Starcom1 Wire3 BT Helmet headset adapter

[Fred W]

Yep. That's right. The long awaited farkle of the year. I have no idea how these things work yet, but I know for sure that I will eventually be finding out.

Starcom1 has finally come out with a dongle that attaches to the mini-DIN connectors that your wired headset would normally plug into, and streams BT audio and microphone to a (separately purchased) BT headset. But this thing is NOT cheap.

First heard about thru regular email spam from Spoiled Biker but also found some info on Starcom's web site here.

I don't really have the time right now to pour over the details, but I am excited to hear that it is finally here!!

 

[ionbeam]

Well, this would be what I've been waiting for. Now all it has to do is live up to the promise. I guess I'm going to have to find my ski mask and write a good 'gimme' note to fund the purchase h34r:

 

[Blue Crab]

I've been running a pair of SENA SMH10 Bluetooth headsets and think they're the best thing since sliced bread. Bluetooth intercom. Bluetooth cell phone connection. Bluetooth streaming audio. Run-time is something like 12 hours continuous use between recharges. Expensive but well worth the price.

 

[Bike Effects]

Yep. That's right. The long awaited farkle of the year. I have no idea how these things work yet, but I know for sure that I will eventually be finding out.

Starcom1 has finally come out with a dongle that attaches to the mini-DIN connectors that your wired headset would normally plug into, and streams BT audio and microphone to a (separately purchased) BT headset. But this thing is NOT cheap.

First heard about thru regular email spam from Spoiled Biker but also found some info on Starcom's web site here.

I don't really have the time right now to pour over the details, but I am excited to hear that it is finally here!!

By the time you get the unit (or two of them) and add a headset (or two of them) you are talking a lot of cash. How much are you willing to pay for losing an $18.00 coiled cord? The Wire3 will be up on my web site as well by this afternoon or tomorrow. As always, the forum discount applies. See link below.

 

[mdisher]

Someone, help me understand the value here cause I'm missing it apparently.

If I have a good BT intercom set, why do I need a StarComm?

Seems pricy to eliminate a $18 cord as Jeff points out.

-MD

 

[SkooterG]

Interesting.

I'm still not fond of batteries in headsets. I ride enough I think it would annoy me always trying to make sure the headset wasn't going to die on me.

 

[Neil San Diego]

Someone, help me understand the value here cause I'm missing it apparently.

If I have a good BT intercom set, why do I need a StarComm?

This is specifically for people who already have a starcom unit, but want to make it into wireless (BT) system.

 

[HaulinAshe]

I need to make a short trip and pick one up. I'm supposed to write a review. Maybe there's some hidden value that isn't readily apparent??? idk yet.

 

[exskibum]

Nice idea, but . . . as much as I'd like my Starcom modular communications setup to be wireless, I don't think I can justify that kind of scratch for the necessary bluetooth add-ons. :blink:

Looks like for two up usage, you need 2 Wire3 dongles -- 1 each for the rider and passenger headset outs from the Starcom unit, PLUS 2 stereo bluetooth headsets w/mics. Rough take on that looks like $500 to $850, depending on which 2 stereo headsets you pick up and the ultimate price for the 2 Wire3 dongles, isn't it? OUCH -- looks like I will remain tethered to the bike with coiled cords.

 

[Fred W]

Nice idea, but . . . as much as I'd like my Starcom modular communications setup to be wireless, I don't think I can justify that kind of scratch for the necessary bluetooth add-ons. :blink:

Looks like for two up usage, you need 2 Wire3 dongles -- 1 each for the rider and passenger headset outs from the Starcom unit, PLUS 2 stereo bluetooth headsets w/mics. Rough take on that looks like $500 to $850, depending on which 2 stereo headsets you pick up and the ultimate price for the 2 Wire3 dongles, isn't it? OUCH -- looks like I will remain tethered to the bike with coiled cords.

Yeah, now that I know the total outlay for this, it is pretty hard to justify.

Here's what the advantages would be to me:

My understanding is that when running a BT headset(s), you can pair (limited number of) multiple BT devices to it, and the order of the pairing will set the source priority, but you can not hear multiple audio sources simultaneously. IOW there is no audio mixing.

I pipe the Radar detector audio through my Starcom. RD's don't do BT.

