Infotainment micropohone, Bluetooth, and phones

[Greymulkin]

Just purchased a 2016 CX-5 GT with Tech and I'm trying to figure out how to do this:

In my previous vehicle, I could pair the head unit with my phone. Whenever the phone needed voice input, it would use the microphone in the car.

So I could open Google Maps on the phone, tap the voice input icon, and then speak the input. I could do the same things for text messages or other things. "Remind me to pick up some groceries at lunch".

I can't do this with my CX-5. When the phone wants mic input, it just waits. I don't get a beep or any feedback from the speakers that would normally indicate the phone is paired at all.

I don't have any trouble with the voice feature that comes with the infotainment system. It recognizes my voice, I can make and receive calls, and it executes commands with no problem. But the infotainment system, like most in the industry, is useless in everyday situations. I can't say "Navigate to the nearest gas station". Even with the Commander Switch, which is awesome compared to the touch screen, it's way too much fiddling switching between FM, XM, Bluetooth, navigation.

I literally do not care about the infotainment system. I just want the bluetooth mic to work with my phone. To give some perspective, I can buy a pair of $25 Bluetooth headphones and they will work this way.

Does anyone else have this problem? If it helps, I am using an Android phone, but this behavior should be universal to any bluetooth device. For example, I should be able to pair my laptop with the car and make a skype call using the car's speakers and microphone. I have no problem switching to Apple if that works better.

If it helps, I have the 55 version of the infotainment software, but will likely have it upgraded later today.

I'm a software engineer and sometimes our type aren't always clear; let me know if I need to rephrase anything.

---------------

Also, for anyone prospective buyers, you should know that it only supports Bluetooth 2.1 - which was new in 2007. Also and especially, it does not support aptX which allows for CD-level quality transmission of sound. Usually people have an MP3 on their phone which is already lossy, and then it is compressed further when sent over Bluetooth. But in the 6 months I spent car shopping, I never found one that did aptX

edit: spell it with me now, MICROPHONE MICROPHONE MICROPHONE sorry about title, I don't see where to change it and because I can't it will make it difficult for other people to find this concern.

 

[Greymulkin]

60 views not a single comment? No one uses the microphone in their car to command their phone?

 

[LeeShadow]

Howdy! I have an iPhone 6 on iOS 8.4, and while I don't use my phone in the manner you describe, I just tested it out on my 2016 GT with Tech and both Google Maps and Notes works in the desired manner you describe. Both worked either with nothing playing and also with music playing from the BT connection--the system switched to the car microphone and what I spoke was recognized and appeared on the phone screen. I didn't test if texting works in that manner.

One odd thing--the system "sees" the direct use of voice input on my phone as a phone call (display indicates a call is being made via an overlay on the screen). I had a 2010 Mazda6 previously, and it did the same thing with a BT connection if I tried to use Google Maps on the phone for navigation (when I was speaking or when the app was providing verbal directions, that old system would interrupt the current function to show a call overlay, beep, and then I'd get most but not all of the spoken directions--annoying). That did not occur when my phone was directly connected to the Mazda6 headunit via the OEM "iPod connector". With the newer CX-5, the voice direction switch occurs more rapidly and I get most if not all of what is being spoken, unlike on the Mazda6.

 

[Greymulkin]

Thank you sir!

 

[Srad600]

Just purchased a 2016 CX-5 GT with Tech and I'm trying to figure out how to do this:

In my previous vehicle, I could pair the head unit with my phone. Whenever the phone needed voice input, it would use the microphone in the car.

So I could open Google Maps on the phone, tap the voice input icon, and then speak the input. I could do the same things for text messages or other things. "Remind me to pick up some groceries at lunch".

I can't do this with my CX-5. When the phone wants mic input, it just waits. I don't get a beep or any feedback from the speakers that would normally indicate the phone is paired at all.

I 'm also using an iPhone6 with OS8.4, and I am able to do this with any App that has the voice input icon. Tap the icon, and like "RL" said, the car accepts the input as a phone call, but it does work. If you have the latest infotainment software, maybe your phone OS is out of date? Or simply that phone is not compatible with the infotainment system in that way? What phone / OS are you using?

