CarPlay & PackTalk Bold
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 209
Likes: 34
From: Dallas, Texas
Think about a Sena FREEWIRE unit. I've been using my FREEWIRE to pair my PackTalk to the Harley BoomBox for almost 3 years now.
My WHIM has been unplugged. I extended the audio-out wiring from the BoomBox to the tourpac, where my Freewire is Velcro'd to the side. I also power the Freewire from the cigarette 12 Volt source in the Tourpac.
When I turn my PackTalk ON, it quickly connects to the iPhone and to the FREEWIRE. With this, I have all audio that the BoomBox produces including music, Nav, etc.
It has worked almost flawlessly.
My phone is also connected to the BoomBox via the USB like yours so CarPlay will work.
My WHIM has been unplugged. I extended the audio-out wiring from the BoomBox to the tourpac, where my Freewire is Velcro'd to the side. I also power the Freewire from the cigarette 12 Volt source in the Tourpac.
When I turn my PackTalk ON, it quickly connects to the iPhone and to the FREEWIRE. With this, I have all audio that the BoomBox produces including music, Nav, etc.
It has worked almost flawlessly.
My phone is also connected to the BoomBox via the USB like yours so CarPlay will work.
Supporter
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 530
Likes: 206
From: Toronto
Think about a Sena FREEWIRE unit. I've been using my FREEWIRE to pair my PackTalk to the Harley BoomBox for almost 3 years now.
My WHIM has been unplugged. I extended the audio-out wiring from the BoomBox to the tourpac, where my Freewire is Velcro'd to the side. I also power the Freewire from the cigarette 12 Volt source in the Tourpac.
When I turn my PackTalk ON, it quickly connects to the iPhone and to the FREEWIRE. With this, I have all audio that the BoomBox produces including music, Nav, etc.
It has worked almost flawlessly.
My phone is also connected to the BoomBox via the USB like yours so CarPlay will work.
My WHIM has been unplugged. I extended the audio-out wiring from the BoomBox to the tourpac, where my Freewire is Velcro'd to the side. I also power the Freewire from the cigarette 12 Volt source in the Tourpac.
When I turn my PackTalk ON, it quickly connects to the iPhone and to the FREEWIRE. With this, I have all audio that the BoomBox produces including music, Nav, etc.
It has worked almost flawlessly.
My phone is also connected to the BoomBox via the USB like yours so CarPlay will work.
Not sure I would know the Audio-Out wire. Is the reason you have extended that wire because it must connect to the FREEWIRE? On my trike I have the 12v port in the tourpak so that would be a no brainer, but the Audio wire might be a challenge.
Was just out in the garage trying to learn Carplay Map, don't seem to get the audio out to the PackTalk but do get spotify and apple music maybe there's an Apple Maps setting I have not located?
Cheers and when you have time please try and answer my questions.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 209
Likes: 34
From: Dallas, Texas
The Freewire is simply an audio out dongle that creates a stereo Bluetooth signal to which the PackTalk can pair and connect.
In our application, it allows (or facilitates) all BoomBox audio to be transmitted to the PackTalk on either A2DP channel. The common pairing is one channel to the smartphone, the other channel to the Freewire.
The phone is plugged into the bike's USB so that CarPlay will work.
Then, every audio output from the BoomBox will reach the PackTalk via the Freewire.
DMC works normally. When music is playing, DMC or Bluetooth intercom can be heard as the BoomBox audio volume is lowered a bit automatically. (Audio sharing settings in the PackTalk)
The only function you won't have is the ability to give voice commands to the BoomBox. But you can still say Hey Siri. . . . commands or push the bottom Cardo button and tell siri what you want.
Ken
In our application, it allows (or facilitates) all BoomBox audio to be transmitted to the PackTalk on either A2DP channel. The common pairing is one channel to the smartphone, the other channel to the Freewire.
The phone is plugged into the bike's USB so that CarPlay will work.
Then, every audio output from the BoomBox will reach the PackTalk via the Freewire.
DMC works normally. When music is playing, DMC or Bluetooth intercom can be heard as the BoomBox audio volume is lowered a bit automatically. (Audio sharing settings in the PackTalk)
The only function you won't have is the ability to give voice commands to the BoomBox. But you can still say Hey Siri. . . . commands or push the bottom Cardo button and tell siri what you want.
Ken
Supporter
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 530
Likes: 206
From: Toronto
In the meantime, I have mounted my Sena Freewire into the tourpac. I used a mic cable accessory from Harley (intended for putting a mic jack on the tank of a StreetGlide which doesn't have one).
Unplugged the WHIM (maybe forever) and plugged the mic cable into the connector. Routed the connector under the tank to behind the rear seat. That's where the Freewire cable meets it and makes connection.
I'm powering the Freewire from the 12V power outlet in the Tourpac.
