I'm looking for a simple method to add Bluetooth to Tristan. Now we have Shawn who has the full BlueTooth option, we're really missing it.

I need a solution which is:

1. Always available, like the real option. You turn the car on, the BlueTooth wakes up and pairs to your phone, no effort needed. Then when a call comes you just have to press a button, not fumble to get the equipment to work.

2. Simple to install. Something which just plugs into the lighter socket would be ideal. Slightly more challenging installs might work, but the wife gets very nervous about the idea of having to pull things apart.

3. Plays through the aux-in. I don't want to bother with cruddy little speakers, Tristan's already got reasonable speakers.

4. Plays well with the iPod. Ideally it'd have an aux-In pass through for the iPod.

I thought I'd found the idea thing the Parrot MK5800, but that connects via FM, not aux. it even has an aux-in for the iPod.

I tried a unit which clips to the visor and had its own speaker and mic. Apart from being very cruddy quality it fell down on point 1. It had a battery, so needed to be recharged and didn't switch on automatically.

Any ideas?

 

I found this, which would almost work. However it seems to only be able to pair to one phone at once, we need pairing to at least 2 phones. It does have an FM transmitter, but it also has an aux-out and the FM can be turned off. Interestingly though it seems to use RDS to display caller ID information on your radio. It looks quite clever, expect for the one glaring omission.

 

If you decide to bite the bullet and take the dask apart I would go with one of these options.

http://www.newministuff.com/new/shop...roducts&cat=36

 

You could always go back to your dealer and have it installed. It is just a module swap to add it, only problem is it is very expensive. but it would end up being very much like your other car.

Also if you do not mind doing it yourself then you could check with http://www.bimmernav.com/ THey should be able to help you out as the BMW and Mini Modules are the same just different revisions.

 

The Venturi option looks good to me - so this does work through the aux input, allowing your phone calls to come through the car's speakers, but you don't like it because it only pairs with one phone at a time? Though I will say that the reviews on Amazon for it aren't so great.

Even the factory installed Bluetooth/iPod option can only work with one phone at a time.

 

Did you check out all the parrot models?
http://www.parrot.com/usa

 

They are supposed to be good - thanks for the encouragement. Here's a comment from another thread: Although this one seems to be through a radio frequency.

I love the bluetooth/iPod factory option that I already have, but am interested in something like this for another car.

 

It's not a plug in but, instead, but is solar powered...not out yet here but will be soon http://www.smartplanet.com/news/tech...ee-car-kit.htm

 

The factory one can pair with 4 phones at one time, it connects to one of them. You can set the preference order for which it'll connect to if it sees more than one. I know this, because that's how it works in Shawn.

I'm wondering if the manual is just confusing and it'll pair with multiple phone, but only connect to one (the latestest one paired). I sent a note to their tech support about this, but no response so far. Getting no response in itself if not a good sign.

 

None of them plug in and works through the aux that I can see. Am I missing a particular model?

 

I see my misunderstanding...yes, it can only connect to one, though others can be paired. I actually didn't know there was a preference option, but also haven't looked that deeply into it yet.

My complaint with this factory bluetooth/iPod option is that I think it's too much money due to the fact that the iPod functions aren't the greatest. It's too bad they couldn't have offered a choice of either bluetooth only for the phone...or the combination. I would have chosen the bluetooth phone only option.

 

I got the Motorokor T505, mainly because the reviews of the Venturi unit were not so good (as Otra said). The T505 has an FM transmitter, just as the Venturi does, but it does not pass on the RDS info. However, the T505 shuts off the FM function after 10 minutes of no phone (or music) use, which means you have to turn the dang thing back on. Unless you know you're going to receive a phone call in the next 10 minutes, the FM is really only useful for outgoing calls (after turning the function on and turning on your FM receiver and selecting the preset channel). I'm not sure if the Venturi works that way as well, but beware.

The T505 does not have an Aux output, but I'm thinking of building or buying (if available) a 2.5mm to 3.5mm cable to run the phone headset jack directly to the Aux input of the car. That may be an option for you as well. I'm still fumbling with how the pinout should be, because the cell phone's 2.5mm jack has both headphone output and microphone input pins to support the wired hands-free headset. I'm not sure which connection is which.

 

That is annoying - that it turns itself off.

This is another item that really doesn't fit this thread's request, but I can't help myself. I read about it in th NYTimes: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/31/te...=1&oref=slogin - it's The Dragon V2, by CallPod, that the reviewer really liked. http://CallPod.com/products/dragon If you're interested, see what you think. I may just give it a try.