Confused with choice over comms!!!

[austen_gs]

Hi all, just bought a F650GS twin, great bike!!

Now i want to be able to listen to music and take calls on my mobile on my commute to work. Not bothered about bike to bike or ride to pillion communication. Problem is there is so much choice and so many conflicting reviews, i cant make my mind up!!

I use blackberry phones, so no auto answer feature so its gotta be a bluetooth connected comms unit. I could use the blackberry to carry my music too, but would rather use my Ipod to save the blackberrys battery (its rubbish). It would be nice to have the option to connect up my Sat nav unit (no bluetooth), but not essential. Pricewise, as cheap as possible, but its gotta work!!

So i know its a bit of an open ended question, which one?? So far looked at SMH10, autocom LT1, starcom BT, Starcom adavnce and G4, but still no closer to working out what is best!

 

[austen_gs]

just seen the interphone F2, its seems to do everything i want for £99, anyone got one??

 

[chas820]

I use a Starcom Advance with bluetooth module as that seems to do everything i need.I`m resisting buying a bluetooth headset at the moment as they are expensive,wont talk to another make and seem to have pairing problems(or at least my mates have)Have a look on Ebay as second hand Autocoms and Starcoms come up all the time(Starcom own Autocom)I paid about £60 for a Starcom1 for a mate and it really does the job.

 

[Goose]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Starcom-1-Dig...03?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item43a6926ba7

 

[OscarIndia]

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Starcom-1-Dig...03?pt=UK_Motorcycle_Parts&hash=item43a6926ba7

True. But more importantly, please see my PM.

 

[mrsroynie]

Whenever Roynie and I have this discussion (fairly regularly) with manufacturers or purveyors of all things electronic at bike shows, we always come away feeling that there isn't much out there to beat our rather elderly Autocom systems. We would dearly love to go wireless but, if you want to hook up to more than one device, there doesn't seem to be a viable Bluetooth option at the moment.

Autocom and Starcom are much of a muchness. Old tech but still reliable and expandable and their reliance on 'hard wiring' all but eliminates connection/pairing problems.

That said, there are companies that make better headsets.

 

[hops]

went

just seen the interphone F2, its seems to do everything i want for £99, anyone got one??

from an autocom setup to Interphone F4's. Sound is just as good and they have the added benefit of being fitted to the helmet so whatever bike you ride the comms/music are there. If you only need it for one bike you can't far wrong with autocom. Starcom now own autocom so their stuff will over time probably be the same. The f4's were bought from Italy on fleabay and I got a dual setup for not much more than one unit here.

 

[judge]

Had all the main players of Bluetooth systems on test in recent times (Schuberth SRC, Cardo Scala G4, Interphone F4 and Sena SMH10.

The one I ended up fitting as personal preference was the Interphone F4, ironically it is the one that is the most ball-ache to adapt for use with my Ultimateear monitors but as the headsets are separate and cost £30 retail mangling one for the purpose is no big deal and they do give you two with each Bluetooth unit (so four in a dual kit).

Scala G4 are good but I find them ridiculously large for what they are and in comparison for others.

Sena I liked but its not as robust as the others and I've broken two headsets in the short time I trialled the system. The biggest frustration was dealing with Sena themselves business to business, its the system we were going to retain on account of them making an earbud headset that we can plug straight in to but they refuse to sell the kit in the form we want forcing customers to pay for headsets they don't need. So these are 'on the shelf'.

But Bluetooth is what I choose to use when I'm solo as its enough for my needs. Two-up and I'm straight in to my Autocom which gives all the capability and mixing of devices and it has to be said when I go back to Bluetooth I am frustrated by the restriction placed by them.

Bluetooth > phone with MP3 via A2DP (wireless stereo) controlled via AVRCP (wireless remote control) or Bluetooth to Garmin Zumo 550 (mono) phone via bluetooth to Zumo.

Very occasionally I'll ride out with the boss and we use the Interphone for bike to bike. But as has been said above the manufacturers are not cross compatible so Interphones will only talk to Interphones (albeit all previous incarnations not just current ones). Cardo Scala to Cardo Scala, Sena to Sena and so on so forth.

But it gets a bit confusing with helmet specific systems as it all depends on whose system is in the helmet although in the main the integrated systems are Cardo Scala of various derivatives.

With the Autocom I have it all connected by wires and so I enjoy stereo from Garmin Zumo and iPod, PMR radio compatible with all other PMR446 type radios, rider to pillion intercom with inputs for both our iPods if necessary and the system copes with all the fade in/out.

As for Bluetooth if its reviews you want then find yourself a comfy seat and a long drink and get stuck in

 

[rsstler]

Starcom or Autocom.

I have a Starcom Advanced and love it. Bought the bluetooth phone thingy but never use it. Recently bought the external volume controlled and can't believe I ever managed without it.

Still not sure about bluetooth helmet connections, personally prefer the hardwired systems.

 

[Rasher]

Autocom kit is pretty reliable and robust, about to replace my 4 year old 200 unit for latest Super-Pro, but only because I want to grab one before they are changed for something cheaper and nastier.

The older kit is very robust and unlike many other units you can get spares and decent aftersales support, I am sure some of the stuff out there is more elegant, but I can live with wired connections and like the "always on / never flat" way wired units work, music all day long, no hassle charging / pairing etc.

Recently added an Ampli-rider to mine for remote volume control, I can also run an MP3 player, Camera Detector and Sat-Nav all at the same time, with mounts for all of them and the necessary cables permanantly in place.

And my 200 unit will be going cheap in about 10 days time!

 

[stever1]

IMHO, you have to go a long way to beat the starcom digital. I use it when out with SWMBO. also use it for music played via satnav and have PMR comms linked in. The best extra is the rotary volume control.
the biggest benefits are, consistent quality of sound and not needing to charge helmets. The age of the wired headset is far from over, as blue tooth kit tends to be expensive, temperamental and not at all easy to link/use.

 

[mrsroynie]

IMHO, you have to go a long way to beat the starcom digital. I use it when out with SWMBO. also use it for music played via satnav and have PMR comms linked in. The best extra is the rotary volume control ....

There is one undeniable benefit in a hard wired system ... you can always unplug the passenger!

 

[austen_gs]

True. But more importantly, please see my PM.

eeermmm where is the pm button???

 

[austen_gs]

The F2 is available from italy (link found from a previous post about the F4) for £75