Media volume control with Tasker & Gear 2

gear2_tasker_volume

This tutorial is for those who want to control the media volume on Android through their Gear 2. It can also be used without the Gear 2 part, if you are only interested in the tasks themselves.

First, make sure you were successful in getting Tasker to work with the Gear 2.
(I recommend getting that example app to run before continuing)

If you just want Volume Profiles to be triggered by Tasker, go to the bottom of this post!
If you want two separate buttons to increase/decrease the volume, follow these steps:

A task/app for increasing the media volume:

  1. Open Tasker and press the 3-dotted button on the top-right and select Preferences.
  2. Uncheck the Beginner Mode (or you won’t be able to set the level variables at step 6.)
  3. Create a new task and name it: Media Volume Increase.
  4. Press + and select Variables, then Variable set.
    • Name: %mediaVolume
    • To: %VOLM + 3
      (volume increases by 3, e.g. 0/15, 3/15, 6/15. you can change this if you want)
    • If: %VOLM < 15
  5. Back.
  6. Press + and select Audio, then Media Volume.
    • Level: %mediaVolume
    • Do not check Display or Sound unless you really want to (for a test).
  7. Back.
  8. Press + and select Alert, then Notify
    • Title: Volume increased to %VOLM/15
    • If%VOLM < 15
  9. Press + and select Alert, then Notify
    • TitleVolume at maximum! (%VOLM/15)
    • If%VOLM eq 15
  10. Back.
  11. Press + and select Alert, then Notify Cancel
    (to automatically remove the notifications on the phone so they don’t pile up)
  12. Back.
    Result
  13. Add the application icon (for the Gear 2) by using the button on the bottom-right.
  14. Back (you should be at the task list now).
  15. Press the 3-dotted button on the top-right and select Preferences.
  16. Check the Beginner Mode (or not, if you know how to export apps without).
  17. Back (to the task list).
  18. Press & hold Media Volume Increase -> 3-dotted button on the top-right -> Export.
    (make sure you have installed Tasker App Factory first or you won’t be able to export)
  19. After the export is done, press the Android robot icon on the bottom-right of the popup.
  20. Install the application.
  21. Open Gear Manager -> Notifications -> select Media Volume Increase.
    (make sure you turn on notifications in the manager for this to work. please see below)
  22. Gear Manager -> Samsung Apps -> Find and install LaunchGear.
  23. Open LaunchGear on the phone and add Media Volume Increase.
  24. Open LaunchGear on the Gear 2 and test out your new app.

If everything works fine, we can create the second app for the Gear 2:

A task/app for decreasing the media volume:

  1. Open Tasker and press the 3-dotted button on the top-right and select Preferences.
  2. Uncheck the Beginner Mode (or you won’t be able to set the level variables at step 6.)
  3. Create a new task and name it: Media Volume Decrease.
  4. Press + and select Variables, then Variable set.
    • Name%mediaVolume
    • To%VOLM – 3
      (volume decreases by 3, e.g. 6/15, 3/15, 0/15. you can change this if you want)
    • If%VOLM > 0
  5. Back.
  6. Press + and select Audio, then Media Volume.
    • Level%mediaVolume
    • Do not check Display or Sound unless you really want to (for a test).
  7. Back.
  8. Press + and select Alert, then Notify
    • TitleVolume decreased to %VOLM/15
    • If%VOLM < 15
      AND
    • If%VOLM > 0
  9. Press + and select Alert, then Notify
    • TitleVolume at minimum! (%VOLM/15)
    • If%VOLM eq 0
  10. Back.
  11. Press + and select Alert, then Notify Cancel
    (to automatically remove the notifications on the phone so they don’t pile up)
  12. Back
    Result
  13. Add the application icon (for the Gear 2) by using the button on the bottom-right.
  14. Back (you should be at the task list now).
  15. Press the 3-dotted button on the top-right and select Preferences.
  16. Check the Beginner Mode (or not, if you know how to export apps without).
  17. Back (to the task list).
  18. Press & hold Media Volume Decrease -> 3-dotted button on the top-right -> Export.
    (make sure you have installed Tasker App Factory first or you won’t be able to export)
  19. After the export is done, press the Android robot icon on the bottom-right of the popup.
  20. Install the application.
  21. Open Gear Manager -> Notifications -> select Media Volume Decrease.
    (make sure you turn on notifications in the manager for this to work. please see below)
  22. Gear Manager -> Samsung Apps -> Find and install LaunchGear.
  23. Open LaunchGear on the phone and add Media Volume Decrease.
  24. Open LaunchGear on the Gear 2 and test out your new app.

How to turn on notifications on the Gear 2:

  1. Open “Notifications” in Gear Manager
  2. Uncheck “Limit Notifications”
  3. Press on “0) More Notifications”
  4. Press “Turn On”
  5. Check the box next to “Gear Manager”
  6. Return to “Notifications” in Gear Manager
  7. Scroll down and check the boxes you want to receive notifications from

Check the [Guide] How to set up Galaxy Gear 2 for non Samsung devices for errors.

Volume profiles for the Gear 2:

  1. Install Volume Profile for tasker and create a profile called Outdoor (as an example).
  2. Edit the Settings of Volume Profile to disable vibration and sound on profile change.
  3. Open Tasker and create a new task and name it: Set outdoor volume profile.
  4. Press + and select Plugin, then Volume Profile -> Configuration: Outdoor.
  5. Back.
  6. Press + and select Alert, then Notify
    • TitleOutdoor profile set!
  7. Back.
  8. Press + and select Alert, then Notify Cancel
    (to automatically remove the notifications on the phone so they don’t pile up)
  9. Back.
  10. Add the application icon (for the Gear 2) by using the button on the bottom-right.
  11. Back (you should be at the task list now).
  12. Press & hold Set outdoor volume profile -> 3-dotted button on the top-right -> Export.
  13. After the export is done, press the Android robot icon on the bottom-right of the popup.
  14. Install the application.
  15. Open Gear Manager -> Notifications -> select Set outdoor volume profile.
    (make sure you turn on notifications in the manager for this to work. please see above)
  16. Gear Manager -> Samsung Apps -> Find and install LaunchGear.
  17. Open LaunchGear on the phone and add Set outdoor volume profile.
  18. Open LaunchGear on the Gear 2 and test out your new volume profile.

Yes, lots of steps but once you create 2-3 apps, everything will seem easier 🙂 Now enjoy your new apps for controlling your phone with your Gear 2 while going for a run!

Similar apps can now be easily created, for example: increasing/decreasing any other type of volumes on the phone (ringer, alarm, notifications, etc.) but the media volume should be the most useful. For complex alarm/ringer settings, use Volume profiles.

UPDATES:

  • 23.07.2014 – added steps to automatically remove the generated notifications on the phone using Tasker (step 11 for first two apps, step 8 for the last one).

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