MINI2 - MINI Forum - View Single Post

DaFlake · Dec 31st, 2006, 03:41 PM

Purchased:

Parrot EVO (handsfree bluetooth solution)
Cradle for phone
Adapter for MFSW control

Purchased From:

Mikey (NewMINIStuff.com)

Installation:

The installation was done following New Mini Stuffs DIY instructions found here (NewMINIStuff.com DIY Guides)

This unit was installed in an 06 USA Spec MCS with OEM NAV, HK and Icelink Plus with OEM Radio.

The installation time took about 2 hours which included the cradle that I bought for my phone. This cradle allows me to see the text on my PDA phone as well as charge the phone. Installation time without cradle would be about 40 minuets. This allows time to tidy things up after installation.

As any normal procedure, you should always test the installation BEFORE you reassemble the dash.

My installation was also complicated by me having an Icelink Plus installed as well as the OEM NAV. I should point out that with the Parrot EVO, you will not be able to use the text feature of the Icelink Plus. However, us NAV folks are very used to this anyway as we can't run the feature with NAV.

Also, caution should be taken when running wires under the steering column as there are moving parts down there that the wires could get caught up in.

Review:

After installation I made several calls to simply test the functionality. The first call was to my wife at home in which she stated that I sounded "distant" meaning that she thought I was sitting away from the phone. Her voice was clear and played via the speakers. The radio was automatically muted during this timeline.

The second call was to a mate of mine on his cell phone. His comments were better stating that my voice was clear. Mind you, all of this was done from a standstill.

I wanted to run some moving tests and decided on three speeds. (40, 60 100 MPH).

Mind you, I live in Germany and have the Autobahn at my disposal for the high speeds. Please do not try this if it is against your laws. I should also mention that my MINI is NOT a stock MCS. I have a CAI (cold air intake) and a 15% reduction pulley on the super charger. This alone makes my car a little louder then most.

At 40, the system performed excellently. My mate stated that he could hear some background noise, but communicating was very easy. I bumped up to 60 and we had the same results. He noted the increase in background noise, but it was still audible. Running up to 100 MPH, I had to increase my voice volume but we were still able to communicate with little issue. That being said, if you are on the phone, I recommend that you back off the speed.

One little piece that I noticed as well is that the little microphone is very directional. This means that you really need to have it pointed at you as it tends to eliminate surronding noises. I re-adjusted my mike a little to get better clarity and my wife stated that the distance left with this adjustment. Point it at your mouth.

The MSFW controls worked flawlessly. Great job Mikey!

The only downside that I could find is that the voice dial on my phone does not seem to work well. This, however, is a limitation with my phone as it worked well with my wife's Razor.

Another little annoyance is the sound of the unit initializing during startup. When this occurs, you can hear the solenoid initializing and it cuts the radio sound off for just a second as the unit preps for use. However, I can live with that.

Pros:

Cost is good
Plug and Play Install
Instructions are very good for DIY
Support from Mikey is OUTSTANDING
Clear and understandable communication via the system.
Hidden away from thieves views

Cons:

No NAV integration
Voice dial via phone is hit and miss. (RESOLVED, I learned how to use my phone. )

Overall this is a super unit that can provide you a solid bluetooth solution for your cell phone. Because this is a "behind the dash" solution, you will not have to worry about thiefs trying to steal it out of your car. Mikey's MSFW solution really makes the system even better as you don't have to use the Parrot EVO control (other than for setup) that can with the original system. Some people have complained that they had issues with clarity but I must say that I simply did not find this as an issue. Remember that this is a two piece unit meaning that your phone may play a big part in the clarity as well. I would make sure that your phone firmware is up to date if you have problems as this could cause problems. Lastly, this solution is less than half the cost of the BMW bluetooth solution. Yes, the BMW solution does provide the NAV interface, but at over $500 USD this was not an option for me. One more nice feature is that this unit does have firmware that can be flashed. So, as Parrot gets more features, the unit can be upgraded. This solution gets a thumbs up from me.

You can get it here....

