Doh! You'd think by now I'd know the data in my own spreadsheet

The address book does work with any of the firmware updates past 1.0.2. As schatzy points out though, the original point still holds true. MINIs can indeed store the voice tag info on their own.

So far, the only phones that are known not to work with voice tags are the phones that never pair or refuse to stay connected in the first place.

 

Ok so I set two voice commands of my most dialed numbers and after that all my other options I had set via the OBC were erased, everything was set back to factory settings (except the radio). my blinker went back to one click (when it was set to three) and the door locks settings was set to off ( i set it to lock automatically when I drive off) ect.
Man that's a pain to reset. Why did this happen?

 

This should not have happened, as they are two different systems in the car.

The one thing i see people do all the time is to set all of these options for the key they have in their hand at the time and then use that key most of the time. But then when they try to do something that is suggested here they end up grabbing the second key (fob) that is not programed and find that all the setting went away. Well yes they will seem to go away until the fob with the setting programed is put back in use. All the setting you can make on your car are key dependent and can be different for up to four (4) keys.

I have accidentally gotten in the car with the second fob which has my girlfriends settings for radio, door locks, blinkers, etc. and wounder why things don't happen as they should, and then remember that all the settings are different for each key if they are set up that way.

SO my reconmendation to people is to mark the back of your key (fob) with something so that you know whick one you are using or go thru the setting to make them the same on both keys (fobs).

Check this out just to make sure that all your setting really did change. I suspect that you will find that they did not, if you use the same key (fob).

Also note that if listening you are listening to the radio with the key in the slot and turn the car off it will come back on to the radio wehn you start teh car next. Same for AUX or CD that is how it will start up.

But if you do not hav the key in the slot and have say the CD playing then when you get back in the car it wil automaticaly change back to the radio.

so how the radio/CD/aux starts up is dependent onthe key being in the slot.

Or lets put it this way that is how it works on my car, and i have tested it many many times.

 

Thanks schatzy62 but I had the same key I always use. I had to reset all the options again except the radio...but the three click turn signal and the automatic locking of the doors and the audio and visual signal when I turn on the alarm. Hmmmm odd the only thing I had done was to set three voice dialing options. The key might not have been in the ignition when I did this, could that have done it? I'm confused and don't want it to happen again. I can never figure out how to set the key settings. grrrrr

 

I have had success downloading my phone book with the XV6800 and I also use the "Save Name" and then "Dial Name" commands with the BMW bluetooth option to get voice dialing to work. When in the car, the BMW voice dialing works, but, the XV6800's voice dialing does not.

The big problem I have with the connection is that when the phone's power save function kicks in, it locks the phone and I have to reset it to make the phone functional again...a real pain. Any tips on disabling the 6800's powersave function would really help. Thanks.

 

Hmm, interesting. The tech said he is the IT guru, and teaches everyone about I-Drive and the Mini system. he tells me that the systems are not identical between the two makes and there is no guarantee that one will work with one if it does the other.

With my XV6800 I am able to dial with the phone or voice dial the number and both initiate the call without issue. I will drive for an extended time with the phone connected and see what happens. However, it is not common that I am in the car for more than 40 minutes at a spell so I wonder if it gives up.

I still think it is reasonable to assume I should be able to save voice tags if the phone connects and completes calls, correct?

 

Well then why do these following part number show different to what he is saying.

84-10-9-172-420 Used in Mini R55/R56, 1 Series E82/E88, 3Series E90/E91/E92/E93, 5 Series E60/E61, 6 Series E63/E64, X5 E70, X6 E71

84-10-9-187-625 Used in Mini R55/R56, 1 Series E82/E88, 3Series E90/E91/E92/E93, 5 Series E60/E61, 6 Series E63/E64, X5 E70, X6 E71

84-10-9-195-246 Used in Mini R55/R56, 1 Series E82/E88, 3Series E90/E91/E92/E93, 5 Series E60/E61, 6 Series E63/E64, X5 E70, X6 E71

And all use the same software revision.

Each part number is used for a different option set in the car. like the
84-10-9-187-625 is used for cars with navigation.

Is this from the car or as a standalone phone?


I still think it is reasonable to assume I should be able to save voice tags if the phone connects and completes calls, correct?[/quote]

No, The voice tags that Mini has you set up are part of the MINI SOFTWARE not the phone. If this software is broken or not functioning properly then it will not work for you.

