Bluetooth Question

[IAFF78]

Good morning ladies and gents.

I have a 04 TB LT with the bose factory radio(no nav). I have the steering wheel controls and XMSirius. I'm not really looking to replace the factory radio but would like to have a couple extra features that this radio doesnt offer.

Heres what i'm looking for:
1. Stream music from android phone to car stereo
2. Hands free calling
3. Retain the factory radio(installed many a radios in my old TB and tired of all the headaches and extra parts required to make it work)
4. Want to keep all the bells and whistles that comes factory on my truck...chimes, xm etc
5. Would like to keep it mainly wireless(I know there are a few basic wires that need to be hooked up)

So is there any product that could handle all my needs in one device?

Thanks for any and all help.

Kevin

 

[The_Roadie]

There's the BLUESTAR unit that handles the steering wheel controls and hands-free calling, but I don't think they do audio streaming from the phone. There's a thread here and on the OS somewhere, but you may want to contact the factory to see if they have streaming in their plans.

costartech.com - BlueSTAR

 

[06Envoy]

DON'T DO THE COSTAR!

I did earlier this year and I returned the unit.

I'm not near a computer right now, but I think the thread here is called xm bulls#@t.

The thread contains a better alternative that I can't remember right now.

I'll post up better details later.

 

[jimmyjam]

you can get something like the Motorola T605 kit and connect it with an aux adapter, should do what you want it to. if you are cheap you can just use an fm modulator but personally i don't think they sound very good.

 

[BRomanJr]

I have the Blue Fusion brand unit.

PROs
I found it for less than half of list price with the correct cable.
Was easy to install in the XM harness under the glovebox.
Once paired, it automatically links when I start the truck.
Voice quality is good, uses radio speakers. (no complaints from the other end)
Mutes the radio.
Don't think you need XM subscription to use it. (but I do)
Works with the NAV Radio.

CONs
You need to add the included microphone.
Difficult to setup (could be it has old software, or just the poor instructions, or just me)
Operates through the steering wheel buttons only, but not very intuitive.
Steals an XM preset (#1) on BOTH XM Bands.
Not sure if you can self update the software.
Once done with call, does not return to previous listening station.
Don't know about streaming.

Overall, I like the Blue Fusion but still wanted the Blue Star because it seems more integrated and no added wiring.
But I've heard some of the poor reviews on the Blue Star.

 

[06Envoy]

I found the thread where I posted my review of the Costar Bluestar unit..
http://gmtnation.com/f35/xm-radio-battery-positive-voltage%llsh*t-323/

Here is the review I posted;

So I have had the Costar unit in for a few weeks now.
I thought I'd give a bit of a status update.



The short verdict is 'The thing sucks.'



The long verdict is 'The thing sucks, here's why...'

- The unit was a PITA to install and make work. The in-call volume was not easy to match to the radio volume at all. And it took a call to the CDN reseller to make it half-ass work using 'features' that are not documented.
- The unit looses Bluetooth pairing with my phone.
- The unit randomly will answer a call whereby the caller can hear me, but I cannot hear the caller and worse, the radio kicks back in so I'm thinking that the caller has hung up/crank call, but he's listening to everything in my truck including the radio, conversations, etc.
- The unit has twice now completely stopped working. The mirror controls will start to blink on and off, then finally they stop coming on at all. It takes a complete removal and re-install and re-pairing to get the unit to work again.
- The unit will not answer two calls in a row without shutting off the truck first. So effectively I can only use it once per trip.
- Steering Wheel voice dialing working is completely random. I have no idea if it is going to work or not when I press the button. Why go to the casino? I can play the odds in my own truck?
- There is no audio streaming.
- There is no caller-id in the DIC.

Currently I'm on my second Google Galaxy Nexus phone and it's refused to pair with the Costar. And this afternoon the Costar started it's second round of the game that I like to call 'blinking of death', and finally shut down. I have to remove it and reinstall it and then repair it to make it work again for what? Another one or two weeks? Then I do it again?

It's not my phone. It's the unit.
So far, I've tried my first Gnex.
Then I had to buy another GNex, so I'm trying to pair it now. (See THIS sad thread to know why I'm on my second Gnex.)
Today I tried my wife's Samsung Galaxy S Captivate.

- Pro's
When it works, it's great to be hands free. The noise cancellation mic from the Onstar unit is awesome. Callers can't hear any background noise. I've had people tell me that they couldn't tell I was in my truck. I even had the roof open and both heater fans on full blast and they couldn't hear the noise.


- Con's
Only works when it wants to. You have to treat it like your wife. Talk to it. Caress it. Hope that you havn't done some small unknown wrong to it. Ask it nicely for some lovin. And if your lucky, you get some. If your unlucky it will refuse to talk to you.


My next thought is that maybe it's just the unit that I got. So I searched the tech support forums. Lots of others are having similar issues.
I think it's hit and miss. You may get a good unit, you may not.
I'll try again this weekend to get my phone paired with it.
If it doesn't then I may look up the warranty info, or even better the return info.

The same thread recomends;
Amazon.com: Used and New: Bluefusion Bfcl2K Hands-Free Bluetooth Integration for Select GM Class Ii Vehicles
The Bluefusion unit...

Good Luck! YMMV...

 

[IAFF78]

Ill have to give these products a looking at. Thanks all for the recommendations.

Kevin