Bluetooth & wifi, video camera, GPS: All in one headset!

[Sidekick]

For years I have been using a very affordable and trouble free bluetooth headset on my helmets (Freed Conn $45).
But I want to upgrade it with something with a better audio quality and I am also thinking of installing a cam on the front of the bike.
Just to keep some video memory of my trips.
Looking at Amazon and reading at multiple reviews, I just discovered something really amazing.
A Bluetooth, wifi, intercom and video camera!
Unbelievable, all that tech in one headset sticking on your helmet!?
All Chinese I think, but surprisingly, the reviews are pretty positive.
No wires to install and even an app on your phone giving you live view and remote setup.
2 Models, Maxto M3 and Freed CConn R1+, and they are not even pricey!

I have seen a lot of tech coming in my 65 years on earth, but this level of miniaturization blows my mind!


What do you think?





Maxto: https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Bluetooth-M3-Communication-Entertainment/dp/B085G766T5/ref=rvi_5/134-0263407-3514558?pd_rd_w=OcAPg&pf_rd_p=c0296674-5a83-4ad6-b035-0702d2b359df&pf_rd_r=9KT595GDP7440BPQHSWX&pd_rd_r=165538ed-3df3-479f-9059-c7a5a8b07fd0&pd_rd_wg=ghFh4&pd_rd_i=B085G766T5&psc=1

Freed Conn: https://www.amazon.com/Motorcycle-Headset-FreedConn-Bluetooth-Communication/dp/B086997SSF/ref=psdc_3248694011_t1_B085G766T5?th=1

 

[Sadlsor]

I think a foreign government will track your every move, divert your water supply to a secret reservoir, pirate your cable TV, suck the bandwidth from your wifi, drain your bank accounts, and plant a transmitter in your brain so they can send a UFO to transport you to a secret facility and perform painful experiments in their diabolical laboratories.
I would steer clear of that device.
Technology is dangerous.

 

[etalors]

Did you ever connect with other makes of bluetooths with your freed conn. If so was there any difficulty pairing them. I have heard folks say that pairing is a little difficult between different brands.

 

[Sidekick]

Technology is dangerous.

You are absolutely right, privacy concerns are serious things !
But if you use your cellphone without a good VPN you are already very much at risk...
With a VPN, these devices can be considered safe, at least for now.
Bluetooth 5.0 and AC WIFI flux are encrypted pretty well.
Recording & sharing your trips, listening to music, communicating with other riders is priceless, at least for me.

On the over hand, Google Maps and assistant are concerning, do you use them?

 

[Sidekick]

Did you ever connect with other makes of bluetooths with your freed conn. If so was there any difficulty pairing them. I have heard folks say that pairing is a little difficult between different brands.

That exactly why I also want to upgrade mine.
The Maxto an the new Freeconn R1+, are supposed to be much easier to sync with others.
Bluetooth 5.0 is a more universal protocol. Just by the fact that it allows you to be connected to 2 live devices at the same time at and at a farther distance .
This said, let me add a grain of salt on that, these devices just came on the US market so there is no real feedback for now.
All these expensive and top of the headsets brands like Sena, Cardo and some others, are protecting their markets.
Dont expect these big brands to make interconnection easy or implement an open standard between devices.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

Dont expect these big brands to make interconnection easy or implement an open standard between devices.

They have already done that as of a few years ago.
They include a universal intercom pairing protocol to allow them to pair with other units of a different brand.
My experience has been that universal pairing connects very easily. When using the universal pairing mode, the range is reduced compared to two units of the same brand.

 

[Sidekick]

[My experience has been that universal pairing connects very easily. When using the universal pairing mode, the range is reduced compared to two units of the same brand.
[/QUOTE]

Lucky you and good to know, thank you!
If I am not wrong, it appears that universal pairing is a Sena protocol and proprietary.
Its not an open standard and not ISO and by definition not standardized at least not certified between brands.
This last summer, just in my rider group, I could make a list of people not being able to connect with each others.
Me included.
I don't think that it's only about people not paying attention to manuals.
Connecting to a router or to a wireless music headphone is straightforward and so easy but, multiple brands of helmet headsets?
Not sure...

 

[Jim C-G]

The technology is getting cheaper and smaller. I don't usually ride in groups and don't listen to a lot of music but I do like the GPS directions given by the sweet English lady in my headset. Unless I deviate from those directions and get her annoying "Re-calculating". Good to know when the phone rings but I can't answer it at speed so I always pull over.
I've got at least one camera running all the time.
My only worry about all-in-ones is if you have a malfunction, a software glitch or a battery go dead, you lose everything.
That being said... It is like my favourite sci-fi from the 1970's coming true.

 

[Andrew Shadow]

If I am not wrong, it appears that universal pairing is a Sena protocol and proprietary.

