Bluetooth in cars

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Bluetooth in cars

kiwifidget

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Topic # 240392 5-Sep-2018 21:51

Hello.

Himself has just asked me a strange question.

He wants to know if he can use a bluetooth speaker with his Wildtrak.

He uses BT so his non-smart phone can be used through the car stereo.

But can a car's headunit push sound in the other direction?

His desire is to be able to listen to the radio from the back of his ute without having to leave the cab doors open.

I suspect it can't, but want to be sure before I give him the bad news.

Life is too short to remove USB safely.

lxsw20

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Reply # 2084579 5-Sep-2018 21:57

Very much doubt it.

kiwifidget

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Reply # 2084596 5-Sep-2018 22:11

Failing that, can you get portable radios that are powered from a ciggy lighter thing. Is that 12v?

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andrewNZ

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Reply # 2084600 5-Sep-2018 22:18

Show him where the window winder/switch is?...

Seriously though, there are options, but what sort of budget are we talking?

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richms

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Reply # 2084604 5-Sep-2018 22:20

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Just stick some speakers in the tray of the ute?

Richard rich.ms

kiwifidget

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Reply # 2084605 5-Sep-2018 22:21

andrewNZ: Show him where the window winder/switch is?...

Seriously though, there are options, but what sort of budget are we talking?

But what if its raining? :)

I'm not sure of budget, but a decent bt speaker would be a couple of hundred bucks, so something like that.

Life is too short to remove USB safely.

toejam316

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Reply # 2084606 5-Sep-2018 22:21

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I feel like this is a very difficult solution when there are easier options available - why not just shove a little AA battery powered radio from Harvey Norman or The Warehouse or something? You're not getting quality audio out of a phone speaker, nor are you getting quality audio out of OTA FM transmission.

Other option is install Tune In Radio or something on the phone and just stream the audio from the internet.

andrewNZ

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Reply # 2084615 5-Sep-2018 22:54

A site radio might be an option. Totally stand alone, a little more rugged than the average radio/speaker, and not tied to the vehicle.

They take a battery tool battery, and some can charge too.

It could be the start of his battery tool collection...

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Aredwood

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Reply # 2084648 6-Sep-2018 01:23

richms:
Just stick some speakers in the tray of the ute?

This^^^^

Some other options, wire up the new speakers to a changeover switch, to swap between the factory speakers and the new speakers.

You can also get switched audio plugs and sockets. That you can wire up, so that when you plug in an external speaker, the factory speaker switches off automatically. And if you unplug the external speaker, the factory speaker starts working again.

Note that in simple terms, you can't connect more than 1 speaker to the same amplifier output connection at the same time. Unless you have a system to stop both speakers from receiving audio at the same time.

Or just buy a portable radio as already suggested.

kiwifidget

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Reply # 2084653 6-Sep-2018 05:02

Those jobsite radios do look the business.

Thanks for the ideas everyone.

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frankv

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Reply # 2084665 6-Sep-2018 07:09

kiwifidget:

He uses BT so his non-smart phone can be used through the car stereo.

This doesn't quite add up. A non-smart phone won't do BT.

If he has a phone which does BT, then he can put a BT speaker in the back of his ute and pair his phone to that. The ute's audio system doesn't have to be involved at all.

Varkk

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Reply # 2084895 6-Sep-2018 11:11

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Bluetooth in phones predates smartphones by some time. It was generally used to attach to handsfree devices etc. Most feature phones since about 2004 would have had it.