Friday, October 10, 2014

List of Android "Secret" Codes

With reference lots of call come from technician, Engineer, Managers, end user who deal with IP Surveillance i like to share some Android code these are mostly for Samsung, I have added some for HTC below. Like I said this is just a start we can build form it.

SAMSUNG CODES

Code	Description
##4636##	Display information about Phone, Battery and Usage statistics
##7780##	Restting your phone to factory state-Only deletes application data and applications
27673855#	It's a complete wiping of your mobile also it reinstalls the phones firmware
##34971539##	Shows completes information about the camera
##7594##	Changing the power button behavior-Enables direct poweroff once the code enabled
##273283255663282##*	For a quick backup to all your media files
##197328640##	Enabling test mode for service activity
##232339## OR ##526##	Wireless Lan Tests
##232338##	Displays Wi-Fi Mac-address
##1472365##	For a quick GPS test
##1575##	A Different type GPS test
##0283##	Packet Loopback test
##0##*	LCD display test
##0673## OR ##0289##	Audio test
##0842##	Vibration and Backlight test
##2663##	Displays touch-screen version
##2664##	Touch-Screen test
##0588##	Proximity sensor test
##3264##	Ram version
##232331##	Bluetooth test
##7262626##	Field test
##232337#*#	Displays bluetooth device address
##8255##	For Google Talk service monitoring
##49862650468##*	PDA, Phone, Hardware, RF Call Date firmware info
##1234##	PDA and Phone firmware info
##1111##	FTA Software version
##2222##	FTA Hardware verion
##44336##	Displays Build time and change list number
*#06#	Displsys IMEI number
##8351##	Enables voice dialing logging mode
##8350##	Disables voice dialing logging mode
##778 (+call)	Brings up Epst menu

HTC CODES

Code	Description
##3424##	HTC function test Program.
##4636##	HTC Info menu
##8255##	launching GTalk Service Monitor
##3424#	Diagnostic mode.
##3282#	for EPST.
##8626337#	for VOCODER
##33284#	Field trial menu.
##786#	Reverse Logistics Support.
##7738#	Protocol Revision.
##775#	Unknown
##2539#	Unknown

One more hidden menu trick go to market download gesture (free app)

Open gesture press menu

Press settings

Enable (check) settings

Write the following in gesture: 4g

Also note writing: Sprint

And writing: settings

/u/norf9: For the s4 I found these codes:

Code	Description
*#1234#	to check software version of phone.
#12580369#	to check software and hardware information.
*#0228#	Battery status (ADC, RSSI reading)
*#0011#	Service Menu
*#0283#	loopback test
*#06#	imei
*#03#	nandflashheaderread
*#0808#	usb service
*#9090#	service mode
*#7284#	FactoryKeystring
*#34971539#	camera firmware standard
*#1111#	servicemode
#0#	Testmodus

if you have Verizon, you need to do this before you can use these: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2303905

^Root required for this step. Some codes will work if you have Verizon and no root. Test at your own risk!

Didn't see a list of useful codes for Android, I found a list for iPhone though, please share any commands you may have that might be useful. I will update this list with anything posted in the comments.

WARNING: Use at your own risk, I have not tested all of these codes. I do not know if they will work on your device.

/u/AFinn: There is also an app called "Secret Codes" which will find other codes that are used by applications and not the OS itself. Some apps let you access secret settings with these codes.

These are not "Android" secret codes. These are "Samsung" secret codes. Except one of two none of them will work on any device other than a Samsung phone.

F.A.Q.

Q: So how do you enter these codes?

A: Enter using the dialer.

GSII, SlimKat 4.4.2 (Desire HD 2nd device)

