Streaming Bluetooth Audio

AndyVaughan · Posted: Wed Jun 11, 2008 10:02 pm Post subject:

For the record the Parrot RK8200 didn't work - a 920 couldn't even see it but my Nokia 6300 would happily stream audio to it.

The handsfree was great, but the unit locked up randomly whilst playing MP3s off of a 8Gb SDHC card or its own internal memory.

Oh, and the menus kept randomly changing to French - Carte SD instead of SD Card etc.

Looks like the TT programmers work for Parrot on the side!

Anyway, looks like I will have to start my search all over again after Mike Alder pointed out this thread to me - a fix for A2DP BT Audio on the TT!!!!

Andy

jimbo_hippo · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 444

I rarely step up to defend Tom Tom having been on the rubbish end of their tech support, been insulted by arrogant phone monkeys, had features that don't feature.........need I go on....

However, this bluetooth issue is all over the current electronics industry. When Bluetooth was announced it was sold as if it was 240V electricity. Plug it in and you get, erm, 240V AC. But someone somewhere let manufacturers tweak the profiles a little and so we started to get Nokia Handsfree kits which only worked with Nokia phones, Bluetooth Stacks which favoured certain devices, companies trying to improve functionality but reducing compatibility in the process and the idea of an industry standard goes straight out of the window. Someone in Bluetooth town needs to SET the standards and STICK with them until backwards compatible new versions arrive which is the dream we were sold.

The reason Parrott have become so prevelent is that they only make kit which connects to 3rd party devices and if bluetooth doesn't work their kit doesn't sell. So they have an interest in being hungry for connectivity. More power to them I say. My Parrot 3200LS is one of the few devices I can actually rely on to do what it says on the tin. But it really only has one task.

In the meantime can I suggest a minijack cable? It's cured my FM transmitter woes a treat.
_________________
Tom Tom GO 720
Orange M3100, Orange SPV M5000
TomTom Navigator 6, Destinator 6
Holux GPSslim

AndyVaughan · Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 7:14 pm Post subject:

If you read the thread I linked to it can be fixed to work with anything.

I have spent an hour or two stood in Halfords pairing the TT and successfully streaming Bluetooth Audio to a whole host of head units that the TT wouldn't even see before - Sony BT5000, BT3600U, Parrot RK8200.

The only head units on display in Halfords that the TT would see without the fix applied were the JVC KD-AVX33 and KD-AVX44 and the LG 7700 which Mike Alder has - but the LG is very hard to get hold of now - mail order only.

I have found plenty of places which will seel the JVC KD-AVX44 for under £300 instead of the £500 Halfords want for it, it is an excellent head unit, but again mail order only.

Hopefully TT will make a minor tweak to their Bluetooth Stack and the functionality can be had by all.

Andy

Greenglide · Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:32 pm Post subject:

The fix doesnt appear to work with my TT520 and my Pioneer P65BT head unit.

The 520 does now see the head unit but will not connect.

Does the fact I am running navcore 8 make a difference Confused

PicklesDad · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 06, 2008 Posts: 35

Ah thanks for mentioning that thread I missed it when first posted. Can confirm my TomTom 720 now works with my Sony MEX-BT5100! A very happy man.

Things left to make it perfect:

The steeringwheel controls move through the songs forward/backwards when connected to a mobile, but don't seem to work with the TomTom. It would be great if I could Navigate through the tunes without touching the TomTom.

The Sony dosn't seem to support playing a Radio station and then switching to the Bluetooth channel when it detects sound. So I can't listen to the radio and have it interrupted by the TomTom. The only option is to manually switch between the two when your not going to get directions for a while. Maybe one day a radio will support that.

PD.

weelogic · Posted: Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:11 am Post subject:

To PicklesDad, the problem here is that the Tomtom units support A2DP, which allows the streaming of Bluetooth audio in stereo (or joint stereo in some cases, but that's a whole other thread...) but they don't properly support AVRCP.

