pharding

Possible Solution to Improving Bletooth Audio Quality for BMW Consideration

I was one of the first people in the US, if not the first, to have the Bluetooth Retrofit in an 04 e60. The feature set is excellent, but the audio quality for the listener is problematic. The problem clearly has to do with the appropriate volume settings for speaking on the phone, listening on the phone, and listening to music. These settings are not set correctly by BMW. My employees have complained the poor audio quality and about how loud I am when I talk to them using BMW Bluetooth. This morning I pulled off the street at a location with a strong signal. I wanted to see what the appropriate volume would be for the other party. The ideal volume setting, controlled by the cars volume control, for the person at the other end of the phone is very low. If I set the volume at the ideal setting for the other party, I can barely hear them when the car is parked with no ambient noise. At this setting they claim that the audio quality is 9 on a ten point scale, with ten being a quality office telephone with an excellent connection. This equal to the audio quality of my hard wired BMW Motorola Phone in my 01 530. Unfortunately at this level I can just barely hear them when the car is parked. I would never use this volume setting when the car is parked . It is way too low. The other consideration is that the stereo system at this volume setting, even when parked is way too low. I never listen to the stereo at this low level. Generally when I make and receive calls I have the stereo set at the appropriate level for listening enjoyment. I do not change the volume for phone calls typically. This volume level with ambient noise when I drive is way too high for telephone calls for the other party. It would seem to me to me that the interplay between these volume requirements needs adjusted. Undoubtedly this could be fixed with software by BMW.

If someone needs to contact me, please do not hesitate use the following:

Paul Harding
pharding@hardingassoc.com

Thanks and good luck to BMW in getting this problem solved that also impacts the X5. There is very strong interest in having working Bluetooth with excellent audio quality on the part of e60 and X5 owners.

Francois

Hi, I have the same problem on a bluetooth factory installed, What BMW should do is make it possible thru the idrive to set the volume of the microphone and speakers (maybe relative to the radio/cd volume). I know this is not easy as it can cause problems when the signal goes round.

wolverine

This sounds like the same problem I and others are having on non-bluetooth phones. I've posted the BMW service bulletin text several times. There is a problem with the phone TCU. BMW knows about it, and they are working on it. They estimate it will be a couple months for a fix.

pharding

Someone on the other BT thread suggested that I check my phones volume. I did. It was set on 7, the highest. I am going back to the site of my test and try adjusting the V700 volume. I'll post the results in 3 hours.

pharding

Test Results

The phone volume control has no bearing whatsover on the volume heard by the person at the other end. I tried my V600 with volume set at 7 and 2. It made no difference at all. The mediocre audio quality is a BMW volume problem that can be fixed with software changes.

Also I am hoping that a BMW cradle will allow my cell phone, Motorola V600, to use the shark fin antenna. That would also improve the audio qaulity. Motor Werks is looking into this right now. If this is not possible, ideally BMW would find a way to enable Bluetooth and provide a plug connection into a Bluetooth phone so that one could take advantage of the cars shark fin antenna. I don't need a cradle, I just need access to the car's antenna for the strongest signal possible.

Why are both, Bluetooth and a wired connection to the shark fin antenna, desirable? With this approach we are not stuck with cell phones that become obsolete with time and we take advantage of the car's shark fin antenna for optimal signal strength. The CPT9000 phone is obsolete already. My BMW Timeport phone was useless before my lease was up. My expensive integrated phone option was worthless before my lease was up. Also, very importantly, in the US we need the best signal possible. The only way to get that is a hard wired plug that will connect the cell phone to the shark fin antenna. BMW European engineers may not understand the importance of this. The US cell phone system is currently inferior to the European cell phone sytem. In July 04 my calls from Europe to my office, using my same Motorola V600 outside of my car, were much better and much clearer than comparable calls in the US.

Hormazd

Paul,

Your testing is invaluable. Once again Thank you. The BT solution looks better now. On the other thread I asked how easy it was to switch from the headset to the car. Would you comment on this? . The headset being the ideal interim solution until the next update fixes the volume issue. I really think you have nailed it. It all makes sense now. The high mic sensitivity was creating feedback which was creating the echo and underwater effect. Simple fix, probably very soon. With all the problems that Verizon has with there policies, I believe they have the best coverage in the country. The CDMA network is superior to the current GSM in the US. I will probably want a cradle for my phone if I go the BT route on Monday and hope that the Verizon firmware update in December fixes the address book issue.

Thanks for your response.

wassy

Paul,

Your testing is invaluable. Once again Thank you. The BT solution looks better now. On the other thread I asked how easy it was to switch from the headset to the car. Would you comment on this? . The headset being the ideal interim solution until the next update fixes the volume issue. I really think you have nailed it. It all makes sense now. The he high mic sensitivity was creating feedback which was creating the eccho and underwater effect. Simple fix, probably very soon. With all the problems that Verizon has with there policies, I believe they have the best coverage in the country. The CDMA network is superior to the current GSM in the US. I will probably want a cradle for my phone if I go the BT route on Monday and hope that the Verizon firmware update in December fixes the address book issue.

Thanks for your response.
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Hormazd - I don't think you can switch from Bluetooth BMW to headset, or even back to the phone, for that matter, unless they made some changes in the last month or two.. Paul - can you verify this. Also, one thing BMW bluetooth couldn't do before was answer call waiting... Paul?

Paul - your services to us are much appreciated.. Believe me. However, please trust me when I tell you that the Shark Fin/cradle will NOT put a smile on your face.. it will do nothing more for you than you have now..

we need to find out where the Bluetooth antenna is.. that is the key.. maybe the bluetooth antenna needs to be relocated to a more appropriate place.. However, I still firmly believe it is the software that needs work AND/OR the Mic...

Paul - save your time and money on the cradle, if you don't need charging capabilites. Trust me.. You, me, we..... we don't complain about signal with the handheld anywhere else do we? only with bluetooth... think about it.. it ISN"T the antenna..

545RV

Pharding take a look at this link: http://www.x5world.net/bluetooth_compatible_phones.htm

I beleive it refers to a part number for a Snap-in Adaptor Part which I think is the cradle attachment you are requesting

pharding

Paul,

Your testing is invaluable. Once again Thank you. The BT solution looks better now. On the other thread I asked how easy it was to switch from the headset to the car. Would you comment on this? . The headset being the ideal interim solution until the next update fixes the volume issue. I really think you have nailed it. It all makes sense now. The he high mic sensitivity was creating feedback which was creating the eccho and underwater effect. Simple fix, probably very soon. With all the problems that Verizon has with there policies, I believe they have the best coverage in the country. The CDMA network is superior to the current GSM in the US. I will probably want a cradle for my phone if I go the BT route on Monday and hope that the Verizon firmware update in December fixes the address book issue.

Thanks for your response.
[/quote]

It is easy to go back and forth between the Bluetooth connection in the car and the headset. No big deal. Under Setup/Connection/ Handsfree my Motorola V700 phone lists the Motorola headset and the car. My phone is set up to seek the car automatically when the phone is on and I get in the car. If I want the headset I just select it under the above menu.

Hormazd

Are you sure that there is no way to quickly toggle this? Maybe the manual has a way of creating short cuts or something. And can the change be made mid-conversation? That way the car answers the phone, identifies the caller, mutes the radio, you reach for the headset and toggle.