Related
Hi everyone, I am looking for Ideas on how to build speakers and a microphone into a full faced motorcycle helmet that communicates with my Wing (in stereo) via Bluetooth. I know there are commercial solutions but for the most part they are crap and a good setups (chatterbox) will cost in excess of $400. So I figure with the right guidance I could make a good system for a fraction of that $400.
What I’m thinking: (of course cheap is the slogan of the day)
1. Bluetooth adapter that will pair with my Wing and receive a stereo signal.
2. Noise canceling microphone
3. Decent (yet thin) speakers
The real question:
Would it be possible to strip apart a Bluetooth adapter and solder in speakers and mic. Allowing me to listen to music on my Wing while riding my bike. I would also like to be able to verbally answer and dial the wing with this setup. One of the big stumbling block is how to power the speakers (would an BT adapter have enough juice?), easily recharge (or replace batteries) in the adapter, and make pairing painless.
I would appreciate any ideas and comments you have. Thanks
Hello and Welcome to the forum!
But if you want to make some speakers in your helmet, Contact the police first and ask if it's legal.
I know a mate who has done that before and when he got a speeding ticket, the officers saw there were speakers.
He got a ticket for that aswell because it may inflect the safety and durability of the helmet.. LOL
Anyway, If i were you i just bought the original HTC headset wich is wired, and plug them in my ears.
Put on your helmet and you can call and such.
But maybe other people will have some other thoughts.
You think the mic will work in that enviroment?
ermm, well if you have a noise canceling mic than it should be no problem.
But i did some research for you and there are helmets availible with a bluetooth headset built-in. Connect your phone with that headset and play some music.
I've been looking to do the same thing. Its REALLY hard to get my helmet on with a bluetooth headset in my ear, its hurts as a matter of fact. I have to take some of the padding out from the helmet if I dont want pain, but thats just not worth the safety risk; I bought a $500 helmet for a reason. Lol.
The mic wouldnt even have to be noise canceling IF you kept the mic behind the chin wind gaurd or inside the helmet somehow.
I totally understand, I paid $700 for an Arai helmet for a reason and its not because of the *****en graphics. What I have started to do…
I have a set of Skull Candy headphones that I removed the speakers from that will fit nicely into my helmet and have great sound. I did a test and spliced the speakers in to the USB headphone adapter (stock) for my wing. I ran into my first problem…. The wing doesn’t have enough poop to drive the speakers. So I will need to use some kind of speaker amp. I found a cheap ($8 + shipping) and small amp on Ebay ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...STRK:MEWA:IT&viewitem=&item=260255057258&rd=1 )
So I’m thinking that if I can find a cheap Bluetooth (stereo and voice command capable) I could crack it open cut out the original speaker wires and solder in wires to connect to the head set amp. The head set amp looks small enough that I should be able to hide it someplace in the padding of my helmet. Then solder in wires to run from the amp to the speakers and finally mount the Bluetooth on the face guard infront of were my mouth would be.
What I am stumbling with is power. I need to figure out how to make the Bluetooth easy to charge and how to power the amp (requires 1 AAA battery). I would need to make the amp easily accessible to change out the battery which seems like a pain in the ass and may look ugly. What I would really like to do is have a common power source for both device so when I am home I just plug in one cord to the helmet. But I don’t know if that is even possible.
I really want to make this work but in the end this all needs to be functional and CLEAN. I don’t want it to look like I Forest Gumped my way though this project.
You might look at a tactical throat mic and a in-helmet speaker setup from midland. You could also try a in ear tube type setup from Midland also. Both products are for their GMRS radios, but I think with some modification you coud get it to talk to a bluetooth device.
Also you might look at Fire/police communication sights as some departments use bluetooth adapters with their 2 way radios for hands-free mic's that don't have to be connected to the radios.
Let me know if you ever come up with anything, this sounds like a very interesting project....
BG
Is it just me or is the headphone jack, somewhat tight and also sensitive to changes in position? I mean that it takes a bit more effort than usual in order to plug them in, and yet if you pull them out even slightly, the phone will show that they have been disconnected. Is this normal for HTC Amazes or is it just mine in particular?
