Hi all,

I have found that the manual (Full Preparation Package Mobile Phone) for my 08 Mini Cooper Clubman S (R55) is rather incorrect in the "Operation by Voice" section. I believe that the 08 MC and MCS has the same problems.

Here are a listing of my findings:

Activating the system - Press the face button on the steering wheel
Works just as itsays.

Deactivating the system - Press the face button on the steering wheel
Works just as it says.

Speaking "Help": Lists commands that you can use:

1. Dial Number
2. Dial Name
3. Save Name - used only for the first name and number to be remembered
4. Delete Name
5. Read Phone book
6. Delete Phone book

Other commands not listed in manual or help function

1. Quit - used to quit the system if you do not want to use the buttons in the steering wheel or dash.

Other commands required but not listed in manual or help function

1. Add Name - Used to add extra names after the first one remembered.
2. Yes - used to answer some questions but not all from the system
3. No - used to answer some questions but not all from the system
4. Save - used after speaking name and number to save the contact.
5. Dial - must be used in place of yes when the system asks "Do you want to dial ????"

If anyone is interested i can take the manual pages and show the changes to the manual that are required to make the system work.

Schatzy

 

Is there any other way to activate this? I don't have the buttons on the steering wheel, so I don't have a face button. I'm assuming the button just tells the rest of the system to do voice command, not that the wheel does the listening, so all the smarts should be in the car even if I don't have the wheel.

 

Do you have the bluetooth option, your sig doesn't specify? The MSFW is part of the package or at least required it I thought.

 

I've got the comfort bluetooth/iPod option, all the other bluetooth bits are there and it works very nicely through the standard radio. I just don't have the fancy steering wheel.

Edit: Not the comfort one, the other option without the armrest.

 

Btwyx, I have the same set up as you do, the BT+Ipod kit without the mutifunction steering wheel.

I have not been able to find a voice dial function on the manual radio controls but I was able to get voice controls working through my Treo 680 voice software.

While it has the minor inconvenience that I have to manually start the voice program on the phone (press two buttons), it does allow me to access all my contacts on the phone which I don't think I could have done with the Treo on the Mini.

 

The voice dial functions of the MINI require the MFSW. That is the only place the button shows up for this feature.

Be glad you can get your voice dialing to work by pressing the buttons on the phone. There are some of us that have phones that have voice dialing and the microphone on the phone is disabled during bluetooth use and the voice dialing MUST use the phones microphone for voice dialing.

BTW the Voice dialing system in the Mini is rather difficult to set up for many people. Mine will record the numbers and names but will not dial them properly. It is something to do with the software that is used to make the call thru the phone.

 

Hi Schatzy62,

Thanks for confirming the need for MFSW to use the Mini voice dial system.

While I lucked out that the Treo 680 seems to work, I'm still concerned with reports from other threads about frying the BT module after a few weeks.

I really need this function in the car so I'm going to take the chance with it.

 

nicknbecka si the one that usually has all the latest data complied and form what i know of it ONLY the Treo 755 causes a problem with the MINI.

This is not to say that you definitely will not have a problem but others have not reported a problem with this phone but the chances are good that you will not.

 

Yep- 755 is the only Treo so far that is known to cause problems. There's no reports on the 680's though, there doesn't seem to be many of them out there. There might still be some risk involved. (EDIT: As of 11/2009, the Treo 755p and the Sony Ericsson K850i are the only phones known to cause problems to the MINI's Bluetooth system.)

Not sure how committed you are to sticking to the Palm stuff, but there's not really a good upgrade from the 680 that's also PalmOS and works with the MINIs.

When our Treo died, we eventually went with a Blackberry Curve, and you can find pretty good deals out there if you haven't upgraded recently. Still miss the touchscreen though...

 

Schatzy, THANKS for this thread! I was saying "store name" for about 5 minutes straight like an idiot trying to figure out what I was doing wrong. After reading your thread, I now realize that what's written in the manual is wrong.

 

So if the BT is reading the numbers stored in my phone, then how do I get it to understand "Dial mom" (assuming one of my contacts in my phone is "mom")? I tried this the other day, and couldn't figure it out, even with the manual. My phone doesn't have voice commands in it.

 

Here's what I did while in the phone interface:

1) Push the talk button on your MFSW (there should be beep indicating the computer is ready for a voice prompt)
2) Say "Save Name"
3) Say "Call Mom" (computer will prompt you to say it again)
4) Say "Call Mom" for the 2nd time (computer will prompt for the number)
3) Say digits making up Mom's number
4) Say "Save Name"

There, it should be stored.

