Car Stereo with Bluetooth

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Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone has a car stereo with bluetooth capabilities. I have been looking at getting one myself. For the longest time I used a treo 650 and had an FM transmitter hooked up to the audio port so I could hear my music and GPS programs over the stereo. Since the Touch only has the mini USB out and I have yet to find a fm transmitter that uses this interface I've basically been stuck using the rear speaker on the phone.

I have seen a bunch of car stereos that are bluetooth capable. I realize that they have to be able to play streaming music via bluetooth and not just handsfree to get the full "stereo effect". My question.... Has anyone tried this out or knows anyone that has used it. Also, how would hands free actually work via the stereo?

Thanks!

Aaron

hmmm..why not just get a bluetooth receiver with a 3.5mm jack. I'm currently using the itech bluetooth clip radio and am able to output stereo music from my touch to my speakers. It also doubles as my handsfree when i'm out and about.

As you mentioned you're using an FM transmitter hooked up to the audio port of your car speakers, this would be something very similar to your existing setup and probably a lot cheaper than getting those bluetooth speakers you mentioned

I needed to replace my car stereo as it is because the display didnt work. Just figured I would upgrade and get one that had bluetooth capabilities but it would seem either no one has tried to play music through a deck with bluetooth capalities here OR that not one has read the thread. Either way I think I'll at least spend the cash and see what happens. Wost comes to worse I just bring it back :P

Also.. I was going for the whole LESS wires thing.. Having a bluetooth reciever with a 3.5 mm jack that goes to an fm transmitter just.. yeah thats alot of clutter. I'd like to have it where the touch is mounter to the dash (as it is now) and all I need to do is push a button on the car stereo deck and the sound is routed though there. Having the phone plugged in is one thing but then having an fm transmitter and a bluetooth reciever and what not all over the dash is just a pain in the ass I think.

im using the sony/Erikson mbr-100 bluetooth stereo receiver with 3.5 jack. works great.

Originally Posted by mg48

im using the sony/Erikson mbr-100 bluetooth stereo receiver with 3.5 jack. works great.

Is there anything specific I should be looking for. Just.. basically that it can played streemed music and not just hands free correct? That way ALL of the audio will play through the stereo.. not just the phone calls

Originally Posted by Aaron McCarthy

Is there anything specific I should be looking for. Just.. basically that it can played streemed music and not just hands free correct? That way ALL of the audio will play through the stereo.. not just the phone calls

The magic phrase you're looking for is A2DP. That's the Bluetooth protocol for streaming music from one device to another.

I got a Parrot MK6100 for Christmas, which is a dedicated hands-free kit that plugs into the back of the OEM head unit in my '99 Audi. The MK6100 is both a hands-free for the phone and a streaming music player for the phone too. It's excellent so your proposed solution might be perfect for you if your new head unit delivers the same functionality as this Parrot.

ALL the audio from my Touch is delivered through the car's speakers, including screen taps, TomTom directions, music and so on. There are some caveats though, caused by the Touch rather than the Parrot, I think:

Although the phone functionality works perfectly (it's actually very impressive - I just get in the car and it works straight away) playing music is more complex. I have to reconnect the phone's A2DP output to the car kit before I start the HTC Audio Manager, and I have to exit the Audio Manager before shutting down the car kit, otherwise it crashes and requires a soft reset for the Touch before it'll work again. I think WMP is more reliable but it doesn't integrate into the HTC Cube or HTC Home utilities so it's not a desirable solution for me.

I recommend you test the bluetooth streaming functionality with your Touch and the head unit before you buy the head unit if you can - you might find an incompatibility.

Originally Posted by Aaron McCarthy

Also.. I was going for the whole LESS wires thing.. Having a bluetooth reciever with a 3.5 mm jack that goes to an fm transmitter just.. yeah thats alot of clutter. I'd like to have it where the touch is mounter to the dash (as it is now) and all I need to do is push a button on the car stereo deck and the sound is routed though there. Having the phone plugged in is one thing but then having an fm transmitter and a bluetooth reciever and what not all over the dash is just a pain in the ass I think.

Sorry just saw this post was updated..anyway the clip radio does have A2DP and AVRCP support. Also, there is no need to use the FM transmitter. I mentioned similar..not use existing
but yes there will be a wire going from your speakers into the 3.5mm jack of the bluetooth receiver. If you want it completely wireless, then you will need speakers that have a built in bluetooth receiver..not sure where you can get one though..

Parrot Rhym n'blue
You can find it on www.parrot.biz.

I also have a question about htc touch and my head unit Alpine IDA X001.

I'm thinking to buy the Alpine bluetooth adaptater KCE-300BT which works with the head unit i have.

With this adaptater the head unit can display your last calls and let your browse in the phonebook.

Do you think that it will work with the HTC Touch (Windows Mobile 6) I have ??

Thanks