How can I suspend all audible notifications on the iPad?

Question

We're creating an audio application for iPad (only) which will be used for live performances. The device will be wired directly into the console. As such, the last thing you want during a live performance is to have the device suddenly chirp out an unexpected alarm or reminder.

With research in Apple's SDK, it looks like you can block everything except calendar and alarms (and calls on iPhone).

That said, does anyone know how to tell the device 'While we're in 'On Air' mode, don't allow any OS notifications'?

If not, can we at least query if they're turned on so we can warn the user?

Jailbeaking is not an option because we want to sell this via the App Store.

UPDATE

Another option is to allow the regular alerts and such to still play through the iPad's speaker, but we send our sounds out via the line-out in the dock connector.

Of course we could always develop our own hardware for this, but we're trying to leverage as much of the device's built-in functionality as possible.

Answer 1

It may make your app ineligible for App Store distribution but there is apparently a private API that some people have gotten to do this. See:

• How to disable iOS System Sounds
• Mute/Silence an iOS device programmatically?

Some people report that there are certain API calls that have the byproduct of taking over all sound output. See iOS 5 Audio Alarms Don't Sound Without kAudioSessionProperty_OverrideCategoryMixWithOthers On for one example.

Your safest bet is probably to prompt the user to change the setting when the app opens.