TuneIn vs. FM radio

[sealbeach100d]

Hello,
I'm debating doing the MCU1 to MCU2 upgrade. I realize FM (& AM/XFM) goes away with the update. A lot of people say you can get (most) FM channels that are local to you on TuneIn
So, I did a bit of testing.
What I found out is, if I add a local FM station on TuneIn (make it a Favorite), it is also added to the Radio FM side. And, vice-versa. If I add it on the Radio FM side, it also shows up in TuneIn.
So, my question is for those of you that have already done the MCU1 to MCU2 upgrade, are you able to find most/all of your favorite local FM stations on TuneIn after the Radio FM feature is removed? Like the FM stations you used to listen to pre-Tesla.
It sorta looks like (to me) that Radio FM & TuneIn are tied together (when I add a station in one, it shows up in the other, and when I delete a station in one, it gets removed from the other).
Thanks!

 

[Akikiki]

Yes.

 

[brkaus]

There are some stations that only exist on radio.com.

it’s going to depend on what you listen to.

 

[sealbeach100d]

Thanks for the replies.
Basically, I have around 7 favorite local FM stations, and all of them are unavailable on TuneIn (by testing on my laptop).
brkaus - I'm kinda new to this - is there a way I can listen to radio.com on the Tesla, other than using it via an internet connection?
That appears to be pretty awkward just to list to FM radio stuff.
I sure with Tesla would at least offer the digital FM tuner as an option when going from MCU1 to MCU2.

 

[Akikiki]

FM/XM Radio for the MCU2 Upgrade | TeslaTap

Honolulu SC just completed my MCU2 Upgrade

MCU1 > MCU2 Upgrade Completed - O. M. Goodness | Tesla

 

[sealbeach100d]

Thanks Akikiki.
I had read your 2nd & 3rd threads, but not the recent FM tuner info parts. The first thread has some great info. At least I know enough to know I'm not skilled enough to try the upgrade to the digital FM tuner myself + getting the service center's help.

On the plus side, I remember when Tesla said there wasn't a path from MCU1 to MCU2. Now there is. Maybe down the road Tesla will offer the digital tuner upgrade for those that still want their FM. I may hold off on doing the MCU2 upgrade for a while & see what happens.

Best of luck to your FM tuner install project. I, like others, enjoy reading your about your projects. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.
Especially when you're not even that interested in the FM.

 

[Akikiki]

... Maybe down the road Tesla will offer the digital tuner upgrade for those that still want their FM.

I agree. I think it would move that along if people got up on social media where Elon see it and talked about it. Tell him they want it. Else how would he know folks are disappointed about it? I am pretty sure we will not see a post here from him.

And thank you.

 

[brkaus]

brkaus - I'm kinda new to this - is there a way I can listen to radio.com on the Tesla, other than using it via an internet connection?

I think the radio.com app on a phone that is Bluetooth connected to the car. Not ideal.

 

[Akikiki]

@brkaus, this might help, but I don't know how to test. I think the module in the new MCU is Bluetooth 5.0

Assuming of course that any phone connects better to car's BT.

 

[bob_p]

TuneIn provides access to some of the AM/FM stations, with program blackouts when live sports are broadcast (which isn't a problem during the current crisis).

TuneIn Premium would provide more access, but isn't supported on Tesla.

Adding additional apps (radio.com, iheart, XM) with the necessary subscriptions would provide an almost complete replacement for the programming available with the MCU1 AM/FM/HD/XM radio.

Unless Tesla either adds those apps (including premium/subscription support) or the long-promised screen mirroring support (integrating smartphone apps to MCU2), the fallback is to use smartphone apps over BT and using the smartphone display to control those apps, something which is illegal in many areas.

Or - Tesla could add the MCU2 radio upgrade with a higher priced Infotainment Upgrade or Tesla could support 3rd party MCU2 radio upgrades (by updating the vehicle configuration and covering the vehicle under warranty after the upgrade).