Now, when I turn on my PackTalk, iphone, ignition, BoomBox, (IN ANY ORDER),
This is the way I'm leaving it until something better comes along.
Some members of my group are talking about going Sena whe the Harley Motor Company puts out a branded Sena device. I will follow them if that's the consensus. Harley hasn't announced a new headset and they refuse to comment. Sena won't comment, either. But really, the Cardo Scala Packtalk is vastly superior in almost every respect to anything Sena has marketed, in my opinion . . . .starting with being waterproof.
DFWKen
Unplugged the WHIM (maybe forever) and plugged the mic cable into the connector. Routed the connector under the tank to behind the rear seat. That's where the Freewire cable meets it and makes connection.
I'm powering the Freewire from the 12V power outlet in the Tourpac.
Now, when I turn on my PackTalk, iphone, ignition, BoomBox, (IN ANY ORDER),
- I get stereo music from the BoomBox whether from the phone MP3, XM Radio, FM radio, or any other source.
- I can use Siri to make commands.
- I can hear the BoomBox navigation
- I can make phone calls directly from the PackTalk to the iPHone (which is connected as Channel 2)
- AND! I have full PackTalk DMC operation with audio multi-tasking.
This is the way I'm leaving it until something better comes along.
Some members of my group are talking about going Sena whe the Harley Motor Company puts out a branded Sena device. I will follow them if that's the consensus. Harley hasn't announced a new headset and they refuse to comment. Sena won't comment, either. But really, the Cardo Scala Packtalk is vastly superior in almost every respect to anything Sena has marketed, in my opinion . . . .starting with being waterproof.
DFWKen
Your thoughts please.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 209
Likes: 34
From: Dallas, Texas
One thing I'm curious about is whether you have a Bluetooth connection to your Cardo Ap? I have been using the app to pair other riders into a group. But I can't have three BT connections at the same time, i.e. Cardo Ap, iPhone, Sena Freewire. Unless there is a trick you know or maybe I need to not use the app while riding?
Your thoughts please.
Your thoughts please.
We only use DMC. The app makes it easy to add users to the group, whether its the first and only additional user (me and him/her) or a whole bunch of users.
I have also used the unit buttons pairing for DMC. But quite honestly, we have never seen the need to use their Bluetooth (not DMC) pairing.
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 209
Likes: 34
From: Dallas, Texas
We only use DMC. The app makes it easy to add users to the group, whether its the first and only additional user (me and him/her) or a whole bunch of users.
I have also used the unit buttons pairing for DMC. But quite honestly, we have never seen the need to use their Bluetooth (not DMC) pairing.
No Bluetooth connection to the Caro app. I don't think's that's possible.
DO have connection to my iPhone. And on the iPhone, I run the Cardo app.
There, I can do all settings/functions versus using only unit buttons.
Ken
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 1,934
Likes: 722
From: Ontario, Canada
When connecting via Bluetooth mode to non-Cardo units, it's from the unit in Bluetooth mode, instead of DMC mode.
I could be completely wrong on this, but if it were an actual Bluetooth connection from the app, wouldn't the range really suck?
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Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 209
Likes: 34
From: Dallas, Texas
I'm with you on this Ken. The Bluetooth connections for me are iPhone to bike (GTS) & Cardo to iPhone.
When connecting via Bluetooth mode to non-Cardo units, it's from the unit in Bluetooth mode, instead of DMC mode.
I could be completely wrong on this, but if it were an actual Bluetooth connection from the app, wouldn't the range really suck?
When connecting via Bluetooth mode to non-Cardo units, it's from the unit in Bluetooth mode, instead of DMC mode.
I could be completely wrong on this, but if it were an actual Bluetooth connection from the app, wouldn't the range really suck?
Cardo took the old standard Bluetooth communication and augmented it with Mesh. The mesh works within each helmet unit to do what it does.
I can't help you with connecting to other brands; No one in our group of 8-10 units has ever done that to my knowledge. I'm not sure what happens to the range, but imagine it is whatever the range might be, between the two users. It's usually a few hundred yards, line of sight. I don't know how the signal might be hop-scotched to the other users that might be farther distant.
One of our users has a Harley-branded Sena so that he can use the motor's CB radio as well as intercom to his wife passenger. But he removes it from his helmet and puts his PackTalk in when he travels with the rest of us. We've never tried to bring him into our PackTalk group.
Supporter
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 530
Likes: 206
From: Toronto
When you look at your BT Settings on your phone, do you see 1 setting for Packtalk and 1 setting for Freewire? or what do you see?
Also I find that I am listening to music/xm etc in stereo thru BoomBox that if I switch to Carplay or get a phone call or text, that will knock out my audio from the BoomBox and I have to turn the Cardo off and on again to re-establish the audio connection. Do you have that issue at all?
Thanks for re-thinking this for/with me. Ken
Last edited by TOHOG; Sep 19, 2022 at 05:11 PM.