Now there may be a software upgrade for your car that will correct this function but as I do not know what software your car has in it I can tell if you have the latest software updates. Although this still may not correct the function on all phones as the phone software has something to do with it as well.

 

mclubman,

After looking at your signature to gain more info on what your car actually was you may not even have voice control if it was not ordered for your car.

Here is the parts diagram for a R55 clubman with NAV and Convience package. It show the car being able to be built with and with out the S620A option.

BTW in the picture for dates VON=From, BIS=To

 

So from this would it be reasonable to assume that one could not have NAV
but retroactivly have vioce control installed? Is the S620A only the option code or is it the module?

 

Retrofitting these options is not just a single module replacement usually so it gets very very expensive, I.E. cost prohibitive. There also are in some cases a wiring harness missing which adds to the cost even more.

I would never say "It can not be done" but there is a point at which even a dealer will usually not do the work.

S620A is the option code and I am not sure what modules it takes. There is not an actual listing in the parts software that tells you what is needed for each option code (at least that i have found yet).

 

Sounds like voice control was installed, since it does something in his initial description, just the wrong thing.

'Guru' should be a term used by one person in reference to another. If you've gotta advertise... Maybe he deserves the benefit of the doubt, but his assumption that the car doesn't have any memory for the voice tags is troubling. There's enough separate reports out with people upgrading phones and still using their old voice tags that it's not some sort of mistake.

Just for grins yesterday, I tried making some voice tags, but also wasn't able to. All of the Bluetooth-able phones I have work with the voice system automatically though, so I'm not sure if that sets a flag that somehow blocks the capability or what...

If I can find somebody I know with a phone that's known to require voice tags, I'll try it out and report back. There's probably somebody in the PSMini crowd that I can bug about it during a meet and confirm this decisively.

This is in regards to the address book transfer, and not the voice tags? We've seen where the carrier can make a difference in the address book transfers before, especially in the LG phones with firmware updates.

I saw a quote from a Verizon spokesperson earlier today that's kind of related- it's in response to GPS issues and not Bluetooth, but covers why there could be differences:


Dunno if it's the same in this case, but it's a possible explanation. It may just be that Verizon is implementing a new API for address book transfers that MINI isn't using?

I'd think so- especially since you're able to use other voice control stuff. The only other thing I can think of is maybe there's certain conditions where the car disables this possibility, I can't imagine why having the Nav would be one of them, but I'll look into it.

 

Well, it's not looking particularly hopeful, just did a skim of all the posts in my references and couldn't find anything to disprove that non-nav cars get manual voice tags and nav-cars don't.

 

Thanks for the pic, but I am not sure I understand it. I have voice control over the NAV, communiction (e.g., "dial number") and radio (e.g., "preset one"), among other things. I can also answer calls through bluetooth with the phone button on the steering wheel and place calls through bluetooth.

As my car was built for a September delivery, I assume it has the most recent software available, particularly if older cars delivered before mine may not have any issues.

I would call another dealer, but the next closest is KC and Chicago, not good. I could ask them to reload the software, but if the IT guys says it shouldn't work then I wonder if they will even bother to go to the trouble as its costs them money to solve a problem that may not exist (in their minds).

Is there an all knowing oracle at MINI central that addresses these questions? I spent nearly $32 grand assuming I could sync a phone or add tags at the very least. I don't love my car less as a result of this deficiency, but I would be happier if it did work.

 

Okay so you can control the NAV with voice commands right? And they work correctly?

As for the use of the phone thru the MFSW and bluetooth use the area totally separate from the voice control. they are two sepearate functions controled by two spearate options.

Maybe not i have read comments from people that have brought their Mini in after less than a month of ownership and have has software upgrades done that fixed some of their problems.


Unfortunately there is not. Infact every time i have call Mini Cusotmer Support (AKS MINI) i have had to have a coall back and never gotten the same answer twice. Some questions I have asked have never been answered becuase no one at MINI USA knows the answer. I had to go back to the factory to get the answer and that was not an easy task.

As for Syncing a phone the straight answer form MINI is "If it is not on our list of approved phones we can not say whether it will work or not. You should have checked into this before your purchase". That is exactly word for word what i was told by Mini Customer Service.

