Anyone out there have the Sena SMH10?

Hi all, just wondering what people use with their Sena to voice control your phone. I had the droid x working well with an old version of vlingo (for some reason the new version of vlingo doesn't listen over Bluetooth either) . I recently upgrade my phone to the galaxy and even the old version of vlingo doesn't listen over Bluetooth. I tried using the built in s voice but it doesn't work as well as vlingo. Suggestions?

What's weird is that Samsung's s voice is based on vlingo but does listen over Bluetooth, it just doesn't learn your voice or remember your preferences or favorites.

Thanks
ESP

I (think) I understand that trying to pair a Sena headset with some other brand of headset is going to be hit-or-miss,
but can an SMH5 reliably be paired with SMH10 units?

Thanks!

Absolutely, positively, yes. A riding pal and I did a 2000-mile Canada trip in July and we ran all day long with my SMH10 talking to his SMH5 and vice versa.

There were a few times that I temporarily ended the intercom call to hear GPS directions without the distraction of him talking over them in unfamiliar, heavy traffic (hello Toronto), or to eliminate distortion that can happen (at my end) when running intercom, radar, and GPS all at once. But other than that it worked perfectly.

Also, pairing a Sena with any other headset for intercom will not be hit or miss; it will be 100% miss [g]. Same for most BT intercoms.

-dan

Thanks Dan!
I have a buddy that needs a unit and was going to recommend the SMH5 due to (what I beleive) is a more robust design, adequate range and better price but wanted to be sure we'd be able to communicate!

Happy to help. The SMH5 range is a little less than the SMH10, but in the real world it is more than adequate. Up hills, around corners, the difference was hard to detect -- in part because there are so many variables that I was relying on vague memory of range in similar situations with my SMH10 buddies.

But it did show "weaker" range in one specific situation. Not a deal killer by any means, but large trucks in the signal path were more likely to cut off our conversation than with two SMH10s. This was not a problem most of the time, though once or twice on Toronto expressways it bordered on being one [grin].

Battery life was phenomenal, just like the SMH10.

-dan

I know that this doesn't help you but Siri on my iPhone works just fine for the few things I do with a phone on the bike (mainly setting a navigation destination or calling somebody). Haven't figured out how to turn Off navigation though.

Works up to a speed of about 65mph (Tiger 800, Palmer screen, Arai XD3). Above that it doesn't understand my navigation wishes ...

I'm trying to figure this out too. Originally I had Vlingo working over BT just fine on my HTC G2, but I guess somewhere along the line they updated it and it stopped listening over BT.

I did just read that Vlingo is joining forces with another company. Maybe their app will become a little better? Its seems pretty elementary that a handsfree app would listen over BT?

If you want I can email or post the previous version of vlingo. It really bites that they busted their app.
S voice listens over Bluetooth but doesn't learn or work as well as vlingo did.

Pretty cool. S voce can do it but it requires screen taps to complete things.I have my phone in a ram aqua box on the bars, but I don't want to have to touch the screen.

Yeah, that would be awesome. My e-mail is my AdV username at gmail.com

It annoys me that I haven't figured out how to stop navigation. It always tells me that there is no song playing ...

Wow, should this all be so complex? 2000+ posts on an intercom system, most reporting issues and getting into minutia of programming and pairing. Am I getting into a real headache here?

My sitch: I just got my bike, and am new to the site(obviously) and just want a little straightforward advice on a good BT communicator. I need to be able to pair with my Galaxy S3 for the phone, voice directions, and maybe some music in between. Occasionally will be 2up w the wife, so intercom use also(would be nice if it could detect when she was ranting and selectively shut off).

Looks like the Sena SMH10-11 or the Scala G9 are the 2 top of the line units.
It is clear that Sena has a big following on the forum, with lots of experienced and helpful users and a very engaged representative/vendor.
Is the Scala even in the same ballpark?

I think it just comes down to personal preference. Both units do intercom just fine and both can have the users listen to music. I came from the Scala Q2 and used the Scala G4 with my dad, but I was much more impressed with Sena's firmware updates and listening to their customers on new features, so when I upgraded I came over to the Sena and am very happy. I haven't tried the G9, but it sure adds a lot more complexity to an already growing complex world of BT headsets and I'm a gadget guy at heart.

IMOP, the best feature I like about the Sena is the jog dial. It works and is so easy to use. It makes things so simple instead of trying to find small buttons on the unit with gloves on. Intercom is simple and it also works. Pairing with new users is also straight forward and easy to do. I'm very happy with my Sena SMH10 setup.

I have a set of SMH10. No issues at all. None. Nada.

I use it 98% for communicating with my wife on trips, she rides her own bike. Rest is the odd phone call or using my iPhone for navigation.

For music if I'm on a long interstate ride or so, I plug in my iPod shuffle as the wired connection gives more volume which I like as I wear ear plugs.

I got my set about two years ago and couldn't be happier. Had used a Scala g4 before (borrowed) and from a usability perspective there are world between the two. The Sena was much, much better for me. Works great with Siri, too.

I bought the Sena for my wife and I to communicate. I did a lot of reading all the reviews and talking with Adam over at Rocket Moto Sport. I even bought after hearing how the model helmet I have, Shoei X-11, is the hardest to modify for the speakers.