The name and the software that Sena calls Universal Intercom might be proprietary to Sena, but its job is to allow Sena units to communicate with non Sena communicators using some standardized protocol that they all can pair to. This is not unique to Sena. Each manufacturer will have their own technology that achieves the same result, each having their own name for it. When I was looking at purchasing a communicator, I also looked at Cardo. They have this ability as well. They refer to it as Universal Connectivity and describe it by stating Connect your unit to any Bluetooth headset of any substantial brand.

This ability began appearing back in 2013/2014 and I thought that it was intended to be an industry standard to allow cross-brand pairing, albeit with reduced range. I suspect that all, or most, of the off-brand communicators are using a common Bluetooth pairing protocol, because the cheap Chinese knock-offs that I used before I bought a Sena all seem to pair with each other rather easily. My Sena always paired with them easily as well using the universal intercom feature, so they all must be accessing some common Bluetooth protocol I guess. Whatever that protocol is that allows different brands to pair to each other, Sena and Cardo have incorporated it in to their units and I was under the impression that including accessing this protocol had become the norm, but maybe not. I must admit that I don't have much experience with very many different brands of communicators, and I know precious little about Bluetooth technology, but I guess luck was on my side with the ones that I have used.

 

[Sidekick]

The name and the software that Sena calls Universal Intercom might be proprietary to Sena, but its job is to allow Sena units to communicate with non Sena communicators using some standardized protocol that they all can pair to. This is not unique to Sena. Each manufacturer will have their own technology that achieves the same result, each having their own name for it. When I was looking at purchasing a communicator, I also looked at Cardo. They have this ability as well. They refer to it as Universal Connectivity and describe it by stating Connect your unit to any Bluetooth headset of any substantial brand.

This ability began appearing back in 2013/2014 and I thought that it was intended to be an industry standard to allow cross-brand pairing, albeit with reduced range. I suspect that all, or most, of the off-brand communicators are using a common Bluetooth pairing protocol, because the cheap Chinese knock-offs that I used before I bought a Sena all seem to pair with each other rather easily. My Sena always paired with them easily as well using the universal intercom feature, so they all must be accessing some common Bluetooth protocol I guess. Whatever that protocol is that allows different brands to pair to each other, Sena and Cardo have incorporated it in to their units and I was under the impression that including accessing this protocol had become the norm, but maybe not. I must admit that I don't have much experience with very many different brands of communicators, and I know precious little about Bluetooth technology, but I guess luck was on my side with the ones that I have used.

Very much appreciating your feedback and its always good to learn things a little better, thank you !

To use a very approximative analogy, Its a little bit like "Natural" on soda and so many other things.
There is no ruling in the use of this word on products, essentially a marketing gimmick and somewhere dishonest at least.
"Universal connectivity" goes the same way.

Wi‑Fi is a trademark of the non-profit Wi-Fi Alliance, which restricts the use of the term Wi-Fi Certified to products that successfully complete interoperability certification testing (wiki).
Bluetooth is also defined by the same kind of organization.
This is why it's so easy to use them.

Sena, Cardo are putting their own trademark on "Universal connectivity" and the simple reason is because they don't really want a real interoperability, they don't want to develop a standard.
They just want the marketing appeal and to keep their products out from the competition.
But Chinese knock off are taking a such big part of the market that they are now ruling it anyway...

 

[etalors]

While we are on this topic. Is there a significant difference between Sena and Cardo. I am looking at a Sena 20S EVO and a cardo Freecom 2+. Hoping to get a good deal on a used set. Any input will be appreciated.

 

[Pop-Pop]

I think a foreign government will track your every move, divert your water supply to a secret reservoir, pirate your cable TV, suck the bandwidth from your wifi, drain your bank accounts, and plant a transmitter in your brain so they can send a UFO to transport you to a secret facility and perform painful experiments in their diabolical laboratories.
I would steer clear of that device.
Technology is dangerous.

Don't forget the lazer beams coming thru your dentures

 

[ad.hom]

Without getting into the geo-politics thing, some idioms...

It a thing looks too good to be true...
Buy cheap, buy twice...
Beware of Greeks bearing gifts...
Do one small thing, and do it well...
Jack of all trades, master of... I forget how many...

That aside, why on earth would you need the device to do both bluetooth and wifi? It will always be quicker to remove the card to do data transfer...

Why do you want a camera? What purpose will it serve? Are these cameras good enough quality to be used for that purpose? They support image stabilisation, but is it lossy?

I looked at Sena vs Cardo. I finally decided based on which company openly advertises their waterproof rating. The one I didn't buy might have the same waterproof rating, but if their sales team don't use that as an advert actively, then I have to wonder how much they know their own product, and by extension, how that product is managed internally at that company. If it doesn't hold the waterproof certification, I ride in the rain, and I'd probably break it (and it wouldn't be covered by warranty).

