Starcom Digital?
- Thread starter Beemer
- Start date
GreyArea
Guest
Beemer,
I've had one of these for a month or so and I'm very pleased with it. I'd tried Autocom/Intaride and for various reasons they didn't do quite what I wanted.
Set-up I have is:
Nokia 6300 blue-tooth'd to Zumo 550 which is wire connected to the Starcom Digital using their isolated 3.5+2.5 jacks (Zumo end) to 3.5 jack (Starcom Digital rider phone input). Also I've got a Nano mounted next to the Zumo and connected to the intercom rider music input via the supplied 3.5 to 3.5 jack lead (got fed up phaffing with the Zumo MP3 lark and the quality/volume is questionable anyway)
Initially I got their in-ear (PP010?) phones and the headset lead to suit (microphone with headphone socket instead of speakers) but (because I normally use custom moulded earplugs (not phones)) I found that the PP010's let far too much wind noise in, even at 40mph. I've now reverted to their normal headset (mic and speakers) which I use with my custom plugs. I actually opted for their PP024 headset which you won't find on their site but they can supply it; this has both mic and speakers but also has a 3.5 jack socket incorporated in case you want to later use custom moulded earPHONES (e.g. from UltimateEar etc.). Best of both worlds I think.
Performance? Intercom/Music/Phone all work perfectly. I've used the phone at around 70-and-a-bit
and conversation was fine. Once you're up to those sorts of speeds using earplugs and speakers then, regardless of make (trust me I've tried them), the music etc. is getting a little overpowered by the rest of the biking cacophony. The range of settings for individual volumes/vox sensitivity etc. for both rider and pillion is great and of course rider/pillion can have independant MP3 and/or phone connections. The icing on the cake for any of these systems of course would be UltimateEar custom moulded phones but I can't quite stretch to that yet.
I've only one minor gripe with the system and that is that the intercom vox/music mute cuts in intermittantly now and again at motorway speeds - but then I'm wearing an Arai (noisier than most) and riding a GS1200 and we all know how windy/buffety they are - I'm awaiting NN High/Wide screen and winglets so that might improve. I've set the mic sensitivity to 'Hi' (harder to activate) but it still does it.
Overall I'm very pleased and would recommend it. We're off to tour France/Switzerland/Germany in July so it will pay for itself...kinda!
Sorry for the 'War & Peace' reply but I thought you'd benefit from as much info as possible. Download the user manual from their site and have a good read - it tells you a lot about its capabilities.
I've had one of these for a month or so and I'm very pleased with it. I'd tried Autocom/Intaride and for various reasons they didn't do quite what I wanted.
Set-up I have is:
Nokia 6300 blue-tooth'd to Zumo 550 which is wire connected to the Starcom Digital using their isolated 3.5+2.5 jacks (Zumo end) to 3.5 jack (Starcom Digital rider phone input). Also I've got a Nano mounted next to the Zumo and connected to the intercom rider music input via the supplied 3.5 to 3.5 jack lead (got fed up phaffing with the Zumo MP3 lark and the quality/volume is questionable anyway)
Initially I got their in-ear (PP010?) phones and the headset lead to suit (microphone with headphone socket instead of speakers) but (because I normally use custom moulded earplugs (not phones)) I found that the PP010's let far too much wind noise in, even at 40mph. I've now reverted to their normal headset (mic and speakers) which I use with my custom plugs. I actually opted for their PP024 headset which you won't find on their site but they can supply it; this has both mic and speakers but also has a 3.5 jack socket incorporated in case you want to later use custom moulded earPHONES (e.g. from UltimateEar etc.). Best of both worlds I think.
Performance? Intercom/Music/Phone all work perfectly. I've used the phone at around 70-and-a-bit
and conversation was fine. Once you're up to those sorts of speeds using earplugs and speakers then, regardless of make (trust me I've tried them), the music etc. is getting a little overpowered by the rest of the biking cacophony. The range of settings for individual volumes/vox sensitivity etc. for both rider and pillion is great and of course rider/pillion can have independant MP3 and/or phone connections. The icing on the cake for any of these systems of course would be UltimateEar custom moulded phones but I can't quite stretch to that yet.I've only one minor gripe with the system and that is that the intercom vox/music mute cuts in intermittantly now and again at motorway speeds - but then I'm wearing an Arai (noisier than most) and riding a GS1200 and we all know how windy/buffety they are - I'm awaiting NN High/Wide screen and winglets so that might improve. I've set the mic sensitivity to 'Hi' (harder to activate) but it still does it.
Overall I'm very pleased and would recommend it. We're off to tour France/Switzerland/Germany in July so it will pay for itself...kinda!
Sorry for the 'War & Peace' reply but I thought you'd benefit from as much info as possible. Download the user manual from their site and have a good read - it tells you a lot about its capabilities.
Thanks for that mate.
I've already got myself some Ultimate Ear in ear monitors and you're quite right about them. Had then for a couple of years now, superb sound quality and comfy as well.
My brother in law has a Starcom unit which is around 3 years old and he suffers a similar thing to you from time to time the vox operates due to wind noise.
I was hoping that it wouldn't be an issue with the later units.
Anyway you've given me food for thought and I appreciate your time.
