Hands-free call volume with KVT-516

A few months ago, we replaced the head unit in our car with a Kenwood KVT-516.  One problem that we have been having is that the in call volume is too low for phone calls.  We would need to turn up the volume to hear the caller.  Unfortunately, this would affect the volume of music, which would be pretty loud at the end of the call.

It looks like the latest firmware update solves this problem.  Now the KVT-516 has separate volume settings for hands-free calls, and other audio sources.

iPhone 3.0 and USASpec adapter

As I have written in my previous posts, I have been pretty happy with the iPhone 3.0 update.  I have been experiencing one annoying problem.

When I connect my iPhone 3.0 to my USASpec PA15-HON2 adapter that is installed in my car, the iPhone stops playing audio and the screen flashes for about a minute, before audio starts playing.  Here are the steps that I use where the problems occurs for me

• Play a track/playlist


• Connect the iPhone to the dock


• => The Radio switches to the cd changer input (correct for my setup)


• => The screen in the iPhone continues to flash the iPod graphic for about a minute


• => After about a minute a different track starts playing

Once music is playing, the interface works perfectly.  It will continue to work, until I disconnect and reconnect the iPhone.

I think that the iPhone 3.0 software added some addition scanning that happens when connected to this adapter.

Playlist mode with USASpec dock

The USASpec adapter was included as part of the iPhone dock install.  The USASpec adapters have several ways of accessing the music on the iPod or iPhone.  You can access the media either by:

• Direct - where you need to select the music to play on the iPhone/iPod


• Folder - where you can browse the music collection by Artist or Album


• Playlist - where you can preselect some number of playlists that will be easily playable on the headunit

I decided to use Playlist mode, as it also offers the ability to play 6 playlist, also "all songs" and a direct mode.  For the six playlist, it looks for playlist named HONDA1 - HONDA6.  If not all six are found, then it will randomly pick other playlists to fill in the missing spots.  If the adapter is connected to the radio through the XM interface, the playlists are accessed by tuning to channels 1-6.  When using CD changer interface, the playlists appear as CDs.

In addition to playing user playlist, number 7 is used to play all tracks.  And number 8 is for direct mode.  (This is the mode that is used if you want to play Pandora.)

spec.dock

I have been wanting to get better integration with my iPhone in my car.  Normally I would just connect my iPhone to the line-in jack of my radio.  The problem with this is that, if I want to skip songs, I need to wake the iPhone, enter the password, then select the skip track button.  This is pretty dangerous while trying to drive.  So I have been interested in getting a solution where I can use the controls on my head unit to control playback from the iPhone.  In addition to controling the iPhone, I wanted a solution that would look stock in the car.

2point5 is a company that specialized in custom installs of iPhone and iPods.  They took this experience and now sell docks that are custom made for various cars.  In addition to the docks, they also bundle the needed adapters for the various manufacturers' radios.

I bought the spec.dock package HONFGV2IPKG. This package includes the USASpec PA15-HON2.  This adapter can be connected to either radio's XM or CD changer interface.  When connected to the XM interface, song meta data is shown on the radio's display. Unfortunately, the XM interface doesn't work with the Honda headunit that has navigation, so the CD changer adapter was used.

I like the way the dock fits into the car.  It really looks good.  Also the integration with the radio controls works very well.  I would recommend the spec.dock. Here is an album with some photos of the install.

Garmin ecoRoute

In this post, I mentioned that Audi and Nissan are working on navigation systems that will give fuel effecient routes.  Garmin is also doing the same thing for their portable navigation units.  They are adding an ecoRoute routing type.  Navigation units with ecoRoute will have a setting that lets you specify the type of car you have. Then it can provide you with an effecient route.

The best thing about this is that they are making this available for all compatible devices.  I need to download the web updater to see if this will be available for our Nuvi 680.

[via CNET's CES blog]

Efficient navigation routing

A while ago, I mentioned that it would be good if a GPS device would give navigation directions that would maximize fuel effeciency.  It looks like Audi and Nissan are working on something like this.

Parrot 3200-LS

Since is is now a requirement to use hands-free devices for use in cars, I started to look for a solution for our van.  I wanted to find something that would connect to the main headunit, where it would automatically mute the audio, to allow the call audio to be heard.  Also, I wanted the device, when installed, to look releatively stock. The Parrot 3200-LS looked like it would work perfectly.  

I had it installed a few weeks ago, and the install looks nice.  It was easy to configure with my Samsung iSCH-760.  On the Parrot, I went into the setting menu for pairing, and selected Windows CE, and the Parrot displayed a password.  Then on my phone, I searched for Bluetooth devices, and then selected the Parrot 3200-LS.  Once paired, the phone numbers on my phone automatically appeared on the Parrot 3200-LS, so I could select phone numbers directly from the Parrot's interface.

MSN Direct

I have been using the Nuvi 680 for several months.  One of the reasons that I bought it was for the traffic information provided by MSN Direct.  I have been unimpressed with the quality of the data.  There are several problems:

1. There are many areas that don't have coverage.  For example, when driving from San Jose to Sacramento, as soon as we left the local area there was no coverage. Unfortunately, we encountered a traffic delay that we could have been routed around.


2. Many of the roads that I travel on to and from work are not included in the MSN Direct data.  I only have seen information on interstates and state and US highways.