Your best bet may be to try getting another phone if or when your contract time is up.

 

For kicks I paired my wife's three-year old Moto Razor and it downloaded the address book without issue. That confirms that it works, but I still find it nonsensical that my mucho expensive and high tech XV6800 won't work, but a $99 Razor (at the time) works flawlessly. Still working on sorting out the voice tags.

 

It all comes down to if the phone manufacturer sticks to the bluetooth standard. Motorola does, Most others do not, with LG being the worst.

Most of the manufacturers do not want competition on the after market accessories so they cripple the phone so that it will only work with their branded products. This practice should be outlawed.

 

My Mini is without Nav and the manual voice tag works ref: my posts above.

 

I was actually looking for proof the other way around- it's looking like Nav-enabled cars are the ones that don't need manual tags, when I had been assuming that the phone was what made the difference.

 

Pair your wife's Razor again. Now just hit the voice button on the steering wheel (not the phone one, the one above it) and when it beeps back to you, say "dial Joe" (pick a name out of your wife's address book). It should find the name in the book without any prior voice tag setup. For some reason the Razor is one of them which doesn't need any setup for voice dialing. I agree, really ironic a more high tech phone like the XV6800 doesn't do the same thing as a "basic" razor.

 

I have a Clubman with Nav June 08 Build. I've paired my Iphone 3G fine and the address book loaded fine. All the phone functions work except the ability to create manual voice tags.

When I say "Save Name" the system changes the Nav Screen to the Radio Screen and asks if I want to set a preset. I also tried 'Store Name" and the same behavior occurs. Anyone have any ideas on how I can get manual voice tags to work?

TIA,
Dennis

 

Hi Dennis,

It looks like it may be that the difference between being able to make manual voice tags and not, is having the Nav system. If you try the voice command 'Dial Name', does it do anything?

 

When I say "Dial Name" it replies please speak the name. I say a name and it attempts to match it to an entry in the address book.

 

Okay, that seems to confirm it then- I guess all of the previous iPhone reports were either from people without the Nav system, or didn't notice that the spreadsheet was wrong about it. :/

You should be able to say "Dial [Address Book Name]" and do it all in one step, rather than "Dial Name" (Please say the name) "[Address Book Name]".

 

You have the exact same problem I have.

 

Here is something interesting i found out today. I had over an hours drive in the car alone so i played with the voice dialing system.

Background Info:

Phone: Motorola E-185 (has voice dial capability if i talk to it)

Mini: 08 Clubman Build Week 19 Conv Package with bluetooth & USB, No Nav

Using the voice button on the MFSW i can store names and make the voice dialing system work with the following limitations.

1. Name must NOT be in my phone contacts
2. The number must not be in my phone contacts
3. maximum of 20 names can be stored.

I tested this in the following manner:

1. Pick 25 random names from local phone book (Fitchburg MA)

2. save name 1 - Brian Green Tel #978-345-1867

3. test by pressing button and saying Dial Name, then responding with Brian Green, It dials the correct number 978-345-1867

4. save name Doug Smith Tel # 978-348-2009

5. test by pressing button and saying read phone book, both name are read back to me.

6. test by pressing button and saying Dial Name, then responding Doug Smith, System dials correct number 978-348-2009

7. test again by pressing button and saying Dial Name, then responding Brian Green, systme dial correct number 978-345-1867

8. Save name Monica Forest Tel #978-632-1615 (this name is in the phones contact list but the phone number is different)

7. Test by pressing button and saying dial name, then responding dial Monica Forest, System dials A different number for Monica Forest 978-345-1615 ( it dialed the number out of the phones contact list not the one i programed in)

9. Test by pressing button ans saying dial name, then responding Brian Green system again dialed the number for Monica Forest 978-345-1615 not the programed number for Brian Green.

After clearing the phone book and starting over and running thru similar tests I have found that with my phone if I program into the Mini Phonebook any name or number that is in the phoen contact list the system then defaults to dialing the last number dialed while the phone is in the car.

As long as I do not have any of the names or numbers from the phone contact list in the Mini Phonebook then the Mini Phonebook works just the way it should.

As for the phone using its own voice dial system it does not seem to work over the bluetooth. But I I am going to do some more testing on my way back from this meeting I had to goto so I will have another hour long drive to play and I will report back my findings.