SPV SAFE 2 TALK PLUG IN CAR KIT - REVIEW & Photos

[Guest john.sw]

Photographs at www.pcuk.co.uk/spv

WHAT’S IN THE BOX

PLUG IN UNIT. This plugs into your cigar lighter and has the following features:

1. Speaker – good quality sound

2. Speaker volume control wheel

3. Mute Button – mutes both parties

4. Red LED for mute on

5. On/Off switch

6. Green LED for power on

7. Microphone socket – 2.5mm jack plug

8. Earphone socket – 2.5mm jack plug

9. Coiled lead – plugs into bottom of SPV handset

The unit is fixed “off centre” to the plug, which enables it to be rotated so that the direction of the speaker can be changed.

MICROPHONE. The microphone comes on approximately 3 metres of cable with a 2.5mm jack plug at one end.

The microphone is supplied with a clip-on mount with Velcro. There is also a self-adhesive Velcro pad for optional use. The Velcro stuck well to my car’s head lining, so I didn’t need to use the self-adhesive pad.

SPV HOLDER. This adjustable holder is fitted with “sponge” pads at the back and sides.

A small switch opens the spring-loaded side to release the phone. The sponge ensures that the SPV is held securely, and there is no danger of it falling out of the holder.

There are two plastic “dog lead” clips at the rear that fix onto an air vent and there is also an adjustable leg to support the bottom of the holder at the correct angle.

FITTING – apart from plugging the base unit into the cigar lighter, all that needs to be done is as follows:-

1. Clip the holder onto an air vent – 5 seconds and it’s done

2. Plug the coiled cable into the SPV – 1 second should be quite long enough

3. Plug the microphone into the base unit – This isn’t going to take you very long at all

4. Route the microphone cable. This is the bit that took the most time.

I have a Range Rover, so it is quite a long way from the door pillar (where I wanted the microphone) to the cigar lighter on the central console. I started at the microphone end, and stuck the velcro holder in position. Then I hid the cable under the door seal rubber, under the door strip and underneath the driver’s seat housing. Then up the side of the seat, along the walnut fascia and over to the base unit. Only about 2 inches of cable are visible where it goes from the side of the fascia to the base unit.

The microphone cable was only just long enough! Total time – 10 minutes – but it’s a very neat job!

NORMAL USE

Plug the coiled cable into the bottom of the SPV and pop it in the holder.

Switch the bass unit on.

The SPV screen lights up and screensave mode is disabled. The screen is not continuously lit, but the SPV is continuously charged.

The screen says “Profile: Car”

With the microphone positioned correctly, your voice is very clear, and there is no need to shout.

The speaker volume can be adjusted – and it can be very loud, if you want. The speaker quality is very good, I would say as good as my last hard-wired car kit.

IDEA

There is a 2.5mm headphone socket on the base unit. If you wanted to hear your caller’s voice through your car stereo, I guess you could plug one of those cassette thingys (the ones you plug into a minidisk player so you can listen in the car) into the socket. There’s probably no need, because the built-in speaker is very good quality.

PRICE

A lot more at the ORA site. I ordered mine from www.freedom-mobiles.co.uk yesterday afternoon and it arrived Royal Mail Special Delivery today. Cost, including delivery and VAT £54.99.

WHAT ABOUT THE FULL CAR KIT?

The full car kit seems very pricy, and needs to be fitted professionally (unless you are prepared to try to fit it yourself. If I short circuit something in my car, it is £3000 for a new computer, so I wouldn’t dare!)

The full car kit doesn’t appear to have any extra features – no integration with car stereo, no radio mute… and it is three times the price.

VERDICT

Not cheap for a plug-in hands-free, but nonetheless it is a quick and neat installation and the sound quality is very good for you and the person you are calling.

This is definitely worth the money if you use the phone in the car a lot.

[Guest Will]

any chance of a picture of it 'in situ' ?

Will

[Guest john.sw]

Photographs of this installation are online at:

http://www.pcuk.co.uk/spv/

www.pcuk.co.uk/spv

[Guest akarno]

How do you answer calls when installed.