I am extremely pleased with the service from Adam (an advrider). He spent probably about 30 minutes over two calls, one before my purchases to ID exactly what I needed and the second to help me through the install of the speakers. He also saved me at least $30 over the ebay offers on these. He even offered to talk me through the major surgery he recommended for my helmet. I went a different way and am quite pleased.

Second, we are very happy with the intercom, the phone answering capability and even the iPhone GPS. My wife and I both have iPhones. Zero problems synching. If I keep my visor shut, there is zero wind noise even at 80 mph. I have not slipped the wind shields on the microphones, but may do it when summer rolls around and my visor likes to be up for ventilation.

There is no whistling or any wind noise from the units even though these stick out from the helmet.

So those of you who have the X-11 helmets may want to try this. I have sensitive ears and they don't like stuff pushing on them for long periods. My biggest concern was that these speakers would crowd the ears and become uncomfortable.

The recommendation from Adam was to remove the pads (tricky because they are permanently mounted) and perform major surgery, cutting foam, etc. to make room for these thick speakers. I went a different way.

I remembered the foam in our helmets is meant to absorb shock by collapsing during impact. And it does not rebound, which would cause more injury. That is why you should get a new helmet if you have had an impact to your helmet.

So I figured that I could collapse the foam around my ears enough to make room for the speakers which are 3/16 thick (4 mm) and 1 1/2 inches round (4 cm). So I took a fairly beefy screwdriver with a rounded end like the bottom ones here



and pressed them against the foam pretty hard until I had a nice size indent maybe 1/2 inch wider all around than the speakers and about 5/16 deep (9 mm). I did this for my helmet and my wife's. Probably took 20 minutes with quite a bit of pressure. The speakers fit into the new recesses with some room to position them so the sound goes directly over the ear for max volume.

I has been three weeks and the foam shows no sign of coming back so I am going to stick on the velcro and work on the positioning.

Will this method work on other helmets? I would guess so. They are all made with crushable foam.

Does flattening the foam around the ears reduce the crash protection? Possibly. But my impression is that there is less reduction than by tearing out the pads and cutting out the foam.

YMMV.

Thanks for the terrific review - and it's great to hear that your install went well! The X-11 is at the top of difficult to install-in helmets.

In most helmets with shallow ear pockets, like the Shoei, I suggest compressing the hard Styrofoam in the manner you used. Many Shoei's have very shallow ear pockets but only 1-2mm of additional clearance is needed. The screwdriver handle method works for those, without a lot of effort. I've also used C-clamps to compress the Styrofoam in the X-11, since the entire piece comes out of the helmet. Lots more leverage, and faster than the screwdriver handle method

Having hard speakers that are right next to your ears is probably not ideal in any crash, as these are surely harder than foam pads or impact absorbing Styrofoam.

Thanks, again, for posting the review, and for your business .

Yes, the Sena SMH10 (I have the 10B) is a great little device. Functionality is great and the install is a snap with most helmets.

If you're a daily user of the Sena and you ride in wet conditions, you may want to beware however. Since June 2011 I've had one or both of my units replaced three times. I can only suspect that moisture is at least partially to blame. My units have suffered from what I'd call early demise, eventually either not charging or not powering up.

So far, and to their credit, Sena has replaced the units free of charge. Perhaps I expect too much of my gear, but these things aren't exactly cheap by most working folks' standards. I wish they were a little more robust in terms of their ability to fight the elements.

I've not had that issue, but only been in heavy rain with mine one time...........

You've got me thinking .....
Maybe a dab of silicon grease around the charge-port cap would not be a bad idea?

Two of my friends started off with the SMH5 and loved them. One of them upgraded to an SMH10 and the other one didn't because he had a working unit and didn't want to spend the money to get a second. But, a little while later, I had the nerve to start riding and I picked up a SMH10. So, we can all talk to each other, but because my one friend only has the SMH5, we cannot conference with all three of us. When we were all three riding together with just two of us being able to talk at a time, we had to continually switch on and off with each other to laugh at the cager who pulled over to the side of the road in order to puke out his still moving car.

We often all ride together and it would be great if we could all 3 conference at the same time. So, if you think you guys might ever find a third friend, I would consider recommending the SMH10. If the two of you are completely friendless and always will be, the SMH5 should be fine!

I think a big part of the reason for 2000+ posts on this is that the thread was started a couple of years ago and Sena has been great about listening to what users have to say about their products, and continually upgrading. If youre looking for a unit that is easy to pair and program, this is it. I am RIDICULOUSLY technologically challenged, and i have no problem using mine. But it is also capable of higher functionality for tech savvy riders, and comes with good instructions for getting through all of it.

I have had mine for a little more than a year. I commute with it, but have also done a 6 1/2 week trip to Alaska through a lot of rain. It has held up well, and I swear the battery life is still as awesome today as it was when I first got it. The unit is really easy to use, even with super heavy gloves on--the functionality of the jog dial is great. The BT is super clear, as is the intercom. I hear everything really well, even with some hearing loss in one ear. I have not used the Scala, so I can't compare them. But I can say the Sena is a great product.