Why does Poweramp need to verify license through Google Play when Poweramp Unlocker is installed?

[andrewilley]

8 minutes ago, jammer99 said:

Android (2.3.5)

That is most likely your problem. Please clear data for the Play Store app and remove app updates to take it back to the original factory installed Play Store version, then install PA and the unlocker. Ideally leave it this way for 48  hours if you can, before re-updating the Play Store app.

Andre

[jammer99]

55 minutes ago, andrewilley said:

That is most likely your problem. Please clear data for the Play Store app and remove app updates to take it back to the original factory installed Play Store version, then install PA and the unlocker. Ideally leave it this way for 48  hours if you can, before re-updating the Play Store app.

Andre

OK. It will still be the same Play Store "version" that was on the phone when PA was originally installed and worked fine for 2 years; but those "updates" to the version, which probably happened automatically just through occasional Play Store app updates, will be removed. I will do that and we'll see how things go (I will insert this in the steps above). BTW, normally I do not leave the phone connected to the web day-to-day. This phone is not even activated, I use it strictly as a music player in the car. Thank you for your efforts, especially on a weekend!

[jammer99]

OK, I went into  Settings>Applications>Manage Applications>Google Play Store and tapped 'Uninstall updates' (for this app only).

I'm not sure this was something good to do because it seemed to downgrade the app to something called 'Market'. The Market app would launch but would not load -- the progress indicator just sat there and spun, thus Google Play Store does not work at all anymore. So, what I am going to do is reinstall Play Store from the original apk that I had installed it from 2 years ago, which was the one I originally bought and installed PA from, which worked for 2 years until I did the 'Wipe cache' on the phone a week ago.

So, here is the progression of what happens when I get the validation error message. That "User Voice" message at the bottom. What is that?  Is it still a viable service?

Can't verify Poweramp License

Sorry, but Poweramp can't verify the

purchase through Google Play License

Verification/APM.

 

Cause: Failed to Verify License / Google

Play response -

ERROR_CONTACTING_SERVER

 

Already Purchased?  [Tapped]

Failed to Verify License [Tapped]

 

Failed to Verify License / Google

Play response -

ERROR_CONTACTING_SERVER

 

Get support [tapped]

Loading...      [The progress indicator just keeps spinning.]

 

There was an error connecting

to User Voice.

Please ensure Internet connection is OK, and try again

[The internet connection is good because I can connect to Google Play, etc.]

 

Close    [Tap and error window closes.]

[The progress indicator just keeps spinning.]

 

[maxmp]

Error contacting server error is reported by Play when it can’t contact its servers. No further details are give to app, so Poweramp displays error as given.

Usually it happens (provided the internet is stable) if Play app is not logged into account, Play app or related components are not updated or in process of updating.

Ensure you can open Play app, it loads list of songs, it’s logged with proper google account. Then start/exit Poweramp two times.

(this info actually given in those error dialogs/support article).

PS get support connection error means no internet is available.

[jammer99]

Thanks, maxmp. Well, here's what I can tell you.

There is definitely an internet connection.

• I believe the internet connection is stable as I have a modern router and am within 4 feet of it, my tablets connect fine.
• I can browse the web using the Browser app on the phone.
• I can open Play Store, it connects, shows my account name, installed apps, I can install new apps (tried it)

When you say, " Ensure you can open Play app, it loads list of songs..," how would the Play app load a list of songs?

Open Play app

• Done. It shows running in Task Manager

It’s logged with proper google account.

• Yes. Correct account verified on phone and on Play Store web page.

Then start/exit Poweramp two times.

