Go 720 failed to pair with SE HCB-30 in-car bluetooth

beej · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 07, 2005 Posts: 12

Hi all,

I've tried to use my in-car HCB-30 bluetooth kit instead of the 720's internal speaker for directions. You can configure this in Prefs // Speaker Prefs. Unfortunately, I couldn't get the two of them to pair up (the factory default passkey is 0000 but I also tried 1234).

Video of my attempt to get them working is here: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=HLM8711v3BA

The HCB-30 supports Headset and Handsfree services when queried by a Nokia/SE mobile phone.

Has anyone else had any luck pairing up the 720 with this or any other in-car kit?

Thanks,

Beej

DennisN · Posted: Sat Aug 18, 2007 5:24 pm Post subject:

I don't know beans, but I do know MikeAlder has been looking into this (because I'd like to do it, albeit with free standing bluetooth speaker, rather than my FM radio). Last I heard from him was failure with anything cheaper than several hundred pounds. (I had the idea that iPods have bluetooth speakers - I don't know, just guessed - which I might get to use). I can't get the 720 to pair with my MacBook Pro either, only my phone.

No doubt Mike will see this sometime and tell you the real truth.
_________________
Dennis

If it tastes good - it's fattening.

Two of them are obesiting!!

WafuDude · Posted: Sun Aug 19, 2007 7:17 am Post subject:

I have had the same problems as you. I have now spent 2 days trying to find a bluetooth car stereo that will pair with the TomTom 720. I had very limited success with an LG7700 but that needed the connection deleting and then re-setting up every time you turned the Stereo off. I have been to every car audio outlet that I can think of in the Southampton area, but had no luck whatsoever.

If anyone does manage to do this succesfully then it would be great to share this info with everyone.

I did contact TT's UK support about this, by phone, and they said that they couldn't provide a list of compatible stereo's because there are so many different models of car stereo. I think the truth about this may well be that TT have bolted it on as an afterthought and not really researched what Bluetooth Standard is required to make it useful to most mainstream car stereo's in the £50 - £250 bracket. Shocked

beej · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 07, 2005 Posts: 12

They can't provide a list of compatible stereos because (drum roll) they haven't implemented this function correctly. Disappointing Shocked

beej · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 07, 2005 Posts: 12

Ah. Had an idea.

Either its just broken OR PERHAPS TomTom might be trying to pair for the A2DP stereo audio service, not the reliable old bluetooth 1.1 headset HSP service.

HCB-30 is definitely not bluetooth 2.0 and definitely does not support A2DP... lots of older car kits are probably the same Sad

WafuDude · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 9:01 pm Post subject:

I have looked through the TT manual and have struck a blank. What Bluetooth profiles does TT 720 support? eg. A2DP etc - It will help with the search for a compatible car Stereo unit.

beej · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 07, 2005 Posts: 12

Yeah, um, there's a real lack of true technical specification isn't there Sad

I suspect A2DP and therefore bluetooth 2.0 compatibility because:

If it isn't, they'd have to have been really lazy testing this, as the HCB-30 supports bluetooth 1.x HSP which has been around for ages, and I've never had a phone not pair with my kit.
If the bluetooth stack in the 720 is BlueZ, then it appears that it A2DP support might be incomplete anyway?

I had a look around for SE kits newer than my HCB-30, but I can't find a tech spec for them either. It looks like the HCB-700 might support A2DP, and some Parrots apparently do.

Would be good to hear a success story wouldn't it Rolling Eyes

WafuDude · Posted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:19 pm Post subject:

Showing a complete lack of knowledge on this subject I am about to ask what might be a daft question.... Is this something that TT could resolve via software update releases or is it too late to sort out on existing units ie. We are stuck with it until the release of the *30 range?

beej · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 07, 2005 Posts: 12

Hello again! Smile

Bluetooth interoperability is managed by a bluetooth stack. This is software - part of the operating system on the device - which if I understand TomToms correctly, is in reprogrammable firmware rather than on a microchip that cannot ever be changed.

Assuming TomTom can update any part of their firmware that they want, then YES, firmware updates are possible (but that's not TomTom HOME software updates though).

It is possible that TomTom have a functional or technical reason why bluetooth 1.1/headset protocol cannot be used for in-car pairing. Is there an e-mail address for their tech support? I can try and get a reason. That webform on the website is a crock Rolling Eyes

beej · Occasional Visitor Joined: Feb 07, 2005 Posts: 12

Hi there,

If anyone is interested about the Bluetooth Out support on the 720 (as an alternative option to Speaker, FM transmitter and the Line Out) I found a car kit that supports A2DP and so would probably work with it:

http://tinyurl.com/yvezvf

Its called a Funkwerk Ego, it looks pretty new.

Not much help for those of us using normal bluetooth kits though eh Cool

DennisN · Posted: Sun Sep 16, 2007 1:53 am Post subject:

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

Not really of much use to the original poster but I got some of these for £35 off ebay and they work a treat with my 720. Sound quality is really good.

http://www.acoustic-energy.co.uk/News_and_reviews/bluetooth_speaker.asp

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