To save another name, repeat from step 1.

 

If your phone does not have voice dialing capabilities that is okay. The Mini has its own system to dial by name as long as the phone is in the car. As described above in posts #1 and #12

The problem is that i have never been able to get mini to work properly. For some other people it has worked and for some others it has not worked.

I am not sure why it does not work properly in my car but it will be seeing the dealer in 1-1/2 weeks about some other things so i will be having them look at this as well.

 

IIRC, in 2007 it was thought that voice tags could only be added to address book items created on the NAV. Entries imported from a phone couldn't have voice tags. Is it different with 2008, or were they wrong about the 2007? Has someone actually added tags to address entries imported via Bluetooth?

 

Hi Robin,

Thanks for the message- your description of the 2007 behavior matches what I had reasoned out, but it appears that Nav and non-Nav equipped cars might behave differently. As far as I can tell, there hasn't been a change between 07-08.

I have a 09/07 build with the Nav system and haven't been able create my own voice tags, so that still holds up. I'm thinking that the difference between getting the voice tags made automatically by the car and having to make your own might be a Nav/Non-Nav issue.

I'd long ago made the association to be between certain phones, but in looking back, that may not be the case?

I've kept links to posts where people report how the voice control worked for them (a link to the most detailed report for each phone) and I can't find one where a person with Nav made their own voice tag, or where someone without Nav was able to use voice control without creating a tag themselves.

 

Dialing using the voice command is NOT WORKING. Either the system doesn't understand me, or mis-interprets what I say. Rarely have I been able to make a call using the voice command system. Not Good.

 

A little more details on your car would be helpful.

Can you get me the build week (its on a sticker on the drivers door frame).

Also try and use the word YES instead of DIAL as it weems there seems to be a newer software out there that changes some of the words that need to be used.

 

Mine has been working flawless, I just came back from a trip and was talking for over a hour, they didnt even know i was on the carspeaker!!!

 

For my voice dialing, I have to speak the name exactly as it appears in my transferred contacts list. For example, I must say "Call Doe, John - Mobile" instead of "Call John Doe - Mobile".

This is in a car with the nav system so I don't setup the voice tags. YMMV.

 

To create a name in the voice menu the manual says you say "Store Name". When that failed to work, I tried "Save Name" (like Schatzy says) and it worked. As far as using the voice function to dial out it's a 50-50 proposition. I either screw-up the accepted responses because I'm concentrating on driving or the bloody thing doesn't understand what I'm saying. Considering I make maybe two phone calls a month I'd say I pretty much wasted my money on this little gizmo. Should've got a sunroof instead.

 

Week 32 build. Just took delivery last Thursday. I'm using a 1st generation iPhone. I'll try using the word "yes" but I don't hold out much hope. When going through the voice command set up I say.
"Save Name"
then I repeat the name
then I say the number
the system then repeats the number
and at the end I simply say "Save"

That part works pretty well, but when I press the button to make a call and announce "dial so and so" it gets all wacky. For example I'll say "dial home" and the system will say "dial so and so's mobile?" and I say "NO!" sometimes the system will dial it anyway and sometimes it will say "system off."

Any help would and will be most appreciated.

 

With a Gen 1 iPhone I do not believe you need to set up the Mini Voice tags

Try clearing the system by saying "Delete Phone Book" and see if you can just voice dial.

The problem i have with my phone is if the number or name is part of my phone book then it confuses the system. and will not dial the name if added to the Mini voice tags. But it will also not dial if there are no tags. It is a problem with the connection of the phone and bluetooth in may case.

 

I've been told just the opposite. That with a Gen. 1 iPhone I must enter the voice tags for my phone.
You make a very interesting suggestion, and I'll give it a try. At this point I don't have much to loose.

Of course, I'll let you know how it turns out.

 

I had the spreadsheet setup showing the 1st gen as needing voice tags, but from what I can tell I was mistaken- whether voice tags need to be made or not seems to be connected with whether the phone transfers the address book and whether or not you have the Nav.

My new theory is, if you have the Nav system and a phone that can sync the address book, it seems that tags will be generated for you, if not, manual voice tags are required. I've been keeping track of recent posts, and they all seem to hold up.

I'm planning on testing my theory with the local club but I haven't had a chance to make it to any recent meets

 

Sorry for the threadjack;

Just out of curiosity, what kind of phone are you using?