Hi,
This is almost covered by a few other threads, but none really address this specific issue (hence the new thread).
What distinguishes this one is that I am looking forward to the HTC Touch Pro 2 and therefore therefore require a car kit that can work with my current handset (O2 branded Kaiser) as well as being compatible with (or upgradable to) the HTC Touch Pro 2.
The car I have has an epically old (Nokia 3310 maybe) car kit already plumbed in (with mic). I am not interested in a bluetooth based kit as I would like to integrate it with the car stereo, possibly using the connections already provided by the current kit.
I also want the phone to stay charged so that I can use it as a GPS device. I would rather it was not windscreen mounted (encourages people to break into cars looking for the GPS device).
I can probably build one out of the bits I have here (although a 3.5mm headset to HTC headset adapter would be required to make it easy, else I'd have to strip cables), but I'd much rather buy a sweet looking commercial kit.
Oh, and the other problem is I am in the UK (so right hand drive car) and not all US released kits are available here (although if it matches my requirements, I might consider importing).
Anyway, thanks for reading this far and I would be grateful for any suggestions or descriptions for how you have achieved any similar solutions.
Cavey
PS If I could also get the moon on a stick, that would be great too
Related
I still use my old XDA 1 (Himilaya) for sat nav (running TomTom5 - haven't upgraded to 6 yet) with a wired GPS mouse, so both the GPS receiver and XDA are always charging when the ignition is on/engine running. I leave all that kit in the car all the time. I've also got an MDA Pro (Universal) and am thinking of using that for TomTom instead because:
a) Take advantage of the data tariff on it and subscribe to Traffic Plus (or whatever TomTom call it)
b) I also intend to get a Parrot CK bluetooth add on for the car (allow the car speakers to be part of a speakerphone) so I can make/receive calls and also listen to WMAs whilst driving (I hate all headphones)
So, questions.
1) TomTom5 works really well on the original XDA 1 (no crashes, smooth scrolling, very responsive, etc). Will it work just as well on my Universal?
2) If using the traffic service (over GPRS/UMTS), will voice calls still come through OK? T Mobile UK
3) Would pretty much any BT GPS unit off ebay be OK?
4) How long do the batteries last before needing a charge on these BT units?
5) Are there any wired solutions, so I don't need batteries and the Universal could also be on charge? I'd much prefer that.
6) Is the traffic service good? I mean, does it warn/reroute you sufficiently in advance? Does it know, for instance, that some roads are always slow and avoid them?
7) Anything in TomTom6 worth the ugprade over 5?
Or should I forget the traffic (and still rely on the radio) and just stick to the satus quo, or maybe still get the BT thing for MP3/WMAs? Anyone got any experience of a similar setup to report? TomTom5 on the XDA is one of very few tech products with which I'm completely and utterly happy.
Can no one help on any of the questions?
Hi Xiasma,
I sell a Car Kit for £40, which sounds like it should do what you want.
http://www.mdapro.co.uk/shop/xcart/T-Mobile-MDA-PRO-Handsfree-Custom-Car-Kit-with-speaker-pr-36.html
It'll charge your phone and GPS at the same time, amplify the voice, etc. and comes with 3 different mounts to attach to your car. I haven't sold many and one person is complaining about people not hearing him when he makes recieves a call, although we've proved that the microphone is working correctly. See this thread for an in depth discussion on pro's, con's, etc.
http://www.mdapro.co.uk/phpBB-2.0.18/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=275
I have no experiance of other solutions, but I think that as you have problems with loudspeaker, you'll have the same trouble as the guy in the thread. The thread goes on a bit, but I think you'll find it usefull.
Any bluetooth GPS reciever should work well with your phone, but I'd advise going for one with a Sirf III chipset, people seem to find them much better than sirf II. I have some new ones due in next week around the £50 mark, which sound a better deal than any others I sell at the minute.
HTH
Dave
That's great, Dave, thanks. It's got a built in microphone, but does it have line out so I could have the sound going through my car speakers (ie for MP3 and the like)? That would be perfect. Well, almost, I'd prefer to mount the MDA Pro open with the keyboard underneath - I guess this won't allow that, will it?
