Navigator III and Nolan N-Com Bluetooth helmet

[TonyIOW]

I'm wondering whether anybody has experience of using these two items?I'm thinking of buying a Nolan N102 helmet fitted with the N-Com bluetooth system. Before doing so I wanted to make sure that it could communicate with my Navigator III, but the dealer and I have been unable to find a way of pairing the units. They do recognise each other when they search for new devices but, when we tried to get them to connect, the Navigator screen prompted that the passcode "1234" should be entered into the other device (the helmet's bluetooth). Having looked at the manuals of both units there doesn't seem to be any way of doing this. Am I missing something, or are these units simply incompatible?

On a related issue, my ultimate aim is to do away with the wired connection of my existing autocom unit, and to use the bluetooth helmet to a) listen to the Navigator as mentioned above, and b) transmit/receive from bike to bike via a Allan VHF radio equipped with a bluetooth dongle. Do anybody know whether its possible to achieve that aim? Thanks for any help and advice.

Cheers, Tony

 

[SilverFish]

Sounds like the Intaride Evo should do. I think Lord Snooty has one so might be worth asking him.

Mike

 

[Dale]

Tony,

Dont have a definate answer for you, just a couple of suggestions ..

I know its not a BM unit,but perhaps look at the manual for the WCS-1 (BM's BT Helmet) and see how that is paired to the Nav ... I'd think the proceedure would be similar.

Also, look in the archives for Michael's (PanEuropean) write ups on the 2820 - IIRC he wrote a bit about pairing GPS's, phones and helmets.

Lastly (and i'm not sure it has much relevance) ...
When I first tried to pair a Sony phone with the GPS (2820) I used the GPS as the "master" device and followed the menus on the GPS and tried to look for the phone ... without result. I then just switched the GPS bluetooth on and used the phone as the "master" device and asked the phone to look for compatible devices ad it all linked up perfectly. The reason I mention this is that when I used the phone as the "master" it did not prompt from a pass code, just connected and has worked perfectly since. Perhaps you can put the headset in "discover" mode and let it find the GPS, not the other way round?

Dale

 

[oddball]

Tony, the bluetooth unit used in the Nolan lid is the same as that used in the Dainese Airstream lid from what I can tell, both are made by Stilo in Italy. Check them out on www.stilo.it.

For a similar set of problems as you have experienced trying to pair up your Nolan lid with the Nav 3 (or for that matter the Garmin 2820) see an earlier thread, it think its titled "dainese airstream bluetooth & Nav 111".

It sounds like you have not done the firmware update from Garmin yet as the next syptom you will get will be a pairing that will drop in and out of connection straight away rather than failing at the device code input as you are.

Garmin are aware of the problem and are working towards a solution (I hope). Garmin are keen on a proper fix I think as this problem seriously restricts the usefulness of the bluetooth product and could badly affect the new Zumo product as well.

You could always buy a system 5 with bluetooth or the BM kit and retro fit it into a lid, the system 5 is the only bluetooth lid I have found that works with the Nav 3 - if it fits you and you want to part with £500+.

I understand that Garmin and the Dainese Proshop will be neighbours at the NEC bike show, it would be timely for them to have a fit by then wouldnt it.

 

[beemerboy9]

Garmin are aware of the problem and are working towards a solution (I hope). Garmin are keen on a proper fix I think as this problem seriously restricts the usefulness of the bluetooth product and could badly affect the new Zumo product as well.

I do pity Garmin. BMW pay them loads of money to develop a link with the System 5 and now they are being dragged into Dainese and Nolan helmets.
Garmin will sell loads more 2820's to car drivers who will be quite happy with a bluetooth headset without worrying about music (comes out of the car system) or intercoms/bike-to-bike radio (the curious whine from the back of the car is the mother-in-law).
I do agree that Garmin are not short of a bob or two, but we can't lay all the blame at their door.
Feel free to disagree!

 

[Dale]

I do pity Garmin. BMW pay them loads of money to develop a link with the System 5 and now they are being dragged into Dainese and Nolan helmets.
Feel free to disagree!

Ummmmm, I thought the whole point about bluetooth was that there is one set of standards and all devices that have this set of standards could talk to each other happily? there shouldn't be any need for extra design work just to connect to other makes or devices .... should there? The phone and PC firms seem to have got it right, even if it is a bit fiddly at times.

Dale (with GPS and phone in bluetooth harmony ... just need the headset)

 

[TonyIOW]

Thanks for the helpful info and advice guys. Sounds like it may be worth me holding off on the bluetooth pairing for a while until the quirks get ironed out by Garmin et al. After all, I can achieve my objectives ok at present using my autocom....it was just the thought of being able to do it wirelessly that appealed to me.

Tony

 

[oddball]

John, I may be wrong but I dont think there is any special arrangement between BMW & Garmin to make the unit only see their System 5 helmet. The bluetooth platform in the Nav 3 and the 2820 are probably exactly the same which will be why neither unit will pair up with the Stilo product (fitted in the Dainese, Nolan and Vemar lids).

I also dont think this is just a Garmin issue, in fact it may be nothing to do with their side of the pairing it may only be a software issue of Stilos making.

Garmin however are in the best position to establish what is wrong and sort it out if they can. I understand that the Garmin and the BMW variant pair up with all sorts of bluetooth devices without a problem but there is only one built in helmet system that works currently and thats the system 5.

Quoted from Garmin Website - 2820 product.
Motorcyclists can connect a Bluetooth-enabled headset or helmet*
* Feature compatibility dependent on helmet or headset support.

Quoted from garmin Website - Zumo product.
With zūmo’s Bluetooth® wireless technology, you can talk on the phone safely without removing your gloves or helmet. Connect zūmo to your Bluetooth-enabled headset/helmet and cell phone to make and receive hands-free calls.

The qualification of the statment for the 2820 product would support what some one told me the other day which may or may not be totally true, there is no such qualification statement for Zumo. This could indicate that the Zumo works with the Stilo device. Only Garmin know the truth there but if it did it should mean a fix for the 2820/Nav 3 isnt that far away.

 

[beemerboy9]

The qualification of the statment for the 2820 product would support what some one told me the other day which may or may not be totally true, there is no such qualification statement for Zumo. This could indicate that the Zumo works with the Stilo device. Only Garmin know the truth there but if it did it should mean a fix for the 2820/Nav 3 isn't that far away.

OK, lets hope the engineering solution lives up to the marketing blurb!