Anyone out there have the Sena SMH10?

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by danham

What BlueLghtning said. But not always consistent, in my experience. If I'm on intercom and get a radar alert (via SR-10), everybody hears it -- which is a plus for them but leads me to call them out as cheapskates for not buying their own countermeasures [g].

But GPS directions (through the SR-10 also) do not always make it into other riders' helmets.

I also seem to recall different behavior under different firmware versions of the SMH-10, but don't take that to the bank.

-dan

Really, the other guys can hear your Radar alerts over the SR10? I just thought it mixed the audio in your headset with the intercom, didn't realize everyone could hear it? That's not how I would have expected that to be?

I don't use a radar, but I do sometimes hook up the GPS to the SR10. I may have to try that with my wife. My biggest issue with using the SR10 & GPS is that it does cut the music which gets annoying if there are lots of turns. I put in a ticket about keeping the music channel open also by choice, but so far they haven't said they would do that.

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by tbenzie

You guys are great! Glad I found this place.

I want to apologize if my posts seem to be ignoring information provided by you guys or otherwise appear ignorant or redundant. Being a Newby, my posts must be reviewed/vetted/scrutinized before they are published so there's a delay. I created a post that hasn't been published yet and in the meantime, several others have posted and addressed some of the points in my yet to be published post

Glad you found us. Adam with Rocket Moto is top notch so definitely give him a ring. DanHam has been using the SMH10/SR10's a long time. He's always a wealth of info.

I was a late adopter to the SMH10's, as I started with the Scala Q2's but couldn't be happier with our decision to come over to them last year. I'm very technical though and do software testing for a living, so I like to dive into this stuff. I've turned a lot of people on to the SMH10's and Rocket Moto since we got our sets.

Just curious, what Collett models have you used? Like I said, I've used the 900mhz 2-way radio one. The later more rounded silver ones, not the old black brick looking ones. I know there at one time I read about some BT ones, but never looked into them more. Not sure if they had both BT & radio or what, can't remember now without looking them up.

[tbenzie]

(This was my prior post that's still in limbo somewhere (I create my long posts in Word). Sorry if it gets repeated)

Wow - Great information! Thank you so much guys!

With regards to the simultaneous BT intercom and 2-way radio via SR10 scenario....this is a quote from the comments on the Webbikeworld.com review of the SR10 (User "MH", bottom of the page):
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"All devices connected to the SR10 will mix the audio to the SMH10 when an ongoing intercom connection is in progress. Even all 3 inputs will mix to the SMH10 simultaneously. This may sound like it could be confusing, but it's really not.
In other words, if I'm in intercom conversation with another SMH10 user, and my RADAR detector activates (which is audio connected to the SR10), that audio is "mixed" into the current ongoing intercom connection to the SMH10. This allows me to pass along that info to the other rider(s) immediately.
With v 3.3 (and earlier) firmware, the SR10 would take full control of the SMH10, disconnecting the ongoing intercom connection. This was unacceptable. If I am not in an intercom connection, but listening to media via my smartphone, and a device connected to the SR10 actives (RADAR detection, GPS instruction, 2 way radio signal), the SMH10, drops the media connection, opens the channel for the SR10, for it to pass that data.
Once the device connected to the SR10 has ceased passing audio, the SMH10 restarts the media from the smartphone. This in my opinion is perfect!
One other discovery made was being able to simultaneously use the intercom connection to another rider(s) and to use the two-way radio. This is absolutely great. I do not have to disconnect from an ongoing Bluetooth intercom connection to make a two-way radio call.
The other SMH10 only users will not hear the incoming 2 way radio conversation from my SR10, but they can hear the rider with the SR10/SMH10/two-way radio side of the conversation."
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-I've read a bit about noises in the headsets with an active intercom session as the users start approaching the fringes of the BT range. Any experiences with this? With the Collets is that there's always 1 or 2 riders with their VOX mis-adjusted and their mics are constantly keying creating static in the headsets. Trying to figure out who the culprits are is sometimes challenging. Also there's frequently strange noises from interference from who knows what. What I'm trying to say is all the frequent sounds in the headsets, other than talking, drives us nuts

-With regards to any delay between pushing the PTT switch and the SR10 "waking up" and reconnecting to the SMH10/5, I read that a "double-tap" of the PTT will keep the SR10 from disconnecting from the headset. Any experiences/thoughts on this? You think this would significantly affect battery life of either the SMH10/5 or SR10? (another double-tap will allow the SR10 to disconnect and sleep)

A few of us already have dual band VHF/UHF 1w/5w radios with good range that would be good to use with the SR10. Any experience with the Uclear WT300 BT hub as compared to the SR10? I like the wireless PTT option.

