It’s described in the wiki with that requirement, it’s a special subset of issues. Yes, it’s community based and anyone may add stuff. But to make sure the list is of quality it should be reproducible, as the title says of the wiki. It should also be reported to support, because of the reasons explained in the text on the wiki. And yes, it’s nothing official.
To avoid a long discussion, yes, there may be very well something here to dive in deeper. But this topic is already marked as solved when using another recording app that’s not unmaintained for almost 10 years.
If there is an issue that more clearly can describe the root cause based on fair troubleshooting and communication with FP support and in this case the app developers, then that sounds like a great addition to the wiki. I’m doubting now if this particular topic meets the criteria.
But this report wasn’t about the native FP recorder, right? You used 2 apps, one worked, and the very old one didn’t. Why that is is very important. Is it because that old app simply doesn’t include proper support? Because that’s not something FP can or should fix.
The native FP recorder is indeed useless. And it indeed doesn’t have the option to use other recording devices, but the issue you report here isn’t about that.
I don’t want to sound like “that guy”, I know I do. But in the scope of what you reported the issue seems fixed. Is it an issue FP can fix for more similar issues? That’s also unclear.
I’ll leave the issue in the wiki. It’s a community effort. I personally see it as unfit to be on the list, as defined in the wiki itself.
The report wasn’t about a specific recorder, it was about getting bad audio quality when recording with an USB device.
That’s why I marked it as fixed in the wiki yesterday.
And if you look at the title and the first post, this is still a reproducible issue. When using an USB device to record audio and you use the native recorder app you get bad quality. Solution: use another recording app (but not Rehearsal Assistant).
So from my standpoint the issue…
is a Fairphone App
was reported
is reproducible
And please, if this is upsetting to you just edit/delete the wiki.
I am absolutely ok with that.
With reproducible it’s meant that the issue persists and is clearly defined on how to reproduce it. You are reporting that one app didn’t work, and another one did. How can FP improve that? Besides advising what you already did, which is to install another app. In that sense we can add any app related issue to that list of issues and when another app does better we can mark it as solved. The wiki will then lose its meaning and value.
You now have shifted your argument towards the native FP app. Which everyone can agree is useless. But it cannot even select its input device. Not from Bluetooth, let alone from USB. It can only accept audio from it’s builtin mics. So I don’t see why you mention that app. Does it need improvement? Yes. But then the report should be that it lacks support for input channel selection and that the quality is too low. That’s not your topic here.
I won’t delete it. I would’ve expected from you to understand the reasoning behind it and you would remove it yourself as you also added it. I won’t put myself in the position of dictating what should be on there or not. The wiki itself and the title clearly define what should be included, such a community effort only works with a community that can maintain it. If anyone in the future agrees, then they may delete it. Which likely won’t happen. I hope it won’t set the trend of adding these kind of issues to the list. Because like I said, it has then lost its meaning and value.
Fairphone can improve the situation by providing a decent native recording app.
It is clearly defined how to reproduce the issue: Use an USB device with an audio input and Fairphone 4’s native recording app and you get bad audio. That’s exactly what I encountered. To doublecheck the issue I tried another recording app that always had worked perfectly for me so I didn’t expect it to be bad on the Fairphone. I mentioned this other app for the first time in this thread in my sixth post – because unfortunately I deemed it unimportant. I am definitely not shifting my argument.
For me the argument has always been: record something via usb and you get bad audio. Solution: Don’t use the native recorder – try different other recording apps. If it is so commonly known that the native recorder is that bad, someone could have mentioned it here.
Here you are assuming something – it is wrong. I thoroughly tested this. If I use an USB device to record with the native app it definitely switches to the external input. The internal mic is then not picking up any sound.
Here in Germany we have a saying: Der Klügere gibt nach
I delete the issue in the wiki because it now is explained and discussed in detail here. If anyone searches for similar issues they will find the solution easily.
But the point is, that your topic and marked solution are not about the native recording app. That’s why I have to put myself in this position of a difficult person, which I really don’t like. If you created an issue about something that FP can really fix, then by all means it has it’s place in wiki if it’s reproducible and reported to FP support. And then of course, wait for FP to solve it. Don’t mark it as solved by going into a direction that doesn’t affect FPs sphere of influence by going for a 3rd party app.
I don’t know any German, but since we both know English I will bring up the Internet meme culture saying of “hold my beer”. I’ll create a specific issue about the native recorder app. In that sense, it’s really something FP can work with.
If you leave your new suggested title here, improve your initial topic to really specify the native Sound Recorder app from FP with the version number, then I’m sure it will be much more clear that it’s really about FP and not 3rd party apps. Also don’t forget to mark the topic as unsolved. The 3rd party apps are more like workarounds. Which can be updated as such in the wiki.
Also don’t forget the other things I mentioned, such as updating the text of the topic to zoom in on the specifics relevant to FP issues such as FP OS release, app version number and unmark the topic here as solved. Then it’s great! Sorry if I come across as difficult or anything like that. I don’t mean to be like that, it just helps the community a lot if these are noted so we can better track progress.
Seems like they release only major version numbers for the Sound Recorder, it’s just version 12. Maybe with adb more details can be exposed, but it’s fine to note 12. The FP OS build is FP4.SP1Y.B.041.20230109 (Android 12 January update).
[…]
I’m sorry you are experiencing problems with recording on your Fairphone 4, but I have read a bit of your thread and I’m happy to hear you were able to solve your issue.
Thank you for your input! We will make sure to forward these ideas internally regarding the native recording app!
If this is something we would take into consideration for the future or if we would like to ask some more questions, someone from the relevant department will reach out to you.
[…]
My personal conclusion for now: If you want audio recordings with reasonable quality DO NOT use Fairphone 4’s native recording app.
I found two free audio recording apps that work quite well. They are both having the same simple name ‘Audio Recorder’ and are available on F-Droid or Play Store.
Audio Recorder (F-Droid and Play Store)
Important Settings all in one place. This is probably what I will use most of the time.
Audio Recorder (F-Droid and Play Store)
A bit more complex. Option to record unprocessed. Bluetooth and internal audio selectable. The recorder for special tasks.
