D4 Hands Free - Voice Recognition

[hydeslane]

Ok hoping someone else can shed some light. I have a 2010 D4 with the basic radio. Not the full GPS system interface. I have a speaker button on the steering wheel - does npthing. I have an iphone that is paired to the system via bluetooth and my contacts appear on screen. To make a call I have to pick my phone up scroll down and hand dial the number - after that system works fine. Of course this can't be done with the vehicle in motion.

Is this how it should be? or does this system actually have a voice assist?
Landrover dealer said the stearing button doesn't work but I can't beleive this would be the case. Particularly when I note the new ford focus has the same system where it works. Any comments would be appreciated.

[kenl]

I tried all manner of settings using a Faultmate to activate it, but no success I'm afraid. You should, from memory, be able to scroll through your numbers on the screen but it is a top to bottom scroll with no search function. That was the case with my Nokia anyways.

In the end I was offered a good trade and I got a new one (D4) with the $5k sat nav, so that I could have the USB music and on screen phone book, only used the Nav once in 15,000 km.

[NTB]

I have a D4 SDV6 SE MY11. It is standard so it is likely to be the same as yours. The Speaker Button on the steering wheel does nothing unless you have a optioned large touch screen and sat nav. LR just use the same steering wheel and do not use the button.
My iPhone4 operates well with the Standard Radio. After pairing the iPhone4 to the Radio I was able to view my phone book, previous call lists etc via the screen and controls. It is a shame that your are unable to search the phone book, instead you have to scroll the phone book. I find the Audio and Mic works very well.

NTB

[hydeslane]

Thanks for the feedback gentlemen. Looks like it is, what it is. I was offered a D4 with the satnav but didn't think I really needed it. THe after market unit I have is fantastic and I also have one on the phone. I decided to put my $ into the 3.0ltr. My previous Pathfinder had a nokia phone kit and I used the voice every day so I miss it. Push button - "Call Bob" and it called Bob. I should have looked at this harder when I purhased but hell its a D4, I just want one. I will need to research other options. Perhaps an after market hands free. Everything else about my D4 is beyond brillant. I'll post solution when I find it.

[NTB]

hydeslane
I also found it very hard to spend the money on the SatNav/Touch Screen for the $'s, so I didn't. I am happy enough with the Standard Radio Bluetooth connection and I still mount my TomTom CarKit for iPhone4 to the screen and use the iPhone Nav when required.

NTB

[But 'n' Ben]

Hi Hydeslane, when your contacts list comes up on the screen, using the buttons at the right hand side of the radio unit, select contact list, and then scroll to the contact you wish to be in touch with, then press the OK button, and the Bluetooth system will dial the number for you.
The radio, if it was playing, will be muted, and when your Party answers, you get conversation over the car audio system. Mine works great, and the sound quality is superb, you can now adjust the volume using the left hand controls of the steering wheel. When your conversation is finished, just press the red telephone icon on the right hand side of the steering wheel, or the red icon at bottom right on the radio unit.
Hope this helps, I to would have liked a voice activated system, but find this present one great, having never had one like it before.
Don.

[But 'n' Ben]

Correction to first line of my post.
To initiate a call, press the phone button on the bottom left of the radio unit, then scroll down to 'Phone Book', press the right arrow, or the OK, and your contacts list will appear. Scroll down to the party you want, and pressing the OK, or right arrow will start the call.
Sorry about the mistake in the 1st instant.

[PaulGOz]

I am not sue if this helps some. But I have found that the phone book pickcd up by the LR radio is only the phonebook in the phone and not the SIM. So by only storing numbers you wish to appear on the LR screen in the phone and all other numbers on the SIM you can somewhat reduce the numbers you need to scroll through. You then set the phone to use both memories so you stil see all numbers on the phone itself. Thsi works with my Nokia.

[hydeslane]

The number of names that appears on the screen list is part of the problem. I'm able to use the phone as But-in-Ben describes but it is simply cumbersome and not something i want to do while the cars in motion. I have an iphone app call Metroview Australia i use as my Nav - best $25 I've spent. Worth a look. I'll look at phone storage as Paul suggests to improve this. Thanks again all.

[RangieBit]

Hi Folks,

Don't know that this helps but it may be worth a try.

I have an OEM ICE in my L322, so not D4 and not factory. Having said that the bluetooth handsfree facility I have doesn't even give me the phonebook. Not a problem since I seldom call from the phonebook anyway.

So, to the problem at hand. If you press and hold the button on your iPhone it brings up the voice recognition on the phone. If I then say something like "Call Bob Mobile" lo my handsfree dials Bob's mobile and the audio is routed through the ICE speakers.

If the handsfree is linking correctly the microphone in the car should work to do this even on the D4. If not the iPhone mic is probably sensitive enough anyway.

Yes, you do have to press the button on the phone but for me that's the only problem.

In the words of..... "suck it and see"

Cheers,
Iain

[Beamin]

Thanks RangieBit, I'll give that a go and see if I can make it work. I'm pretty sure my iPhone 3GS has this feature but I've never played with it. A couple of Nokia's I've had some years ago did this trick and it worked well, even via an aftermarket Parrott bluetooth car kit in my old Peugeot.

In the meantime, I've learned a couple of tricks to scrolling through the dreadful contacts list shown on the basic LR screen (it really is a very poor system and LR should be ashamed of it).

Firstly, you can hold the scroll arrow and then you just need to glance at the screen every 5 seconds or so to see how close you're getting to your target. Just one name is shown at the bottom of the list to show where it's up to. It's not a huge improvement, but it beats pressing on the button 127 times to scroll through individual entries and all their multiple listings, although you still need to have your hand off the steering wheel, indicators, etc for an extended period. I agree with an earlier poster that it's often quicker to stop the car, look up the number on the phone and dial it that way.

Secondly, it's possible to scroll backwards from the end of the list. If the contact you're looking for is towards the end of the alphabet, just press the up arrow and the scrolling will start at the end of the list and work forwards. Again, not fantastic but better than starting at "A" when looking for "Thompson".

[hydeslane]

Well after Iains suggestions I took a closer at my Iphone and found that if I hold the on/off button down the voice control comes up. Simple enough. Then I tried it in the D4. The beep comes through the speaker, I say "call bob" - it calls Bob. Brillant. I use the steering wheel to hang up. So rather than push the speaker button on the steering wheel (which doesn't work), all I have to do is puch and hold the on/off
button on the iphone for the same result. I dont need to look at my phone to do this so its about as safe as it gets. Problem solved for me gentlemen. Thankyou all:)