Code	Description
##4636##	Display information about Phone, Battery and Usage statistics
##7780##	Resetting your phone to factory state-Only deletes application data and applications
27673855#	It's a complete wiping of your mobile also it reinstalls the phones firmware
##34971539##	Shows completes information about the camera
##7594##	Changing the power button behavior-Enables direct poweroff once the code enabled
##273283255663282##*	For a quick backup to all your media files
##197328640##	Enabling test mode for service activity
##232339## OR ##526##	Wireless Lan Tests
##232338##	Displays Wi-Fi Mac-address
##1472365##	For a quick GPS test
##1575##	A Different type GPS test
##0283##	Packet Loopback test
##0##*	LCD display test
##0673## OR ##0289##	Audio test
##0842##	Vibration and Backlight test
##2663##	Displays touch-screen version
##2664##	Touch-Screen test
##0588##	Proximity sensor test
##3264##	Ram version
##232331##	Bluetooth test
##7262626##	Field test
##232337##	Displays bluetooth device address
##8255##	For Google Talk service monitoring
##49862650468##*	PDA, Phone, Hardware, RF Call Date firmware info
##1234##	PDA and Phone firmware info
##1111##	FTA Software version
##2222##	FTA Hardware verion
##44336##	Displays Build time and change list number
*#06#	Displsys IMEI number
##8351##	Enables voice dialing logging mode
##8350##	Disables voice dialing logging mode

There, I fixed it

you need a \ before any *, else Markdown kicks in

EG \* look mom! no italics *

press source on this post to copy/paste the reformatted text.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Tricks to make your Android run faster

10 tricks to make your Android run faster

During the Mobile surveillance configuration you face Android run very slow. There are various ways to speed up that Android performance. So, Read & apply with your customers.

1. Make sure you’re up to date

The latest software will often contain bug fixes and general improvements and it can help your Android device to run better. Software updates tend to come OTA (Over The Air) and you should be automatically prompted to install them, but it doesn’t hurt to check. Go to Settings > About device > Software update and check for updates.

The same logic applies to apps, so fire up the Play Store, open the menu at the top left and tap My apps and make sure all of the apps you use are up to date.

2. Uninstall and disable unused apps

You don’t want to allow apps that you never use to take up space on your device and potentially eat into system resources. Go to Settings > Apps and swipe over to the All tab. Take a good long look down the list and identify the apps you don’t want or need. If you’re in doubt about what any of them do then it’s time to hit Google and check.

Tap on any app you don’t want and then choose Uninstall or, if the option is not there to uninstall, tap Disable. Disabled apps will be listed in a new tab, so you can always enable them again in future if you change your mind.

You should also take a look in Settings > Apps at the Running tab. Some apps want to be running all the time and they can seriously impact on performance. Think carefully about whether you need what’s listed there.

3. Turn off or reduce animations

You can make your Android device feel snappier by reducing or turning off some of animations. You’ll need to enable Developer options in order to do this. Go to Settings > About phone and scroll down to the System section to look for Build number. Tap on it seven times and you should see a message about being a developer. You can now go back to the previous menu and you should see Developer options listed under System. Head in there and scroll down to find Window animation scale, Transition animation scale, and Animator duration scale. Tap each in turn and set it to .5x or off. Pick an option and find out what suits you, if you don’t like just go back in and change the values again.

4. Clean up your home screen

If you choose to use live wallpaper then consider replacing it with a good static image. You should also clean away any unused icons and limit your widgets to the essentials. The less cluttered your home screen is, the better in terms of performance.

5. Clear cached app data

Cached data for apps should help them to load more quickly, but it can build up over time to take up quite a lot of space and there will potentially be cached data in there for apps that you no longer use. Sometimes clearing cached data for an app can also help clear up flaky behavior.

If you want to pick individual apps then head into Settings > Apps and slide over the Alltab and tap on the relevant app then choose Clear cache. If you’ve decided to just clear the whole lot then go to Settings > Storage and tap on Cached data and then tap OK. Also, check out CCleaner, it cleans out your app cache and helps perform this kind of maintenance.

6. Turn off or reduce auto-sync

Most of us end up adding a list of different accounts to our Android devices and we allow them to automatically sync in the background to pull in new data and provide us with updates. All this syncing has a big impact on performance, not to mention battery life.

You could go to Settings and find Auto-sync under Accounts and just turn it off altogether, but that will be too drastic for most people. Instead why not just reduce the sync frequency and remove any accounts you don’t really need? For a lot of apps, like Facebook, you’ll need to open up the app and find the settings to reduce the sync frequency.

7. Wipe cache partition

The cache partition is separate from your app data cache and it contains temporary files. It’s worth cleaning this out every once in a while. You’ll have to boot into recovery mode to do it. The method of entering recovery mode varies depending on your device, but you’ll find it easily with a quick Google search. Once in recovery mode you use the volume keys to navigate and the power key to select an item. You’ll want to choose wipe cache partition.