I pipe my FRS/GMRS radio for B2B through the Starcom. Can't use GMRS via BT. Yeah you can go B2B via BT but the number of connections and range is severely limited. In a group ride the lead rider wants to be able to talk to the sweep. Not really possible via BT

I like that the Starcom1 Advance prioritizes some and mixes some of the audio sources (almost) the way that I want them. I have it set so the music continues if my pillion and I are talking. MP3 Music gets paused for GPS directions in the Zumo. MP3 and GPS directions get overridden by a phone call thru the Zumo. Everything get muted for RD alert. I need to figure a way to change this as I want the RD to just mix with and beep over the Zumo audio and not mute it.

To me, the only really attractive feature of the BT headsets is the fact that they are wireless. It's not the $16 coiled cord. I've never even had to replace one of those. It's the constant plugging and unplugging, every time you get on and off the bike. And with two of us there are cords dangling and tangling in the wind. But even with that, it is hard to justify spending $600 to $800 on it.

 

[exskibum]

Yep, you pretty much covered exactly my set-up and reasons, Fred. Difference is that I'm running a Garmin 2720 GPS and don't do phone on the bike. Otherwise, sounds like we have the same gadgets running through our Starcoms and both ride frequently with pillions. I'd love to keep that part much the same (I'm ok with the RD cutting out the music), but without the coiled cord, so this WAS something I was waiting anxiously for them to develop. But that is way too much money for the added convenience, especially if I'm not getting super-high-fidelity, mega-robust, monitor-quality helmet speakers with wind-noiseless mics in the BT headsets.

 

[Kevin]

Slightly off-topic, but I have the StarCom1 Advanced, and just want to add Bluetooth from my phone into one of the jacks. Is it the BTM-02 that does this? I'm not concerned about wireless BT to the helmet - the wire is fine for me. Using XM today but that's just too expensive anymore, so I want to do music, phone, and radar detector.

TIA!

Kevin

 

[Fred W]

Slightly off-topic, but I have the StarCom1 Advanced, and just want to add Bluetooth from my phone into one of the jacks. Is it the BTM-02 that does this? I'm not concerned about wireless BT to the helmet - the wire is fine for me. Using XM today but that's just too expensive anymore, so I want to do music, phone, and radar detector.

TIA!

Kevin

Kevin,

Yep. BTM-02 will allow you to pair the phone to the Stacom1 for both headset profile (mono phone operation) and A2DP stereo music streaming. There is a twin plug connector cable supplied that will plug into both the Phone and Audio jacks of the Advance.

And to bring this back around, if someone had a Zumo 66X GPS they could alternately pair a phone to the GPS and the GPS to the BTM-02 and have no wires on that side of the system. Then with the Wire3 eliminate the headphone cables. It's only a matter of $$.

 

[Fred W]

Unearthing my own zombie thread...

I finally broke down and got a BT headset. Just one for now, I got the Sena SMH10-11. The reason I went with the dash 11 over the regular SMH-10 was a review posted (on Revzilla I think it was) that said the universal one is better for certain modular helmets like the Scorpion EXO-900, which is what I use on the FJR.

What got me to buy the headset is that I now will be riding my Pegaso (and V-strom) off road sometimes, and would like to get rid of the wire tether when on those bikes especially. The Sena seems like the cat's ass and I'll be able to get my GPS directions and phone forwarding through the Zumo 550. The MP3 audio from the 550 is monaural, so not exactly Hi-Fi, but it would probably be OK in limited doses just for the road rides back and forth to the trails. A2DP audio from my crackberry is much better, and would be the entertainment method of choice for longer stints. The Sena is some good kit.

Once I bought the Sena, I thought... what if I could pair this mofo with my Starcom1 Advance in the FJR's tank bag. I could get the GPS directions and phone as well as be able to push MP3's all from the zumo, and have my intercom to wife (she'd be still wired), as well as radar detector input and Bike to Bike FRS/GMRS radio, and all through the one BT connection to the Starcom1.

Ordered and received the Starcom1 Wire3 Bluetooth headset adapter. $160 samoleans... ouch! That thing cost as much as the Sena headset. But that isn't the most painful part of the purchase. It doesn't work for shit.

The Wire3 is not A2DP. Nowhere in the literature or web sites does it note that it only supports the Bluetooth "headset" profile which is strictly monaural. Sure, that's fine for an intercom, GPS prompts maybe, or even the pass through phone audio. But try and play any sort of music over that link and it sounds like total shit. You cannot raise the volume to anything approaching useful levels (with or without earplugs) without major clipping and audio distortion occurring. When I turn the Starcom1's volume down (so as not to overdrive the Wire3 input) the clipping is still there, though reduced, but then you hear a big audio buzz in the background all the time.