Start#1

• Popup: Can't verify Poweramp License.
• Tap 'Already Purchased'
• Shows 'Failed to Verify License' with orange triangle icon
• Google Play-Restore Purchase is gray (not selectable)
• Yandex Store-Restore Purchase is white (selectable, but I didn't buy through Yandex. Don't eve know what it is.)
• [Close app]

Start#2

• Popup: Can't verify Poweramp License.
• Tap 'Already Purchased'
• Progress indicator spins a few seconds, then:  Message 'Failed to Verify License' with orange triangle icon
• Google Play-Restore Purchase is gray (not selectable)
• Yandex Store-Restore Purchase is white (selectable, but I didn't buy through Yandex. Don't eve know what it is.)
• [Close app]

=====================================

Hey, what about this, guys. It appears to me that this whole issue is related to connection to the Play Store. On the PA website there is a purchase option to 'Buy Directly' which states that no Google services are required. What if I just buy another license through that method? Due to the older Android version I need PA vs. 2 and I know the app works because I've been using it for two years. Is there any reason PA should not activate with that method?  THX

 

 

 

 

 

[Growler]

6 hours ago, maxmp said:

Error contacting server error is reported by Play when it can’t contact its servers. No further details are give to app, so Poweramp displays error as given.

Usually it happens (provided the internet is stable) if Play app is not logged into account, Play app or related components are not updated or in process of updating.

Ensure you can open Play app, it loads list of songs, it’s logged with proper google account. Then start/exit Poweramp two times.

(this info actually given in those error dialogs/support article).

PS get support connection error means no internet is available.

Forgive me if I'm wrong Max but I think you are missing the point of the thread. If you go all the way back in the history of this thread... And certainly I have posted elsewhere in other threads previously and emailed yourself/support many years ago... I believe the point of this thread is that the app verifies itself itself OK... BUT... if you are without internet for any period of time (for example on an aircraft, or using a phone internationally without roaming data) the music player stops. Whenever you can access data again it then re-verifies and resumes working again. That's the point. The constant license checking breaks the app if there is no data. It has been claimed previously in this thread that the unlocker only checks license once on installation and then never again... which is untrue.

The entire point of your solution above is that you can open Play and contact their servers...which is redundant, because Play simply does not open when we have no data... which is the source of the problem in the first place.

Finally your PS at the bottom reaffirms this confusion. Of course we know there is no internet available...that is the point of this entire thread. That the app stops when there is no internet.

[andrewilley]

9 minutes ago, Growler said:

Forgive me if I'm wrong Max but I think you are missing the point of the thread.

Max's reply was nothing to do with the thread in general, but a reply to the specific issue that @jammer99 has reported with an initial install.

Andre

[Growler]

7 minutes ago, andrewilley said:

Max's reply was nothing to do with the thread in general, but a reply to the specific issue that @jammer99 has reported with an initial install.

Andre

Ah sorry... I thought it was a solution on topic of this thread. My apologies.

[andrewilley]

Just now, Growler said:

Ah sorry... I thought it was a solution on topic of this thread. My apologies.

PA v2 is a legacy product, there will be no more development on it now. However it should still be possible to install it on even-more-legacy hardware.

Andre

[jammer99]

My problem may not be exactly in step with the point of the thread. However, let me say this. I have an older Galaxy S that is not even activated with a cellular carrier; I bought it second hand solely to use as a music player.

To set it up, I connected via wifi, installed the necessary Google Play related apps so I could install a music player. I might have installed the Poweramp vs. 2 app from an apk on the Poweramp site, but I bought and installed the Unlocker through Google Play for sure (it shows in my account). At some point the license activation succeeded. I can't recall whether activation occurred immediately, or whether there was a delay, as this was 2 years ago.

So, after activation, I disconnected the phone from wifi and used it regularly, almost daily, as a music player in my car with no internet or cellular connection. This included many power cycles and I never had a problem using Poweramp. Very, very rarely did I ever connect to wifi again...maybe 4 times over 2 years when I was curious as to whether there might be any updates needed for anything on the device.

I did not have any problems until I read something somewhere that said you might get better performance out of your phone if you did a 'Wipe cache' which allegedly wasn't supposed to affect functionality of anything. Who doesn't want better performance? Well guess what? It did affect something because after doing that I started having this license validation problem. (At least I think that's what caused the problem.)

