InterPhone Bluetooth BlueAnt Comms review

[Hitcher]

Mrs H and I are now furiously bike-to-biking with our Blueants. We need to learn how to be battery conservators, as these things only seem up to about five hours worth of chat. Mind you, in Mrs H's case, that is extremely high quality discourse. Me, I just grunt and swear.

[NinjaNanna]

It seems to me that the only complaint anybody can make about these units is the battery life.

From what I understand there is currently no travel charger available for these units but I would be very suprised if one of the mobile phone ones out there wouldn't work perfectly.

Could some body please take a look at the battery charger that came with these units and tell me what voltage (V) they put out and what current they support (A). Also a photo of the power pin would be useful as well as a how long and round it is.

If we could identify the correct mobile phone charger then you could all stick one under your seats and just re-charge your units at lunch time.

Cheers

Shane

[johnnyflash]

It seems to me that the only complaint anybody can make about these units is the battery life.

From what I understand there is currently no travel charger available for these units but I would be very suprised if one of the mobile phone ones out there wouldn't work perfectly.

Could some body please take a look at the battery charger that came with these units and tell me what voltage (V) they put out and what current they support (A). Also a photo of the power pin would be useful as well as a how long and round it is.

If we could identify the correct mobile phone charger then you could all stick one under your seats and just re-charge your units at lunch time.

Cheers

Shane

Hi Shane.
couple of picis attached..

Hitcher..Re battery life, we ride for up to 8 hours in a day and the simple process is for one of u to hit the button and put it in standby mode. (lasts days that way) and if either wants to chat they just hit their button to reconnect (takes 2 secs) so whilst we have left em on and chatted full on for 7 hours the first couple of times, now we might have em on for 10mins here and 10 there but in an eight hour day on the bike its maybe on 3-4 hours a day, while we are at lunch its in standby or phone mode etc, its a one touch of the button to put in standby for either helmet. it aint been a problem

Ed, two things I noted early on in the review time, the position in helmet is most important, also try other side as well some people (me) have better hearing in one :-) we have it mounted on top of the chin strap, just under the little flap. but also the type of helmet makes a diff, some aloow lots of wind underneath, some have vents right where the mic is (i keep mine closed just have the top vent open) also there is a skirt to fit most helmets available that reduces wind from entering the lower part of the helmet. we tend to have neck warmers on so it blocks the bottom of helmet.
Cheers
JJ

[NinjaNanna]

Thanks JJ

This one should do the trick nicely. The only problem is to now work out what type of connector that is in the photo, it looks like a 6pin mini-din connector to me.

It would be worth going for a ride/drive to your nearest Jaycar store and see if you can match it up. If it is the connector I think it is it should be a simple matter of cutting of the original connector that is on the Mobile charger and soldering in the new one (making sure the +- polarity is right) then hey presto you can re-charge while out on the bike.

I have a multimeter if anybody wants to try this and needs help to find out which pin is meant to be + and which is -.

Also JJ why are there 2 connectors in the Photo? Does the one Charger charge both units?

Cheers

Shane

[Qkchk:Me]

Thanks JF and NN. I had forgetton about this thread and have just looked throught it again. Qkkid will be well-informed when he gets home tonight! I have bought 2 serperate products aka "pieces of shite" in the past but what you pay in price reflects the quality huh? Road and wind noise has been the main problem with losing speech above speeds of 60kph.

This is exactly what we are after since we were considering purchasing the Baer or other top-end products, but since becoming aware of this product I think we might have to spend a few $$ and get a set for us! (Hopefully it might stop Qkkid getting everyone lost on the ATNR)


PS I have a cig lighter installed on my bike so if we can source the equiv cig adapter, the batt life problem might be resolved.

[sinned]

Thanks JF and NN. I had forgetton about this thread and have just looked throught it again.

PS I have a cig lighter installed on my bike so if we can source the equiv cig adapter, the batt life problem might be resolved.

Another option is to buy a 12V to 230V power inverter. Small ones come with a cigarette lighter plug, cost under $100, and will charge via the provided power pack, Only issue is they are a little too large to fit under most seats but if touring will fit in a side pocket of pack. I have a unit that is the size of a coffee cup and is designed to drop into a coffee cup holder in a cage. Bought mine from DSE but I see Supercheap also have them - plenty of choice.

