Wired speaker with mic for car usage?

MichaelR

Hello,

I have a smartphone that has a speakerphone somewhat too quiet for the car. And I don't want to spend a lot of money and battery power on a good Bluetooth solution.

I'd like to have a simple speaker with microphone. which would attach to the phone using the standard jack.

Do these exist, and how do I find them? When I try to search Amazon (or the Chinese sites), I am overwhelmed by either microphone-less speakers or Bluetooth ones. Actually the microphone in the phone is just fine, but I think it gets disconnected when any speaker is attached.

the_syco

What car make/model/year do you have?

MichaelR

A 2010 Kia Picanto is the one I use most often. Its radio does not have either Bluetooth or AUX, for all I know.

I sometimes also use a 2007 Kia Cee'd and it does have AUX, but not Bluetooth.

For the Cee'd, it would probably make sense to use a splitter, connect the output to the AUX and place a microphone on the input. The car's speakers are much better than any cheap speaker I can put in. However, I usually use the Picanto. And using three distinct devices - a speaker, a microphone, and a splitter - would just be too messy.

I really wish I could make the phone not disconnect the microphone when a speaker is attached - everything would become very simple.

the_syco

I put a 3.5mm jack into my Toyota Corolla using an adapter that plugs into the back of my OEM radio. I got it from Connect2.

First find out if your radio has an 8 or 13 pin connector on your radio, and then select the relavent one here; http://www.connects2.co.uk/C2/C2RangeProducts.aspx?manfid=28&groupid=142&Parentgroupid=0

It comes with the connection wires, the bluetooth device itself (which also has an aux in jack and a USB connection) which you plug the mic into.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UF7fIL29Vt8

MichaelR

Where can I get release keys to see what kind of connection I have in the Picanto?

Also I wonder how one could acquire the device in Ireland, or delivered? There is no ordering information on the connect 2 website.

the_syco

Put the product code into Amazon.co.uk - although mine was only £30 (cheap n chearful for what I needed it for), it looks like the one for your car is £120

"Suitable release keys", imo, equals two well placed screwdrivers. Check out other youtube videos. Looks a lot easier to remove than my own radio!

Maybe look around for something else that fits into your OEM unit; there are a few companies that do this sort of thing, to connect to OEM stuff.

MichaelR

For the like of £120 I could simply replace the Picanto radio with a Bluetooth enabled one.

I might just go with a speaker, though - turned out the phone can keep the mic on when a speaker is attached. Something like this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Music-Angel-Friendz-Universal-Rechargeable/dp/B009UQLRHU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1443043332&sr=8-1&keywords=friendz . The main downside is lack of a clear way to attach it to the dash.

MichaelR

...actually tendoing towards trying an FM transmitter, just to avoid this entire trouble.

biko

Got myself an Argos FM transmitter a while back.
Works well except that when I was over in the pale last it was hard finding a channel that wasn't getting a slight touch from nearby stations.
If you're over there this may be a concern/

the_syco

MichaelR wrote: »

...actually tendoing towards trying an FM transmitter, just to avoid this entire trouble.

No.

Anywhere near Dublin, and you'll be flicking through channels.

You really need to have the FM aerial right next to the transmitter, and my god, it's fiddly.

Maybe something cheap like this? Just ensure it doesn't have an FM transmitter.