If I deviated a little from the original point of the thread, sorry. I think Max is following my issue though. But, thanks.

[jammer99]

4 minutes ago, andrewilley said:

PA v2 is a legacy product, there will be no more development on it now. However it should still be possible to install it on even-more-legacy hardware.

Andre

I understand that. It appears to me that this whole issue is related to connection to the Play Store. On the PA website there is a purchase option to 'Buy Directly' which states that no Google services are required. What if I just buy another license through that method? Due to the older Android version I need PA vs. 2 and I know the app works because I've been using it for two years. Is there any reason PA should not activate with that method?  THX

[andrewilley]

12 minutes ago, jammer99 said:

I might have installed the Poweramp vs. 2 app from an apk on the Poweramp site

If you are using the Play Store unlocker, you need to have initially installed the Play Store download of the main app (not an APK downloaded from the website here). It will know you have an older version of Android and only install v2. Once validated, you can over-install downloaded APKs, but there's no point as it would be the same version that Google supplied.

Wiping cache should not have affected anything, it should simply have rebuilt what it needed again without the old clutter.

Andre

[jammer99]

31 minutes ago, andrewilley said:

If you are using the Play Store unlocker, you need to have initially installed the Play Store download of the main app (not an APK downloaded from the website here). It will know you have an older version of Android and only install v2. Once validated, you can over-install downloaded APKs, but there's no point as it would be the same version that Google supplied.

Wiping cache should not have affected anything, it should simply have rebuilt what it needed again without the old clutter.

Andre

OK--I can't remember 100% as it's been 2 years, but it was working. I happened to find an apk of vs 2 on my computer which is why I thought maybe I installed from the apk.

I think it's a Play Store issue, though, and I'll tell you why. While trying to get a working music player over the past couple weeks, I bought one called Neutron. That one must use a similar verification mechanism as PA because after the trial period expired that one will not validate either.

I wonder whether maybe the verification software got moved to a different server, or under a different IP, or something, and that's why the connection can no longer be made.

[andrewilley]

28 minutes ago, jammer99 said:

I wonder whether maybe the verification software got moved to a different server, or under a different IP, or something, and that's why the connection can no longer be made.

As I said earlier, I do know that some newer updates of the Play Store can cause issues on very old builds of Android, and a fix some people reported was to roll it back to the original Google Marketplace (or whatever it was then called - the one that was installed with the ROM anyway). Then install the app from that store app (not from an APK file) and then install the unlocker app. Leave for a while (with a live internet connection the whole time) and after a few days you should be able to re-update the marketplace/Play Store app again if you wish.

Andre

[jammer99]

22 minutes ago, andrewilley said:

As I said earlier, I do know that some newer updates of the Play Store can cause issues on very old builds of Android, and a fix some people reported was to roll it back to the original Google Marketplace (or whatever it was then called - the one that was installed with the ROM anyway). Then install the app from that store app (not from an APK file) and then install the unlocker app. Leave for a while (with a live internet connection the whole time) and after a few days you should be able to re-update the marketplace/Play Store app again if you wish.

Andre

As I reported above, uninstalling the "Updates' to the play store app downgrade it to an app called 'Market' and it doesn't even load.

On the PA website there is a purchase option to 'Buy Directly' which states that no Google services are required. Can I just buy another license through that method? Is there any reason PA vs 2 should not activate with that method?

[andrewilley]

Market was the old name for the Play Store in the early days of Android. Maybe the original version on your device is just too old to work at all now?

Yes, you could buy a new licence from the Poweramp website, but you would still need a live internet connection and to have the same email account present on your device for that to work. Please see http://support.powerampapp.com/knowledgebase/articles/324284-restore-poweramp-purchase for what you'll need.

Andre

[jammer99]

2 hours ago, andrewilley said:

Market was the old name for the Play Store in the early days of Android. Maybe the original version on your device is just too old to work at all now?

Yes, you could buy a new licence from the Poweramp website, but you would still need a live internet connection and to have the same email account present on your device for that to work. Please see http://support.powerampapp.com/knowledgebase/articles/324284-restore-Poweramp-purchase for what you'll need.