3. The data seems to be stale. I have had many occasions when the Nuvi stated that there was a delay, when the delay had already cleared up.

Nuvi 680 update

I have been using the Garmin Nuvi 680 for a while now, and I do like it.  There are some things that I don't like about it. 

1. You can't specify a number destinations and have the Nuvi calculate the best route to all of them.  You can only specify a destination and a single "via point"


2. You can't specify a road to avoid when routing.  For example, there is no way for you to specify that you want to avoid a particular highway on your route


3. The traffic alerts do not indicate the time that they were last updated.  It is impossible for you to determine how likely a alert is to still be a problem.


4. The microphone on the unit, when mounted on the dash is near the windshield.  So, when it is raining out side, it is hard for the other person on the line to hear you.

Garmin Nuvi 680

For a little while, I have been looking for a GPS unit for my car.  I didn't want to buy a new stereo, so I was mainly interested in a portable unit.  I also was interested in one that had traffic information available, as our current one in our van doesn't, and it doesn't help when the route takes you through a traffic jam.

I settled on the Garmin Nuvi 680 because it has some key features:

• Handsfree bluetooth profile (including displaying phone address book


• traffic information. (The Nuvi 680 using MSN Direct for this information.  This allows the expected time delay to be displayed on the unit.)


• MP3 player

TomTom "real world" navigation

Crave has a post that mentions a patent that TomTom has filed for some some interesting technology.  This patent application describes a navigation unit that displays navigation directions overlaid over video of the surrounding area.

This would allow the arrows that indicate where to turn to be overlaid over the the roads themselves.

I do wonder how funny this will look when the navigation unit looses sync with the GPS satellite.  Will the arrows indicate driving into storefronts?

Nissan Altima Hybrid review

Here is a review of the 2007 Nissan Altima Hybrid.

Eclipse Area Shot GPS

As I have written before (1, 2, 3, 4) , I am would like to get a single-DIN GPS head unit that is able to control an iPod, satellite radio tuner and can be used for hands free phone calls.  Yesterday, I was just browsing around and I found The Eclipse CD5100.

This head unit has some pretty cool features:

1. HD radio ready (with an external tuner)


2. iPod control capable (with iPod adapter cable)


3. Satellite radio ready (with an external tuner)


4. USB port, to allow playback of WMA and MP3 files.

The one feature that I wasn't sure of is called Area Shot GPS.  After looking into it, I know that I wouldn't want this head unit.

Car Talk on iTunes

NPR's Car Talk is now available on the iTunes Store as a podcast.  This makes listening to the show on your iPod easier than this hint.


[via Autoblog]

New Navigation Mode

Yesterday, it cost $50 to fill up our van with gas.  This got me thinking that I should be using our navigation system to help reduce our gas usage.  The navigation unit will give the most direct route to the destination, so this should reduce mileage.

The only problem with this solution is that the route doesn't take into account whether the route is the most efficient for our car.  For example, the most direct route may be on city streets, while our car may not get the best mileage on those roads.

links for 2007-05-15

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  10 Tips for Optimizing MySQL Queries (That don’t suck) | 20bits
  
  
  (tags: mysql optmization database sql performance)
  
  

Ferrari F1 cars

This is a pretty cool commercial for Shell, where various historic Ferrari Formula 1 cars are racing through cities around the world.

http://www.youtube.com/v/7qT_q8PXFrw

This is making me look forward to the San Jose Grand Prix this summer.  (I know that Formula 1 is not the same as Champ Car.)

[via Autoblog]

Traffic on Google Maps

Google Maps just added real-time traffic data to their maps.  With a quick glance, you can tell which roads are congested.  To view this information while looking at a map or at driving directions, all you need to do is click on the "Traffic" button.

There are a couple of features that I would love to see added:

1. When the returned driving directions use roads that are showing slow traffic, there should be an option to regenerate directions to avoid those roads.


2. When viewing driving directions, there should be a "Notify of Traffic Problems" button.  When you click this button, you would be able to enter your cell phone number.  Now, if any of the roads included in the driving directions experiences a slow down, a text message would be sent to your cell phone, with that warning.

[via Google Operating System]

VoomPC

The VoomPC looks like a computer that I would love to install in my car, when ever I have the time and money.  It has a 1.5GHz x86 processor, USB 2.0, FireWire Ethernet, PCMCIA and CardBus ports.  In addition, it has VGA and S-Video outputs.

If I were to install something like this, this is what I would include

1. VoomPC, running Linux


2. EVDO CardBus card for network access


3. USB GPS receiver


4. Google Earth Plus for displaying current position (It doesn't apper that Google earth will do turn-by-turn directions.)


5. 4" - 7" touch screen custom mounted into dash.


6. USB XM radio receiver

[via Gizmodo]

JVC KD-NX5000

One of the problems with after market navigation systems, is that they require an external, often flip out, monitor.  There have been several headunits only available in Europe that integrate a navigation unit into a single-DIN headunit.  For example, the Blaupunkt Travelpilot, and the Harman/Kardon Traffic Pro are mainly available in Europe.

The JVC ND-NX5000 is a single-DIN headunit with navigation.  It has a 40GB drive, where 15 GB is reserved for navigation maps, and the rest is available for audio or video content.  The built-in 3.5" screen can also be used for watching DVDs or other video content on the hard drive.

[via Engadget]