Syncing a SongMeter with the Companion App
Prerequisites
Before you start, please check that you have:
- one or more Song Meter Micro devices
- downloaded the Companion app to your Android phone and logged in with your account
- created a project in Arbimon where the Song Meter device will be used
Overview
The purpose of Arbimon's integration with Wildlife Acoustics' Song Meter is to manage the deployment of multiple devices. Using the Companion app to deploy a Song Meter allows you to:
- ensure uploaded audio files are automatically matched to deployment sites in Arbimon (when using the Arbimon Uploader app)
- automatically sync locations and photos taken during the deployment into Arbimon
- pull GPS tracks to deployment sites (helpful for retrieving devices)
Deployment Steps
Ensure you have followed the "Quick Start" instructions in the User Guide for Song Meter Micro to set-up your device using the Configurator app (the user manual is available in multiple languages).
Step 1: Open the deploy checklist
Open the Arbimon Companion app and and you will see a map of where existing synced recorders within a given project are deployed. Make sure you have selected the project (at the top of the screen) where you'd like to deploy the Song Meter device.
You can choose the project you want by clicking on the ‘All projects’ button at the top of the screen. In the top left corner, the ‘Track’ button allows you to track your location while deploying your AudioMoth device. In the top right corner you can click on the search icon to search through all of the sites in a given project.
Press on the round green "+" at the bottom of the screen, and select "Song Meter".
You will see the Song Meter Setup Checklist
Step 2: Set deployment site
From the Checklist, select "Set deployment site".
Select the site where you want to deploy the Audiomoth.
Press "Next" to set the deployment site and return to the checklist.
Step 3: Synchronize with Song Meter
The app will walk you through a series of steps to sync the app with the Song Meter device. Make sure the Song Meter was configured and given a recording schedule with Song Meter Configurator app before trying to sync.
Note: Before you synchronize your device, make sure your phone bluetooth is on. Then turn on your Song Meter. When the device is on, the Recording and SD Card LED lights will be on and Bluetooth LED light will be off.
There are 4 steps for syncing with your Song Meter
Check that your Song Meter device is on and press Next.
Connect with your Song Meter device. At this step, your phone's bluetooth has to be turned on. Select the device and click Yes to continue.
Sync the Song Meter device with Arbimon Companion app. You will have to press and hold the bluetooth button on Song Meter device until the LED light is blinking. Then press Sync to the last step of sycning
Note: If your Song Meter bluetooth is not detected, the Sync button will be disable
Confirm the device name and press Yes to finish the synchronization
After the synchronize process is completed, you can add some photos with your deployment by selecting Take photos
Step 4: Take photos and complete deployment
You can (optionally) add photos to your deployment, that will be displayed in Arbimon for reference. Select "Take Photos" of your Song Meter and surrounding area.
You can add up to 10 photos.
The final step is to press the "DEPLOY" button at the bottom of the Checklist. Your deployment is now complete.
If you do not have an internet connection then the deployment is stored on your phone until a connection becomes available, when it will sync automatically. You can check the status of deployment syncing from the top right of the Map screen. When you click on the top right of the Map screen, it will show unsynced or failed deployments.
In case that the syncing process is taking too long after you have an internet connection, you can also manually press SYNC NOW from the unsynced works screen.
After the sync process, you will be taken back to the map. There will be a pin on the map where the new recorder was deployed.