Although it isn't an extremely terrible problem yet, I'm worried that the jack will loosen and my headphone plugs will be able to move more freely, which would cause it to disconnect often.
Is this normal and should I be concerned?
P.S. I also seem to have an issue with the camera, it occasionally gives me completely blank/black photos when the flash stalls, as in the LEDs stay on for a few seconds before it takes a picture, and then provides me with a black picture. Is anyone else noticed this as well? I'm using Mobilicity Stock ICS, unrooted and S-On.
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using Tapatalk 2
I agree. When I got my amaze I was goign to return it thinking the headphone jack was broken. After an hour I realized I had to apply hulk strength to get it in properly.
skugpezz said:
I agree. When I got my amaze I was goign to return it thinking the headphone jack was broken. After an hour I realized I had to apply hulk strength to get it in properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep. Same here.
skugpezz said:
I agree. When I got my amaze I was goign to return it thinking the headphone jack was broken. After an hour I realized I had to apply hulk strength to get it in properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
ApokrifX said:
Yep. Same here.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does it eventually loosen up after prolonged use?
No it doesnt losen up. I ended up buying Bluetooth earphones.
skugpezz said:
No it doesnt losen up. I ended up buying Bluetooth earphones.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ah, okay. That's good, because I use the headphone jack all the time. Does it also disconnect if you pull it out slightly?
It takes alot to of energy to pull out also.
If you pull out slightly only the left ear will work.
skugpezz said:
It takes alot to of energy to pull out also.
If you pull out slightly only the left ear will work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, I know it takes a lot of energy to pull it out, but it would be annoying if the jack loosens up and it comes out slightly to the point where it would normally still be connected on normal devices, which would make it disconnect on the Amaze.
MidnightXZ said:
Yeah, I know it takes a lot of energy to pull it out, but it would be annoying if the jack loosens up and it comes out slightly to the point where it would normally still be connected on normal devices, which would make it disconnect on the Amaze.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I dont think there is anything that can losen it up lol.
It feels like something locks on to it.
With the force it takes to put in the jack and take it out. I was scared one day I would break it. So I bought a bluetooth headset.
Sucks that beats audio doesnt work over bluetooth.
skugpezz said:
I dont think there is anything that can losen it up lol.
It feels like something locks on to it.
With the force it takes to put in the jack and take it out. I was scared one day I would break it. So I bought a bluetooth headset.
Sucks that beats audio doesnt work over bluetooth.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What annoys me though, is that between fully connected and half connected, the the jack will show up as disconnected. It shows as connected when fully in and half way in (with part audio) which intrigues and worries me.
EDIT: Can anyone else verify that the phone shows that headphones are disconnected if they are plugged in between fully plugged in and plugged in halfway?
I have a similar problem. The headphone jack is so tight that if I plug it in my stereo at home or in the car, it will randomly make a pop sound and stop playing music if I so much as touch it. Very irritating. It doesn't do that with headphones, but the jack is so small that I have to cram my headphones in haha. Then again, we should be thankful it's tight and not loose and awful like my old SGSII...
MidnightXZ said:
Is it just me or is the headphone jack, somewhat tight and also sensitive to changes in position? I mean that it takes a bit more effort than usual in order to plug them in, and yet if you pull them out even slightly, the phone will show that they have been disconnected. Is this normal for HTC Amazes or is it just mine in particular?
Although it isn't an extremely terrible problem yet, I'm worried that the jack will loosen and my headphone plugs will be able to move more freely, which would cause it to disconnect often.
Is this normal and should I be concerned?
P.S. I also seem to have an issue with the camera, it occasionally gives me completely blank/black photos when the flash stalls, as in the LEDs stay on for a few seconds before it takes a picture, and then provides me with a black picture. Is anyone else noticed this as well? I'm using Mobilicity Stock ICS, wetunrooted and S-On.
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I posted a thread about this same issue about two weeks ago
justin lamantia said:
I posted a thread about this same issue about two weeks ago
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Which issue?
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using Tapatalk 2
I hate the headphone jack, it's always halfway unplugging if it's barely jostled or touched. It's the one thing I can't stand about this phone design...for awhile I wanted to return it, but T-Mobile doesn't have a phone I'd rather have, haha.
