Voice records on pixel 4a are somtimes truncated

[c-key]

I have from time to time the problem that voice records on a pixel 4a are truncated. I start a voice record and after I finish my message and click the attach button, it could happens that the recorded voice message which was send, is truncated for some seconds. The seconds varies between 1 and 5. And not all recorded voice messages are affected. But I can not find a specific behaviour when it will happens. Any Idea or workaround?

[Millesimus]

I can confirm this error from a third-party source (up to 20 seconds got truncated).

[paskalito]

@licaon-kter So as it turned out this logcat thing is really easy - getting personal info out - not so much.

anyway: logcat5.txt

and from today this is where it happened 4 times in a row: logcat2.txt

both of these are with 2.10.10+free Android 12 LOS 19 // 19-20220913-NIGHTLY-enchilada Oneplus 6

Sometimes i think it happens more Often when i am offline - but i think this is not so very much of qualified info..

PS. just saw its nowhere mentioned - this but got introduced for me with android 12 / LOS 19. On Android 11 / LOS 18.1 i never had the issue.

@c-key @Millesimus Do you have this issue also only on Android 12?

[licaon-kter]

@paskalito if you join the support channel maybe you can test the latest code, PM me

[paskalito]

How can i pm you?

[licaon-kter]

In Conversations, join this channel: [email protected] then long press my avatar...

[paskalito]

It happens also with the apk you provided.. :/

[paskalito]

Can you see anything suspicious in the logs? Or do they look like everything is fine?

Because if so, maybe i need to talk to the lineage OS people instead?

[paskalito]

As this is a highly frustrating bug to me, since it means that i can never trust any voice recording i do, to actually be complete. Requires me to check the seconds count on every recording, and in all the broken cases to re listen them, and re-record the missing parts, i went out of my way to install loads of xmpp or other voice recording messaging clients and test on the issue:

Conversations > has the issue myConversations3 (apk from licaon) > has the issue choegram > has the issue (but it was harder to proc ( it also uploads the adio first before it's showing the "player ui")) blabber.im > has the issue

atalk > works Deltachat > works conversations legacy with recording plugin > works conversatoins legacy with system recording > works

i guess that's it, i would read from that results, that the issue is in conversations and not in LOS. My fix for now is to record every voice message with conversations legacy. that's still annoying but WAY less. since whenever i don't forget on using it it works. - i'm not quiet sure what other implications it has - i did not see/get a video someone sent me, because it was only displayed in legacy, and in legacy i cannot see all the texts that a exchanged. < that's the implications i found so far.

@iNPUTmice could you maybe have a look on the logs? And or tell me what else i could to to fix this issue?

[paskalito]

Do i understand correctly, that in order to "setting the codec to AAC" i would need to A: build Conversations myself B1: find some build instructions to change the codec B2: find the code within conversations responsible for setting the codecs?

[licaon-kter]

Not sure that is the issue exactly,

[paskalito]

Input mice mentioned this (as the main difference between legacy and c3) - but i see the comment is gone/deleted?

[licaon-kter]

Right, saw it too, hence I think he reconsidered.

[paskalito]

Update:

In blabber there is an Option for alternate audio codec for voice messages it does not help meanwhile I had the Problem 2 Times also in Conversations legacy (which is maybe 2-4% of the times (way better then 50%)

And a friend got a new Phone Andorid 11 Volla Phone X (Volla OS, AOSP based - without google) Using Conversations having the issue all along.

[paskalito]

Issue Presists on: OnePlus 6, LOS 20, Android 13

Is there anything i can do to generate more logs/Insights?

[paskalito]

Also i just confirmed the Issue with the Following configuration:

Pixel 4a (with google)
Android 13
Quicksy 2.10.8+ Playstore
quicksi.im account.

Which kind of defeats my idea to test a playstore version of Conversations on my phone..

[paskalito]

I Have some actual new and interesting insight. Since i changed about everything and it did not help. (apart from legacy) i remembered the one thing i did not change/do not control: the server: ( 5222.de (Prosody 0.12.1) )

Now i have a chat with an jabber-germany.de (Prosody 0.12.2) to quicksi.im (ejabberd 22.10-1~bpo11+1) Account, with ~30 Voice messages over several Days, with no Major cut off and about 2-3 3s cut off (from both sides). Which is a) way better and b) closer to what the openers of this ticket described. (as with for me it chopped of far longer parts far more often)

All of this is with OP6 LOS 20 Android 13 Conversations 2.10.10+free

With the issue in its severe form still continues to exist between two 5222.de accounts.

I started to get in contact with 5222.de they were wondering if there are any checks on filesizelimits, etc. sent to the server before uploading. And would be interested in the accompanying code.

[blauertee]

This is still a major issue for me when using Conversations. Please try to fix this :)

I've no deep understanding of the XMPP protocol and OMEMO encryption, but the last comment suggest that this might be a server side issue. Would it even be posssible for the server to cut off part of the file when it's encrypted via omemo without currupting it? If not, this regularly happens with encrypted voice messages in my chats, so then it's definetly an issue with Conversaions.