8. Perform a factory reset

This is a drastic step, but some people recommend that you do a factory reset periodically if you want your device running in tip-top condition. It’s a shortcut to cleaning up your device and getting rid of any junk you’ve accumulated, but it means wiping all of the data and settings. If you decide to try it then make sure you back up everything that’s important to you first. You can find the option to do it in Settings > Backup & reset > Factory data reset.

9. Overclock your device

One of the reasons you’ll see differences in performance between Android devices with essentially the same processors, is that some OEMs limit speed in order to reduce heat and extend battery life. If you’re willing to root your Android device then you can overclock it using an app like SetCPU or Android Overclock. It’s wise to proceed with caution if you do decide to do this.

10.Install a custom ROM

Rooting your Android device doesn’t automatically offer any performance improvements, but a custom ROM can. For some devices that are no longer being updated custom ROMs are a way of getting a newer version of Android. You can also find custom ROMs that dispense with bloatware entirely and offer some interesting tweaks and modifications. You’ll need to do some research to find the right custom ROM for you.

We’ve reached the end of our tricks to make your Android run faster, but we’d love to hear your suggestions.

Wednesday, September 17, 2014

Security Cameras in Our Growing Technological Society

Within our rapidly-growing technological society, CCTV Cameras are gradually becoming a larger part of our lives. As security concerns grow in a post-9/11 world, and as affordable security cameras become more prevalent, we are beginning to see the implementation of security cameras not just in homes and businesses, but also out on public streets.

As the prevalence of security cameras becomes greater, privacy concerns also grow: Is it worth sacrificing our personal privacy for the sake of ultimate security? In many areas, you can’t walk a couple blocks without being recorded by a camera. With the increase in public security, many questions have arisen. Although public footage is kept only in the case of an emergency, many people still fear the “big brother” concept detailed in 1984, George Orwell’s famous novel about a paranoid society controlled and monitored by an oppressive government.

But when looking at vast amount of cases where killers, rapists, burglars, etc. have been discovered and apprehended thanks to CCTV camera footage, it’s hard to dismiss public surveillance cameras as invasive. Innocent footage is most likely never seen, and even if someone were to watch you whistling while walking down the street, would it really matter? As long as footage is never abused in any way, security cameras should remain an integral part of our landscape.

Service and Maintenance for CCTV

Service and Maintenance for CCTV

1. General:

Effective and regular maintenance of a CCTV surveillance system is essential to ensure that the system remains reliable at all times. It is advisable that maintenance of the CCTV system should be carried out by the company which installed the system. However, the maintenance company should have the means, including necessary spare parts and documentation, to meet the recommendations given here.

Note: This recommendation does not place an obligation upon customers who purchase their systems to have them maintained by the installing company. Maintenance is a matter of agreement between the customer and the installing company or a separate maintenance company. Maintenance comes under BS EN 62676-4 Clause 17 & SC CoP Guiding Principle 10.

The preservation of security within the maintenance company is of paramount importance and steps should be taken to ensure the safe keeping of all customers’ equipment and documentation relating to a particular installation/contract.

Note: BS EN 50132-7 states that “CCTV systems should be maintained in accordance with the schedule supplied by the system designer or supplier”, but does not detail any specific maintenance requirements. These guidelines give specific advice for the maintenance of CCTV surveillance systems, and provide examples of the type of documentation required to be used by the service company.

A maintenance company should ensure that adequate vetting of all employees is carried out. All employees, who visit a customer’s premises, shall carry identification cards which should include a photograph and signature of the bearer, the company’s name, contact details and a date of expiry (maximum of 3 years).

Each service technician employed by the maintenance company should carry a range of tools, test equipment and other equipment to enable them to perform their functions satisfactorily. Specialist tools, test equipment and plant should be available for deeper investigation if necessary.

Note: Disconnections, for whatever reason, should be recorded on a maintenance record and authorised by the client or his representative.

The maintenance company’s organisation should be so staffed as to ensure that the recommendations of this Code of Practice can be met at all times. The following factors should be taken into consideration:

. the number of installations to be serviced
the complexity of the installations;
. the geographical spread of the installations in relation to the location of the maintenance company, its branches and its service personnel
. the method of calling out service personnel outside normal office hours, where applicable.
Service personnel should be adequately trained and training should be updated whenever appropriate.

Maintenance Service is 3 types but scope of work is same.