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using Tapatalk 2
eliasadrian said:
I hate the headphone jack, it's always halfway unplugging if it's barely jostled or touched. It's the one thing I can't stand about this phone design...for awhile I wanted to return it, but T-Mobile doesn't have a phone I'd rather have, haha.
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using Tapatalk 2
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, lol. At least the good thing about the headphone jack is that the jack is really tight so it keeps the headphones in. I'm just hoping that the jack doesn't loosen up over time.
Sent from my HTC Amaze 4G using Tapatalk 2
stereo jack hulk strength
skugpezz said:
I agree. When I got my amaze I was goign to return it thinking the headphone jack was broken. After an hour I realized I had to apply hulk strength to get it in properly.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol hulk strength, nice. made me laugh. You're right though, anyone having suspected probs with the stereo jack should try to jam it in there. I was about to get a warranty exchange and be without a phone for 3 weeks. I read this forum, and used my hulk strength to jam the jack in there. My case was also slightly making teh jack not all the way go in.
Works okay now, thanks for sharing!
shiftylock said:
I have a similar problem. The headphone jack is so tight that if I plug it in my stereo at home or in the car, it will randomly make a pop sound and stop playing music if I so much as touch it. Very irritating. It doesn't do that with headphones, but the jack is so small that I have to cram my headphones in haha. Then again, we should be thankful it's tight and not loose and awful like my old SGSII...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey, I know this is old, but my phone does the same thing. I always plug it into my FM transmitter while in my car, but if I spin the 3.5mm cord around in the jack (which I got used to doing, being a very fidgety person), it stops playing immediately. Is this what you've experienced? Has anyone found any information on it?
Thanks.
The headphone jacks at first are a bit stiff but after listening to music so much, they actually loosen up. It takes time to break it in. I don't think it will get too loose though unless you damage the phone.
Sent from my HTC_Amaze_4G using xda app-developers app
sound Jack ...!
Hi everyone. Urgent replies are more appreciated. I'm having a bit issue regarding to head phone jack. All appeared just yesterday night . Now whenever I plugged in headphone I have to continuously push it to b able to listen from both ear pieces otherwise after simply putting in like normally v do , only left earpiece is working. Plz tell. What to do. Its X715e unlocked version. Plz tell. But if I plug it in half way just when headphone sign shows it is working fin but when I completely plug in so it works only with left earpiece. While another head phone HTC desire c .that is working fine and nice.
Make sure you don't have lint in it if you do a safety pin works wonders with a flashlight. Still don't work. Like in mine get different headphones. The stock iPhone headphones keep the connection but my other zagg headphones seems the plug is to long and doesn't keep a connection very tight. Only happens with headphones that have microphones. Hope that helps.
Im looking for a way to turn the bluetooth function on my SG3... with my computer?
I cracked my screen the other day and now the display is pooched.
I need to make or receive a call in order for my product replacement deal to work.
If i can get the bluetooth to turn on i can answer a call with my truck stereo.
Any thoughts?
Why oh Why should they make you do this? Put you foot down and bollock them for being stupid. If the screen has broke they should understand.
If they are adamant a couple of solutions.
1. If the display still shows up you could use an OTG cable and plug in a USB Mouse.
2. EDIT- Plug in some headphones to the 3.5mm
NatTheCat said:
Why oh Why should they make you do this? Put you foot down and bollock them for being stupid. If the screen has broke they should understand.
If they are adamant a couple of solutions.
1. If the display still shows up you could use an OTG cable and plug in a USB Mouse.
2. EDIT- Plug in some headphones to the 3.5mm
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks NatTheCat.......
I was so stressed over busting my phone 2 days after i bought it to think of the headphones.. I feel silly now.
Thanks again.
HaHa dont worry mate it slipped over my head when i first commented. Sorry to hear about you phone but glad you got insurance on the baby.. Good Luck
New to the blue tooth thing. Is there a way to have multi-access points with the S3 instead of only being able to be connected to one blue tooth device at a time? Kind of stinks that you cannot connect multiple devices at the same time. For example, why can I connect my headset while working out, while at the same time connect a heart rate monitor that uses blue tooth at the same time? Thanks for the answer in advance.
bump...surprised no one knows the answer.
