Sena SC10UA vs Sena SR10...

[ST1100Y]

Well, GF finally renewed her aged helmet...
She'd a pretty worn down Schubert C3 "Louis edition" (a cheaper, dealer re-badged version) with an SMH5 bug sticking out, tried to get the same lid on sale again, found the certainly better build C3 PRO with even better fit for only marginal more money...
Hence I'm organizing the dedicated, fully integrated Sena SC10UA (that C3 PRO has both antennas factory installed...) and wonder if it'll still work with the SR10 PMR interface inhabiting her NT700VA...

TBC...

 

[Buckeyechris]

Well, GF finally renewed her aged helmet...
She'd a pretty worn down Schubert C3 "Louis edition" (a cheaper, dealer re-badged version) with an SMH5 bug sticking out, tried to get the same lid on sale again, found the certainly better build C3 PRO with even better fit for only marginal more money...
Hence I'm organizing the dedicated, fully integrated Sena SC10UA (that C3 PRO has both antennas factory installed...) and wonder if it'll still work with the SR10 PMR interface inhabiting her NT700VA...

TBC...

@Upt' North

With the caveat that I have no experience with European equipment, I can tell you from personal experience that the Sena 20S Evo and 30K (both use the same base plate, speakers, etc.. will mount just fine to Neotech II. Naturally, it's not as pretty as the SLR, but it has fewer drawbacks IMO. Personally, the adjustment buttons on the SLR were a big turn-off compared to the rotary dial on my 20S Evo (i.e., far easier to use.)

For the reasons you mentioned about the XT or XT2, I have elected to stay with my 590. While it is probably less friendly than you Qwest, in addition to generally reliable, but sometimes noisey BT connectivity, it also offers 3.5 mm audio input and output jacks as well as USB connectivity that will charge phones and other devices. It came with lifetime maps and works with BaseCamp.

With regards to BT intercom, it works reliably between rider and pillion. It's bike to bike that gets dicey in hilly and curvy terrain. Thus, it's shouldn't be a deterrent to upgrading to BT comms.

Chris

 

[Buckeyechris]

@Upt' North

My apologies, as I replied to the wrong post. I don't use the PMR, but my owner's manual for my 20S Evo indicates it will connect to it via BT. This gives you options...

Chris

 

[Buckeyechris]

@Upt' North

Another reason I favored the 20S EVO over the SLR was the Evo allows me to use sound cancelling earbuds instead of the speakers, because the SLR does not offer that option. I am currently running the speakers in my Shoei, and they work surprisingly well.

Chris

 

[ST1100Y]

Anyway, seems the Sena SR10 will be obsolete soon...

I obtained two sets Sena 10U for my Shoei Neotec helmets (and the Freewire I/F to connect to my ST1100 systems...)

The question: shall we relate on the VOX functionality for bike to bike com, or are the provided (handlebar) remotes of practical use?
According to the manual can the center button be used as a PTT (push once to open channel for 20 seconds), might be useful to avoid wind noise being transmitted...

 

[Buckeyechris]

Anyway, seems the Sena SR10 will be obsolete soon...

I obtained two sets Sena 10U for my Shoei Neotec helmets (and the Freewire I/F to connect to my ST1100 systems...)

The question: shall we relate on the VOX functionality for bike to bike com, or are the provided (handlebar) remotes of practical use?
According to the manual can the center button be used as a PTT (push once to open channel for 20 seconds), might be useful to avoid wind noise being transmitted...

Unfortunately, my lack of familiarity with the Freewire system prevents me from answering your question. Nevertheless, I'm not sure I understand the question. The following is my experience on the performance of my Sena when connected to others.

Once my Sena is connected to another (passenger or another rider on a different bike) and the multi-way intercom is activated, communications to all units occurs by voice activation. If you plan on connecting only to your girlfriend's Sena, then you will be able to communicate with one another using the vox feature until one of you disconnects.

