Related
I came across this product and had to order one for my tomtom kit, it is the loudest speaker moutn I have ever heard, and the XDA 2 fits in the mount perfectly:
http://www.pdamods.com/products.asp?cat=78
I used to have a ipaq 1910 and the speaker on that was rubbish, then upgraded to an XDA 2 and thought it was better than the 1910 but could not hear the voice directions if the radio was loud, however this mount is seriously amazing, it has its own built in amplifier with full volume control.
I have got this holder for the car, unfortunately the TomTom GPS receiver has a RJ11 connector and the holder has a mini USB port, so therefore i can not use it.
It came with a PS2 to mini USB connector and thats it.
Very sad if you ask me
I'm now waiting for a lead connector from TomTom RJ11 to Mini USB
Sorry to hear that they may have made a mistake cos I chose tomtom cable and they sent me the RJ11 cable - believe me when you get the right cable you will love this device !!
On ebay is sold a little rechargeable device called car baby, it clips over the speaker and then you get the audio from the xda or any other device through your car speakers.
Arkon PDA Mount
Hi guys,
I'll let you know my experience with the Arkon car mount kit.
First what I have?
1) O2 XDAII
2) Arkon car mount kit for Vent and Windshield mount.
3) Arkon cables for XDAII
4) Emtac CRUXII/BTGPS
What you gain?
1) A complete car kit that charge both devices (XDA and BT Gps)
2) A handsfree car kit with a good speaker
3) A handsfree Navigation system
Hope this helps a choice.
All these powered mounts are great (i've got the Arkon PDA Mount) except that they all pick up the background radio signels that the phone transmits when it is active or syncing with the network and that's really annoying if you're driving along trying to listen to anything else.
I've had the same problem as you jashry but I've found a little S.P. (Service pack) to that.
Just turn the 3,5 mm cable so that it touches the Arkon device on the backside. And you'll hear less noise due to GSM signal.
Hope it helps!
Arkon 700 car mount for XDA2
I called a well known supplier of kit based in Manchester and asked for a car mount for the XDA2, to run with (and charge) a Bluetooth Tom Tom headset.
The first set came without an audio lead - so rendered the XDA2 useless for receiving calls.
I called and was rudely told of the company's arcane returns policy which made me see red (working in the legal profession) as the kit was clearly defective. To save time, I bought another one subject to some concessions re postage and return of the original etc.
The second kit arrived - complete with a 3.5mm audio lead. The XDA2, which I specified, has a (standard for mobile phones) 2.5mm audio socket. So, it is still useless.
Tried it with a jack adapter (3.5 to 2.5mm) - sound is barely audible, even with everything turned up and "loud' selected on the Ultra Profiler. So, both are now going back with a terse note regarding the Sale of Goods Act.
Can anyone recommend a good car kit (and where to get one from, ideally quickly). Basically, I need something loud and reliable, that will charge a TomTom bluetooth GPS. Ideally, I would like something that can be vent mounted (neater, less 'shake') tha can be hard wired (neater).
I am afraid that finding a jack adapter was at the limit of my technical abilities - suggesting that I splice this and patch in that is akin to suggesting that I learn to fly or communicate by ESP. I wish...
Thanks
PDAMOD Speaker mount for Qtek
Bought one of these mounts that Jashry recommended, but I'm having all kinds of problems with it!
To use the amplifierfacility I have to use the audiosocket in the corner of the Qtek, and they do indeed supply a small cable for that.
But when this cable is mounted, the Qtek barely touches the bottomsocket of the mount, and the connection is lousy!
Actually I HAVE heard the voice, because I can "rock" the Qtek to the side a little, and then I can test the TOMTOM voice, and it sounds great, problem is this prohibits the connection to the GPS, so at the moment it is useless.
On their homepage I can find pics of a Qtek in the mount, but without the little cable in the corner....!
Wonder if anyone uses this device, and if they have had the same problems and maybe somehow solved them?
/HM
angusmcintyre said:
All these powered mounts are great (i've got the Arkon PDA Mount) except that they all pick up the background radio signels that the phone transmits when it is active or syncing with the network and that's really annoying if you're driving along trying to listen to anything else.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Sorry I'm a bit late on this thread, but have you tried using an external antenna lead on your device? This should direct all of that radiation where it belongs.