Hi all. New here, so hopefully this will be concise enough.
T-mobile HTC Amaze 4g, no mods, all stock plus a few apps. Everything working fine on the phone. Purchased a Platronics BT headset, works OK; limited range, but passable. Just bought a Sony MEX-BT4100P car unit. Did the install myself (retired auto technician, so I know a little about doing it correctly). All working OK, BT pairs fine, functions all good (Phone book, redial, etc). Problem is a buzz noise during calls, only audible on the other end of the call, but it's pretty loud. Sound is similar to a slightly shorted mic cable. Voice is audible, just a loud background buzz. No noises with any other car stereo function. No noises with any other phone function.
Talked to car stereo vendor, they sent new unit and microphone. No change. Talked to HTC. They say that since the Plantroncs works fine, there's no problem with the phone.
I'm trying to find out if anyone else has experienced this specific issue and if so what had to happen to resolve it.
Any thoughts? I don't have another BT phone to try
Android 4.0.3, Sense 3.6. Don't know what other info might be helpful.
Thanks.
Charlie
Might be the headset
charlie.kaiser said:
Hi all. New here, so hopefully this will be concise enough.
T-mobile HTC Amaze 4g, no mods, all stock plus a few apps. Everything working fine on the phone. Purchased a Platronics BT headset, works OK; limited range, but passable. Just bought a Sony MEX-BT4100P car unit. Did the install myself (retired auto technician, so I know a little about doing it correctly). All working OK, BT pairs fine, functions all good (Phone book, redial, etc). Problem is a buzz noise during calls, only audible on the other end of the call, but it's pretty loud. Sound is similar to a slightly shorted mic cable. Voice is audible, just a loud background buzz. No noises with any other car stereo function. No noises with any other phone function.
Talked to car stereo vendor, they sent new unit and microphone. No change. Talked to HTC. They say that since the Plantroncs works fine, there's no problem with the phone.
I'm trying to find out if anyone else has experienced this specific issue and if so what had to happen to resolve it.
Any thoughts? I don't have another BT phone to try
Android 4.0.3, Sense 3.6. Don't know what other info might be helpful.
Thanks.
Charlie
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hey Charlie,
I remember having a plantonics headset. They were awful for me and they broke eventually. Did you try another headset? I think the headphones you're using could be the source of the problem. Hopefully someone else experienced in BT and headsets can assist you.
SuperAfnan said:
Hey Charlie,
I remember having a plantonics headset. They were awful for me and they broke eventually. Did you try another headset? I think the headphones you're using could be the source of the problem. Hopefully someone else experienced in BT and headsets can assist you.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The Plantronics headset is fine; it's the Sony car stereo BT function that's making the noise...
It's been a while since I've had the stock ROM on my phone, but try looking under the settings menu in dialer for 'noise suppression' and make sure it's ticked.
Does your head unit have a gain setting for the mic? I had a JVC unit that had one in the Bluetooth menu settings.
Actually, I just looked up your manual, you do have a mic gain.
It looks like you also have an echo canceller/noise canceller setting as well. See what playing with those do for you.
Failing those options, it sounds like you have interference in your mic. Try routing it away from any wires that carry current. You might try just holding it out in the open and making a test call.
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app
DarkMatter_74 said:
It's been a while since I've had the stock ROM on my phone, but try looking under the settings menu in dialer for 'noise suppression' and make sure it's ticked.
Does your head unit have a gain setting for the mic? I had a JVC unit that had one in the Bluetooth menu settings.
Actually, I just looked up your manual, you do have a mic gain.
It looks like you also have an echo canceller/noise canceller setting as well. See what playing with those do for you.
Failing those options, it sounds like you have interference in your mic. Try routing it away from any wires that carry current. You might try just holding it out in the open and making a test call.
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Head unit - I've tried all settings on mic gain and noise cancellation with no changes at all to the noise, although voice quality changed as expected.
Microphone has been pulled out of the car, literally to the full extent of its cable, with no change. I've wrapped the mic and its cable in tin foil and jumpered that tin foil shield to chassis ground with no change.
