not outside). Not worth it for shorter drives around home though. Plus it kinda gets in the way, since it has to be mounted to the side window rather than the roof glass (the Gravity's metallic coating blocks the signal). Otherwise I'd probably just leave it permanently mounted inside to the furthest-back part of the roof glass since I don't have the 3rd row. But alas.

The good news is that my phone (Mint Mobile on the T-Mobile network) seems to get a much better signal than the car's internal AT&T receiver. So I'm mostly listening to SXM thru AA now. I just wish AA had a better way to change SXM channels. I can't get it to only switch between favorites.

It's all about compromises.

 

[Spaceiscoolright]

I assume it's cellular break-up, happens with the Lucid native stuff. Getting that a bit driving in the mountains at the moment with Pocketcast.

Try downloading music in an app with CarPlay and see if it still happens.

I download my podcasts and audiobooks on spotify and it still pauses. JUST on Spotify. Not on Audible or Libby. So I have no idea if it's a spotify or Lucid problem, but someone on here had said something about it pausing when switching cell towers. I emailed their software support and never got a reply. Anyone have this issue and have it resolved? Or do I just take it in to the service center and make a stink?

 

[Ludicrous]

Anyone else having issues where music keeps pausing with CarPlay? I’m using Spotify. I silenced phone notifications and don’t think it’s service dropping, so basically don’t know why it keeps happening

Same on my Air. It's very annoying and I've tried self-diagnosing from a software perspective but isn't any user interaction triggers (iWatch/iPhone) that is causing this. We should be able to rule the cell tower switching hypothesis out as well, as my playlists are downloaded and played without issues in areas with no cell reception.

Oddly enough, I noticed it would happen when I drive over a bumpy road/pothole (pretty severe shake on 21") so I suspect the right steering wheel button that plays/pauses music is being triggered. It's a long stretch but I'm all outta ideas, besides this being a CarPlay/Android Auto bug.

 

[prgarg]

Could it be some notification coming through that causes the phone to pause the audio?

 

[mfdutra]

All my pausing problem went away after logging out from Spotify in the car app. The car app was fighting with the phone app.

 

[DeaneG]

All my pausing problem went away after logging out from Spotify in the car app. The car app was fighting with the phone app.

Spotify is very strict about having only one stream going per user login.

 

[mfdutra]

Yeah, and they synchronize what you're playing everywhere, including pauses. My account is logged in several places, like my phone, iPad, Sonos (several speakers), TV, etc. It all works fine, but somehow the car app doesn't play well along with the phone one. Interestingly, both my phone and the car infotainment are Android.

In fact, last time I rented a Tesla (new Model Y on Turo), their Spotify app had the same problem.

 

[DeaneG]

Yeah, and they synchronize what you're playing everywhere, including pauses. My account is logged in several places, like my phone, iPad, Sonos (several speakers), TV, etc. It all works fine, but somehow the car app doesn't play well along with the phone one. Interestingly, both my phone and the car infotainment are Android.

In fact, last time I rented a Tesla (new Model Y on Turo), their Spotify app had the same problem.

We can't run two Spotify streams from the same login concurrently from anywhere - Lucid, Volvo, phone, home smart speakers. Just one stream.

 

[dbsb3233]

Spotify is very strict about having only one stream going per user login.

I tried Spotify for a while but it kept freezing up on ads on the Gravity interface. I finally had enough and gave up. Was getting tired of the same playlist songs repeating anyway (maybe there's much bigger playlists that I just did find yet, first time I've tried using Spotify).

Now I'm running SXM through AA (using my subscription from our Macan that has real SXM). The interface isn't ideal, but then neither is the Gravity's SXM interface. It's a constant battle of workarounds and settling. But I think I finally found a method that I can live with. My Mint (T-Mobile network) phone signal is way better than the car's AT&T signal, so the frequent drops are finally gone. That's a big improvement right there. Although I still long for the days of just getting in the car and having it pick up where I left off without having to futz around with it first.

 

[Jorge]

Car Play just suddenly disappeared. Car Play remains enabled on the phone and phone and car remain connected. Any suggestings as to how to proceed?

 

[9point81]

Car Play just suddenly disappeared. Car Play remains enabled on the phone and phone and car remain connected. Any suggestings as to how to proceed?

Disconnect your phone. Turn off wifi and bluetooth and then turn them back on after a few seconds. Give it a few more seconds and then hit the CarPlay icon on top of the Gravity screen. Should reconnect then.

 

[DeaneG]

Car Play just suddenly disappeared. Car Play remains enabled on the phone and phone and car remain connected. Any suggestings as to how to proceed?

Did you try touching the carplay icon on the top of the car's screen?

 

[mikevfi]

I download my podcasts and audiobooks on spotify and it still pauses. JUST on Spotify. Not on Audible or Libby. So I have no idea if it's a spotify or Lucid problem, but someone on here had said something about it pausing when switching cell towers. I emailed their software support and never got a reply. Anyone have this issue and have it resolved? Or do I just take it in to the service center and make a stink?

Spotify pause got worse with CarPlay, one solution was to buy a high speed usb c cable, save your money that didn’t work. Anyone else got ideas I prefer Spotify to Apple Music way better at searches

 

[dbsb3233]

Spotify pause got worse with CarPlay, one solution was to buy a high speed usb c cable, save your money that didn’t work. Anyone else got ideas I prefer Spotify to Apple Music way better at searches

Are you actually playing Spotify thru Carplay (which runs on your phone), or the Spotify app on the center screen of the car? I don't really have any help either way, but before anyone might be able to help it's important to know which Spotify you're running.

 

[Jorge]

Disconnect your phone. Turn off wifi and bluetooth and then turn them back on after a few seconds. Give it a few more seconds and then hit the CarPlay icon on top of the Gravity screen. Should reconnect then.

Thank you and DeaneG for the suggestions. I did not see the icon you and he suggested (maybe I'm looking in the wrong place?), but when I sorted to the phone on the control panel launcher it gave me the option to toggle on CarPlay.