Cheers
Steve
I've already got myself some Ultimate Ear in ear monitors and you're quite right about them. Had then for a couple of years now, superb sound quality and comfy as well.
My brother in law has a Starcom unit which is around 3 years old and he suffers a similar thing to you from time to time the vox operates due to wind noise.
I was hoping that it wouldn't be an issue with the later units.
Anyway you've given me food for thought and I appreciate your time.
Cheers
Steve
Hi
I have a starcom advanced and suffer with the same thing spoke to starcom guy at BMF show he said you have to have mic on you lips to form a seal to stop that happing.
I will be trying the autocom system because I need independent volume controls for front and rear wife must be getting deaf set the volume just right for me and ipod she says its to quite but overall good kit pins a bit flimsy have bent them a couple of times
and the replacement parts are cheaper than autocom Steve
[After looking at the instructions starcom has front to rear balance so will be giveing that a go. DOH who reads instructions]
GreyArea
Guest
Nippy Norman High and Wide replacement screen arrived just this morning so I fitted it before coming to work. Works a treat! I'm 5'8", standard seat on low setting and the screen has all but eliminated the buffetting, and at motorway speeds (+!) the vox didn't cut in at all and I enjoyed uninterrupted music all the way - sorted!
BTW - in my earlier mail I forgot to mention that the auto-volume-adjust-with-speed also works perfectly and you can't really detect any steps; it just seems to increase steplessly as the backround noise/speed increases.
Mech: mic bud was always positioned correctly, I've had similar probs with other units, it was just the severity of the GS buffeting that was triggering the VOX - until I fitted the NN screen today! With regard to your plan to try the Autocom because of independant volume control note that the Starcom Digital has independant volumes controls for rider/passenger but also has independant controls for music vol for each but a bonus is that rider/passenger can have their own independant music player and phones connected - worth checking out before deciding. The unit is about the size of a packet of cigs too.
BTW - in my earlier mail I forgot to mention that the auto-volume-adjust-with-speed also works perfectly and you can't really detect any steps; it just seems to increase steplessly as the backround noise/speed increases.
Mech: mic bud was always positioned correctly, I've had similar probs with other units, it was just the severity of the GS buffeting that was triggering the VOX - until I fitted the NN screen today! With regard to your plan to try the Autocom because of independant volume control note that the Starcom Digital has independant volumes controls for rider/passenger but also has independant controls for music vol for each but a bonus is that rider/passenger can have their own independant music player and phones connected - worth checking out before deciding. The unit is about the size of a packet of cigs too.
Kalahari Meerkat
Registered user
I have the Starcom Advanced and I'm well pleased with its performance. I have not tried any other system but my researched concluded that the unit is one of the best units out there and my personal 3 year experience of solid performance in some tough conditions.
The initial setup was a bit hit and miss until I understood how sensitive the adjustments are. The VOX settings is very sensitive. After some fiddling I realised you need to adjust the VOX, Volume and Sensitivity together to achieve the perfect setup. I have travelled on the French motorways at 150km/h with no issues (just required tuning)
My only negative criticism about the unit is the mini DIN connections being used. I have had to replace these a number of times over the past 3 years due to damage caused by DAILY usage.
I have considered upgrading to the digital but can’t get myself to replace a unit that is still working 100%. It was giving some problems the other day and I thought this is my opportunity to upgrade. Opened the unit, gave it a bit of a dusting with the airbrush and Bob’s you uncle back to normal.
So over all a 5 star rating from me!
The initial setup was a bit hit and miss until I understood how sensitive the adjustments are. The VOX settings is very sensitive. After some fiddling I realised you need to adjust the VOX, Volume and Sensitivity together to achieve the perfect setup. I have travelled on the French motorways at 150km/h with no issues (just required tuning)
My only negative criticism about the unit is the mini DIN connections being used. I have had to replace these a number of times over the past 3 years due to damage caused by DAILY usage.
I have considered upgrading to the digital but can’t get myself to replace a unit that is still working 100%. It was giving some problems the other day and I thought this is my opportunity to upgrade. Opened the unit, gave it a bit of a dusting with the airbrush and Bob’s you uncle back to normal.
So over all a 5 star rating from me!
GreyArea
Guest
Apologies Mech, I didn't read your reply properly (doh) and notice that you're going to try the Starcom anyway - so I needn't have gone blathering on and on...
I bought a Starcom Digital 3 months ago and am very pleased with it. Clear coms with my pillion, bike to bike radio, good MP3 music. Speakers fit into my Arai and I dont notice them. Easy to fit to a canbus system as it can go directly onto the battery and only draws power/switches on when the rider plugs in his/her headset.
The company is most friendly and helpful. I too get my music cut out every now and again at motorway speeds due to buffeting ,but as above I think it it due to Arai`s being noisy and 1200GS standard screen. I do not find it happening all the time. Good piece of kit, recommend it. I have no experience of other brands.
The company is most friendly and helpful. I too get my music cut out every now and again at motorway speeds due to buffeting ,but as above I think it it due to Arai`s being noisy and 1200GS standard screen. I do not find it happening all the time. Good piece of kit, recommend it. I have no experience of other brands.
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