HTTP://HTTP.newministuff.com/new/shop.Phip?action=productshow&id=256

Dec 31st, 2006, 03:41 PM	#1
DaFlake I miss my MINI Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Hanging on The Cape! Local Time: 02:09 AM Posts: 10,652 Offline	Parrot EVO Bluetooth Review Purchased: Parrot EVO (handsfree bluetooth solution) Cradle for phone Adapter for MFSW control Purchased From: Mikey (NewMINIStuff.com) Installation: The installation was done following New Mini Stuffs DIY instructions found here (NewMINIStuff.com DIY Guides) This unit was installed in an 06 USA Spec MCS with OEM NAV, HK and Icelink Plus with OEM Radio. The installation time took about 2 hours which included the cradle that I bought for my phone. This cradle allows me to see the text on my PDA phone as well as charge the phone. Installation time without cradle would be about 40 minuets. This allows time to tidy things up after installation. As any normal procedure, you should always test the installation BEFORE you reassemble the dash. My installation was also complicated by me having an Icelink Plus installed as well as the OEM NAV. I should point out that with the Parrot EVO, you will not be able to use the text feature of the Icelink Plus. However, us NAV folks are very used to this anyway as we can't run the feature with NAV. Also, caution should be taken when running wires under the steering column as there are moving parts down there that the wires could get caught up in. Review: After installation I made several calls to simply test the functionality. The first call was to my wife at home in which she stated that I sounded "distant" meaning that she thought I was sitting away from the phone. Her voice was clear and played via the speakers. The radio was automatically muted during this timeline. The second call was to a mate of mine on his cell phone. His comments were better stating that my voice was clear. Mind you, all of this was done from a standstill. I wanted to run some moving tests and decided on three speeds. (40, 60 100 MPH). Mind you, I live in Germany and have the Autobahn at my disposal for the high speeds. Please do not try this if it is against your laws. I should also mention that my MINI is NOT a stock MCS. I have a CAI (cold air intake) and a 15% reduction pulley on the super charger. This alone makes my car a little louder then most. At 40, the system performed excellently. My mate stated that he could hear some background noise, but communicating was very easy. I bumped up to 60 and we had the same results. He noted the increase in background noise, but it was still audible. Running up to 100 MPH, I had to increase my voice volume but we were still able to communicate with little issue. That being said, if you are on the phone, I recommend that you back off the speed. One little piece that I noticed as well is that the little microphone is very directional. This means that you really need to have it pointed at you as it tends to eliminate surronding noises. I re-adjusted my mike a little to get better clarity and my wife stated that the distance left with this adjustment. Point it at your mouth. The MSFW controls worked flawlessly. Great job Mikey! The only downside that I could find is that the voice dial on my phone does not seem to work well. This, however, is a limitation with my phone as it worked well with my wife's Razor. Another little annoyance is the sound of the unit initializing during startup. When this occurs, you can hear the solenoid initializing and it cuts the radio sound off for just a second as the unit preps for use. However, I can live with that. Pros: Cost is good Plug and Play Install Instructions are very good for DIY Support from Mikey is OUTSTANDING Clear and understandable communication via the system. Hidden away from thieves views Cons: No NAV integration Voice dial via phone is hit and miss. (RESOLVED, I learned how to use my phone. ) Overall this is a super unit that can provide you a solid bluetooth solution for your cell phone. Because this is a "behind the dash" solution, you will not have to worry about thiefs trying to steal it out of your car. Mikey's MSFW solution really makes the system even better as you don't have to use the Parrot EVO control (other than for setup) that can with the original system. Some people have complained that they had issues with clarity but I must say that I simply did not find this as an issue. Remember that this is a two piece unit meaning that your phone may play a big part in the clarity as well. I would make sure that your phone firmware is up to date if you have problems as this could cause problems. Lastly, this solution is less than half the cost of the BMW bluetooth solution. Yes, the BMW solution does provide the NAV interface, but at over $500 USD this was not an option for me. One more nice feature is that this unit does have firmware that can be flashed. So, as Parrot gets more features, the unit can be upgraded. This solution gets a thumbs up from me. You can get it here.... HTTP://HTTP.newministuff.com/new/shop.Phip?action=productshow&id=256 Global Moderator Last edited by DaFlake : Jan 3rd, 2007 at 08:16 AM.