Autocom Pro Duo 300 + TomTomRider2 + iPhone 3g + Kenwood TK3201

[ChrisDolphin]

Evening all...

Looking at Autocom 300 for my 2006 GSA to work with:

- Tom Tom Rider2 via bluetooth;
- iPhone 3g (for music - use TomTom for phone);
- Kenwodd TK3201 with power from the 300;

Couple of questions.

1. I've seen a few posts about problems with TomTom Rider2 and bluetooth module - have these been resolved with firware updates from TomTom - anyone out there got a working setup - can you confirm your software version ?

2. I'd like to fit it all to the bike, presumably under the rider seat in the 'tool tray' ?

3. Where do I get my power from for the 300 ? (idiot guide please...);

4. Do people keep their Kenwood radios constantly under the seat - do people put them in waterproof covers or is the Kenwood sufficiently waterproof to take it ?

5. Any way round having >1 cable going to rider. Obviously need headset cable - but presume I'll need another cable to iPhone for music playback ? I guess only way around is tank bag or old iPod in waterproof bag under seat....with some kind of remote control ?

Thanks all
Chris.

 

[GSrich]

Hi Chris,

1, Unknown really as its gone a bit quiet on that front with us.

2, The main comms can be fitted under the bikes seat, the Kenwood would need to be sat on person or into a tank bag.

3, The live feed is taken from the red/green wire that feeds the 12v to bikes auxiliary power socket under the riders seat. The earth is taken direct to the battery.

4, As number 1.

5, We normally run the music lead out with the riders main lead, this is ran out between the tank and the seat between the riders legs. The music source is normally kept on person then. Remote control wise you will not need this for the music. All you will need to do is set the volume so its at a comfortable level for when you are stood still, the auto volume on the Super Pro will look after the rest.

Rich

 

[ChrisDolphin]

I presume the radio has to be in bag or on person due to size of the unit rather than anything else ?
In-between writing here I had a reply from BMW North Oxford who suggested taking the power from front side light wiring as connected to aux power socket normally creates problems (!).
"We tend to peel back the outer wire and solder the A/com wire onto the bare wire and then tape it all up again and route the wire under the tank etc to the A/com unit"

I presume the BT module is still £75 ?

Any news on when you're updating the website btw ?

Thanks
Chris

 

[GSrich]

Hi Chris,

Power wise it would all depend on if you are looking at running a BMW charger as if so wiring from the back of the socket causes problems with the charger. So this is when we wire to the blue/white wire that feeds 12v to the small bulb within the headlight. To gain access to the wire we cut into the loom that runs around the left hand side of the headstock, it can be tight for room though so be be warned.

As for the kenwood there is no room under the seat at all for the unit so they are always run on person or into a tank bag etc.

Rich

 

[ChrisDolphin]

Thanks for your advice. What do you charge for fitting at Warwick ?
Annoyingly I had a contract in the Technology Park up the road from you for 2.5yrs - could have come over in my lunch hour !
Chris

 

[GSrich]

We currently charge £47 an hour for fitting any bikes Chris. As for work yeah you could of as I would of been here at the time

Rich

 

[ChrisDolphin]

Hi Rich
Should be receiving the Autocom 300 and Bluetooth module in a couple of days. I know you're in London for this week and weren't taking bookings for next Monday, could I book some time next Wednesday lunchtime (4th Feb) for fitting please ?
Cheers
Chris

 

[ChrisDolphin]

Hi Rich - not to worry, I've booked in for 12 on Wednesday. Cheers, Chris.

 

[GSrich]

Hi Chris,

No worries, either Paul and I will see you then.

Rich

 

[ChrisDolphin]

Hi Rich
Do you recommend a Kenwood Waterproof Bag KWR-1 for keeping the Kenwood radio in when fixed permanently to the bike ? I'm really keen for the radio to stay attached - especially now I've received the radio and note that there is a fixing piece with screws for when you attached an external mic/speaker lead.
I know you've commented in other posts that the radio is best on the rider or tank bag and that there isnt sufficient space on the R1200GS Adv. but looking at the tool-kit space - wouldnt it fit in there ?

Could you confirm that you have stock of the false battery connection kit for my Wednesday fitting ?....and....depending on your answer above - a Kenwood Waterproof Bag KWR-1 ?

Many thanks
Chris

 

[GSrich]

Hi Chris,

Sorry for the lack of reply due to the snow I couldnt make it in to work on Thursday or Friday.

So Kenwood wise we do not recommend any specific or branded cases really but we supply a lot of the rider training schools our gun holster style carry cases that are normally worn on person around the waist. So you could run our Part 1556 £25. These are sold as splash proof but not fully water proof.

As for the Part 1402's we are out of stock of these currently but the last update I got was they are due to be with us towards the end of this week. I had known that you were needing one I would of got one reserved for you. But once they are in stock I could send it onto to you ASAP.

