bluetooth

I know its not exactly high tech-technology, but I love it.

I put an aftermarket system in my last car, my '12 dodge has it and my dad's '11 nissan has it.

I tried to help a friend set hers up in her '11 honda. Holey moley, why is this so complicated? why doesn't it work? Why do you have to upload your contacts list to the car radio? why won't it recognize anything she or I say? why are none of the buttons labelled with words? I spent 30 min with it, actually used the manual; it's connected but we can't figure out how to initiate a call hands free. So just dialing from the phone.....

My dad's nissan and my friends infinity will not let you pair a device unless the car is in park "for the children," my dodge will let me pair in motion as long as I tell it I'm the passenger. This Honda wants to dial #82**4##7 every time you say " call home"..........

First of all Bluetooth pairing is highly timing-sensitive (manuals rarely if ever mention this), and second most in-car systems tend to suck on top of that.

I have it in my car but haven't bothered to try to use it. What is so good about it?

And why do they call it "bluetooth" anyway?

I use my BT connection in two ways.

1. I use it to connect to some hands free device. My car has a hands free setup that I don't like that much. I end up using my BT headset and the car setup as a backup in case I forgot my BT headset.

2. I use it to stream music. Works great. I have a BT gateway connected via a cable to the aux input to my car stereo. I can then stream stereo bluetooth audio to my deck. All I have plugged into my phone is power. The audio is now wireless. The BT gateway runs off of USB power from my cigarette lighter. The whole thing fits in the console and automatically connects to my phone when I start the car. Works pretty slick. Also, it's universal as I've moved it from one car to another three times.

None of this addresses your "factory BT configs suck". Or maybe it does because I only use the factory BT connection as a backup and then grudgingly.

1988RedT2 wrote: And why do they call it "bluetooth" anyway?

Just cause'

Xceler8x wrote: I use it to stream music. Works great. I have a BT gateway connected via a cable to the aux input to my car stereo. I can then stream stereo bluetooth audio to my deck. All I have plugged into my phone is power. The audio is now wireless. The BT gateway runs off of USB power from my cigarette lighter. The whole thing fits in the console and automatically connects to my phone when I start the car. Works pretty slick. Also, it's universal as I've moved it from one car to another three times.

This is what I love about my aftermarket head unit in my Mustang. I can stream the audio from my phone to the HU wirelessly while the phone stays in my pocket. And if I get a call, it interrupts and lets me answer the phone through the HU, as well.

N Sperlo wrote:

1988RedT2 wrote: And why do they call it "bluetooth" anyway?

Just cause'

Well, that's all well and good, but we are still left wondering as to why a king would be known as Harold Bluetooth. Are we to assume that his teeth were actually blue? Verily, it defies reason.

The factory BT in my WRX works well. I just followed the owner's manual to set it up. Contacts have to manually saved though if you want to call them hands free, so I only have my wife and my son in there. If I have to call anywhere else while driving I have to actually hold my phone in my hand. I didn't care about this feature when I bought the car, but now I really like it.

You might want to try a different phone, since some phones may not support all the features.

I find the factory BT in my Hyundai works well. So much easier than a head set or visor mount. I don't know why they don't offer it with the 6 spd, only in the automatic.

I did find the contact download slow with my old G'Zone Ravine, but with the iPhone its done almost as soon as it connects. Siri is a little finicky on it sometimes.

I put an Alpine W900BT in my Transit Connect. Once I did the inital setup for the phone and HU to recognize each other it happens automatically when I get in with the phone in my pocket. The HU automatically downloads all the info from the phone when i start the TC up.

I have to use the touch screen to make a call but all my contacts, recent calls, etc are there so it only take a couple touches on the screen. Incoming calls are automatically answered and override any music I have playing.

In addition, to the bluetooth it has hardwire connections for my thumbdrive of music, an I-Pod, or a DVDplayer. It also has a backup camera that comes on any time I puit it in reverse and GPS navigation if I need it.

You have bluetooth? You should probably get yourself to a dentist

I personally don't get it, I'm not a wireless gadget guy, but I know my PS3 controller uses it, so it's useful to me in that regard.