Whenever music is streaming from my 590LM and someone I'm connected with uses the intercom, the music usually pauses until the intercom is no longer in use. However, GPS voice directions from the unit behave differently. The volume of the voice directions reduce slightly, but continue to play even while the intercom is in use.

I assume, but do not know for certain, that if your Freewire is streaming music from your stereo, activation of the intercom will either interrupt the music or at least reduce the volume of the music while you and your girlfriend are talking. It's my supposition that the PTT feature was designed to mimic the built in comms systems on either the Harley or Goldwing systems. Whether this feature will work for you when using the Sena bt unit I cannot say. My apologies.

Chris

 

[ST1100Y]

I assume, but do not know for certain, that if your Freewire is streaming music from your stereo, activation of the intercom will either interrupt the music or at least reduce the volume of the music while you and your girlfriend are talking. It's my supposition that the PTT feature was designed to mimic the built in comms systems on either the Harley or Goldwing systems. Whether this feature will work for you when using the Sena bt unit I cannot say.

As far as I understand the SENA manuals are there multiple ways of how to pair headsets:
- passenger/rider intercom, VOX activated
- group pairing, "called" by the remote-button, 1x push: member 1, 2x push: member 2, etc...
Will have to figure out which is more convenient for us...

Music input will be muted by phone call/activity, GPS/aux audio or intercom speech and will fade back in once any mentioned goes mute...

 

[Buckeyechris]

As far as I understand the SENA manuals are there multiple ways of how to pair headsets:
- passenger/rider intercom, VOX activated
- group pairing, "called" by the remote-button, 1x push: member 1, 2x push: member 2, etc...
Will have to figure out which is more convenient for us...

Music input will be muted by phone call/activity, GPS/aux audio or intercom speech and will fade back in once any mentioned goes mute...

If you are pairing with just your girlfriend/passenger, your intercom will be active for vox communication immediately. If you push the appropriate button on your 10AU (or your girlfriend/passenger) 1 time, you will be temporarily disconnected from the intercom until whomever hit the button hits it again.

Group connections are a little harder, but are far easier if your Sena unit supports the phone app. Of course, that's also a drawback. You have to connect your unit to your phone to use that functionality. If you don't want to connect to your phone, it can still be done manually. Sena has several (almost too many) Youtube videos on this subject. Regrettably, how you pair sometimes depends on the model you have. I don't know whether any of the videos are in German. However, I found them helpful. Just search for Sena on Youtube and you will find their channel.

Chris

 

[ST1100Y]

Group connections are a little harder, but are far easier if your Sena unit supports the phone app. Of course, that's also a drawback. You have to connect your unit to your phone to use that functionality. If you don't want to connect to your phone, it can still be done manually. Sena has several (almost too many) Youtube videos on this subject. Regrettably, how you pair sometimes depends on the model you have. I don't know whether any of the videos are in German. However, I found them helpful. Just search for Sena on Youtube and you will find their channel.

Phone app is already in place and permits some settings to the Senas (both are 10-series hence identical functionality), the computer app offers even more adjustments.
Like I said might VOX not be feasible, as I like to ride with an open face-shield when conditions permit, so my GF might suffer from wind-noise occurring... (dunno how well their noise cancelling works)
And while not being a native speaker, I prefer English manuals/instructions often enough, translations are littered with errors and confusing information...
(viewing all my TV programs and DVD/BD movies in original audio...)

 

[Buckeyechris]

Phone app is already in place and permits some settings to the Senas (both are 10-series hence identical functionality), the computer app offers even more adjustments.
Like I said might VOX not be feasible, as I like to ride with an open face-shield when conditions permit, so my GF might suffer from wind-noise occurring... (dunno how well their noise cancelling works)
And while not being a native speaker, I prefer English manuals/instructions often enough, translations are littered with errors and confusing information...
(viewing all my TV programs and DVD/BD movies in original audio...)

I find that when I have the either the face shield or the chin bar open, the noise canceling is not that good. When everything is shut, it works fine.

 

[ST1100Y]

I find that when I have the either the face shield or the chin bar open, the noise canceling is not that good. When everything is shut, it works fine.