 

[Greymulkin]

Ooops, I wrote version 55, but I meant 51. (meant to say I am upgrading to 55 - didn't get a chance to visit the dealership). I'm using a Samsung Galaxy Note 3. Gonna have some co-workers try it out as well, but I've never had a problem with my bluetooth.

 

[Srad600]

Well, I'd update the infotainment software first and then try it. You can also go to www.Mazdausa.com/bluetooth. Enter the requested information (location/ year/model/trim package). Then click "communication" at the top of the screen, and on the next screen click "Is my device compatible". Enter in your phone information and it should tell you if your phone will work as intended or not.

 

[Greymulkin]

Thanks for the link to the Mazda site. I have a Galaxy Note 3 which is not listed there (they have Note 2 and Note 4 listed); however, I had my coworkers try with their GS4 and GS5 which are listed. No luck with either.

This functionality falls under the most basic of Bluetooth operations - pairing - which just means "use the mic and speakers and input controls of whatever you're connecting to".

As soon as I get a chance, I'll head to the dealer. Unfortunately, Mazda has hidden firmware behind some kind application that will not run on my computer. As a tech person, this is really frustrating because I've updated firmware in about 100 other classes of devices and this is a first to me. Usually, you just download the firmware, put it on a USB stick, plug the stick into the infotainment system, and turn it on.

If this infotainment system was designed / built in Japan, I know the problem. In Japan, it's still common to program things using what's called assembly language.

Imagine you are building a road and to get started, you need to lay down some gravel as a foundation. Working with assembly language would be like hand-chiseling every sing rock down into perfectly crafted pebbles. Sure, there maybe some finesse on those pebbles because they each got so much attention, but it's going to take you forever and you're going to end up with maybe too wide a variety of sizes. Small and uniform is good for the foundation, before you lay the asphalt.

In the rest of the world, we use a modern programming language. C is one step up from assembly, but the difference in productivity is like bringing a big ol' rock grinder to the site that does the pebble creation for you. Works super good and you don't have to worry about uniformity of those pebbles. Doing it with the grinder gets the job done in 1 day instead of 100. Then, you can focus on mixing and pouring the asphalt. In the assembly example, they never even get to the asphalt part. The run out of time, give up, and release something that runs rough.

What I really wish though, is that I didn't have to see the safety warning every time the car starts. Seriously, I get it, the infotainment system is so hard to use I shouldn't use it while the vehicle is in motion. How many times are you going to tell me?

I'll post results once I get to the dealership.

 

[Srad600]

Thanks for the link to the Mazda site. I have a Galaxy Note 3 which is not listed there <snip>

As soon as I get a chance, I'll head to the dealer. Unfortunately, Mazda has hidden firmware behind some kind application that will not run on my computer. As a tech person, this is really frustrating because I've updated firmware in about 100 other classes of devices and this is a first to me. Usually, you just download the firmware, put it on a USB stick, plug the stick into the infotainment system, and turn it on.

You can do this yourself, but you'll need to get a hold of the USB hacks located on the other site. See here --->http://mazda3revolution.com/forums/...ronics/104730-index-infotainment-project.html
That thread is an index for another thread in which many coders have found ways to modify the infotainment system. At the end a few people developed USB stick hacks. The USB stick firmware upgrade process is also in there as well.

Good luck.

 

[Greymulkin]

Tremendous resource! Thank you!

 

[Srad600]

(cheers) No problem.

 

[Greymulkin]

Mazda's system uses the OpenCar standard. It's dead simple to modify becuase it's just Javascript (actually, I assume there is some HTML and CSS as well, I haven't been able to dig further quite yet).

As a web developer who works with these (HTML, CSS, JS) every day, this is really exciting.

It looks like the guys over in the other forum are struggling a little bit as they aren't familiar with the fancier things you can do with Javascript. I may be able to help them out and actually serve a purpose in life.