[paskalito]

@blauertee

1. i remember arounf the time you wrote this post, i had quiet severe issues again with it. you too?
2. What, Hardware and Software (also Server) do you have in Use?

I know of this issue with:

• Oneplus 6 LOS Android 12 and 13
• Pixel 4a Stock Android 13
• Vollaphone X Stock
• Oukitel WP12 Pro Stock (i Think Android 11)

@licaon-kter so maybe we can also change the title of this tickets to "Voice records are somtimes truncated on some devices" ?

[licaon-kter]

https://codeberg.org/iNPUTmice/Conversations/pulls/192/files some devices maybe were fixed in latest 2.13.4 ?

[paskalito]

@licaon-kter Thanks a Million!!!!!!! I had 2 complete messages in a row yesterday already, (and was suspicious) But now i did ~20 tests with various lengths. on my Oneplus 6 and they ALL Suceeded!!

I cannot really believe it yet, because there was so much constant worry with this (and also the getting used to the unconsitency). I will continue to test, and report back!

meanwhile: can i do anything to get the other affected devices into the exceptions as well? (how to find the correct handles)?

[licaon-kter]

@p42ity ^^^ can you guide?

[p42ity]

Hi @paskalito,

many thanks for your feedback. I had to send hundreds of example messages to identify AAC-settings that have a very high success probability.

My pull request contains a section where devices can be listed which seems to have this problem. The set in the file: src/main/java/eu/siacs/conversations/ui/RecordingActivity.java

You can identify the file here: https://codeberg.org/iNPUTmice/Conversations/pulls/192/files

I listed the devices for which I found issue reports in github or codeberg with the respective link where it was reported.

You simply need to add a line like: .add("Pixel 4a") in the respective section. You need to enter the build.MODEL name of the affected device (instead of "Pixel 4a"). You can find the name in the right column on this page: https://storage.googleapis.com/play_public/supported_devices.html

So: If you are aware of other devices with the same problem, it would be great to know.

@licaon-kter : Thanks for mentioning me. I might have missed this message.

[p42ity]

@blauertee

I've no deep understanding of the XMPP protocol and OMEMO encryption, but the last comment suggest that this might be a server side issue. Would it even be posssible for the server to cut off part of the file when it's encrypted via omemo without currupting it? If not, this regularly happens with encrypted voice messages in my chats, so then it's definetly an issue with Conversaions.

When I tried to solve this issue I also tested other open source apps using Android MediaRecorder library. This issue also appeared using other apps (like RecordYou for example).

Since this issue happens sporadically I think the server does not really influence this behaviour.

Would be great to know, which device you are currently using.

If you are using a Fairphone 4, OnePlus 6, OnePlus 6T or Pixel 4a you should try the latest Conversations version. If you are using another device, please tell us what you are using.

[paskalito]

@p42ity Thanks so much for the answer. The "file" i already found but only Halfway understood.

I used the google link you provided to identify the other 2 Devices i know have this issue. And i think this would be the correct lines to add:

.add("WP12 Pro")        // Oukitel WP12 Pro https://github.com/iNPUTmice/Conversations/issues/4223
.add("GX290")            // Gigaset GX290 / Volla Phone X https://github.com/iNPUTmice/Conversations/issues/4223

can you commit this to conversations master? (The owner of these devices i know are highly untecnical, and i would not now how to test this otherwise)

also thank you SO MUCH - for putting all this time into this issue, finally fixing it!

[blauertee]

I am on a Pixel 4a as well.

[p42ity]

@paskalito : Are you sure, that GX290 is the build.MODEL for the volla phone? I know that volla uses Gigaset HW but I am not quite sure whether the build.MODEL is exactly the same. By the way: You can contact me via xmpp (if you want to): p42ity [at] eversten [dot] me

[p42ity]

@paskalito : I contacted Volla and asked for the exact build.MODEL for the Volla X via mail. I will inform you as soon as I get an answer.

[p42ity]

@paskalito : Just for your info, I added a PR for Conversations (and also monocles chat): https://codeberg.org/iNPUTmice/Conversations/pulls/214 https://codeberg.org/monocles/monocles_chat/pulls/160 If they are accepted, it would be helpful to get feedback from your friends.

[p42ity]

@paskalito, @blauertee : It seems as if this problem has been introduced with Android 12. I think that

• MediaRecorder has a bug or
• the firmware of specific devices does not properly work with Android 12/13.

I created an issue at Google. If you want to add a comment which might be helpful, you can add it here: https://issuetracker.google.com/issues/330368703

The current solution in Conversations is a workaround which enhances the probability to not truncate messages. The success rate is nearly 100% for the Fairphone 4 and a bit lower for the other devices. But I do not think that Conversations can solve this issue (the only solution would be to not use MediaRecorder).

The issue also exists with other apps using MediaRecorder (like monocles chat and RecordYou).