Conversed with Starcom1's tech support guys today, and they didn't even know how the device would pair with a Sena. They told me to pair it like it was another headset (intercom), well I can tell you that just doesn't work at all. It will only pair as if the Wire3 is a phone via the Sena's headset protocol. The Starcom1 support guy confirmed, no A2DP. What? I can't believe they are getting that much coin for a device with such limited capability.

I don't know what I'm going to do with this thing right now. I should just send it back for what it cost me. But I might be able to use it sometimes, and just have all of the mono audio functions going through the Starcom, and use my blackberry for the bluetooth tunes. That isn't ideal when two up on the FJR as my wife and I won't be able to share the music then.

Yes, I'm pissed it didn't work as inferred. And I did do my "due diligence" intarwebs research. But nobody has ever mentioned these problems, at least not that I could find anywhere. Also, yes, I did wire the Wire3 module power directly off the same power cable going to the Starcom1 (per directions) which also required me to cut and splice the cable end. Not a big deal for me but now it might make returning it to the vendor I bought it from an issue. The clipping distortion and hum is there with the whole thing being powered off of the bike's battery and the bike not even running, so it's not an engine noise interference issue.

Summary: Do not waste your money on the Starcom1 Wire3 unless you never intend to pipe music through your starcom1. I have always been a big Starcom1 supporter in the past. But they are starting to lose me with their inferior designs and inadequate sales literature. If I had known in advance the Wire3 was not A2DP I would never have bought it. Maybe that's why they don't mention it.

I take some small amount of satisfaction that this thread comes up as the second hit on a google search of "starcom wire3." (note I changed the title of the thread to remove the excitement I felt when this thing was released.)

 

[exskibum]

I finally broke down and got a BT headset.

* * * *

Ordered and received the Starcom1 Wire3 Bluetooth headset adapter. $160 samoleans... ouch! That thing cost as much as the Sena headset. But that isn't the most painful part of the purchase. It doesn't work for shit.

The Wire3 is not A2DP. Nowhere in the literature or web sites does it note that it only supports the Bluetooth "headset" profile which is strictly monaural. Sure, that's fine for an intercom, GPS prompts maybe, or even the pass through phone audio. But try and play any sort of music over that link and it sounds like total shit. You cannot raise the volume to anything approaching useful levels (with or without earplugs) without major clipping and audio distortion occurring. When I turn the Starcom1's volume down (so as not to overdrive the Wire3 input) the clipping is still there, though reduced, but then you hear a big audio buzz in the background all the time.

* * * *

The clipping distortion and hum is there with the whole thing being powered off of the bike's battery and the bike not even running, so it's not an engine noise interference issue.

Summary: Do not waste your money on the Starcom1 Wire3 unless you never intend to pipe music through your starcom1. I have always been a big Starcom1 supporter in the past. But they are starting to lose me with their inferior designs and inadequate sales literature. If I had known in advance the Wire3 was not A2DP I would never have bought it. Maybe that's why they don't mention it.

I take some small amount of satisfaction that this thread comes up as the second hit on a google search of "starcom wire3." (note I changed the title of the thread to remove the excitement I felt when this thing was released.)

WOW! Thanks for taking a bullet for the rest of us, Fred. Glad that the price tag originally advertised chased me off. Sucks when you spend that much money for something that sounds like it oughta be the cat's meow, and it turns out to be a gold plated P.O.S.

 

[Fred W]

Follow up. I have tried to figure a way to use this for just the mono audio, but even that sucks too much for me to bear. I am returning it. Luckily for me the reseller SpoiledBiker.com is a class outfit and will accept the return even though I had to cut the power cable (per the directions) and so, had to splice it back together for return.

Thumbs up to SpoiledBiker.

Thumbs down to Starcom1

 

[BikerGeek99]

Been thinking about doing something similar, Fred, but I was gonna look in to using Starcom's BTM-02 module to hook into my Starcom Advance.

 

[Fred W]

FYI...

The BTM-02 is the opposite function to the Wire3. It is a Bluetooth receiver module, so it would allow a wireless BT connection from some audio source to the Starcom1 unit audio input jack. You'd then still have to use the wired headsets between your helmet and the Starcom1 to hear it.

If you do opt to try one of these, make sure that you buy it from someone that has a liberal return policy. JSNS.

 

[dcarver]

I think I've read enough here to keep me wired.