AVRCP is the Bluetooth profile that allows the head unit to control the streaming device, such as for track selection and so on. I found that my Sony unit would work for changing tracks (as does my newer Parrot MK6100), but not for the automatic pause and resume of music when the audio is interrupted by an incoming call.

If a call comes in while I have the TT connected for audio, all that happens is that the unit disconnects from the head unit and then starts playing the audio through the internal speaker. None of the tweaks and fixes that have been posted have changed this.

I have given up and gone back to my Nokia N82 for audio streaming. With an 8Gb SDHC card it works a treat.

PicklesDad · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 06, 2008 Posts: 35

I see so still some more work needed from TomTom. I bought an adapter so that I could continue to control the Sony from my steering wheel controls, but in my case it didn't even change the tracks like yours does. I've not yet tried changing the tracks using the controls on the Sony player itself. I'll try that later, but right now my car alarm has developed a fault that means it keeps going off so I have my hands full until I get that fixed tomorrow. Busy apologising to the neighbors. Embarassed

PD.

jimbo_hippo · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 444

Can I kickstart this thread again by firstly confirming the prevoius postings and asking a few questions:

I have a similar setup the prevoius ones. TT 720 streaming via bluetooth to a Parrott MK6000. Blackberry Bold paired to Parrot for calls. 720 paired to PAYG phone in the boot for data.

Parrott works great for streaming the bluetooth and navigation instructions. However, as with others, when I recieve a call the Tom Tom reverts to the internal speaker for the music which drives me nuts.

To get the setup to work initially I ran the 'fixBT hiFi' app downloaded from elsewhere just in case this has any bearing.

Has anyone got the Tom Tom to pause or mute the music during a call?

For those using BT head units rather than parrots, do you also get the audio blaring from the Tom Tom during a call?

I'm biting my lip after a couple of months of this because I don't want to do my usual rant about about add-ons on higher spec Tom Toms all working 75% for months or even years.......ooops, I suppose by writing that I just did :-)
_________________
Tom Tom GO 720
Orange M3100, Orange SPV M5000
TomTom Navigator 6, Destinator 6
Holux GPSslim

nashmills · Regular Visitor Joined: Nov 10, 2006 Posts: 131

I can recommend the ioplay (www.ioplay.co.uk) system for playing music stored on my GO 940 and receiving phone calls on my iphone.

Rick-uk · Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 8:33 pm Post subject:

jimbo_hippo · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 444

Rick
Can you flash the Parrot with latest firmware? My 6000 did the same until I zapped it. Currently running firmware 1.03a which is essentially like yours but without the display.
_________________
Tom Tom GO 720
Orange M3100, Orange SPV M5000
TomTom Navigator 6, Destinator 6
Holux GPSslim

Rick-uk · Posted: Mon Apr 20, 2009 9:33 pm Post subject:

jimbo

1.03a sounds familiar but I will have a look tomorrow to see what firmware is installed

Thanks for the suggestion

jimbo_hippo · Frequent Visitor Joined: May 18, 2005 Posts: 444

nashmills
Do you have the same problem with the IO that some of us have with the Parrot? i.e. the files continue to play via the internal speaker when a call comes in?
_________________
Tom Tom GO 720
Orange M3100, Orange SPV M5000
TomTom Navigator 6, Destinator 6
Holux GPSslim

nashmills · Regular Visitor Joined: Nov 10, 2006 Posts: 131

Rick-uk · Posted: Tue Apr 21, 2009 7:37 pm Post subject:

Have now updated the Parrot firmware from 1.03 to 1.03a and my TT520 now sees it as a Hifi device and plays the TT audio.

It does not seem to connect automatically though, I have to manually pair it each time using the Parrot's menu (Settings/Paired Devices/Connect).

I don't have my 520 set up to allow hands free with my N95 as I usually connect my phone direct to the Parrot. This obviously is not possible now as you can only have one device connected at a time. When I jump in the car I always have my phone but not my TT so will leave my N95 to connect to the Parrot.

Thanks for the heads-up Jimbo, much appreciated.

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