New mobile phone laws - THE BLUETOOTH/AUDIO THREAD

[dave2221]

So, with the new laws that basically prevent you from even having the phone within a 5km radius while driving, i thought we could discuss options for our MX5's regarding hands free ect.

What have you seen, and what have you done to the stereo in your MX5?

I originally had one of those bluetooth earpieces, as it worked well with the roof down, and my converstaion was still private (although i looked a bit like a dick)
But i lost that so i am back to no handsfree in the car.

I have a NB with the 6 stacker, so i spose i have 5 options.
1. remove the factory stereo and replace with a bluetooth enabled unit
2. a piggy back unit like the Parrot ones (had one in previous cars and they are pretty good)
3. a blueant unit on the sun visor (annoying since i removed my visors)
4. a stupid cradle to hold my phone while its on loudspeaker
5. bluetooth FM transmitter (see below)

I saw these on Ebay, and thougth they looked pretty good.

Allow audio streaming and calls via bluetooth, transmitted to your car via FM.... no need to install (can swap cars)
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Handsfree-Bluetooth-FM-transmitter-Car-Kit-Speakerphone-/110668203696?pt=AU_MobilePhoneAccessories&hash=item19c456c6b0

Problem with this is i HATE my arial being up on my MX5, so i dont use the arial (might need to invest in a stubby antennea)

Alternativly you can go with this:
a Parrot integrated kit.... still with audio streaming ect
http://www.thecarkitcompany.com.au/index.php/products/store/details/31/6/hands-free-car-kits-for-phones/parrot-mki9100-bluetooth-car-kit?manufacturer_id=5

Or do you get something like this?
A 7" touchscreen GPS and bluetooth kit
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/7-inch-Car-Stereo-DVD-Player-GPS-2-DIN-Media-Entertainment-System-Bluetooth-/150928333611?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item2324079b2b

what would you do, what have you done and how good was it?

[dave2221]

Quick update

Did a bit more looking on Ebay.... and this is the double din GPS i would get.

Only one i could find with A2DP audio streaming... also comes with reverse camera (not needed in a MX5 but still handy)

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=180942288818

[Rich_E]

So, with the new laws that basically prevent you from even having the phone within a 5km radius while driving, i thought we could discuss options for our MX5's regarding hands free ect.

Alternativly you can go with this:
a Parrot integrated kit.... still with audio streaming ect
http://www.thecarkitcompany.com.au/index.php/products/store/details/31/6/hands-free-car-kits-for-phones/parrot-mki9100-bluetooth-car-kit?manufacturer_id=5

what would you do, what have you done and how good was it?

I am currently looking at this as well, I also used to have a Parrot in my previous car that I fitted myself, was thinking about doing it again to the MX5

This is the best price I have found so far for the parrot kit...
http://www.techbuy.com.au/p/182168/MOBILE_PHONES_BLUETOOTH_SPEAKERPHONES/Parrot/PF300062.asp?at=62

Just need to work out what wiring harness I would need (NB8B - double DIN - not Bose - single CD)

Richard

[lee]

I have a Kenwood head unit with bluetooth & usb. I have a USB to 30 pin dock cable going into the centre console which charges my iPhone and plays music, and it pairs via bluetooth as well for hands-free calling. You don't even see the phone after you plug it in, and you have (nearly) full control over it.

[Mr Morlock]

it all seems to complicated. Best thing for phones in a car is partner to answer or just return calls later. Bit different though if they are business calls but social that can wait.

[david_syd_au]

What I have done is buy a "Belkin AirCast Auto Handsfree Bluetooth Car Kit".
Mine was $60 from an ebay seller in Aus.

http://www.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Product_Id=530115

You must have an aux input. The device plugs into that and a cig-lighter 12v socket.

The device itself is about the size of a 50c piece, and is magnetically secured to a mounting plate attached to the dash using double-sided tape.

It has a built in microphone, and works well for hands-free conversations up to 60 kmh with the top down.
I haven't had an opportunity yet to try it at higher speeds.

I also use it to stream music and podcasts from my android phone.

When a call is received, I have to just push the front face of the device, which is a button, to answer the call.