How many hours use does a good BT GPS unit last between charges?
Hi Xiasma,
unfortunately it doesn't have a line out, but I've seen Y-adapters around for a few pence which could well serve the purpose you require.
As you wish to plug it into your stereo anyway, you don't neccessarily need an amplified mount. Herbert Richter make several suitable mounts and a body which will hold your device with the keyboard open. (Laptop Style) It has cutouts for most buttons, sockets, etc. So you could easily plug your phone in to charge and connect it to your stereo.
Heres a good GPS reciever, the manufacturer claims the battery will last 11 hours. I honestly haven't tested one myself, so I don't know how accurate this info is.
http://www.mdapro.co.uk/shop/xcart/GlobalSat-359S-Sirf-III-Bluetooth-GPS-Receiver-pr-42.html
HTH
Dave
bear with me on this one while I try to explain...
I have an o2 XDA Exec that has tomtom 6 on it
I want to use the phone/sat nav, while on my bike
I have got a Starcom Advance - http://www.starcom1.com/ that is all working on the bike
Now, I do not want to use bluetooth if I can avoid it....
The starcom has a seperate connector for the phone and for satnav. (Both 3.5mm jacks)
I think that if I can find a 3.5 mm double male lead then I am hoping I can just plug it into the xda and the starcom - but what lead do I need? (Needs to allow the microphone to work btw)
I am hoping that some kind person knows what lead is needed so I can source one from maplins etc.... or that it just will not work!
I have the same problem! I use the Intraride system, but it's exactly the same set-up as the StarCom (used to have one) The solution I found was something like the Ericsson bluetooth handsfrees. They come with a detachable earpiece, so you can connect the units to the intercom using the phonelead that should have been supplied in the intercoms box.
First option is the HBH-20, there is one on ebay now for next to nothing.
HBH-20 Ebay Clicky
I then tried the HBH-200, which is similar, but includes a CallerID function. Nothing on ebay, but here is a link so you can see what I mean:
Clicky
Both devices are the size of a box of matches, so no troubles there! What I did find is that both units can be querky with the bluetooth connection, (down to the phone not the handsfree and this was on the OE o2 ROM, and one of the cooked WM6 versions) and also the volume was a bit quiet. Solution I've gone with now, is to swap my SIM into a normal phone (Nokia 6310i and universal adapter) and just plug that in. I also had good results with the Motorola V50 which has a 2.5mm connection that will just plug straight in.
Hope you find something that works for you! Although if anyone knows of an adapter to allow normal 2.5mm handsfrees to be connected to the 3.5mm socket on the universal...I'd love to know too! I have already looked at the adapters from Expansys, but these only allow PC type headsets to be connected (ie those with a separate 3.5mm headset and earphone lead)
Steve
Hi, I'm thinking on buying ORA Car Pack
http://www.mobileplanet.com/p.aspx?i=153768&asource=151727
They sell it for 27 dollars. Does anyone own this? Can someone give me a recommendation? I want to buy a cheap carkit for my kaiser, with 12v power included. I want to have it glue to my car dashboard or to my windshield with a vent mount.
Thanks in advanced
In the past I also bought car kits made for that specific PDA I owned by that time. The problem though is that - during your "PDA-life" - you spend a fortune on this so I decided to go for some "general" system like Brodit or Richter (see http://www.mobileplanet.com/p.aspx?i=156824). The advantage with this system is that you only have to replace the actual PDA holder rather than the complete system when you get a new tech toy - which is also less expensive.
I'm very happy with the Richter system now since quite a number of years.
Christian
Well interesting point of view but the ORA car park system, seems to be a universal type of holder and would as such suit their owners in case of pdas change
I'm curious about return of experiences too.
About that ORA system, but also about the Arkon CM799 http://www.mobileplanet.com/p.aspx?i=147464
which would seem to suit the TyTN II too.
As I'm thinking of having the Kaiser into some kind of hard plastic or rubber protector case, I think it's best I stay away from specific to the TyTN II car kit since the phone would be to thick to hold in the especially designed systems.
One question for you Eurybia though : does the adapter you got for the Richter system allows to have the ability to have the Kaiser keypad opened or closed at will ?
Thanks !
