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iPhone and Car Kit

SayCheese

SayCheese

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jun 14, 2007
1,720
919
Oxfordshire, England
Hi,

One more question that I have to ask before I buy an iPhone later today.

Does the phone work with a bluetooth car kit? I have a Sony Ericsson one that I have had for years. When I get into the car and switch the ignition on the phone automatically pairs with the car kit.
When I get a call the radio drops out and the call is played through the speakers in the car.
Will this work with the iPhone?

Also when I get a call I press a button on the dash and the phone call is answered without ever touching the phone. Is this going to work with the phone?

Thanks in advance
 
I'm also wondering about carkits as I have a Nokia CK-7W bluetooth fitted to my audio system which works very well with Nokia phones but tends to echo like a b*stard with other brands as Nokia tend to do the echo cancelling in the handest rather than the kit :mad:
 
i just bought a range rover that has bluetooth built in. paired up and away i went. works nicely
 
Just to add to this, I asked this question shortly before I got mine and was told that it will take calls, but none of the contacts would sync etc.

However, I've found with mine that not only can I make calls (which seem significantly clearer than they ever did when I paired my LG Shine), but the address book syncs perfectly too (the shine never did). So, when I receive a call the name shows up on screen, or I can browse through the address book etc to make a call.

I have a BMW M5, so I would assume anyone else with an iDrive would experience the same.
 
TheChillPill said:
Just to add to this, I asked this question shortly before I got mine and was told that it will take calls, but none of the contacts would sync etc.

However, I've found with mine that not only can I make calls (which seem significantly clearer than they ever did when I paired my LG Shine), but the address book syncs perfectly too (the shine never did). So, when I receive a call the name shows up on screen, or I can browse through the address book etc to make a call.

I have a BMW M5, so I would assume anyone else with an iDrive would experience the same.
Click to expand...


if ur m is a 2007 with idrive you shouldnt have any issues. BMW is the first auto maker to include the iphone into its navigation system with full integration.
 
TheChillPill said:
Just to add to this, I asked this question shortly before I got mine and was told that it will take calls, but none of the contacts would sync etc.

However, I've found with mine that not only can I make calls (which seem significantly clearer than they ever did when I paired my LG Shine), but the address book syncs perfectly too (the shine never did). So, when I receive a call the name shows up on screen, or I can browse through the address book etc to make a call.

I have a BMW M5, so I would assume anyone else with an iDrive would experience the same.
Click to expand...
Got mine paired with the car and it works well with all contacts synching to the display. However, I have discovered an irritating problem and wonder whether I am missing something really obvious.

Now that I have the iPhone paired with the car, I seem to have to go through extra button presses to make a call even if the car is out of range. To be more specific, when I choose to call a number and initiate the call, I then have to select which audio source to use (i.e. iPhone, iPhone's speaker, or Bluetooth). My previous phone simply detected whether I was in the car or not.

I cannot find a menu to adjust this. It is a hugely irritating problem. Is there a solution short of turning bluetooth off every time I get out of the car (which would be equally tedious)?
 
iPhone in car

I was using my 5th Gen iPod in my car via a Sik line-in adaptor. This has a dock-type connector that plugs into the bottom of the iPod.

I plugged my new iPhone into the connector but I am not getting any sound coming out of my car stereo, only sound out of the iPhone speaker. It's like the iPhone doesn't realize it is plugged in.

This is a major bummer as I wanted to just use my iPhone in the car to listen to podcasts, etc. and now I have to still take my iPod along.

Anyone have any ideas of either a way around this or a cable that will work with the iPhone?
 
In-Car Audio solutions for iPhone?

Who has tried and would recommend an inexpensive connection system for playing the music on an iPhone through a car audio system? I guess it'll have to be either a cassette type or FM transmitter, as there is no minijack socket on the system. Availability in the UK would be a definite plus.
 
skunk said:
Who has tried and would recommend an inexpensive connection system for playing the music on an iPhone through a car audio system? I guess it'll have to be either a cassette type or FM transmitter, as there is no minijack socket on the system. Availability in the UK would be a definite plus.
Click to expand...

headunit type?
 