 

[sealbeach100d]

bob_p - If you have a moment, would check something for me?
On my MCU1 car, any FM station I make a Favorite, via Radio, it also shows up under Tunein. In fact, if I un-Favorite an FM station via Tunein, it also is removed from the Radio FM list. It's like they are tied together.
Now, if I go to my Tunein account via my laptop, none of my local FM stations will play. Tunein says (via audio) that the particular station has been removed & even offers a replacement station (not a local FM station).
I'm concerned that if I update to MCU2 I will not have any access to any local FM stations.
All the Tunein stations that are not local FM stations do work fine on my Tesla (under Tunein) & my laptop.
Would you try either adding a Radio FM station & seeing if that station now shows up in Tunein?
Or, removing a local FM station from Tunein & then seeing if it is removed from the Radio app?
Thanks!

 

[Akikiki]

@sealbeach100d, my MCU2 upgraded S sees and plays more than a dozen local FM stations. Our market is a pretty limited broadcast circle since we are on an island. But, I see all our popular FM - let me say it another way too, I don't recognize any local FM stations missing from my S media controls. And I have no working FM radio.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

bob_p - If you have a moment, would check something for me?
On my MCU1 car, any FM station I make a Favorite, via Radio, it also shows up under Tunein. In fact, if I un-Favorite an FM station via Tunein, it also is removed from the Radio FM list. It's like they are tied together.
Now, if I go to my Tunein account via my laptop, none of my local FM stations will play. Tunein says (via audio) that the particular station has been removed & even offers a replacement station (not a local FM station).
I'm concerned that if I update to MCU2 I will not have any access to any local FM stations.
All the Tunein stations that are not local FM stations do work fine on my Tesla (under Tunein) & my laptop.
Would you try either adding a Radio FM station & seeing if that station now shows up in Tunein?
Or, removing a local FM station from Tunein & then seeing if it is removed from the Radio app?
Thanks!

I typically only listen to one FM station in my MCU1 car and it is not available on TuneIn since it is a Radio.com station. If I toggle over to TuneIn, I only see some podcasts that I have added to my favorites. I tried adding several other FM stations as favorites. They were shown as Radio favorites but they weren't listed in the TuneIn favories when I toggled to TuneIn. I tried adding stations as Favorites in TuneIn and they did not appear as Radio favorites.

 

[sealbeach100d]

Thanks Akikiki & MorrisonHiker.
I can't figure out why my Radio & Tunein apps in my Tesla act differently than yours.
MorrisonHiker - if you go to Tunein, pull your menu all the way up to the top & then lower it to almost 2 inches from the bottom, do your Radio station now show in the Tunein menu? That's how I can see my Tunein FM stations.
Kinda odd, but I appreciate the inputs.
Akikiki - do your local FM stations on Tunein show icons that are similar to the icons for the various Tunein stations (not local FM stations you added)?

LOL! I feel like Columbo trying to figure this out!

 

[drklain]

@sealbeach100d Might be easier if you post a picture of what you are talking about...

 

[sealbeach100d]

Good idea drklain.
If this works OK, 1st pic = Tunein the lowered top row being my local FM stations, and the 2nd row being Tunein stations. You can see the Tunein stations have images on the selection buttons, while the local FM stations only have station numbers on the buttons.

The 2nd pic shows the Tesla Radio button/app list of stations across the top row that are exactly the same as the Tunein top row. The list below the top row buttons are the same as the buttons, only in a list format.

This is my first time uploading pictures, and on my laptop I have to click the thumbnail picture image at the bottom of each picture for the picture to show up correctly.
Go figure.

 

[MorrisonHiker]

Good idea drklain.
If this works OK, 1st pic = Tunein the lowered top row being my local FM stations, and the 2nd row being Tunein stations. You can see the Tunein stations have images on the selection buttons, while the local FM stations only have station numbers on the buttons.

The 2nd pic shows the Tesla Radio button/app list of stations across the top row that are exactly the same as the Tunein top row. The list below the top row buttons are the same as the buttons, only in a list format.

This is my first time uploading pictures, and on my laptop I have to click the thumbnail picture image at the bottom of each picture for the picture to show up correctly.
Go figure.