 

[Greymulkin]

Well, I upgraded from 51.00.xx to 55.00.750B and though I do see some interface changes (after selecting a favorite for playback, you aren't taken out of the favorites screen), it's still not handling my mic input properly. Time to get hacking!

 

[JbCalg]

perhaps try the 753A upgrade ?

linked in the Index topic: http://mazda3revolution.com/forums/...ronics/104730-index-infotainment-project.html

 

[Greymulkin]

perhaps try the 753A upgrade ?

linked in the Index topic: http://mazda3revolution.com/forums/...ronics/104730-index-infotainment-project.html

Yeah, I had seen a reference to a "750A" but I think they had mean "55.00.753A". I must have hit an old index or something cause the 753 wasn't listed on the page that had the downloads. I'm going to try 753A this afternoon.

Incidentally, with my upgrade, I used a USB 3.0 stick and the system had no problems with it. There was a warning somewhere else to use 2.0, but the 3.0 worked fine and seemed to take a shorter amount of time than they said to expect (like, 15-20 minutes intstead of the ~40).

750B has been almost completely unusable for BT phone calls. When it first connects and starts to play the ring, the sound can become get ear-piercingly scrambled. Other times it's fine.

I don't have a USB-to-ethernet adapter like what's recommended to do the hacks - however, I believe I should be able to use the USB from my phone to do them.

1.) Plug in the phone with a USB 3.0 cable (my note 3 needs this, another reason I think my infotainment system has USB 3.0).
2.) Turn on "Tether" in the phone's Settings menu (Connections tab). This should make my phone appear like a network adapter.
3.) Use scanning software to find which IP address the infotainment system has received.

I may have it backwards and that the infotainment system is the one that will be handing out the IP address (in fact, I think I will find that this is the case). Going to try the above this afternoon during lunch.

 

[Greymulkin]

Well, with 55.00.753A bluetooth isn't screwing up when I try to make a phone call anymore. But I still can't get the phone to receive input from the car's microphone.

I spoke with Johnson Controls, Inc. and they were a bunch of assholes. Frontline support didn't think there was a problem and refused to escalate the issue further - the guy couldn't even transfer me to another representative properly so it sounds like they're scraping the bottom of the barrel when it comes to attracting talent.

Looks like I'll be breaking into my infotainment system this weekend. Lucky for me I do this kind of s*** for a living. I expect I'll be able to plug in one of those tiny USB bluetooth adapters and get the system to use that instead. BT 4.2 people!

Oh, I should note that the software update only took about 20 minutes, even with USB 2.0. So anyone looking to tackle this, it's really not a long project.

 

[MikeM.]

Thanks for the link to the Mazda site. I have a Galaxy Note 3 which is not listed there (they have Note 2 and Note 4 listed); however, I had my coworkers try with their GS4 and GS5 which are listed. No luck with either.

Android phones don't necessarily adhere to the proper protocols (they are actually quite complicated and involve multiple layers of security, etc). If your phone is not listed by Mazda as being compatible (but a newer phone in the same model range is listed as compatible) then it has one or more functions that will not be compatible.

It would be nice if everything worked with everything but that's not how the world of wireless standards works.

 

[JbCalg]

Yeah, I had seen a reference to a "750A" but I think they had mean "55.00.753A". I must have hit an old index or something cause the 753 wasn't listed on the page that had the downloads. I'm going to try 753A this afternoon....

the link i posted has, and has had, the 753A link for at least a week - my download file datestamp has an aug 13 date

fortunately, the index exists now - before the OP started it, was a very tedious search/browse through many many posts in different topics to find download links

 

[abunn3]

Looks like I'll be breaking into my infotainment system this weekend. Lucky for me I do this kind of s*** for a living. I expect I'll be able to plug in one of those tiny USB bluetooth adapters and get the system to use that instead. BT 4.2 people!

Did you have any luck with this? Just got a 2016 GT this weekend and I've got Samsung GS6 Active. The voice recognition seems completely disabled on the phone when it's paired to the car.