I-Pod to Autocom

[litigator]

Is there a special wire? I don't get much volume from my I-Pod.

[LGannon]

No special cable required, standard 3.5mm stereo to 3.5mm stereo jack, I use it and it's fine, probably need the volume on the ipod up to nearly full and turn off the shake to shuffle feature if you have it.

[litigator]

Shake to shuffle?

[LGannon]

yeah,its a feature of the newer ipods, where you shake the ipod to change tracks, if it's turned on when riding a bike the bloody thing will change track every time you hit a bump in the road.

[skinny_tom (aka boney)]

Yeah. No problem with the iPod. This cord will work with the iPhone as well, but you will not have the phone functionality. For that, you'll have to build a special cable (maybe they're available OTC?) And even then, you lose the stereo since the autocom (that I have) is only mono for the phone. I'll let you know how it works works when I test it this week.

 

If you want both the phone and music, I *think* the bluetooth dongle is the solution. But I don't know. And I've already taken this thread off it's intended course.

[LGannon]

I have the auto-com bluetooth dongle, it works great for the phone (blackberry) you cant use it to play music though.

[Lisa Malachowsky]

I'm the SW Autocom rep. If you are using your iPod and powering it on the bike, you should use a special cable with a noise eliminator built in to it. If you are not bike-powering the iPod, you should be getting sufficient volume to hear it well. Your helmet speakers must not be correctly placed or some other problem is present. You also should be able to get stereo music on all 7 pin Autocoms if you are using the correct port on the unit.

 

Please email me offline for more information and to get the specifics of how to best use your equipment.

 

For anyone else, if you want to talk Autocom, I'm glad to.

 

lisa@autocomdirect.com

 

our distributor's website: www.autocomdirect.com

We're the only AUTHORIZED distributor for Autocom in the US!

[Autocom Matt]

Your lack of volume may be due to several problems. Call me at (888) 685-9269 and I can walk you through a few quick steps. Low volume may be due to one of the adjustment pots being lowered, another input causing that input to partially mute, the connector being rotated and force installed (check for side tone in ears when speaking), low device output, or poor speaker positioning. Is the problem just the iPod?

 

Part 4004 is the stereo isolated interface. This allows device to be bike powered without ground loop interference. Product is $49.99 and ships free. While I recommend the product, low volume is not a ground loop problem.

 

Also, going with a 4-conductor TRRS connector like with the Autocom components will give you a more resilient connection. A 3-conductor jack can sometimes shift or slide partially out and make some noise. That said, small details.

[Albert]

You may want to experiment with the EQ settings on the iPod too. There's a number of different settings (e.g. acoustic, rock, speech, etc.) that will have some effect on how well you'll hear things. That said, I personally find the Autocom to be underpowered for my taste too and mine is run at full volume all the time. The real fix for me was to wire in a Mixit2 as a preamp (gps, ipod and radar all go in here), phone goes direct to AC. This added plenty of volume and, since I mounted the Mixit2 in the RT glove box, it has the added bonus of a nice big volume knob in easy reach. Admittedly using 2 devices is not the ideal, and may not be necessary in your case, but I had the Mixit2 anyway and it resolved ongoing issues I had with Autocom. I have found that, given enough patience and lots of cash, you can ususally buy an Autocom solution. Good luck.

[Autocom Matt]

That said, I personally find the Autocom to be underpowered for my taste too and mine is run at full volume all the time.

 

What Autocom are you using? I have noticed different volume levels between models. A new purchaser who wants maximum SPL from helmet speakers should stay with the Super Pro Automatic. If you are ever down south or at an event, come find me. I want to take a peak and see what I can do. Are you going to Maggie Valley next weekend?

 

The real fix for me was to wire in a Mixit2 as a preamp (gps, ipod and radar all go in here), phone goes direct to AC.

 

The MixIt2 is an awesome product, and frankly can replace a full featured Autocom in applications not requiring voice transmission.

 

I have found that, given enough patience and lots of cash, you can ususally buy an Autocom solution. Good luck.

 

Autocom can be difficult to purchase due to the extensive customization options. Hands down, the only intercom system that comes close to Autocom in sound quality is J&M (at the expense of chopping up a helmet, potentially compromising safety). It is the top of the line and has a strong price tag.

 

If anyone is looking at one, give me a shout first and I'll take a lot of the risk out by developing a clear set of expectations and developing a system to meet those (if possible). No system is perfect but I would rather not have a customer than have an unhappy one.

[Albert]

If you are ever down south or at an event, come find me. I want to take a peak and see what I can do. Are you going to Maggie Valley next weekend?

 

Thanks Matt, sorry I won't be able to make the Maggie Valley event but I'd love for you have a look at my system some time. You'd probably find it amusing in a "Griswold Christmas lighting" sort of way.