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Overcast on Apple Watch
- Thread starter TRICKorDEVICE
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I have, but it's very slow. If I click send to watch, the podcast goes into the queue (processing, re encodes it, then transfers it). Transfer takes so long I assumed it failed a couple of times but it has worked.
Unless you specifically want to use just your watch, I find it unusable really for anything other than the odd show. Bluetooth limitations, not the apps fault.
Also, the new update adds volume control with the Digital Crown BUT only with podcasts downloaded to the watch sadly. Still have to use Now Playing to adjust volume for podcasts off the phone.
Unless you specifically want to use just your watch, I find it unusable really for anything other than the odd show. Bluetooth limitations, not the apps fault.
Also, the new update adds volume control with the Digital Crown BUT only with podcasts downloaded to the watch sadly. Still have to use Now Playing to adjust volume for podcasts off the phone.
Thanks for the responses. I think it would be good for some short podcasts while I'm mowing the lawn. Bluetooth 5.0 might be really helpful too.
I was concerned that the failed transfers were leaving remnants on he Watch, space that I could not recapture. Does anyone think this is happening?
It would flash the podcast info on the watch, but than disappear and act like nothing is on the watch.
I was concerned that the failed transfers were leaving remnants on he Watch, space that I could not recapture. Does anyone think this is happening?
It would flash the podcast info on the watch, but than disappear and act like nothing is on the watch.
I had problems but it then worked when I updated to Watch OS 3.2 -- and then the latest update to the app that came out around April 27 (but I think it was the OS update that did it). Transfers are not speedy, but seem faster than with other apps that attempt this. But I agree with others that there are limits to what app developers can do right now to make this a great experience. Overcast may be as good as it gets right now. Taking it out on an 8-mile run this weekend and curious how it works, as some have said that the app crashes on the watch while the activity app is running. We shall see....
not sure if this would apply here, but remember seeing on here where people would turn off bluetooth on the phone, the watch would switch the transfer to wi-fi (assuming the watch and phone are on the same wi-fi)
i think the original hint had to do with re-syncing the watch and speeding that up.
i think the original hint had to do with re-syncing the watch and speeding that up.
Wow!
This is an absolutely killer tip! Just tried it with BT off, miiiiiiiles quicker over wifi!
Still slow of course, but not so slow that you think it's failed or crashed. This'll be handy for those few times when I want a podcast on Watch itself. Thanks.
It does automatically. But mine fails every time. How do you force to transfer over Wi-Fi?
Switch off BT on phone. Assuming your Watch and phone are on same wifi network, in the battery glance on Watch a cloud will appear at top right. Then, your Watch and phone are connected via adhoc wifi (or something like that, can't recall).
I advise transferring one podcast at a time, not queuing them.
I'll rarely use it, I understand why Overcast transcodes to a lower bitrate for various reasons, but it sounds pretty garbage and notably quieter. Likely because Voice Boost isn't currently enabled when listening straight from Watch.
I highly recommend listening to latest Accidental Tech Podcast if you haven't already, Marco Arment talks about the new update and the constraints therein. Interesting if you like that sort of thing.
if there is wifi in range that your phone has joined in the past, and there's no bluetooth connection to your phone, your watch will automatically join the wi-fi, the watch also has a copy of all of the wi-fi passwords stored in your phone
If the wifi has a log-in screen that comes up in your browser, like you find in a lot of hotels, coffee shops or the subway in NYC, even if it's just a "click here to log on," the watch can't join those.
like yegon said, you'll see the green cloud instead of a green or red phone shape if it's working.
If the wifi has a log-in screen that comes up in your browser, like you find in a lot of hotels, coffee shops or the subway in NYC, even if it's just a "click here to log on," the watch can't join those.
like yegon said, you'll see the green cloud instead of a green or red phone shape if it's working.
I know this is slightly off-topic to the specific issue being discussed here about transferring episodes to the watch, but I just wanted to chime in and say I'm so happy to see that this app has been given a proper watchOS 3 update. It's soooo much faster than the old version, and now that support has been added back for selecting which podcast/episode to play (not just playlist) it's super handy for me! Having it in the dock means it's always ready to go. I see the most recent update of the app allows adjusting the volume with the crown (when playing back an episode from the watch - it can't adjust the volume of phone playback due to watchOS limitations), which is another nice improvement. Glad to see that Marco is pouring some time and love into it!
Even though the watchOS SDK has a lot of limitations, Overcast shows that it's already possible to create fast and useful apps, and is making me look forward to new extra functionality might be made available in watchOS 4.
