Android App Stops in Background

[wrnoof]

My Blackberry PRIV runs Marshmallow 6.0.1. Mezzmo App works great until I open another app and Mezzmo goes to background when Mezzmo stops. Is there a setting somewhere that tells the system to run this app in background mode?

Regards,
Bob

[Peter]

The android system may stop the Mezzmo app when it is in the background to free memory, are you using the app to play files on the Blackberry or are you using it as a controller to send files to a device?

[smitbret]

My Blackberry PRIV runs Marshmallow 6.0.1. Mezzmo App works great until I open another app and Mezzmo goes to background when Mezzmo stops. Is there a setting somewhere that tells the system to run this app in background mode?

Regards,
Bob

Same phone, same OS version. If you mean that Mezzmo closes completely then I am not able to duplicate the issue. I still have the Mezzmo symbol at the top of the screen in the status bar and it appears in my list of opened programs when I hit the <Square>.

[wrnoof]

The android system may stop the Mezzmo app when it is in the background to free memory, are you using the app to play files on the Blackberry or are you using it as a controller to send files to a device?


smitbret - The Mezzmo app stays open as you describe. It just stops playing the music. I'm usuually driving when this happens.

Peter - Hi again. I am using the app as a server to play music on my phone with the same phone as a device. The phone then connects to my car stereo via bluetooth. This also occurs when I use the phone/app as a music server to my home devices such as my receiver. I have not experienced this when using the app as a controller for my PC Mezzmo, but have not used it much that way. So, I'm not sure I want to rule out the controller mode just yet.

[wrnoof]

I tried the phone in controller mode, streaming music from my PC to our home stereo using a Wi-Fi connection. The Mezzmo App worked well when in the background. I suspect this problem might be related to other problems Marshmallow is reported to have with bluetooth and not to the Android App. I think I'll wait until BT and Marshmallow issues are fixed before I pursue this further.
Regards,
Bob

[smitbret]

I tried the phone in controller mode, streaming music from my PC to our home stereo using a Wi-Fi connection. The Mezzmo App worked well when in the background. I suspect this problem might be related to other problems Marshmallow is reported to have with bluetooth and not to the Android App. I think I'll wait until BT and Marshmallow issues are fixed before I pursue this further.
Regards,
Bob

I think I know exactly what you are talking about. I have had some weird issues like that with my Chevy Equinox and a couple of bluetooth speakers that usually isn't solved until I turn the bluetooth off and back on. Sometimes I have to delete the device from my list of devices and re-pair.

[wrnoof]

I put this thread on hold and am now taking it off hold. After paying more attention to its behavior, I report, when using the Android app as a controller for my home system and PC server, it reliably stops playing after every music file if the app is in the background. It will start playing again if I bring the app to the front. When I drag down the top of the phone screen, the banner notification says "No device has been selected. Please . . ." and "No File Selected". Tapping the > in the banner changes "No File Selected" to the name of the last file played but nothing plays. Haven't tried tapping twice. "No device has been selected" remains in the banner. Tapping the main part of the banner brings the app back up and my receiver reappears as the selected device. With the app open, tapping > in the "now playing" tab starts the previous song again.

I would like to be able to run this app in background. Any suggestions?

Bob

[wrnoof]

smitbret -
I think this bluetooth issue is definitely a Marshmallow problem. My phone won't stay connected in my car and playing music in my car is a real problem whether trying to use Mezzmo android or the built-in Google Play Music app. The phone issue is widely reported on other web sites. I'm just waiting for the next Android update to get pushed out. As for turning BT off and on, not something I like to mess with while driving.
Bob

[Peter]

I can reproduce the issue of the songs stopping playing after each one when the app is in the background so we will investigate to see what is happening.

[wrnoof]

Cool. I think your technical support is simply the best.
Bob

[Peter]

I tested again today and the problem did not happen, the next song played while the app was in the background. What is probably happening is that when the Android system needs to free some memory it is killing the apps in the background and when the broadcast intent to play the next song is received the device is not set yet as the app is restarting. I will try running a more memory intensive app while the Mezzmo app is in the background to try and test this.

[wrnoof]

Thanks. Am interested in what you discover.
Bob

[Peter]

We can reproduce the problem reliably now but are still investigating how to fix it.

[Peter]

I think we have fixed it, we will release an update of the beta app today for you to try.

[wrnoof]

The update is installed. Will try it out and get back to you. May have to wait until I return from a trip away from home.
Bob

[wrnoof]

Have been using the update for about two hours and it works as intended. Thanks. Be confident I'll let you know if any problems pop up.
Bob

[Peter]

glad to hear it, thanks for letting us know.