A. Preventive Maintenance service.

B. Corrective Maintenance service.

C. Performance Maintenance service.

A. Preventative Maintenance

I. Frequency of visits

The following recommendations apply, unless the customer has agreed an alternative schedule of works with the maintenance company. It’s also called Planned maintenance.

Preventative Maintenance Inspection

As a minimum, this should include all the elements detailed in Clause II, and the intervals should not exceed 06 months. Customers may agree a more frequent visit where appropriate. During the 1^st Visit you should note down all CCTV related Product Make, Model Nos with Version. If required make a hand sketch of geographical span.

Supplementary Preventative Maintenance Inspection

As a minimum, this should include the supplementary items detailed in Clause III. These supplementary inspections may be carried out at the same time as an annual visit or at less frequent intervals, dependent on the agreement between the customer and the maintenance company.

II. Preventative Maintenance Inspection (Scope of work)

During each preventative visit, inspection of the following, with all necessary tests, and those rectifications which are practical at the time, should be carried out:

Control Room:

1. Check the picture quality of each camera and monitor. Look for signs of condensation on housing windows and limiting of picture highlights, i.e. proper focus, proper resolution, Signal strength etc.

2. Check all controllable functions for each station e.g. pan, tilt, zoom, focus, iris, speed, auto-pan, wiper, pre-sets etc.

3. Check camera / monitor combination selection, proper functioning of Live/Spot monitors.

4. Check the operation of recorder (s) i.e. record, backup and replay.

5. Check the operation of special equipment such as video multiplexers, Storage.

6. Check any interfaces with alarms e.g. movement alarms, fences etc.

7. Check that all indications function correctly.

8. Check the IP setting at IP Camera and NVR/DVR.

9. Check BNC/RCA, LAN & Power connector at DVR/NVR/ Control Room.

10. Check the PATA/SATA cable for Hard Disk/RW. RS484 Cable.

11. Check the proper functioning of Mouse, USB port, RS485/232 port, DVR key/ Remote etc.

12. Check proper functioning of CCTV Software/Control Station/ Monitoring Software/Analytic software.

Around the supervised premises

1. Check that camera movement and field of view is free from obstruction, trees etc.

2. Check that ALL warning labels are in place (e.g. movement, voltage, LASER)

3. Check that indicator lamps are working.

4. Request that customer checks the operation of supplementary lights, including IR, at night. Leave a form and request that any faults are reported.

III. Supplementary Preventative Maintenance Inspection

During each Supplementary visit, inspection of the following, with all necessary tests, and those rectifications which are practical at the time, should be carried out:

1. Carry out all functional maintenance checks.

2. Check that external, flexible cables (Video, Power, Fiber, LAN) are properly supported and undamaged.

3. Examine all metalwork especially towers, brackets & box, for signs of corrosion and damage.

4. Lower towers and check cable for fraying. Grease the mechanism.

5. Check all glands and seals on external equipment.

6. Check all external and internal flexible wiring for signs of wear and fraying.

7. Check all fixed and flexible conduit for signs of damage.

8. Remove covers and housings and clean interiors (Lens, Camera Body, Fan, Power/Fiber Board etc) where necessary. Each camera bracket fittings and clamping bolts are tight.

9. Check the function and wear of wiper blades and washers.

10. Check the function of heaters/Cooler, Solar panel (if applicable).

11. Check the function of supplementary lighting, including IR, and photocells.

12. Check the integrity of all supports, Antenna, including cables & BNC/LAN.

Note: It is recommended that all filament lights/lamps should be replaced during this visit.

Those parts of a system, or any environmental conditions found during preventative maintenance, which could reduce the effectiveness of the system should be identified on the maintenance visit record.

Routine maintenance visits to the supervised premises should be made by a representative of the company at intervals of not less than once a year (as per SLA). Should the company, the customer or his insurer, require more frequent maintenance, this should be clearly stated in the maintenance record and in the contract documents.

Note: :If it is necessary to undertake routine maintenance work outside normal working hours, it is recommended that the contract between the customer and the company should state this requirement.

Those items of inspection or rectification which are not carried out at the time of routine inspection should be completed within a period normally not exceeding 20 days, other than by alternative agreement with the customer.