Even though the watchOS SDK has a lot of limitations, Overcast shows that it's already possible to create fast and useful apps, and is making me look forward to new extra functionality might be made available in watchOS 4.
Great feature that you can adjust the volume of podcast downloaded to the watch by using the watches crown. Unfortunately I find the volume cannot be adjusted high enough to hear it properly. I do not have this problem if I'm using the watch to adjust volume of podcast playing directly from the phone. Has anyone else experienced this? Is there something I'm missing to allow the volume to get louder when playing podcast directly on the watch?
As far as I can tell, volume adjustment within Overcast during playback of podcasts stored on the Watch works as a percentage of the current systemwide output volume which actually remains unchanged (this is comparable to the usual behavior on OS X where volume can be adjusted systemwide as well as within individual apps, e.g. in Quicktime Player or iTunes). If your intention is to change the systemwide volume, you should be able to do so using the Now Playing app, the Music app, or by pressing buttons on your Bluetooth headphones.
Thank you for this quick reply very much appreciated! I have tried to adjust the volume on the phone itself and within the Apple Watch and I can still not get it anywhere near to the volume I could when playing off of the phone itself. I am using AirPods. any other ideas?
[doublepost=1494034566][/doublepost]Is it an issue with the watch is not strong enough to pump out the volume?
You need to make sure you're actually changing the Watch's volume. In order to do so, switch to the Music app on the Watch and make sure the Watch and not the phone is selected as the music source.
The appropriate icon should appear on the Music app's Now Playing screen where you can now use the crown to crank up the volume.
Then switch back to Overcast and ensure its volume is also adjusted to the maximum setting.
In case you had already done all of this, then I'm not sure what the issue is. In theory, the Watch should be able to achieve the same maximum volume as the phone does.
Thanks for your explanation and instructions worked great!! You really know your stuff! I do have three follow-up questions if you have the time as the behaviour of my watch seems a little different than yours.
First: When I try to increase the volume by double tapping on my airPods which usually activate Siri allowing me to ask that the volume be increased, it now advances to the next episode and does not activate Siri. Therefore I could not increase volume that way but when I went to the music app I was able to increase the volume as you instructed. Just wondering why the double tap feature of my AirPods work differently when it's connected to the Apple Watch?
Second question: When I look at the second attachment you sent me and compare it to what I see on my Music app on the Apple Watch it is not the same. I have a volume slider with the plus and minus on either side. You show a green circle with a picture of a speaker?
Third: Wondering if you also have this problem? This is a course assuming that you also have airPods which I appreciate you may not. When I try to use my AirPods on my Apple Watch I have to turn my iPhone into airplane mode or they will not connect. Apple Watch says they are not in range. So if I turn on airplane mode they will then connect but now I've lost the functionality of my airPods through my iPhone with Siri as this is the only way they're controlled . I can sometimes then turn off airplane mode and then use Siri but it is hit and miss.
Thanks again for all your help!
You're very welcome! Somebody else will have to help you out with the AirPods-specific questions though, as I don't own them. Nor do I know enough about how they are supposed to work. The headphones I use are a little more pedestrian.
The Now Playing screen I've posted might look slightly different from yours due to my Apple Music subscription which results in the display of the additional ellipsis button hiding AM-specific options behind it (this is just a guess on my part though). For me, the volume slider with the plus/minus buttons appears only after I've pressed down on the speaker icon. The circle then morphs into a slider that remains on screen for a few seconds after.
Try turning airplane mode on your watch on then off & leave your iPhone alone. I had the exact same problem with the AirPods not connecting to my watch. I saw someone one Reddit post that, and it has worked trouble free ever since.
I have he same problem as you do! It's so frustrating. I assume this an Overcast bug. Also FYI the master volume controls are disabled when listening via Overcast. So for those suggesting that you adjust the master volume, that won't fix it. The crown volume control is awesome but it doesn't seem to do the job.
Volume controls work with podcasts downloaded to Watch, but not those streamed direct from phone.
I assume it's an Apple restriction. Hopefully rectified in next WatchOS, Now Playing glance is a poor substitute as it's not classed as an app and has no complication.
[doublepost=1503491781][/doublepost]Hi I have been using overcast with Apple Watch & AirPods for a few months now & has been working great. All of a sudden however the 'push to watch' option on iPhone is not showing up anywhere. On watch there is no 'on watch' option at all- can play on watch from the iPhone but nothing showing up saved on Watch at all. Desperately hoping others had the same problem & found a solution?? Thanks so much for your time