af3556
3rd April 2012, 12:48 PM
I've just installed a mObridge M1000-M-BT (http://mobridge.com.au/products/most-bluetooth) in my 2008 Disco3 (HSE, high-line audio, i.e. the keypad to the left). It's working very well, audio quality is very good and sound system integration is good.
Pros:
- voice quality is good
- head unit integration is good (no ugly, redundant, control pads velcroed to the dash)
- phone BT connect and disconnect is quick (the phone connects and disconnects within few seconds of the ignition on/off)
- phone compatibility should be much better than the LR unit, uses Parrot chipset
- fairly easy to install; if you're comfortable pulling apart the dash and being very careful with optical fibre (similar to TOSLINK) then you should be ok
- can be set into bypass mode to be transparent to LR diagnostics
Cons:
- the phone book doesn't distinguish multiple numbers for a given record (i.e. John Smith with mobile, work and home all show up as "John Smith"), but apparently that's a LR audio system limitation
- initial pairing with some phones can be fiddly - I've an Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Nexus) - pairing didn't work straight-up but mobridge have a support doc for that (http://www.mobridge.us/sites/default/files/doc/AN_mObridgeAndroidCompatiblity.pdf); works fine once paired
- needs permanent power (I worry slightly about "one more thing" hanging off permanent main battery); I didn't remember to measure quiescent current draw but hope that it's small
- pricey: RRP is something like $600, I paid 470 delivered from motivauto.com - who were helpful, and initially very responsive though with a few delays near the end
- can be set into bypass mode (yes, a pro and a con, see below)
- phone only, no music (BT A2DP) - this is a limitation of the D3 stereo
- can get a really short "crackle" when a call starts/ends as the mobridge takes over the audio bus
After the initial install things went swimmingly for a couple of days before the unit ceased to function (wouldn't register with the D3's stereo system). A fairly lengthy back-and-forth troubleshooting process ensued; the result being I sent the unit to motivaudio and they found it had gotten itself locked up into a permanent-bypass mode. This may have been my fault: to avoid any concerns re. quiescent power drain, I initially installed the unit powered by the "nav system" power that is switched by the stereo, that is when the head unit comes on the mobridge was powered, when it went off the mobridge lost 12V. This power cycling seems to have caused the unit to lock up, this may have been exacerbated by me toggling the bypass quite a few times to try and reset it. The install manual does note to connect it to permanent power (but not why :-).
Anyway, motivaudio used a factory utility to reset the unit, and it's been fine since (touch wood).
Re-reading the above, seems a bit overall negative - but the pros far outweigh the cons and I'm quite happy with the result.
Some pics from the install are attached.
(I intended to put the bypass switch on the vertical part of the tray, but foolishly didn't check I had it right-side-up when drilling the hole... doh; I'll probably move it there to avoid any undue pressure on the switch.)
Pros:
- voice quality is good
- head unit integration is good (no ugly, redundant, control pads velcroed to the dash)
- phone BT connect and disconnect is quick (the phone connects and disconnects within few seconds of the ignition on/off)
- phone compatibility should be much better than the LR unit, uses Parrot chipset
- fairly easy to install; if you're comfortable pulling apart the dash and being very careful with optical fibre (similar to TOSLINK) then you should be ok
- can be set into bypass mode to be transparent to LR diagnostics
Cons:
- the phone book doesn't distinguish multiple numbers for a given record (i.e. John Smith with mobile, work and home all show up as "John Smith"), but apparently that's a LR audio system limitation
- initial pairing with some phones can be fiddly - I've an Android phone (Samsung Galaxy Nexus) - pairing didn't work straight-up but mobridge have a support doc for that (http://www.mobridge.us/sites/default/files/doc/AN_mObridgeAndroidCompatiblity.pdf); works fine once paired
- needs permanent power (I worry slightly about "one more thing" hanging off permanent main battery); I didn't remember to measure quiescent current draw but hope that it's small
- pricey: RRP is something like $600, I paid 470 delivered from motivauto.com - who were helpful, and initially very responsive though with a few delays near the end
- can be set into bypass mode (yes, a pro and a con, see below)
- phone only, no music (BT A2DP) - this is a limitation of the D3 stereo
- can get a really short "crackle" when a call starts/ends as the mobridge takes over the audio bus
After the initial install things went swimmingly for a couple of days before the unit ceased to function (wouldn't register with the D3's stereo system). A fairly lengthy back-and-forth troubleshooting process ensued; the result being I sent the unit to motivaudio and they found it had gotten itself locked up into a permanent-bypass mode. This may have been my fault: to avoid any concerns re. quiescent power drain, I initially installed the unit powered by the "nav system" power that is switched by the stereo, that is when the head unit comes on the mobridge was powered, when it went off the mobridge lost 12V. This power cycling seems to have caused the unit to lock up, this may have been exacerbated by me toggling the bypass quite a few times to try and reset it. The install manual does note to connect it to permanent power (but not why :-).
Anyway, motivaudio used a factory utility to reset the unit, and it's been fine since (touch wood).
Re-reading the above, seems a bit overall negative - but the pros far outweigh the cons and I'm quite happy with the result.
Some pics from the install are attached.
(I intended to put the bypass switch on the vertical part of the tray, but foolishly didn't check I had it right-side-up when drilling the hole... doh; I'll probably move it there to avoid any undue pressure on the switch.)