Why can't I have my cake (bluetooth) and eat it too?

[Illini]

I have the Cardio Scala G4 intercom system. (Actually it's Schuberth's SRC but same devices as Cardio makes the SCR for Schuberth's C3 and C2 helmets based on the G4 platform). I still have a Baehr wired intercom system hooked up to my 2006 RT but pulled the wired speakers out of my helmet to make room for the new SRC speakers. The intercom works great between rider and passenger.

 

But here is my issue. It seems that the wireless bluetooth can't handle multiple devices such as me and my passenger both being able to listen to XM radio via a Garmin Zumo 665. I also lost the radar warning in my helmet speakers from my valentine one radar devise. (I'll never see the lights on the valentine one even if the detector was mounted on my forehead with the warning lights stuck in my eyes...can you say I see a big speeding ticket in my future)?

 

So I'm willing to live without the dual XM radio connections but won't accept the radar devise not sounding in my helmet speakers. Do you know of any bluetooth radar devises that will go off in my helmet speakers and have a priority over the GPS?

[hsvpvc]

I think you have a stereo input plug on the inside of the lower G4. I had the same concern about radar. You can wire the radar detector into this and get a much more instant warning...faster than bluetooth response.

 

J&M has the only wireless dongle to include everything, but it is very expensive as are their headsets.

 

I just bought the Sena units which also allow plugging in the radar detector into the MP3 input.

 

Hope this helps...it is a wired to connect but better than no radar or spending the J&M price

[CruisinCruzan]

I know this response won't help you, but that is why I still use autocom (other quality wired systems would be similar). It's ability for rider and passenger to handle multiple sources simultaneously coupled with superb VOX is why I haven't gone to BT yet. I just rec'd responses from Cardo and Sena about what my present needs are and they both responded that present technology will not give me the same level of function via BT. I continue to wait.

[RedMac]

Bluetooth isn't quite there yet for the ability to handle multiple sources to multiple destinations. One thing you need to be aware of is the different bluetooth profiles and how they interact in terms of your audio device.

 

For instance, most of the new helmet systems will handle A2DP (streaming stereo) and ACRCP (for controlling audio devices). They will also handle HFP/HSP. If you connect an iphone for instance to your helmet, it will take over your HSP and A2DP profiles since it can support both and you won't be able to connect your zumo to it since the A2DP profile is already in use, unless you disable the A2DP profile on your phone (which you can only do if you jailbreak your phone, FYI).

 

Good source for bluetooth profile information is here

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_profile

 

However, it really sounds like you want to get multiple audio outputs to your A2DP profile on your helmet.

 

I do this using a Mixit2 and a bluetooth streaming transmitter. If you wanted both your and your passenger to be able to both hear the same output, then you would need to split the output of the mixer to dual transmitters since each will only pair to one receiver at a time.

 

Mixit2

http://www.mixitproducts.com/mixit2.html

 

I use this one for bluetooth streaming output

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000P9CEV4/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_2?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000W7PGU0&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0BR4JFVJHRJZKSY4XWE3

 

It actually does not run off battery, which I preferred, because I don't want to have to charge another device. I simply made a DC voltage converter for it to run off 12V bike power.

 

There are a number of battery based bluetooth A2DP transmitters available such as this one. Some of them will run while being charged, so you can simply use a car USB adapter to power them all the time. Research would be needed to find out if it can be used while charging. Or just run it off battery if you don't care about having to charge it with your helmet. Search amazon or elsewhere for bluetooth transmitter or adapter.

 

http://www.amazon.com/Scosche-Universal-Bluetooth-Transmitter-Players/dp/B000I3DTWA/ref=sr_1_3?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1301056728&sr=1-3

 

Again, you would need to split the output of the mixit2 (or mixer of your choice) but that only requires a simple Y splitter cable. The Mixit2 will handle all the other inputs for you, This setup will also still allow your intercom to work plus allow you to hear zumo nav commands, radar detector and any other audio device you'd want to plug in.

 

You might be able to do this with a bluetooth transmitter than only supports HSP but the Zumo won't allow you to selectively decide which profile you want to use with which device. However, you'd have to make sure you power up that device first or else the zumo will take over both profiles. In other words, you have to power up the HSP device first or the Zumo will take over both HSP and A2DP profiles (I believe it uses both), which gets to be a PITA pretty quickly.

The only one I am aware of that can do this offhand is the Jabra GN 1110 but it's discontinued and may be hard to find. I was using this to pair my Uniden 2 way radio to my bluetooth helmet.

 

The mixer method with a A2DP streaming device is a far better solution.

 

And the earlier posters suggestion to hardware the radar detector is the cheapest solution using the cable that came with your SRC. Keep in mind the radar detector's output is almost always mono so you would need a mono/stereo 3.5mm adapter from the radar detector output.

[Illini]

Thanks Redmac, et al. I have connected my iphone through the Zumo GPS so it will be able to accept calls which works well. I have considered a mix it devise but then I'm back to a bunch of cords hanging all over the place and it's no fun trying to hop off a bike to use the bathroom in a hurry when you get tangled up in cords, trip, fall and wet yourself. Not that I've done that, just sayin!

[RedMac]

You misunderstood my post. The mixit takes inputs from all your other audio devices. The output of the mixit is a bluetooth transmitter, which means it's wireless to the helmet...

 

You made no mention of phone usage in the first post, which changes the equation (you only mentioned radar detector and xm/zumo). That changes things since you need mic input from the helmet back to the zumo.

 

The only other way to do it with the phone, is jailbreak the phone, install Bluetooth Profile Selector on it to limit to the phone to HSP and pair the phone directly to the helme. Then use the streaming transmitter to run A2DP to the helmet for the other audio.