I think I'm leaning toward the cheaper SMH5 option due to it's "better" mount and wire connection and smaller size and using the SR10 and 2-way radios - No BT intercom. Only concern is battery life in the cold. No big deal to carry a backup external reserve battery used for cellphones etc. and plug it into the headset if needed I guess.

Our snowmobile season looks like it might be a little short this year. No good snow yet (Central MN). Fingers crossed!
Thanks again for your wisdom fellas!

[danham]

Originally Posted by BlueLghtning

Really, the other guys can hear your Radar alerts over the SR10? I just thought it mixed the audio in your headset with the intercom, didn't realize everyone could hear it? That's not how I would have expected that to be?

I don't use a radar, but I do sometimes hook up the GPS to the SR10. I may have to try that with my wife. My biggest issue with using the SR10 & GPS is that it does cut the music which gets annoying if there are lots of turns. I put in a ticket about keeping the music channel open also by choice, but so far they haven't said they would do that.

I'd recommend not trying to hook your wife to the SR-10 [ducking & running]. OK, radar, well, my brain cells may be rusty on this but I do know that under certain circumstances other riders can hear the alerts. Straining my brain it may be that this only worked with a 2-person (me and 1 other) intercom conversation. And logically it makes no sense that radar would work but not GPS, given that they are both hardwired to the SR-10, so take this with a huge grain of salt.

If you care to drop by and shovel me a path to my driveway I can get out and test this [g].

-dan

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by danham

I'd recommend not trying to hook your wife to the SR-10 [ducking & running]. OK, radar, well, my brain cells may be rusty on this but I do know that under certain circumstances other riders can hear the alerts. Straining my brain it may be that this only worked with a 2-person (me and 1 other) intercom conversation. And logically it makes no sense that radar would work but not GPS, given that they are both hardwired to the SR-10, so take this with a huge grain of salt.

If you care to drop by and shovel me a path to my driveway I can get out and test this [g].

-dan

hehe, no problem. I know how everything runs together. We had one big week long Dual Sport ride where 2 of us had SMH10's and SR10's and everyone else was on 2 way radio's. On that trip, my wife was just hard wired to a 2 way radio, so I didn't do a whole lot of talking over BT. Most of the time, I just use my SR10 with my Ham radio.

[tbenzie]

Well guys, not sure of the criteria surrounding whether or not my posts show immediately or need to get approved. I re-posted my previous missing post thinking that since I had 2 back to back posts immediately published, my background check came back clean and my missing post was circling the internet never to be found. But the re-post hasn't become visible yet either. So.....you're (hopefully) going to see 2 duplicate long(er) posts. Sorry.

On topic....We started with the bulky, squarish Collets many many years ago and now have the smaller, non-bluetooth units. They are starting to fail and I really don't want to continue down the Collet path. Their range is terrible in the woods - 100 - 1000ft. In addition, I've had to deal with their service several times over the years and found it very frustrating. The owner- Les Collet - is pretty arrogant. They've gotten expensive as well.

I've been waiting for the communicator technology to improve over the last several years and it never seems to quite get there. Always some compromise. However, the BT hub connected to a 2-way radio technique seems to be about there. I think I'll venture down that path and see where it takes me.

Any of you guys familiar with the PrymeBlu BT radio devices? They have a wireless (BT) PTT switch that talks to their BT radio adapters. Looks interesting

[tbenzie]

danham - might be showing my ignorance here but do you think the radar detector alert could have been picked up by your mic from the sound out out of your speakers and transmitted to your intercom partner? Maybe that specific frequency travels within a helmet environment well.

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by tbenzie

On topic....We started with the bulky, squarish Collets many many years ago and now have the smaller, non-bluetooth units. They are starting to fail and I really don't want to continue down the Collet path. Their range is terrible in the woods - 100 - 1000ft. In addition, I've had to deal with their service several times over the years and found it very frustrating. The owner- Les Collet - is pretty arrogant. They've gotten expensive as well.

Yeah my over all experience wasn't all that great and I didn't even own them, I was just borrowing one and I think before the 2 week trip was over one of the units died and that was it for us talking.

I've been waiting for the communicator technology to improve over the last several years and it never seems to quite get there. Always some compromise. However, the BT hub connected to a 2-way radio technique seems to be about there. I think I'll venture down that path and see where it takes me.