I think you are just seeing both the radio favorites (on top) and the TuneIn favorites (under the word Favorites) at the same time. If you click on the numbered stations, doesn't it just use the radio to play them? If you actually add them as a TuneIn favorite, they would appear at the bottom with the other TuneIn favorites.

When I slide things up or down, I only see one or the other. The TuneIn window starts covering the radio and Favorites up top.

 

[Akikiki]

@sealbeach100d, Yes, And my local stations look the same on my car as they do in TuneIn on my phone.
I no longer have local stations on a FM radio.

 

[sealbeach100d]

Akikiki I just added Tunein to my phone. And, I get the exact same features on the phone as in my laptop - my 7 FM favorites are no longer supported/works with Tunein. WHen I tap on one of my FM favorites it plays for 30 seconds & tells me this station is not available via Tunein & to check in with the FM station to request them to add themselves to Tunein.
So, I guess what I'm seeing on my laptop & now my phone is pretty much how it works in my Tesla (none of FM favorite stations are available), and they are standard FM stations that I get in my wife's & son's cars.
When I'm in Tunein on the Tesla & select one of the local FM stations I added I believe it just plays the FM station from the Tesla Radio app (not via Tunein).
At least now I know.
Guess I have to decide how badly I want that MCU2....
I sure hope your FM Digital tuner surgery goes well & it all works. That would be a huge step in hopefully Tesla offering the digital tuner as an option in going from MCU1 to MCU2.

MorrisonHiker - yes, also to me it looks like the top row of FM Favories I see in the Tunein Tesla app are from the Radio Tesla app.
In fact, if I un-favorite a FM station while in Radio, it also disappears from Tunein.
Also, I first got those FM favorites on Tunein by adding them in Tunein on my laptop & then signing into Tunein on the Tesla.
I believe you are correct that what I'm seeing at top of Tunein on the Tesla is actually Radio FM stations.
However, on my Tunein Favorites list, i do not have any local FM station below the Tunein selected stations on the Favories Menu.

So, basically, the local FM stations I listen to (for years actually) aren't available for me via Tunein.
For whatever reason, those Tunein local FM stations actually play the stations via the Tesla Radio app, even when I've selected Tunein as my music app.

Thanks guys. I really, really appreciate your help & thoughts.

 

[bob_p]

In the Tesla Media Player, the "Favorites" bar now combines favorites from all media sources - so you could have a combination of radio (AM, FM, HD, XM) stations, streaming channels, and USB media.

For MCU1 owners using radio considering the Infotainment Upgrade, to get a full replacement for AM/FM/HD/XM radio, using smartphone apps may be the only real solution - and will provide more program choices than the combination of radio and the small number of Tesla's built-in streaming apps.

For example, for XM, the streaming app has many more stations than SiriusXM can broadcast over the satellite. For live sports, you generally have the choice of home and away broadcasts, while the satellite will have one of those channels. The streaming app also provides more functionality - because it can access previously broadcast programs (not just live channels) and does buffering allowing you to pause, skip backward/forward, ... And with the full XM subscription, you can get all of the live sports broadcasts (not just your local teams).

Similarly multiple streaming apps (some may require "premium" subscriptions) may be required to get complete coverage of the local radio stations. Plus, the streaming apps provide access to those local stations, even when travelling.

Another advantage of the streaming apps is that internet usually works better inside structures, especially for XM and some HD stations.

In the long run, dropping radio is the right decision for Tesla - assuming internet coverage continues to expand to fill in the remaining gaps. By investing in more built-in streaming apps or providing the long-promised screen mirroring support, Tesla could drop radio hardware completely from new vehicles - and provide much better programming (including video).

Until that happens though, the downside of using smartphone streaming apps is the loss of control through the console and steering wheel controls, requiring interaction with the smartphone display while driving, which is illegal in many areas. Though while the vehicle is operating under NOAP, it may be (a little) safer to spend a few seconds interacting with the smartphone display while the AP system is managing the vehicle...