I have to add that I haven't chosen my amplifier cradle yet because of this issue, but I am eager to know whether the antenna theory does work.
I too tried the mount recommended (after the Arkons which went back) and the loudest sound I have ever heard is interference from the radio signal of the 'phone.
Anyone want one? At the moment it is just an overpriced charging cradle.
I now have a 'Silver Shield' mount, and yes it does sqawk when the phone transitter is operative. However, it also does that when I hold it near my nokia, but not when the nokia is in its car-kit. I should be receiving an external antenna tomorrow, so I'll let you know whether the theory works in practise. In the meantime Dr. Fresh, I'll take any unwanted goods!
I tried the Arkon mount, it landed somewhere near the service station at Bristol on the M5 when I launched it out the window, interference was so loud, it should have been returned to the designer and inserted up his ass....sideways.
It works!!!!
Just got my external antenna and adaptor; plugged it into the XDAII, inserted this into the amplified mount and hey-presto, you can hardly hear the interference, whilst the audio signal is strong enough that you could leave the whole lot at home and hear it on a trip to France! (Well, almost!)
My only problem now is that the Antenna adaptor is a bit bulky, sticking out of the back (about 11mm or so), which makes it a little lop-sided in the holder. I now have to take a look at modifying the mount to fit the connector in. Will let you know how I get on
Inspecta. I am interested to know if using an external antenna fixed the problem. I think it will probably make it worse, it is direct rf breakthrough from the phones radio causing the problem and I think the antenna lead is just another place for it to splash its unwanted interference over.
Interference
Hiya Cruisin,
absolutely, it is the external antenna which rectifies the problem.
When using the internal antenna, all of the r.f. energy is in close proximity to the speaker and amplifier. By using an external antenna, you have the same amount of energy, but it is radiated from the antenna located on (in this case) the windscreen. Energy is radiated in all 3 planes, so the interference reduces by the CUBE of the distance, therefore, by doubling the distance from the speaker/amplifier, the amount of interference reduces by eight times. You can verify this effect by placing any mobile up to your car radio; it will eventually pick up the noise, no matter how good the radio.
........ sorry about going off on one! Yes it does work; I removed the external antenna, and the set-up went back to its bad old ways, replaced it and everything is great!
(Now got to get some shares in external antennas!)
And now I will admit my stupidity by telling you I was pretty stoned when I wrote that reply and for some reason i thought you were referring to an external gps antenna, now I cant blame the dope so i will accept all responsibility, thanks for the lowdown on the rf.
or you couyld get a holux like received this morning just tried it and its great amplified speaker and built in gps receiver worked with my xda2 no problem
Must have missed something here.
I've got an arkon powered mount CM532 with built in speaker and gps connection but the voice prompts from the nav software only come thru the internal speaker on my XDA2. I can't get them thru the mounts speaker.
Any suggestions?
ROM 1.60.00WWE
ExtROM 1.60.50
Radio 1.10.00
Did you get a cable to plug into the handsfree socket and into the amplified mount? You need this for all of the mounts that I looked at. If you ordered the mount specifically for the XDA, you should have received a cable to go with it.
this weekend i took apart my car kit to try resolving the charging issue with the xda11. there is no wiring differences with the xda11, and the problem lies with the original kits charging rate. if u try placing an xda11 in the cradle, switched off, it will charge. however, if u leave the screen active, or use mp3 or gps, the battery will drain. there is no fix for this. when i realised this, i cut the power and negative leads from the loom, and patched in a cheap cigarette charger lead, which is permanently wired in. this works perfect. no wiring mods were nessecary to the loom, just replaced the live and neutral from the black box with live and neutral from the new charger. i can now use mp3 or gps or both, with charging and full sound piped into my stereo head end......exactly the same functionality as the original xda gave. it was well worth the effort
i hope this resolves this issue finally
Does this give you MP3 and Navigation sound over the car speakers?. Thanks. Peter.
to enable sound
the only way, so far , to enable sound is to insert your headphone jack plug into ur xda11, i know this requires cradle modification, but its worth it. All sound then is routed through the bottom connector, exactly the same as the xda1........i have done this, and have the car kit patched into an aux input on my car stereo. i have alos fitted a little microswitch in the mute cable, so that i can disable radio muting if im listenint to mp3, but enable it if im just using the radio, and the phone.