They've definitely come a long way and the SR10 BT hub was definitely something I was looking for also. Sena is doing a lot with the BT that it was probably never designed to do, so keeping that in mind, overall I can't complain. For just my wife and I talking over BT and sometimes my Dad in the mix, they work great. I've had pretty good luck with the SR10, but it isn't something I use daily either. Its more just to be able to talk over my Ham Radio when I want while on the bike.

Any of you guys familiar with the PrymeBlu BT radio devices? They have a wireless (BT) PTT switch that talks to their BT radio adapters. Looks interesting

Spent a lot of time looking at them before the SR10 came out and it sounded promising, but never took that step. Basically, when the SR10 came out, it did everything the Pryme could plus more so that steered me towards the SR10. I carry 2 cell phones (work and personal) and that is something the SR10 allows me to do is keep both phones connected to my helmet at all times which is nice when I need it to be.

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by tbenzie

danham - might be showing my ignorance here but do you think the radar detector alert could have been picked up by your mic from the sound out out of your speakers and transmitted to your intercom partner? Maybe that specific frequency travels within a helmet environment well.

I wondered about that too. Maybe the beeping from the radar detector is louder and reverberated more through out the helmet that the mic actually picks it up? I know music and voices though definitely don't do that unless you really want to blow your ear drums out.

[danham]

@tbenzie & BlueLghtning:

Yes, it is entirely possible that the beeps make it from speaker to mic better than the zumo's voice.

But that would fail to explain why it only works with a 2-way conversation, not 3- or 4-way. However, see my previous brain cells disclaimer on that one [g].

Just to keep this all interesting, another variable in how the SMH-10 performs seems to be the state of the contact pins. I have had some rare but nasty static/interference/distortion problems that I thought were all BT issues and a nice cleanup with DeoxIT made them vanish instantly.

-dan

[tbenzie]

OK - since my post and re-post from a while have yet to make it on here, I'm going to regurgitate some of the pertinent items. (The only difference it seems is that the posts that show up immediately are ones that I type directly to the board. The missing ones are copy/paste from Word? It's a mystery.)

Anyway - If you read the SR10 review on webbikeworld dot com, there's a comment at the bottom by "MH". He states simultaneous BT intercom and SR10 audio mixing including the 2-way radio.

With regards to the double-tap on the PTT to keep the SR10/SMH10 link alive - do you think this will have a significant affect on the battery?

Any experience with the Uclear WT300 BT hub?

Would you say that the mounting system and the pin connection scheme are betterwith the SMH5?

[danham]

Originally Posted by tbenzie

OK - since my post and re-post from a while have yet to make it on here, I'm going to regurgitate some of the pertinent items. (The only difference it seems is that the posts that show up immediately are ones that I type directly to the board. The missing ones are copy/paste from Word? It's a mystery.)

Anyway - If you read the SR10 review on webbikeworld dot com, there's a comment at the bottom by "MH". He states simultaneous BT intercom and SR10 audio mixing including the 2-way radio.

With regards to the double-tap on the PTT to keep the SR10/SMH10 link alive - do you think this will have a significant affect on the battery?

Any experience with the Uclear WT300 BT hub?

Would you say that the mounting system and the pin connection scheme are betterwith the SMH5?

On my iPad so short version: dbl tap will use more battery but the SR-10 has plenty to spare & can be hooked to bike power.

SMH-5 has better pins than older SMH-10 but 10 has been improved. 5 clamp/mount may be more robust though.

-dan

[tbenzie]

Is it safe to assume dbl tap will also put more drain on the headset battery?

[TowPro]

I have ridden all day with my rider/passenger intercom fully connected all the time and have never had the battery go dead.
I bet there has been times when I had two 6 + hour days without recharging (forgot to recharge) but I have never had a SMH10 have the battery run down.

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by tbenzie

Is it safe to assume dbl tap will also put more drain on the headset battery?

I would guess to say yes just since its another BT channel that is being forced to stay open, but how much is hard to say? The SR10 battery does last a good while too as DanHam said.

I'm not sure though that you'll find that leaving the SR10 BT channel open all the time is really necessary? I'll do it if I'm in an active conversation on the Ham Radio in order to keep the SR10 from going to sleep, but if I'm just scanning or such, I usually don't worry about it. The SR10 does stay open for about 30secs or so once it opens up too so usually that is sufficient to wait for the reply. As long as people are good about pausing 1-2 secs before speaking the first time they key up (which most Ham guys are since they are already waiting for the repeater to key up also), you really shouldn't have much issue there.