Wind-socks are included, but who knows how efficient those then function...

Lots to tinker on those kits:

Device setting

 

[Buckeyechris]

Wind-socks are included, but who knows how efficient those then function...

Lots to tinker on those kits:

Device setting

I have the windsock on my boom mike, but it's not enough. Haven't taken the time to research it further.

 

[ST1100Y]

Well, the first Sena 10U is installed... in my white Neotec helmet...
Getting everything in place went pretty straightforward, test showed astonishing stereo sound (some Eddy Rabbit and Phil Collins tracks ), connection stable as long as you're in line of sight, go two rooms away and around a corner, dropouts start... which was to be expected with BT.
The kit is very unobtrusive, hard to tell that something is installed...
The kit reliably stores any previous pairing, reconnects once the device awakens and informs with a voice prompt... neat, seems I'd the right instinct to wait over a decade till those thingies have been fully developed... I reckon real dramas of folks with older kits which had dropped the pairings over night/during a break...

I'd only found that had to place an order at SHOEI Europe, as the foam of the head lining starts to crumble...
Interesting as the while lid hasn't been used that much...

Next will be GF's C3 and my Neotec II (the Sena SLR2 is already inbound)...

 

[Uncle Phil]

ED of EDsets (old style 5 pin headsets) recommended putting a piece of heat shrink over the mike and gently shrinking it to block the wind.

 

[ST1100Y]

Well, as expected: zis is frustrating...

You can pair your phone with the headsets...
You can pair your media/Freewire with your headsets...
But you cannot pair the headsets with each other... despite what the manuals tell, that button sequence isn't working...
the kits beep the 3-tone sequence for the 60 seconds only to tell "intercom failed"...
Turns out you can only pair them via the phone app now...
Highly proprietary...
my Sena 10U requires the Sena app (and the Sena device manager on the PC)...
her Sena SC10U requires the Schuberth app (and the Schuberth device manager of course)...
The basic difference is that one has red graphics, the other orange ones... pffft...
At least I was able to scan the QR-code off the other app and finally got the pairing established...

But I was not able to establish a VOX intercom... there is no way...
Press [-] for one second, connection given, press [-] again for one second, connection severed...
*hint: on the Schuberth gadget you'll need to press the [-] for 3 seconds... despite what that manual says... bugger...
So you either have a permanent open mike (comms work quite well though), or you don't...
On one my music is gone of course, the other I can listen to my tunes... but no auto mute and fade back in as the pamphlets state...

Seems I'll have to drop the support a line to inquire this BS ...

 

[Uncle Phil]

When I started looking at all of that 'pairing' my head hurt and I'm a computer guy.
I don't know if this would help you any but because I was dealing with 4 different ST1100s I took a bit of a 'wired' approach.
And since I came from the 'wired' world of headsets it doesn't bother me.
I run my GPS, radar detector and MP3 jukebox audio in to a 'merger' amplifier - 3 into 1.
Then I run a 'special' Sena cord from my Senas to the output of the 'merger'.
No BT involved though I have BT'ed my phone to the Sena just to see if it works with all of that and it does.
BT is great when it works until it doesn't work.
I didn't want to go through the 'BT hat dance' every time I switched motorcycles.
With the 30k models, the mesh bike to bike works fine and kills the audio input when there is a communication.
I just plug in, turn on the bike and I am good to go.
I have not tried bike to bike on the Sena 20EVOs because getting them to connect can be painful but it still should work the same way.

 

[ST1100Y]

When I started looking at all of that 'pairing' my head hurt and I'm a computer guy.

Especially when manuals and documentations are inadequate...

Like said:
pairing to Freewire (stereo & GPS module) works and is automatically restored every time its powered up...
This works as intended, turn on headset, flick the key on ST (Freewire -> bike powered), go...
pairing to phone works and is automatically restored every time I enable BT on the phone...
in any case the headset bravely prompts with "phone connected" or "audio connected"... check...