I dont like Arkon product. I bought an active charger before, but after not more than 5 months, the "spring" to hold the PDA was loosen (not tight anymore).
Derek Smalls said:
One question for you Eurybia though : does the adapter you got for the Richter system allows to have the ability to have the Kaiser keypad opened or closed at will ?
Thanks !
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope.
And even when I think about this feature now I wouldn't miss that anyway. In times of bluetooth, voice dialing and more or less mainly GPS usage in the car I wouldn't use the keyboard while driving anyway. For me the most important thing is that the unit is fixed properly in the holder so it won't drop between the seats or alike even on rough roads.
My eyes are too bad and my fingers too big to play distant-mice-piano anyway.
Anyway, nor the arkon active holder nor the brodit (or Richter ) active holder costs 27 dollars. So I asked again to see if anyone owns one of this or if someon can recomend an active holder carkit for more or less the same price.
Hi,
I researched this quite extensively but no real solution yet.
I have Kaiser and I recently bought Audi Q7. Kaiser works fairly OK over Bluetooth (Jetware installed). I can see and import contacts - not a very elegant process since the name and surname get joined up and all the numbers, which belong to any one contacts are shown separately (with /M, /W etc.) and I have to do a lot of work manually to sort everything out after import. But I can live with that.
However, I would like to integrate my Kaiser into the phone prep located underneath the central armrest (I believe it is universal so I can put on any cradle supplied by Audi - it just seems from the list of supported devices that Audi sells no cradle compatible with Kaiser or any PDA phone), so it would use the power supply and antenna in the car.
Can anyone help me in any way?
So, no solution anyone? I've been searching for days now and it seems that the only practical thing would be to buy a cradle for another phone and then convert it somehow for use with Kaiser... Not a very elegant solution though...
BR
You can use Bluetooth rSAP adaptator for this connection: it is Audi ref. 8P0 051 440 for the A4 (2008);and it looks identical connection...
You may also have standard hand free bluetooth by the MMI (but this don't use external car reception), I can use the phone contacts also this way in A4...
Hello.
I am planning to buy some bluetooth carkit for Raphael and I want to ask you for your opinions and suggestions.
I want following:
- Build into a car directly-hard kit
- Sound goes to loudspeakers
- Big display to browse phonebook(Outlook),call logs(missed,incoming,outgoing)
- Comfortable control and browsing phonebook(not like wheel on Parrot)
- Phonebook with support for more numbers per contact
- Maybe some control buttons separated from display
- Browsing phonebook should be quick,not slow.
Has anyone some suggestions?
Good Luck
I have researched a fair amount on the subject. Never got too far - you will never find what you are looking for.
Your BEST bet in my opinion is to go for a higher end headunit - i think Pioneer makes a bluetooth capable receiver which has a lot of the functionality you require. I think they were like DEH-700bt and DEH-900bt. When i get some more cash (and these start showing up on the used markets) i'm buying the 900 model myself.
I know it's not enough for what you're looking to do, but if anyone sees this and cares, I got the MotoRokr T505 for like 70 bucks new on amazon, Does bluetooth hands free, stereo audio, fm tranmitting that autoscans for the best channel, has phone and media controls on it, battery lasts forever, audio quality is great, people don't even know I'm on a hands-free, uses your cars existing stereo, I can't say enough good things about it, had it for over 6 months, not a single problem.
Thanks for the tips guys.
However,I don't accept them,because:
- car radio with BT is for me useless,because in my car it is located pretty far from driver(Citroen Evasion),so I cannot comfortably see phbook on the display. Another thing against,it is expensive and for example Alpine I tried was unable to browse contacts.
- MotoRokr has no display,so big disadvantage for me.
I like the BT carkit in our company's Skoda Octavia II,with comfortable browser located right in front of my eyes on the onboard display,controls on steering wheel,sound to speakers,etc. I want something similar to my private Evasion.
Take a look at parrot.com site.
I use THB Bury CC9060 Plus.
It's touch screen or fully (even the deepest settings) voice controlable, works with up to 2 phones and one A2DP connection at the same time and offers great sound quality.
No need to take hands off steering wheel for anything you would like to do.
Sascha