Improving In-car Phone Microphone

Forums › Transport (cars, bikes and boats) › Improving In-car Phone Microphone

Rickles

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#317559 25-Oct-2024 22:35

My daughter has acquired a new vehicle, and she has connected her phone to the infotainment system via Bluetooth.

However, it seems that the in-car microphone is either badly placed or poor quality because those called get very quiet or 'in a tunnel' type of reception.

Wondering if a separate visor-mounted Bluetooth car kit would work as a sepearte microphone? or would it likely cause problems having two set ups trying to access the phone at the same time?

Are their Bluetooth enabled 'extension' mics available.

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#3301604 25-Oct-2024 22:54

Check in the settings of the car system for a microphone gain option

Rickles

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#3301714 26-Oct-2024 10:28

Could not find mic gain in settings.

Will check again because there are some Vol and Mic settings for when using voice-control of Apps (Android Auto) which might work.

gzt

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#3301777 26-Oct-2024 14:47

Rickles: However, it seems that the in-car microphone is either badly placed or poor quality because those called get very quiet or 'in a tunnel' type of reception.

In my old Toyota I have a procedure before taking a call on the in-car system

1. Wind up windows

2. Turn off air-con

Incoming calls in summer do not last long ; )

Gordy7

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#3301783 26-Oct-2024 15:22

What is the car model and year?

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

Rickles

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#3301789 26-Oct-2024 16:01

@gzt ... ha ha ha.

@Gordy7 ... latest MG3 Essence+ HEV

Bung

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#3301844 26-Oct-2024 17:27

Rickles:

However, it seems that the in-car microphone is either badly placed or poor quality because those called get very quiet or 'in a tunnel' type of reception.

Is the car microphone enabled/unmuted? The call may be still using the phone microphone.

richms

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#3301854 26-Oct-2024 18:56

Bung:

Is the car microphone enabled/unmuted? The call may be still using the phone microphone.

Its probably this. With bluetooth you get really bad audio in the headset profile so you often have to turn that on manually as things will happen and it starts to play music over headset and it sounds like bad hold music.

If you go into the bluetooth device list on a phone it should tell you if its connected for audio or for calling or both.

Richard rich.ms

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Obraik

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#3301873 26-Oct-2024 20:50

Her phone might be able to improve things, or it could be the cause of the issue. If she has an iPhone, while on a call, check the Voice Isolation settings.

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Rickles

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#3301883 26-Oct-2024 21:23

It's an Android phone, but tomorrow I will test further by -

Checking phone Bluetooth settings for audio/contacts/calling

Checking microphone source by placing phone in glovebox, and also moving around cabin to see if any improvement ... no idea where in-cat mic actually is.

Gordy7

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#3301892 26-Oct-2024 21:53

From MG3 UK owners manual:

https://www.mg.co.uk/sites/default/files/2021-11/MG3%20Owner%20Manual.pdf

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

Rickles

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#3301927 27-Oct-2024 07:30

@Gordy7 ... thanks but that is an older set up. This new one is all digital/touch-screen.

gehenna

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#3301953 27-Oct-2024 10:17

Where is the microphone? If it's not up by the sun visor or similar, it's going to sound like you've described. If the mic is in the head unit and not externally connected from closer to the driver's head, this will be the root cause of the behaviour and is unlikely to be solved without a different head unit, or a separately connected mic if it can accept the input. Alternatively the better experience might just be docking the phone by the steering wheel and using speakerphone on it, the mic is likely to be closer and better able to beamform.

Rickles

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#3301956 27-Oct-2024 10:23

@gehenna ... I'm about to test and look for in-car mic. There is no head-unit as such, the binnacle is all digital ... can't see any pin-holes etc.

Mic could be in overhead cluster (sun-roof/lights/glasses storage).

As before, I wonder if there is such a thing as a small Bluetooth extension mic available?

Gordy7

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#3301957 27-Oct-2024 10:24

Rickles:

@Gordy7 ... thanks but that is an older set up. This new one is all digital/touch-screen.

Just following up on my curiosity. I did wonder about later model changes and position of the microphone in car if any.

More recent manuals for the MG3 Essence Hybrid do not mention anything about a microphone.

Will be interested to find out how voice gets into the car system for the phone.

Gordy

My first ever AM radio network connection was with a 1MHz AM crystal(OA91) radio receiver.

gehenna

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#3301958 27-Oct-2024 10:24

Not to my knowledge. It may have an input behind the unit for an external mic but it would be cabled.

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