It does indeed to me sound like microphone interference, but nothing I do, including a different mic, changes the noise. Head unit and mic have been changed out for new.
Does it happen even with the engine off?
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app
DarkMatter_74 said:
Does it happen even with the engine off?
Sent from my Amaze 4G using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes. On, off, no difference. In garage, out of garage, no difference.
charlie.kaiser said:
Yes. On, off, no difference. In garage, out of garage, no difference.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This tells me it's not interference, at least not from the car's electrical system. Do you happen to live under high tension lines?
Ok, here's what we've got in an extremely simplified flowchart:
mic------>head unit------->bluetooth-------->phone-------->person called
Follow the path, eliminate as you go.
1. Unplug the mic completely. Make a test call, see if your caller hears the noise still. If not, it's either the mic (replaced already, but not unheard of to get multiple bad ones. Try a desktop computer microphone?) or poor shielding in the radio (not easy to fix, even harder to locate.) If it's still there....still might be shielding in the head unit. Unlikely though.
2. You've already messed around with the head unit's settings. Nothing to do here.
3. Bluetooth. My radio used a USB bluetooth adapter, yours is built in. Can't try a different BT.
4. Phone. You don't know someone with a phone with bluetooth? If pairing with a different device results in a clear call, it's the phone (you could try rooting/updating/replacing it. Maybe they just don't like each other?) If the noise is still there with a different phone, it's either the head unit (you got another bad one or they just don't make them very well) or it's outside your control. Maybe the tower itself. You could try driving quite some distance away, till you're on a different tower. See if it's clear then.
Beyond all this, I really don't know of anything else to try, apart from getting a different head unit.
DarkMatter_74 said:
This tells me it's not interference, at least not from the car's electrical system. Do you happen to live under high tension lines?
Ok, here's what we've got in an extremely simplified flowchart:
mic------>head unit------->bluetooth-------->phone-------->person called
Follow the path, eliminate as you go.
1. Unplug the mic completely. Make a test call, see if your caller hears the noise still. If not, it's either the mic (replaced already, but not unheard of to get multiple bad ones. Try a desktop computer microphone?) or poor shielding in the radio (not easy to fix, even harder to locate.) If it's still there....still might be shielding in the head unit. Unlikely though.
2. You've already messed around with the head unit's settings. Nothing to do here.
3. Bluetooth. My radio used a USB bluetooth adapter, yours is built in. Can't try a different BT.
4. Phone. You don't know someone with a phone with bluetooth? If pairing with a different device results in a clear call, it's the phone (you could try rooting/updating/replacing it. Maybe they just don't like each other?) If the noise is still there with a different phone, it's either the head unit (you got another bad one or they just don't make them very well) or it's outside your control. Maybe the tower itself. You could try driving quite some distance away, till you're on a different tower. See if it's clear then.
Beyond all this, I really don't know of anything else to try, apart from getting a different head unit.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I did try unplugging the mic and the noise goes away, but according to Sony and the vendor, if a mic isn't plugged in, the entire audio chain gets muted automatically, so it's not much of a test. I'm going to see if I can dig up another mic like a computer mic with a mute or on/off switch and see what that might do.
I'm in a rural area and not too many cell phones I can borrow here. Might be one I can find...
I'll try another tower too; that's something I have not tried. But this really sounds like audio input chain noise rather than post-processing noise. I was an audio engineer in a previous life and I am still leaning towards mic-related issues...
Thanks.
charlie.kaiser said:
I did try unplugging the mic and the noise goes away, but according to Sony and the vendor, if a mic isn't plugged in, the entire audio chain gets muted automatically, so it's not much of a test. I'm going to see if I can dig up another mic like a computer mic with a mute or on/off switch and see what that might do.
I'm in a rural area and not too many cell phones I can borrow here. Might be one I can find...
I'll try another tower too; that's something I have not tried. But this really sounds like audio input chain noise rather than post-processing noise. I was an audio engineer in a previous life and I am still leaning towards mic-related issues...
Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Update... Tried driving to another location, and voila! The noise disappeared. I'm now getting normal audio from the system. And what's really strange... back at the house the noise is gone as well...
Thanks to all for the suggestions and ideas! Glad it wasn't something more difficult to fix...