Tomtom PDA and a bluetooth headset

jeremyr62 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 23, 2006 Posts: 15

I have used TomTom and Mapopolis (but that's another story) on a Dell Axim PDA located in a tank bag for a few years and have managed to follow the onscreen instructions most of the time. There are times when peering down at the screen can be a bit inconvenient so I would now like the option of listening to the audio. I have tried headphones but I really don't like having a wire connection between me and the tankbag. I forget it's there with predictable results. I have a compact flash GPS and the Axim has bluetooth. I reckon a bluetooth headset would do fine if I can find one small enough to fit under helmet. I'm not interested in answering the phone while on bike so the microphone part isn't important. My question is really about the connection between the PDA and the BT headset. You see figures quoted for talk time and standby but when listening to Tomtom will the headset work continuously or will it keep switching into standby? Is this something I need to check with the headset type? I have no idea how they work other than I will have to pair it with the PDA and then utilise the audio gateway which the Axim has.

lbendlin · Posted: Fri Jun 23, 2006 2:23 pm Post subject:

You will have two problems.

1) Yes, most headsets switch to standby when no audio signal is received. I am mitigating this by running the media player in a loop, setting the volume very low. The noise level is sufficient to keep the headset awake.

2) Your PDA needs to support the Bluetooth Audio Gateway Profile (forwarding Windows sounds to the headset) Surprisingly the very vast majority of PDA do NOT support that profile. Even PDA phones that work fine with BT headsets do so only for phone calls, but not for the system sounds.

Dell Axim ? Fuggedaboudid...
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jeremyr62 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 23, 2006 Posts: 15

Thanks, that's useful info. I wonder if there are any headsets that allow you suspend the standby auto switching? Your workaround sounds like a good idea. There is so much other noise in the helmet that I am hardly likely to notice some soothing background music. I asume you can have two audio sources on at the same time. The Axim X50V does support the audio gateway. Whether it works or not is a different matter.

lostinuk · Lifetime Member Joined: Jun 10, 2006 Posts: 45

I have used tt Naviagtor 5 through wired headphones and find itless than satisfactory. Have beeb using TT since TT2 and have become accustomed to viewing the screen do double check the voice instructions.

Used TT5 on the bike last week and found voice instructions on their own not reliable, turn left in 100 yards meant take second turning on the left etc etc...
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jgombos · Regular Visitor Joined: Jul 25, 2006 Posts: 87

I don't think the audio is important, so I don't use it on the bike. But then I'm mounting my PDA to the windscreen using a suction cup. It blocks my RPMs, but who needs them anyway.. This way I still have the road in sight when looking at the PDA.

Earbuds under correctly fitted helmets are a pain. There's always just enough pressure to cause discomfort.

GPSJago · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 04, 2006 Posts: 8

Jeremy

Try these - http://www.bluetake.com/products/BT450Rx/BT450Rx_subS.htm
I use them on my bike with the Bluetooth transmitter to listen to my ipod.

They do go under my helmet but are a little large (fine for upto an hour but may cause discomfort on longer journeys?) They can be pulled apart and made smaller of course! They stay charged for a good 3-4 hours continuos music play so directions only shouldn't be a problem?

I had hoped they would pair with my TT Rider so I could listen to music and get directions - they do pair and the TT does cut out the music at the appropriate times but the sound quality is awful (the Rider doesn't have A2DP profile for stereo headsets)

Hope you have better luck with your profiles than I did!

Cheers
Jago

jeremyr62 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jun 23, 2006 Posts: 15

I'm the OP. For info, the solution I have found to work OK is these, http://www.kjc-tech.com/Clip_S38.cfm

The dongle thingy pairs with the Axim X50V using the built in headset/handsfree profile in the Axim and they stay on even when nothing happens for a long time (motorway type stuff). You can use your own headphones and it is just about loud enough. The dongle does support A2DP but the Axim doesn't support this natively although there is HP driver you can load which then allows it. Battery life is a claimed six hours which is manageable.

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