[Guest john.sw]

Calls can be answered automatically.

Go to CAR profile and you can select AUTO ANSWER:

NEVER

2 SECONDS

4 SECONDS

6 SECONDS

8 SECONDS

10 SECONDS

If you prefer, you can press "answer" button, or set up "Any Key Answer" from the Call Options menu.

Details at www.pcuk.co.uk/spv

[Guest ian.everett]

Total agree with the postive comments posted above.

This is by far and away the best "plug in" car kit I have had!!

But I have the following questions, can you set the phone to unlock when it is connected to the kit?

Plus when the phone is connected can the back lit me turned on automaticaly?

Thanks

Ian

[Guest john.sw]

There seems to be no setting in "CAR" profile to unlock the phone automatically.

Also, although the screensave mode is disabled by the car kit (I have my screen set to go blank after 30 seconds because of the short battery life), it does not switch on the backlight.

However, when the phone has any activity (such as an incoming call, SMS or button press), the screen does light up.

Best wishes,

John.

[Guest jmechan]

Quick question....does audio work full duplex, or do you find you're getting cut out when the other end are talking (and vice versa)...?

Thanks...

[Guest vadonald]

I had one of these, but I now have the full car kit - much neater. I have kept the old kit for when I drive any other car.

2 problems I had...

1) Its very easy to catch the volume control and turn the volume right down

2) The phone holder provided was useless, the ratchet for clamping the phone wore out in about 2 months.

Main reason for changing was to make it much neater in the car - so now I'm looking at sat -nav etc which will re-introduce messy wires :roll:

Vince

[Guest lowbug]

I am working on a bolt solution for the radio mute issue for the full handsfree kit. When it's done i will post details....

:)

[Guest Stewie_UK]

I refuse to pay for the full car kit as it doesn't do much else, so here's my idea.

Use the mic that comes with the kit, and use a home-made fly cable between the unit into the back of the radio so the audio comes through the radio speakers (unless anyone can see a prob with that - let me know).

Make a hidden cig lighter socket so I can then hide the unit behind the radio.

To finish, buy a 'gsm mute' unit for about £25 - apparently these automatically mute the radio as soon as a gsm signal is detected (no connection to the phone) - never used one though so don't know how well they work, ie if they cut in when a text is received or network registers, or if it's only during a conversation. But at £25 it's not a huge amount of money (do a search on google for 'gsm mute' if you want to find retailers, seems to me these nifty little units are not well known).

Then that's me prepared for December 1st and our new laws!

(Only other question - is there a way to stop the phone charging when connected, as if I make lots of shortish journeys with the phone in I'm gonna knacker up the battery methinks)

Cheers all (newbie on this forum, hi to all)

[Guest Will]

no need to worry about frequent top up charging, the battery is ok with that..

Cell mute devices have been around a while, again never used one..

i'm in the process (when i get time) of making a charge and talk adapter (more details and specs when it actually works correctly).

Will

[Guest PT-1]

@Stewie UK...

Any Updates on GSM Mute?

I'm thinking about the same thing.

Scenariao:

Brand New VW Sharan 05/2004. Car Kit for Siemens SL55 (Misuss..) will be fitted. I want to install maybe a Blaupunkt MP3 Car Radio with Line In,Telephone In and Navigation In.

So the thought was/is:

Siemens on Telephone in with propper Car Cit

SPV on Navigation in (Mapopolis) including a cable to GPS Mouse....

Anyone any ideas?

Cheers

PT-1

[Guest Stewie_UK]

I emailed ORA about the radio mute facility, and here's the email I got back yesterday from [email protected] -

Hello

There is a new car kit called Quinn which will be launched in about 1 month. This will be compatible with the SPV E100 and will have a radio mute facility. Please call 08003168100 next month to order.

Regards

Customer Services

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If anyone gets one before me, can you post reports/prices please? Is pretty good news (so long as it's similar to the Ora Safe2Talk and not a really expensive in-car kit)