DIY Helmet Bluetooth to Wing Ideas?

[ottoreload]

Hi everyone, I am looking for Ideas on how to build speakers and a microphone into a full faced motorcycle helmet that communicates with my Wing (in stereo) via Bluetooth. I know there are commercial solutions but for the most part they are crap and a good setups (chatterbox) will cost in excess of $400. So I figure with the right guidance I could make a good system for a fraction of that $400.

What I’m thinking: (of course cheap is the slogan of the day)

1. Bluetooth adapter that will pair with my Wing and receive a stereo signal.
2. Noise canceling microphone
3. Decent (yet thin) speakers

The real question:
Would it be possible to strip apart a Bluetooth adapter and solder in speakers and mic. Allowing me to listen to music on my Wing while riding my bike. I would also like to be able to verbally answer and dial the wing with this setup. One of the big stumbling block is how to power the speakers (would an BT adapter have enough juice?), easily recharge (or replace batteries) in the adapter, and make pairing painless.

I would appreciate any ideas and comments you have. Thanks

[ElProempie]

Hello and Welcome to the forum!

But if you want to make some speakers in your helmet, Contact the police first and ask if it's legal.
I know a mate who has done that before and when he got a speeding ticket, the officers saw there were speakers.
He got a ticket for that aswell because it may inflect the safety and durability of the helmet.. LOL

Anyway, If i were you i just bought the original HTC headset wich is wired, and plug them in my ears.
Put on your helmet and you can call and such.
But maybe other people will have some other thoughts.

[ottoreload]

You think the mic will work in that enviroment?

[ElProempie]

ermm, well if you have a noise canceling mic than it should be no problem.

But i did some research for you and there are helmets availible with a bluetooth headset built-in. Connect your phone with that headset and play some music.

[TylerC161]

I've been looking to do the same thing. Its REALLY hard to get my helmet on with a bluetooth headset in my ear, its hurts as a matter of fact. I have to take some of the padding out from the helmet if I dont want pain, but thats just not worth the safety risk; I bought a $500 helmet for a reason. Lol.

The mic wouldnt even have to be noise canceling IF you kept the mic behind the chin wind gaurd or inside the helmet somehow.

[ottoreload]

I totally understand, I paid $700 for an Arai helmet for a reason and its not because of the bitchen graphics. What I have started to do…

I have a set of Skull Candy headphones that I removed the speakers from that will fit nicely into my helmet and have great sound. I did a test and spliced the speakers in to the USB headphone adapter (stock) for my wing. I ran into my first problem…. The wing doesn’t have enough poop to drive the speakers. So I will need to use some kind of speaker amp. I found a cheap ($8 + shipping) and small amp on Ebay ( http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=016&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=260255057258&rd=1 )

So I’m thinking that if I can find a cheap Bluetooth (stereo and voice command capable) I could crack it open cut out the original speaker wires and solder in wires to connect to the head set amp. The head set amp looks small enough that I should be able to hide it someplace in the padding of my helmet. Then solder in wires to run from the amp to the speakers and finally mount the Bluetooth on the face guard infront of were my mouth would be.

What I am stumbling with is power. I need to figure out how to make the Bluetooth easy to charge and how to power the amp (requires 1 AAA battery). I would need to make the amp easily accessible to change out the battery which seems like a pain in the ass and may look ugly. What I would really like to do is have a common power source for both device so when I am home I just plug in one cord to the helmet. But I don’t know if that is even possible.

I really want to make this work but in the end this all needs to be functional and CLEAN. I don’t want it to look like I Forest Gumped my way though this project.

[naegling]

You might look at a tactical throat mic and a in-helmet speaker setup from midland. You could also try a in ear tube type setup from Midland also. Both products are for their GMRS radios, but I think with some modification you coud get it to talk to a bluetooth device.

Also you might look at Fire/police communication sights as some departments use bluetooth adapters with their 2 way radios for hands-free mic's that don't have to be connected to the radios.

Let me know if you ever come up with anything, this sounds like a very interesting project....

BG