Before leaving your place provide answers to any questions or queries that you may have. Complete maintenance report and discuss work conducted with you. All work carried out on site, together with time of arrival is recorded on a record sheet (known as a docket / Case ID). The engineer will also note down any deficiencies in the system and recommend work required to maintain, full, trouble free operation. This docket is shown to your (customer) copy provided(Service Report/memo/ value reports) for placing on the file. Excludes provision of high reach equipment.

IV. Emergency service/Breakdown Call

Where an agreement exists, the customer should be kept informed of the address and telephone number of the company's service and emergency service facilities (Service call). It is recommended that except where otherwise agreed by the customer, the company’s emergency service facility should be so located and organised that under normal circumstances the company's representative should reach the supervised premises within eight hours from the notification of the fault. This recommendation need not apply to other than mainland installations. Whenever possible, the customer should be informed of any likely delay when a fault is notified.

B. Corrective Maintenance service.

Service remains same as per Preventive Maintenance (Clause I to IV). Its including all spare parts. Rapid repair of equipment that has broken down is critical to ensure uninterrupted operations, minimal downtime and optimal functionality. maintenance company offers Corrective Maintenance services to provide emergency maintenance support in the event of an unexpected breakdown of equipment and for timely resumption of operations. With Corrective Maintenance you can be assured their engineers are available when needed and that you have the backing of Maintenance Company’s extensive knowledge and support network.

Features:

1) Technical Helpdesk support located at Maintenance Company.

2) Travel and labour costs are included as well as replacement of parts due to wear and tear. Consumables are excluded.

3) Maintenance company response Time commitment can be within hours after your first call.

4) Spare parts to replace faulty components will be available during the whole length of the contract.

Benefits:

1) Simplicity: just call and within 8Hr Maintenance company engineers will be there..

2) Low-Risk: by ensuring the availability of your security systems you optimize your daily strategic operations.

C. Performance Maintenance service.

Service remains same as per Preventive Maintenance (Clause I to III). Its including all spare parts & Maintenance company engineers are available when needed. Technician / Engineers deputed on your (Customer) Control Room.

Features:

1) Technical Helpdesk support at your (Customer) place.

2) Our Response Time commitment can be within hours after your first call when Maintenance company field technicians are on-site.

3) You decide when you want on-site technical assistance to be available: eight hours every working day, weekdays and weekend, around-the-clock or according to your own tailored schedule.

4) Spare parts to replace faulty components will be available during the whole length of the contract.

5) Online Monitoring gives you real-time information on your system and is crucial for delivering on the Performance Maintenance commitment.

6) Carry out a visual inspection of all major components for signs of deterioration or damage and rectify as necessary.

Benefits:

1) Simplicity: Availability of Technicians/Engineer 24hours a day, 365 days a year.

2) Fast Response: you enjoy preferential treatment and Response Time commitment to rapidly restore the operation of your security systems.

3) Risk-free: We take full responsibility for managing your security processes

4) You know how fast your system will be up and running after any incident.

5) Total peace of mind.

If you can get any Service and Maintenance for CCTV minimum you must maintain below point.
Do not make customer aprilfool.

Visually inspect all major components and connections for signs of deterioration or damage
Check all control equipment (DVRs, VCRs, monitors, multiplexers, video switchers, telemetry units etc) for correct operation
Check mains & power supplies and stand-by batteries including charging rates.
Check environmental conditions for adverse effects, including growth or shrubbery obscuring camera views
Check time and date settings in equipment and update the settings as appropriate
Check integrity of all cabling and sample check external insulation for damage
Clean cable fixings for security
Check auxiliary lighting equipment, infra-red units and photocells (if any) for correct operation
Check air vents are clear in all control equipment including PCs
Clean cameras, lenses and housing surfaces as necessary
Check al glands and seals on external equipment
Clean control equipment surfaces including PC (if applicable)
Establish regular back-ups are taken
Check camera is aligned to user specification, pictures for correct field of view and adjust as necessary
Check brackets, towers and fixings for corrosion or damage. Check clamping bolts/brackets are tightened correctly
Check wash/wipe units and wiper blades (if any) for correct operation and fill washer reservoir where necessary
Check quality of recording during day time and night time modes
Check pan and tilt assembly (if any) including fixings, electrical connections and functions.
Check the satisfactory CCTV transmission of images to remote site (if applicable)
Check warning signs are in place
Check all camera presets
Check all alarm presets