[Edbear]

...Ed, two things I noted early on in the review time, the position in helmet is most important, also try other side as well some people (me) have better hearing in one :-) we have it mounted on top of the chin strap, just under the little flap. but also the type of helmet makes a diff, some aloow lots of wind underneath, some have vents right where the mic is (i keep mine closed just have the top vent open) also there is a skirt to fit most helmets available that reduces wind from entering the lower part of the helmet. we tend to have neck warmers on so it blocks the bottom of helmet.
Cheers
JJ

Thanks JJ. I did talk to Lindsay about it and he confirmed the type of helmet does make difference and the Grex are basically a cheaper helmet. He did agree with my idea to mount the speakers outside the lining, though I may even just cut out a little circle over them,. The lining is easy to remove and fiddle about with.

We hope to get out for another ride soon and recheck the battery life by turning them off when we stop, or switching them to standby. At the moment we are in that first stage of having too much fun yakking to each other to turn them to standby while on the move...

[johnnyflash]

Thanks JJ

This one should do the trick nicely. The only problem is to now work out what type of connector that is in the photo, it looks like a 6pin mini-din connector to me.

It would be worth going for a ride/drive to your nearest Jaycar store and see if you can match it up. If it is the connector I think it is it should be a simple matter of cutting of the original connector that is on the Mobile charger and soldering in the new one (making sure the +- polarity is right) then hey presto you can re-charge while out on the bike.

I have a multimeter if anybody wants to try this and needs help to find out which pin is meant to be + and which is -.

Also JJ why are there 2 connectors in the Photo? Does the one Charger charge both units?

Cheers

Shane

Sorry Shane, should have explained pici, I put two plugs in pici so u could see endon and side on, yep looks like 6 pin mini din to me also.
Basically there is only one socket on the BlueAnt it has the ear/mic boom plugged into it, and when u want to charge it, unplug that and insert charger one, Pin 1+ and Pin 6- are only power ones used, so yep a 12vdc to 5vdc (0.7amp)out car charger would do the job to charge it , but remember only one socket so u cant USE IT AND CHARGE it at same time...
Like I said earlier belt the button once and its in standby mode, will last to 700 hours in standby, uses next to no juice... I can get many days riding that way, (Im not that much of a rachetjaw ) either helmet can reconnect chat mode

[johnnyflash]

Thanks JF and NN. I had forgetton about this thread and have just looked throught it again. Qkkid will be well-informed when he gets home tonight! I have bought 2 serperate products aka "pieces of shite" in the past but what you pay in price reflects the quality huh? Road and wind noise has been the main problem with losing speech above speeds of 60kph.

This is exactly what we are after since we were considering purchasing the Baer or other top-end products, but since becoming aware of this product I think we might have to spend a few $$ and get a set for us! (Hopefully it might stop Qkkid getting everyone lost on the ATNR)


PS I have a cig lighter installed on my bike so if we can source the equiv cig adapter, the batt life problem might be resolved.

Yo the QKs, yep its not a bad unit for the price, I would prefer to use the Baer if I could cost justify it :-) but this one does the job, atleast to 120k ive had not so good reception at 40 over that (did I say that ?)
cant stress enough, helmet positioning and helmet quality.. but if u are stuck with a helmet that lets in lots of wind, use one of these, there are a few guys around who have em, (just be careful of your nose ripping the helmet off heheheh.. http://proline-sports.co.uk/acatalog...Jammer_49.html

[johnnyflash]

Mrs H and I are now furiously bike-to-biking with our Blueants. We need to learn how to be battery conservators, as these things only seem up to about five hours worth of chat. Mind you, in Mrs H's case, that is extremely high quality discourse. Me, I just grunt and swear.

Hey Hitcher, As a matter of habit I always run the units FLAT if I can before i recharge em, I can get min 7 hours solid chat before usually one drops out other is still good to go, but now i use the standby button especially for long trips, I dont want to yak solid for 10 hours :-) we might do 15 mins yakking then maybe nothing for 15-30 mins, if ieither of us has something to say its just a matter of hitting the button..

Thanks JF and NN.

PS I have a cig lighter installed on my bike so if we can source the equiv cig adapter, the batt life problem might be resolved.

Sorry that wont help ( I have one too running my navman and other things,) but u cant charge without unplugging the ONLY PORT on the Blueant to plug charger in, it aint designed to run on constant main juice, but you could use the cigi lighter to stick in a modified charger pack if you were not able to source mains electrikery, ie camping in the hills. as Ive said many times before, we use the standby button and that works well, at the end of the day we will charge it overnight if nessesary, which we would usually do when on tour anyhow..