Andre

Here's something I hadn't noticed before, FWIW.  I went into Settings>Applications>Running services and tapped on Poweramp. It shows 3 things running:

• Headset Micro Service
• Poweramp
• Google Play Store

When I scroll all the way down it says, "Service LicensingService in use."

I guess I'll just let it set there for a while. I'm losing hope, though.

[Birdman]

@andrewilley

So I like many others have had the same license fail issue. I am using old android 2.3.6 device.

So as a workaround I purchased directly from power amp website and all has been well since.

The question I have is

 I would like to purchase it again from the website, for another old android device, do I need to use a different email for the other device or can I use the same one from my last purchase from the website?

Just trying to make sure I'm doing this the right way so I don't have to waste any more money than necessary. 

Any help would be appreciated. 

Edited July 3, 2020 by Birdman
Edit to add @andrewilley

[maxmp]

@Birdman if you purchased before Summer 2018, you can reuse license on the another device, provided same (google or email) account. For the newer purchases we changed conditions so it's strictly per one user device starting from Summer 2018 (but you can move license to the new device if you upgrade, etc.). The website purchase is the most versatile in any case. Thanks!

[Birdman]

2 hours ago, maxmp said:

@Birdman if you purchased before Summer 2018, you can reuse license on the another device, provided same (google or email) account. For the newer purchases we changed conditions so it's strictly per one user device starting from Summer 2018 (but you can move license to the new device if you upgrade, etc.). The website purchase is the most versatile in any case. Thanks!

Well I purchased after summer 2018, but want to keep it on the original device as well. So the question is can I use the same email for the 2nd purchase or do I need to use a different one to avoid confusion? As I'm  unsure if the purchase is verified by the email address alone or by device ID. If by device ID I would think the same email would be okay? Please clarify.

Thank you for your time.

[andrewilley]

As Max said, the direct website purchase licence terms changed in Summer 2018.

• Prior to 2018 purchases, a licence can be used on multiple devices at the same time as long as you validate each one with the same email address and personal ID.
• After Summer 2018, a licence is purchased for one device at a time, still validated by email address and ID. You can still install again on a new device whenever you want, but doing so would revoke the licence on the old one. If you want to purchase two licences for use at the same time, you could use two email addresses.

Google Play Store purchases are still available to be installed on as many of your own devices as you like, as long as they all use the same Google account. That's up to a fair-use limit, but the only time you are likely to hit that is if you are installing new test ROMs all the time.

Andre

[Birdman]

While I would like to just install power amp on all my devices from my Google account (as I should be able to, and as the terms state I should be able to), I can not as Google play stopped supporting any device prior to android 8.0. Licensing of any application through Google play prior to 8.0 now fails due to Google's lack of support. Sad world we live in when the larger organizations drive older products out of play for sales alone, and developers don't stand behind their terms by using an alternate library for licensing. And while I realize I can purchase direct from your website you to, it seems, have followed suit just to drive sales up. 

[andrewilley]

As far as I know, a number of versions prior to 8.0 are still supported, but I know 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) support ended a bit over a year ago (not sure about JellyBean and KitKat). But yes Android 2 FroYo/Gingerbread/etc is sadly somewhat too old (ten years or so) for the current versions of the Play Store. 

Andre

[Birdman]

Using power amp 2.0.10 build 588 bought direct from your website is there any way for me to transfer my custom EQ settings to another device using the same build of the application?

[Bill S]

I paid for Poweramp Full Locker years ago and everything was fine until about a week ago.  No longer can I access Poweramp due to a licensing issue, which is very frustrating.  This was my main source of listening to music.  I bought a Samsung S20  four months ago and transferred files from my old S5 and experienced no problems.  About a week ago, I logged into Google and my problems began.  It appears that Google is making decisions as to what is valid and what isn't. 

Does anyone have any ideas as to how I can get around this problem?

Bill