Garmin Power/Audio cable - Group Email?

[Redeye]

Some weeks a go I emailed Garmin support (UK) and asked if would be possible to have the power/audio cable that comes with their motorcycle kit changed so that the audio "Y" piece is at the opposite end to the unit power connection.
Reasons being that:
1. A great many riders have their Garmin plugged into an Autocom or similar which is under the seat at the other end of the bike.
2. It's far safer to have a lead coming out from under the seat than dangling across the handlebars and tank.
3. It looks crap stuck up in the air next to the Garmin unit and gets in the way of ignition lock etc.

I got a reply saying they had passed the suggestion onto the US head office.

I think the re-design would be good idea.

If you do, why not email your local Garmin customer services and make the same suggestion, then we might at least get a choice?

[jgilmore]

I've wondered about this for two years now. Sent an email to Garmin a while back, didn't get any response. Posted here and to the other forum, not too many people here seem concerned about it.

It annoys the heck out of me.

One of these days, I am going to buy an extra automotive chord (the one with the speaker/cig plug) remove the speaker and cig plug and make one myself. I can't find a place that sells the GPS-side connectors, otherwise I'd make the whole cable myself.

I'll try emailing them again though - maybe it will help. Strength in numbers....

-John

[jeffmiller]

I went to Radio Shack and purchased a six foot extension for the audio, which cost all of $6.99, spent a little time and tie wrapped it down, routed it under the tank, and pulled it up between the seat and the tank. Extra stuff stowed where all the other fun cables are hidden.

I simply plug whatever I want...in helmet speakers, ear buds, whatever, right into the extension.

Was very easy to do and the audio quality is SUPERB! No buxx, humm, whines, etc.

Jeff

[Louie Louie]

I went to Radio Shack and purchased a six foot extension for the audio, which cost all of $6.99, spent a little time and tie wrapped it down, routed it under the tank, and pulled it up between the seat and the tank. Extra stuff stowed where all the other fun cables are hidden.
I simply plug whatever I want...in helmet speakers, ear buds, whatever, right into the extension.
Was very easy to do and the audio quality is SUPERB! No buxx, humm, whines, etc.
Jeff

Marshall used Belkin cable on my Autocom project.. Dont get the cheap-o STuff, as it does affect audio quality

[jgilmore]

You guys are missing the point. The audio cable is already long enough to reach back to the Starcom even without buying any extensions.

The point is having the audio connection to the other end of the Garmin cable to avoid looping the audio cable back in the first place.

-john

[rob.uk]

You guys are missing the point. The audio cable is already long enough to reach back to the Starcom even without buying any extensions.

The point is having the audio connection to the other end of the Garmin cable to avoid looping the audio cable back in the first place.

-john

Hi John,

Just wanted to check with you whether the Garmin cable in the USA is different from the one supplied in the UK? My cable has the audio split and socket near the GPS unit, and the only two wires running the length of the rest of the cable are +12 v and ground, there is no audio wire running alongside the two power wires. There is no looping of the audio cable in the UK kit.

I agree that a modified cable with a screened audio pair run alongside the power wires would be a neater solution for folk like us with Autocom or other intercom systems are installed in the tail housing. The audio wires would need to be well screened.

I did take care to route the audio lead supplied by Autocom well away from power and ignition wiring to avoid potential interference. Power wiring is unscreened and is "noisy" from an audio interfence point of view. My power wiring goes down the right hand (battery and ignition cabling) side of the chassis and all audio cables and headset connectors go down the left side of the chassis away from ignition and power wiring.

Thanks,
Rob

[Redeye]

This is the kit as supplied by Garmin.
As you can see the power connector and audio split are at the unit end, meaning having to run an audio extention back down the length of the bike.