Car adapters seem to be hit or miss. I'm using a DICE ipod link in my bmw and it works for the most part. Not exactly like an ipod does, but it hooks up and I can listen to it while it charges.
 
(what car stereo have you got)

I know Griffin do an iTrip for iPhone, as I saw it in the Carphone Warehouse when picking up my iPhone, I was thinking of getting a unit that plugs into the back of my car stereo and then into the iPhone dock connector, BUT its design for iPod and i dont want to screw up the power going into the iPod.

So I think I'll go with the Griffin at some point.
 
I haven't had that problem with mine - I get those choices when the car is connected, but it works as normal when it's not.

That said, mine is an unlocked US-version iphone, so they could have made changes within the new firmware - although it would seem like a bit of a step back if they have.
 
ELEVEN?

That's epic! I'm probably going to hold out until an all in one solution becomes available to let me plug it directly into the dock connector with a connection in the back.

I dunno if that would work out for you as the CD changer is probably plugged into the port that that connector would probably plug into.. How about check out the Griffin FM transmitter?

Or get a cheap FM transmitter and a recessed Jack adapter?
 
I'm looking for something for the car too. I defo want some sort of cradle, with a built in FM transmitter, and preferably one that charges the phone at the same time (though not absolutely essential). Any ideas?

Thanks

M.
 
TheChillPill said:
I haven't had that problem with mine - I get those choices when the car is connected, but it works as normal when it's not.

That said, mine is an unlocked US-version iphone, so they could have made changes within the new firmware - although it would seem like a bit of a step back if they have.
Click to expand...
I tried switching off bluetooth today and then switching on again. It's cured the problem. Phew, what a relief!
 
I use one of these http://www.ipodcarkitdirect.co.uk/iPod_Car_Kit/Universal_FM_Modulator/Dension_ice>Link_FM_Modulator

The iPhone works the same way my 5G ipod did. When you first insert the iPhone into the cradle it tells you that the device is not compatible and asks if you want to go into airplane mode, just say no and it works perfectly, it also charges the phone.

For the handsfree side of things the iPhone is paired with a Nokia car kit, when a call comes in the music fades from the car speakers and transfers to the bluetooth system.

There is a problem with the iPhone and bluetooth systems at the moment, callers noted that they could here a lot of echos at thier end, even though you have perfect reception at your end, after a little research I found that this is quite a common problem. Let hope Apple will fix this soon.
 
another confirmed thing...

i have a 2005 volvo s60r. it has the standard volvo ipod adapter. i connected my iphone to it. plays music perfectly. no interference. when calls come in. music fades out, and the ringtone plays through the speakers. you can answer the phone but nothing comes out of the speakers s u have to pick up the phone to use it. then disconnect the call. music fades back in.
 
pdmpolishing said:
There is a problem with the iPhone and bluetooth systems at the moment, callers noted that they could here a lot of echos at thier end, even though you have perfect reception at your end, after a little research I found that this is quite a common problem. Let hope Apple will fix this soon.
Click to expand...
Have you tried turning the volume down a bit? This can often be the cause of echoing at the other end, even on dedicated factory fitted in car systems.
 
Just a follow up on the problem of echos on the callers end, it turns out to be the Nokia car kit, it seems the Nokia kits don't have echo canceling built into them, it's built into their phones.

So I installed a Parrot CK3000 bluetooth kit, it's works perfectly, no echos, also the kit is wired into the cars speaker system which sounds much better than the little Nokia speaker that I used before.
 
Any Fix for Nokia kit problem

I have a Nokia CK7 wkit hardwired into a complex BMW audio system

Unfortunately the echo problem means that my iPhone is really unusable in the car with this kit.

Any idea of a fix to this being available through upgrading ipod firmware or a Nokia part?

I am on 1.0.2 as my phone is a US import - and used on Vodaphone network (live in UK)

Many thanks
 
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