Only downsides are that the cabling could be untidy, as it is an add-on unit, and that it doesn't automatically initiate the bluetooth connection, and I have to push the front-face button on the unit each time I get in the car to initiate the bluetooth connection.

On a side note, I found through accident that it will connect to multiple devices. Through chance one day it had a streamiing connection to a tablet, at the same time as an audio connection to my phone for calls.

[lee]

it all seems to complicated.

if you were referring to my setup, it's not terribly complicated. After you pair it for the first time, it automatically pairs whenever you're in range of the head unit, so all you have to do it plug it in for music/charging.

[dave2221]

it all seems to complicated. Best thing for phones in a car is partner to answer or just return calls later. Bit different though if they are business calls but social that can wait.

Unfortunatly my partner wont come in the car with me on the way to work just to answer my calls.

Nor can i afford a butler to answer calls for me while i drive.

Since i spend 90+% of the time in the car alone... i need something other than a human answering service.

Mr Morlock, would you like to be my personal assistant? I can pay 3 peanuts a day.

As for the Parrot system, i had the slightly better one with the caller ID screen, (so i can skip calls i dont want to answer ) And looks like that might be the way to go.

The 7" screen i showed earlier has a built in microphone, and the seller was honest enough to tell me that it probably wouldnt be suffiencet for a convertible,

Whatever you get will need a mic attached up near the sunvisor/rear view mirror

[deviant]

I have a Kenwood head unit with bluetooth & usb. I have a USB to 30 pin dock cable going into the centre console which charges my iPhone and plays music, and it pairs via bluetooth as well for hands-free calling. You don't even see the phone after you plug it in, and you have (nearly) full control over it.

In a previous car I did this and just got an aftermarket Sony head unit that had USB and bluetooth built in.

The unit did not even have a microphone to put near your head and it muted the music and used the car speakers to hear the caller. I was a bit sceptical that the call quality would be any good for the other person without the seperate microphone but it worked really well.

Very quick and easy to install going this way to. It is not complicated at all.

[bruce]

I found a parrot too complicated.
I had to feed him and clean up after him (feathers and poop everywhere).

[manga_blue]

I have a Blaupunkt Toronto 410BT head unit in the other car. Pretty happy with that. Connects seamlessly to the phone as soon as I hop in the car and I never have to touch the phone after that. It's a straight swap for the horrible German Audio 10 OEM units and it took about one minute to remove the old unit and install it.

It would pay to think about your bluetooth security at some stage. We managed to pair a phone successfully to the Audi driving next to us last time I was in Sydney. I'm not 100% sure but it looked like we managed to stream music to it.

[zossy1]

It would pay to think about your bluetooth security at some stage. We managed to pair a phone successfully to the Audi driving next to us last time I was in Sydney. I'm not 100% sure but it looked like we managed to stream music to it.

LOL!

I'd have played some Rodney Rude or something... ;)

[jules]

Got one of these and love it!



Jules

[manga_blue]

It would pay to think about your bluetooth security at some stage. We managed to pair a phone successfully to the Audi driving next to us last time I was in Sydney. I'm not 100% sure but it looked like we managed to stream music to it.

LOL!

I'd have played some Rodney Rude or something... ;)

Worse, we found a country track, Loretta Lynn with hawaiin guitar backing. sooooo Audi.

[droo]

I ended up with a 6" lcd double din unit. Fits flush to the NA console - (that was the main reason i didnt go a 7" panel.)
It also has real world buttons and a volume knob which i find much more immediate and ergonomic then push button volume controls.

It has an option to copy the phone's address book to itself so it will show who's calling from your contacts list.
Plays bluetooth music (albeit without showing track names unlike my earlier 7" in my 4wd).0
The main selling point about it for me is that it also reads and plays music from iPhones (and charges them) via a dedicated dock cable.
Too many of these units still don't offer that ability.

Jules, how is the JVC you have? I ended up giving mine away, very disappointed with it, as it kept forgetting settings to auto-connect to my iphone, as well as it's "dual" ability to tie in two phones *never* worked, and it also had issues playing cds of burnt music (mp3 & audio)