Your money... your choice. If you buy one, I'd be interested in reading a review, at least.

 

[bstig60]

I use a wired system JM CB linked to a Bluetooth device in my left pocket and SiriusXM from my phone. I am happy with that and the sound quality is great, plus I have the CB available. I have been thinking of upgrading my camera and the Freecom may be a fit if I can find a way to attach it to my helmet.

 

[Sidekick]

That aside, why on earth would you need the device to do both bluetooth and wifi? It will always be quicker to remove the card to do data transfer...
Why do you want a camera? What purpose will it serve? Are these cameras good enough quality to be used for that purpose? They support image stabilisation, but is it lossy?

I agree with your reserve on these products, let see...
WIFI is not a necessity but an interesting option and the video quality is decent, not fantastic.
Camera on vehicles are becoming a great way to defend your case in accident situation.
Both of these devices have G sensors, so you don't need to "record" manually.
From few second before to few seconds after, they will keep a video from the buffer in case of accident.
Keeping some memories of the best part of a trip is also very seducing.

They are not even half of the price of the big brands and you get a lot of perks for your money.
Both are certified IP65 and you have a choice of codecs to improve the video quality, not bad!
I ordered the FreeConn R1+ and will post my experience with it.

 

[Mophead]

I don't know about pairing because I usually ride alone but I can vouch for the Cardo Freecom4+ battery life. I think they advertise 8 hour life but I have been on the bike once for 11 hrs and it didn't run down. I just listen to music and answer a phone call maybe twice a day. Their battery life is stellar!

 

[RaYzerman]

I bought a Maxto on a lark in the interests of science so to speak, have not actually tried to pair it with anything or had time to play with it....... the instruction manual says it will pair for intercom with up to 6 of it's own units..... looks like two bluetooth channels, for pairing with two phones, a GPS, etc. or that Cardo "universal pairing" perhaps.
I do not know if it has GPS capability by itself, not thinking it does.

Sena sold a unit that had a video camera built in. A friend has one, works pretty well, and can record your comments with the video. Looked like a 20S with a camera....
This may be the latest??

The Best Motorcycle & Action Sport Bluetooth Devices | Sena

Sena's motorcycle Bluetooth communication devices and video imaging systems are designed to inspire your pursuit of adventure. Find out how here.

www.sena.com

 

[ST Gui]

That aside, why on earth would you need the device to do both bluetooth and wifi? It will always be quicker to remove the card to do data transfer...

No not always or even possible. Data from the camera can be downloaded to a phone that doesn't have a slot for a data card. Download and/or view it without needing a computer handy. Pull over get your phone view or download. Maybe not as fast depending on how much content but much more convenient then pulling the computer you may not have without out of an pannier to insert a media card. You don't even have to take off a helmet to remove the car for that possible phantom computer.

Why do you want a camera?

Why ask why? That doesn't read like curiosity. It reads like justification is required. Although he did post "Just to keep some video memory of my trips."

Now I'm not crazy about helmet cams but I've seen a lot of helmet cam footage on YT and most of it is fine. Not great for a travelog but good enough to show you ran a red and got T-boned by a car or that somebody ran out in front of you giving you no time to avoid or even react. Or... who knows/who cares.

The OP already has years of experience with one brand of communicator. The CVs of the R1 are indeed an unknown at this point but if it works out for him – great. If it/they doesn't /don't it can go back to Amazon.

What do you think?

The R1 offers a lot in a small package. More specs would be helpful. It does 1080 but at what frame rate (fps)? Probably 30fps which is typical. Not many of these type cams offer 60fps (my preference). I don't know any bike/helmet-centric camera that have image stabilization. That's somewhat accomplished with a short focal-length lens associated with a 120º or greater field of view. Compare that to holding a pair of 10x50 binocs while on a moving vehicle.

If it performs well enough for you then $140 isn't too bad. It's a few Grandes/Ventis. If it doesn't work out it doesn't.

But it's got a lot of stuff going on so if you get one be sure to study the controls. Trying to figure it out while on the move is not a good idea.

 

[ad.hom]

Why ask why?

Perhaps you forgot to apply the principle of charity?

When a relative asks me "which computer should I buy?" - my response is "why do you want one?"

Without knowing the background reasons, it's hard to point in any direction. Now, granted, I don't really think OP was asking for any advice, but that's also why I didn't really give any. As you rightly said, OP has their own experiences. Instead, I gave my opinion.

If it performs well enough for you

That's simply "why do you want one" but phrased as a statement, isn't it?

 

[Daboo]

Looks like they took the idea of the Sena 10C Pro and Sena 10C EVO and made a knock off of them.

Chris