Rich

 

[ChrisDolphin]

Hi Rich

Just wanted to thank you for an excellent fitting today in Warwick, worked perfectly on my route home and I'm actually looking forward to my 1.5hr commute to London Bridge tomorrow morning.......a feeling I've not had this year yet !

For anyone else reading, Rich was great, even swapping over my TomTom Rider2 power lead with a replacement I'd brought. The fitting was fantastically neat - including the two helmets I had with me.

First rate job - many thanks for your help.

Thoroughly recommended.

Regards
Chris.

 

[GSrich]

Hi Chris,

Spot on and thank you for letting me know all is well. As for looking forward to riding into London fair play to you not every one would feel like that

Rich

 

[ChrisDolphin]

Ah....spoke a little too soon. I'm suffering from a couple of teething problems I'm afraid !

Using the iPhone through TomTom appears to be having a problem with the Autocom 300. Its keeping the bluetooth connection but appears to drop inbound sound mid conversation. Its happening sporadically, and requires the the TomTom to be power cycled before it'll work again. I thought it might be the fact I was playing music through the iphone via the music lead - so disconnected that for a couple of journeys and made a number of calls. There's no pattern - it just appears to stop receiving sound through the Autocom at some point through some calls. The other end of the call simply hears nothing, the TomTom is still happily connected and I can 'hear' my voice coming over the headphohes - but dont get the other side of the call - and they dont get my voice either. I'm on the latest TomTom software, 7.902 or something and have also done a system reset etc.

Any ideas ?

Regards
Chris

 

[GSrich]

Hi Chris,

I am sorry to hear about your problems, so as a quick test to see what is causing the problem I would recommend that you pair your phone direct to your dongle and try a few phone calls set up like this. If the calls are working both ways you know the dongle is doing its job fine.

If you then repair your dongle to the Rider and the call problems still go on the problem will be TomTom related.

Also if the GPS audio is always coming through your dongle again this proves the dongle is doing its job. If the GPS audio was also effected also then you know where to point the finger.

Rich

 

[ChrisDolphin]

Hi there, I'll give it a go. Cheers, Chris

 

[springonion]

Hi Chris.

Bit of a side question here but what did you end up doing with the TK3201? I'm in the same boat as you where by I want to keep the radio on the bike all the time.

The thing is, the tool space is already taken up with the Autocom 300 Duo and I don't want to put the radio in a tank bag.

cheers

Nick

 

[ChrisDolphin]

Hi Rich
If you recall, you replaced the power lead for the TomTom for me when I had the 300 fitted. Turns out that wasnt the issue, it was the bike cradle. Anyhoo - TomTom have replaced it FOC and its working fine now.

Gave me the opp. to try pairing the iPhone 3g directly with the Autocom and that worked fine - didnt drop comms once with it. However........its not ideal, I want to be able to see whose calling me and make a decision on taking the call or not. I also want to make calls - all the things the TomTom Rider is designed to do.

So I repaired with the TomTomRider and removed the Autocom to iPhone pairing. It works fine........but only for a few minutes - I think 3 or 4 but I guess I should get it timed exactly as it could be a system time out from the Autocom ? The audio just drops. The TomTom thinks its still connected but I get nothing through the headset. When the caller gets bored and disconnects - I no longer have an audio/headset connection with the TomTom. I have to reset the TomTom for audio to work again.

Now......I know you're going to say its the TomTom but the TomTom works fine with the iPhone AND with the Cardo Scalar headset you get with it - never dropped audio. So it must be 'something' about the bluetooth connection from Autocom ?

Any ideas ? Is there some kind of timeout on the bluetooth dongle ? Perhaps its expecting to get some kind of handshake connection string sent to it every 3mins or something and if it doesnt get it - bang - the audio disappears ?

Thoughts appreciated - at the moment I have an expensive MP3 player headset....
Thanks
Chris

 

[ChrisDolphin]

Hi Chris.

Bit of a side question here but what did you end up doing with the TK3201? I'm in the same boat as you where by I want to keep the radio on the bike all the time.

The thing is, the tool space is already taken up with the Autocom 300 Duo and I don't want to put the radio in a tank bag.

cheers

Nick

Hi there, I havent tried it yet ! I'm waiting on getting a battery dummy for the radio but it'll have to go either on me, in the rucksack or the tank bag. I wont be using it often to be honest - and its one less lead that would need disconnecting when you go and pay for fuel if its in the tank bag ?

I'm riding this Sat and will be using it for the first time then (some RoSPA training).

There really isnt the space under the seat. Rich explained that they dont like putting the Autocom kit where the manual is as the water just washes straight down there and ends up knackering the autocom........

Let me know if you resolve it - have no use for the radio other than on the bike (occasionally) - so having it fitted somewhere would be ideal.

Chris.

 

[GSrich]

Chris, are the GPS directions coming through OK or are these being lost as well. So all in all is the problem all connections lost or just when the phone side of the tomtom is being lost ?

Rich