I do recall quite some issues with the original (=like the iMate one as sold by Expansys I assume):
1. Bad mic quality (people think I am talking with a bag over my head)
2. Only in-call sound over bottom-connector/carkit-speaker
3. When the carkit is connected to 12V for about one month, after about 20sec in a call the carkit speaker mutes (I currently have this. Workaround to resolve: disconnect the carkit for some seconds from 12V, permanent solving is via warranty repair I guess)
But I havent heard (nor experienced) about this charging issue.
I have fitted my carkit on direct / permanent 12V wires (yes I used an extra fuse there) and do not have any charging issue whatsoever. When in the carkit, the Himalaya is charged.
In the car I use the Himalaya permanently with TomTom 3 and a BT GPS. It always charges (for real! device is full again after some driving)
Also, can you give some more explanation on the headphone-trick to get all audio via the bottom-connector: Does it need to be wired. If no: any round plastic piece with diameter of 2.5mm would do then (because apparently it only needs to trigger the headset switch inside the jack socket).
I'm running a 3.5mm cable from Universal to my car stereo. This mutes the microhpone.
I am thinking about getting an adapter that has a micrphone built in, so I can answer calls using it, and still output sound to my car.
Is this suitable?
http://www.expansys.com/p.aspx?i=139034
It seems so, if everything is connected in the right place, you should have no problems.
I know I can sound weird or techie, but, I would prefer BT to answer my calls in the car, not because I'm a techie, but because of the cables, in fact, I bought a BT headset, that I turn on whenever I'm in the car, so I pick it up and place it in my ear when I have to answer any call, it is less intrussive and safer (who knows, even nicier than have some cable running on your dashboard) -because of the lack of cables-.
bye
I'm after an adapter to work with my WinMo device which allows me to connect up my own Mic.
The one that almost fits the bill is this ExtUSB 3-in-1 Adaptor but the problem is with the Mic!
I have my own Mic already wired in and a fair way from where the adapter is going to be located. Ideally, I just need a 3.5mm jack for the Mic to go into, just like the 3.5mm jack for the audio out.
The final result being I have a handsfree solution in the car, connected up through the car stereo speakers and a handsfree mic.
Can anyone see any issues with this setup? Does anyone know where I can obtain such an adapter?
1) I tried that adapter with my Touch PRO and it messed up somehow the audio managment so after plugging it in once - after receiving a call I could speak but the device become totally unresponsive only reset worked until a next call... so I hard reseted device and bought the HTC original one.
2) You might get a ground loop when using audio together with charging. I have had it with different cars, devices (laptops/handhelds). The ground loop will give you loud unwanted digital noise while charging. There are workarounds but might not be easy to reach. Basically you need to get the power from the SAME WIRE as the amplifier does.
I have this exact setup in my car and it does work, no feedback problems. I also have the same problem of microphone placement. I have been unable to find an adaptor or a microphone with a long enough wire to do what I wanted, so I had to modify my microphone placement(put it on the dash as oppossed to my sun visor where I wanted it). Other than that issue, it does work great, sounds great over the stereo(both phone calls and music), and charges up at the same time. If you do find either an adaptor or a stupid mini usb microphone with about a 4 foot wire, let me know.
bsell1 said:
I have this exact setup in my car and it does work, no feedback problems. I also have the same problem of microphone placement. I have been unable to find an adaptor or a microphone with a long enough wire to do what I wanted, so I had to modify my microphone placement(put it on the dash as oppossed to my sun visor where I wanted it). Other than that issue, it does work great, sounds great over the stereo(both phone calls and music), and charges up at the same time. If you do find either an adaptor or a stupid mini usb microphone with about a 4 foot wire, let me know.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about the charging?... Is there any change in the audio when plugging in? Try lowering the vol of device as low as possible and maximize the vol of amp.
not at all. The way I have it set up, it is charging or powered the whole time. Of the 3 inputs on the adaptor, one goes to the aux in on my car stereo, one goes to a car power adaptor I installed under the dash, and the 3rd goes to the microphone. I have bluetooth on, so it works with the gps reciever I have(I have an older model without built in gps) and I programed 1 of the buttons to turn on the gps program. Another button is programed to turn on the audio player(I think it is pocket player), which feeds audio to the car stereo anytime I have the aux button pressed on the car stereo. When a phone call comes in, the song pauses and all I have to do is hit the little green answer button on the phone to use it as a speakerphone. Audio is great. I have all the wires snake into one of those little pockets on the dash so there are not a lot of wires going everywhere. Takes about 5-10 seconds to set it up when I get in the car, and about 3 seconds to disconnect when I leave.
