Star Com

[cheesysalesman]

After defecting from AutoCom, I took the plunge and bought a starcon set up at the bike show last night..

After faffing for hours to de & re the head set in to my flip lid, I installed the hardware on the bike (06 GSA) this evening.. After a quick trial run up the A1, I can report that it works a treat. Made a few calls up to 80 mph and had no troube in making or receiving calls, and no interference, unlike my old Autocom.. I run the phone thru a Zumo 550 which in turn is hard wired to the Starcon unit.

Also rigged for my i-pod and Motorola (need PTT button).

Negatives are that the cables are a bit weedy when compared to the Autocom, and although I have fitted it under the seat in the tool tray, it's not left any space for the BMW tool kit which is now re homed in the top box.

Positives are very clear phone calls with zero interference and space for all my toys!!

Oh, and it was flipping chilly banging up the A1 on my test...

 

[Sgt Bilco]

I've had Starcom for a couple of years and think they are a great piece of kit. Mine has been hammered with 18,000 miles on very rough roads in the US and Alaska and has been spot on

Good back up too if you ever need it

 

[gazzauk]

Hi , i have exactly the same setup as you cheesy with my phone running through my 550 which is hard wired to my starcom 1. I assume youre starcom the digital version as with my older model i get terrable ignition / electrical wine through my headset, which gets worse as speed increases. The sound also gets considerably worse when i switch on the heated grips. Am i wright in thinking you have the digital version??

 

[Sgt Bilco]

Hi , i have exactly the same setup as you cheesy with my phone running through my 550 which is hard wired to my starcom 1. I assume youre starcom the digital version as with my older model i get terrable ignition / electrical wine through my headset, which gets worse as speed increases. The sound also gets considerably worse when i switch on the heated grips. Am i wright in thinking you have the digital version??

I would suggest you speak to Starcom because that shouldn't happen

Mine is non digital and I run everything through it with no problems

 

[Packer]

I would suggest you speak to Starcom because that shouldn't happen

Mine is non digital and I run everything through it with no problems

+1 , I occasionally get a bit of wine and it's sure sign of a wire failing in either the helmet set or my ear monitors.

Non digital and fitted for around 4 or 5 years now.

 

[Sgt Bilco]

+1 , I occasionally get a bit of wine .

It's probablt from the back seat.....

 

[cheesysalesman]

starcom

It's the non digital one. Not basic one, but the one that has a pillion option as well as the other connectivity.

I get no buzz at all and no feedback either. With my autocom I could always hear the open mike for an instant as it opened.

This evening I have stitched the cables in to the inside of my twat suit. It all looks very slick now.

 

[gazzauk]

Im going to try and re route the cables to the front of the bike on the oposite side of the tank. At the moment they run past the fuel pump and associated controller , is it possible this is giving my interference? The starcom is about 4yrs old transplanted from my previous bike , a zzr1200 which i traded in for the new gs,it worked great on that but even on the zzr there was a very slight interference noise but nothing as bad as the gs. Its wired direct off the battery not off the can bus (but the zumo is wired off the canbus)and its a new headset and cable im using because i have just bought a new helmet. Im not in the uk at the moment so wont contact starcom until i get back in jan but was wondering is there any kind of supressor i could fit on the incoming 12v , that might reduce the problem. Also has anybody had problems trying to make a call on a digital house phone while stood next to a running gs, i get some terrable interference through the handset and if you rev the bike it drops the call. Is it possible i have a dodgy coil/cap?

 

[NeilDD]

Starcom interferance

Hi Gazzauk

The most interferance will probably be from your alternator, and the simpke fix is to fit the in-line filter for the power lead. This cleared up all my problems instantly

Neil

 

[gazzauk]

Thanks for that Neil , i think youve hit the nail on the head . Thats why when i switch the light or heated grips on, and make the altenator work harder, the noise gets worse. The filter you used was it just a normal car radio type , the type used to stop am radio interference ?

 

[RayS]

Thanks for that Neil , i think youve hit the nail on the head . Thats why when i switch the light or heated grips on, and make the altenator work harder, the noise gets worse. The filter you used was it just a normal car radio type , the type used to stop am radio interference ?

I think you get it as part of the cable from StarCom. Best just call them on
01480 399499 and tell them your problem
Ray

 

[Brooner]

Perhaps I should start a new thread with this but.....

I use a Zumo 550 with my phone connected via bluetooth, then wired to the StarCom unit - it is very quiet and cant be used properly on the move - I have turned the volume up to 11 (so to speak) but much above 25-30mph I cant hear it. (Could it be due to my Arai RX7 being noisy generally??)

Also I use my Zumo as an MP3 player from time to time, again the music is very quiet and appears to only come through one speaker.

Any thoughts??


B

 

[AndrewD]

Perhaps I should start a new thread with this but.....

I use a Zumo 550 with my phone connected via bluetooth, then wired to the StarCom unit - it is very quiet and cant be used properly on the move - I have turned the volume up to 11 (so to speak) but much above 25-30mph I cant hear it. (Could it be due to my Arai RX7 being noisy generally??)

Also I use my Zumo as an MP3 player from time to time, again the music is very quiet and appears to only come through one speaker.

Any thoughts??


B

Speaker placement, it can be critical try moving the helmet around to see if anything changes. I have the same setup and it's loud! What leads did you use?

 

[Brooner]

May have a fiddle about with the speakers once the ice goes (the drive is like a bobsleigh run at the moment!)

I believe its the 'correct' lead (connected to the AUX input I think) and it has seperate jacks for mic and audio.

 

[AndrewD]

May have a fiddle about with the speakers once the ice goes (the drive is like a bobsleigh run at the moment!)

I believe its the 'correct' lead (connected to the AUX input I think) and it has seperate jacks for mic and audio.

If you using the CAB55 leads for the Zumo from Starcom you need to plug it into the phone socket or there is no way to get the mic from the phone and there is an extra connection on the plug that will not match other 3.5mm jacks.

 

[Brooner]

If you using the CAB55 leads for the Zumo from Starcom you need to plug it into the phone socket or there is no way to get the mic from the phone and there is an extra connection on the plug that will not match other 3.5mm jacks.

Cheers - will check that the next time I have the seat off.

Are you referring to the jacks on the Zumo cradle (I know they are different sizes) or the StarCom? (its been a while since I installed it and cant remember what the connections on the StarCom are like, AND its too damned cold to go and look!!)

 

[AndrewD]

Cheers - will check that the next time I have the seat off.

Are you referring to the jacks on the Zumo cradle (I know they are different sizes) or the StarCom? (its been a while since I installed it and cant remember what the connections on the StarCom are like, AND its too damned cold to go and look!!)

The ones on the Starcom, they are all stereo inputs apart from the phone as this has an output too. Confusing with the Zumo as it becomes a hub for the phone and the MP3 player.

MP3/AUX/SAT-NAV has this type.

And the phone jack has this type

As for volume, a small misplacement will make the audio very quiet, on my old C1 helmet the seaker is a gnats cock forward so with a wiggle (the helmet!) you can get it sitting right.