[Bike-aholic]

This is what you are after.

http://cgi.ebay.com/REAL-BLUEANT-INT...QQcmdZViewItem


And this is the cheapest i have seen on the net.

http://cgi.ebay.com/2-BlueAnt-Interp...QQcmdZViewItem

[Edbear]

Finally got out for a long weekend and we were keen to try them out again. This time I switched them to standby each time we stopped.

We left last Thurs eve, stopped at the Papakura Autobahn for dinner, (Great food! good place to stop!), and then rode straight through to my sister's place in Morrinsville for the night.

Friday off to our friend's in Matamata, so only a short ride. Charged them up Fri night and on Sat morning we rode across to Tauranga, turned right onto Pyes Pa road through to Rotorua, stopping at the cafe by the lake for lunch where the helicopters and float planes are. Saw these Honda trikes there with a GS1200ss.

Rode back up through the Mamaku's to Tirau where the girls wandered through most of the shops, only Shaz buying a belt. Mrs. Bear decided she was too Scottish that day... A rider from Te Awamutu stopped on a borrowed CB750, '85 model in tidy order and we chatted a bit before heading back across to Matmata. Saw many bikes on the road, great weather and no traffic worries. Saw two HP's on the whole trip!

Charged the interphones up again Sat night and went across to Te Awamutu Sunday to visit friends before riding home, taking the great road West through Pirongia, coming back onto SH1 at Ngaruawahia. Were you KB'rs on the Raglan run Sunday? Stopped to see if a couple on a 750 Shadow were okay and they said they were off to Raglan, then passed about 3-4 bikes at the intersection, waved to them as we turned right to Ngaruawahia. Figured they were waiting for the couple on the Shadow...

All up we did about 650km and while Mrs. Bear's Interphone switched itself off a couple of times, I decided it was because it wasn't properly plugged in, as when I carefully checked it Sat. morn, it worked flawlessly from then on. Apart from being a little quiet, - I think I'll cut a slot in the lining and poke the speakers through - they lasted all day and we had a great time chatting away throughout the trip. Easy to turn to standby and back again and no probs with lasting the distance this time.

The bike just clicked over the 6,000km as we got home so it'll be into Bikesport for its service, prob this Friday, gotta ring Matthew and book it in. It's running sweet as a nut and reinforced what a great cruiser it is. Adequate power two-up with luggage, (added a backpack to the carrier this time), though decided I do need to change down a gear if space is tight for overtaking. John, following on the Bandit commented just how good it sounds when winding it on to overtake. I do think the stock pipes are loud enough not to need changing. In fact I really can't think of any other mods apart from a tank protector to get for it!

Averaged the usual 60mpg and John's Bandit did 45mpg, so good mileage even though we weren't really trying for economy. We did decide we need to look at different riding gear, though, as the R-Jays is a bit too hot for Summer temps, especially behind that big screen.

[Hitcher]

Mrs H and I find that the Blueants work well when "properly" charged. A partial charge problem we have encountered a couple of times is that one person can be heard by the other, but not in reverse. At best we have had up to eight hours useful battery life, by making "strategic" use of the standby function.

[johnnyflash]

Mrs H and I find that the Blueants work well when "properly" charged. A partial charge problem we have encountered a couple of times is that one person can be heard by the other, but not in reverse. At best we have had up to eight hours useful battery life, by making "strategic" use of the standby function.

As Edbear mentioned it is easy to not have the units plugged in with good connection, next time you have the one way problem, just try unplugging and replugging it in (while still in intercom mode) if you notice a decided improvement then thats your problem, I had a similar problem when I first bought mine but doing above identified my problem. I can get a 3 days use out of mine if we only use the intercom maybe for an hour or two each day of actual chatmode, plus a phone call or two, Our pair will run for around 3 weeks in standby before they start flashing red from a full charge, I always let em run flat in in chatmode when I get em home as a rule, then charge em overnight the night before the next run (usually plugged in for 6-8 hours or so)

[Hitcher]

Thanks for the tip. I'll try that plugging/unplugging suggestion next time. This time of the year we're out most days, so overnight recharging is the go, and with not always enough time to run things flat. Such is life!