But I haven't yet been able to establish the intercom pairing of those two headsets...
In fact, I cannot even pair the two 10U kits with each other (another test I ran last night...)
Something essential is missing in the procedures...

For two decades I giggled and shock my head over folks shouting to each other and their equipment every morning and after every break over the freaking BT pairing not working...
Now I'm exactly in that dark alley myself... grrrr...

 

[Uncle Phil]

But I haven't yet been able to establish the intercom pairing of those two headsets...
In fact, I cannot even pair the two 10U kits with each other (another test I ran last night...)

Yeah, that's what I ran into with the Sena20 Evos - getting one to talk to the other almost took a magician.
When someone lent me a Sena 'Mesh' unit where all you do is turn it on and then the mesh on, I was hooked.
Then with my hardwired 'approach' Mr. BT does not enter into the picture.

 

[ST1100Y]

Yeah, that's what I ran into with the Sena20 Evos - getting one to talk to the other almost took a magician.

Well, we did it tonight... to a degree though...
Whilst both are Sena kits, the procedures differs...
My 10U: hold [-] for 8 seconds, it actually prompts "pairing intercom", confirm with 1x [-]...
Her SC10U: press [-] 1 second, then 1x [+], also confirms with "pairing intercom"...
While the kits do their beeping sequence confirm by 1x [-] on any of the kits... done...
Great, we had VOX intercom, working nicely, crystal clear voice, kits go to mute once you stop speaking...
OK, lets turn them off and see if they reestablish the connection upon powering up... nadda...
You'll have to go though the whole darn procedure again... e.v.e.r.y t.i.m.e...
Alright, lets see how this works with the Freewire audio interface:
VOX intercom active, I turn on the Freewire... intercom gone...
So we go through the intercom pairing again... Freewire intercom gone...
WHISKEY TANGO F.... !!! What kind of BS is this?!!!

When someone lent me a Sena 'Mesh' unit where all you do is turn it on and then the mesh on, I was hooked.

WUTT?!!! I have to buy another one of their expensive thingies?!!!
What kind of a SCAM is this?!!!
Yes, "turn it on" was what I had expected from that expensive* stuff there...
*on sale but still highly overpriced IMO, especially since it fails so tremendously...

 

[ST1100Y]

Highly frustrated I just dropped that b_shell into the official Sena forum... we'll see if there is any helpful response...

Sena SCU10UA vs Sena 10U/Freewire...
All Sena (and Schuberth) components received the latest firmware via PC Device Manager...

desired functionality of above equipment:
me, with 10U & Freewire, stereo & GPS audio wired in
VOX intercom/bike2bike to my partner's SC10U on her motorcycle.
No phones paired, no GPS paired (mine has a wired audio out)
Should be a simple thing, right? After all we write the year 2024...
The idea was to turn your headsets on so they reconnect automatically, ignition on so Freewire powers up and reconnects, go ride...
I have my tunes and GPS audio, if required we talk via the VOX operated intercom, whilst the audio mutes, stop talking and the tunes fade back in... simple, right? Wrong!!!

Turns out this basic, everyday functionality is not possible...

My 10U reconnects automatically to the Freewire upon powering on, check...
(pretty much the only thing that works, to a degree though...)

Intercom pairing between 10U & SC10U is not restored after powering down any of the two headset and turning them on again; fault! Why?!!
Pairing of intercom drops the prev pairing of Freewire; fault! Why?!!
Pairing Freewire again while intercom is active, will cancel intercom pairing; fault! Why?!!

The quick start guides included are pretty useless, but so are the full "manuals" I've downloaded; obviously written by marketing folks, but not by people who actually use those gadgets on a daily base...

Tried all kinds of settings, either via PC Device Manager or with the phone apps (note that the proprietary Schuberth kit requires its own software's there, despite it being made by Sena...), but no avail...
No automatic establishing of intercom, not possible to keep two pairings active on the 10U...

So, I tried A, B, C and D... what else can I try to make this work as required??

cheers
M. Brunner
Vienna, Austria (Europe)

Also if any of you guys have some constructive ideas, feel free to express them...