Does anyone know of a way to use the internal speaker/mic on the TP2 with headphones attached?
I want to use the Brodit 3-in-1 car adapter, but this connects to the TP2 as if it's a set of headphones, so the internal speaker is muted (no sat nav directions). Is there some registry switch which can get the audio to come via the internal speaker as normal?
elyl said:
Does anyone know of a way to use the internal speaker/mic on the TP2 with headphones attached?
I want to use the Brodit 3-in-1 car adapter, but this connects to the TP2 as if it's a set of headphones, so the internal speaker is muted (no sat nav directions). Is there some registry switch which can get the audio to come via the internal speaker as normal?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
elyl, did you get anywhere with this I've just bought one of these and holders and have got exactly the same issue, I want to either fix this or to return it and get a standard active holder.
Cheers
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=4250590&highlight=Brodit#post4250590
Ah, looks like I'm guilty of double-posting, but I too have the same headache with the three-in-one Brodit holder.
I don't have an answer but I'll add my query to this thread in the hope that somebody who knows more about these things than me will note our plight
Paulplex said:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=4250590&highlight=Brodit#post4250590
Ah, looks like I'm guilty of double-posting, but I too have the same headache with the three-in-one Brodit holder.
I don't have an answer but I'll add my query to this thread in the hope that somebody who knows more about these things than me will note our plight
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Paulplex:- I was going to buy an adapter to output sound from the phone to my Aux input on my car stereo head unit, but that still doesn't give me the flexibility of being able to listen to the radio/CD as wouldn't then be able to here driving instructions from TomTom, so I've decided to send my Brodit holder back and get a passive one.
Sorry haven't got any answers for you though, am sure someone far wiser than I, will work out something to fix it.
I've done a little testing and I may have found myself a kind-of solution: although I've not figured out how to disable the automatic 'headphone' profile, you can still output sound if you connect a bluetooth headset to the phone after you've connected the ExtUSB connector from the Brodit car mount.
This means that although you can't use the Brodit car mount and the phones own speakers and microphone, you can still use it with a bluetooth headset - or car stereo that supports bluetooth.
Thats my solution - I'd like to know how to ensure sound goes through the speakers on the phone too, if you've got it connected via an ExtUSB three-in-one adapter, but this now works for me
Paulplex said:
I've done a little testing and I may have found myself a kind-of solution: although I've not figured out how to disable the automatic 'headphone' profile, you can still output sound if you connect a bluetooth headset to the phone after you've connected the ExtUSB connector from the Brodit car mount.
This means that although you can't use the Brodit car mount and the phones own speakers and microphone, you can still use it with a bluetooth headset - or car stereo that supports bluetooth.
Thats my solution - I'd like to know how to ensure sound goes through the speakers on the phone too, if you've got it connected via an ExtUSB three-in-one adapter, but this now works for me
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Paulplex, this is a good solution but not sure I wan't my TomTom bleating in my ear all the time, I've returned the 3in1 holder I bought, am probably going to go back to a passive one, I might try and pick up a 3in1 adapter, which some apparently don't switch off the internal speaker until a headset is plugged into them, that way I can output to my radio AUX from the 3.5mm headphone jack that these adapters have but will have to think about and do some more research. Good luck!
Cheers
Hi huys,
I too have this 3-in-1 holder. awesome! But indeed when not using the aux of my car and listening to the normal radio I want to have my TP2 docked and be able to listen to tomtom instructions directly from the phone...
Technically this should be possible, the ultimate proof is that when docked all sounds go through the aux out (line out) but the normal ring tone of the phone doesn't. So there is not something like a physical switch that doesn't allow you to plat any sounds directly from the TP2 when docked...
smart guys with solutions?