Audio/Nav/iPhone BLISS! Finally!!!! (O-Car head unit review)

[JoshG]

I'm curious if you can still reach the headphone/headset plug on the iphone while it's docked? I have an awesome (and expensive) headset that let's me hear and be heard while on the phone even going 80mph with the top off.

NO, The O-car holds the iphone in a way that the headphone jack is not available for use. Sorry...

 

[JoshG]

I've been studying your pics quite a bit and I still don't see anything perched on the steering column. Can you post a pic showing where they placed the mic? Mucho thx!

Sure, will try to snap a picture that shows it... but it's the mic that comes with the O-car, secured on to the top of the steering column cover.

 

[DavidM]

That looks awesome! What a great idea. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jimmygun]

Audio go through Bluetooth or dock connector?

Hey guys I am not a Tesla owner. I own a Dodge Challenger. I don't want to intrude, but you have some good info on the Oxygen O'car unit. I am very interested in this, but I was wondering if you could tell me how the audio apps amplify the audio? I know calls go through the Bluetooth, but I want to know how everything else is amplified? And do you think this works with Siri? Thanks so much for any help. The only thing is I wish this unit worked with steering wheel controls as well. Then it would be perfect! Thanks again.

 

[JoshG]

I know calls go through the Bluetooth, but I want to know how everything else is amplified?

Hi Jimmy, the O-car works like any ipod dock, like those iHome clock radios in hotel rooms as an example. Plug it in, and all audio that would normally come out of your speaker now goes through the O-car head unit, where the hard volume switch on the dash controls the sound level. It works with every app that will play sounds. It doesn't use the headphone jack, it uses line-level output for audio that is available on the dock connector... so the amps in your car do the amplification.

And do you think this works with Siri?

I haven't tried it as I only have a regular iphone 4. If Siri works on an iHome clock radio or something like that, it should work in the O-car. Not sure if it will look to bluetooth microphone in the car for speech input or use the little mic in the iPhone... you'll have to try that or look for reports on how Siri works on other docking devices.

The only thing is I wish this unit worked with steering wheel controls as well. Then it would be perfect! Thanks again.

I agree... probably some way to rig that up, but my car has no factory steering wheel controls so I haven't investigated it. A good car stereo guy should be able to help out on that.

 

[JoshG]

I've been studying your pics quite a bit and I still don't see anything perched on the steering column. Can you post a pic showing where they placed the mic? Mucho thx!

Here are those photos you requested of the hardwired mic, JnC- sorry it took me so long.

Thanks iCloud photostream... I snapped these a few days ago, forgot about it, and just found them in my photostream here on my home PC. Cool!

(click pic for larger view)

 

[JnC]

Thanks for the update. That's exactly where I installed mine on the Elise. I was rather surprised that I could have a conversation at 80 mph with the base (non-insulated) targa top on, and that the folks on the other end heard every word I said. I haven't had a chance to try it with Siri at speed.

I do wish that it had +/- track buttons and a mode toggle button on the mount. It would be nice to bump a track without having to go back into the iPod or Pandora. Or to toggle to the radio without hunting down the app.

On the charging front, if Bluetooth, GPS, and audio are all going at the same time, it barely makes much progress on charging the iPhone 4. BTW, I decided to play it safe and swap out the 7.5A fuse for a 15A fuse the radio circuit (to match the one in the head unit). Teslas may vary in that regard.

My unit didn't come with a Euro-style ISO DIN connection harness (despite what they show in the online manual), which would have been plug and play. The harness was just tinned wires. So I had to crimp it to a VW connector (and reverse the switched/constant power leads). The O'Car has bulky plastic caps over the RCA connectors, and they tend to snag within tight confines and eats up some of the available space for cables behind the head unit.

I was very happy with this unit during a cross country drive. Nice investment. The mount has zero vibration despite being in a Lotus with sport suspension. Very impressive. All in all, it's probably my favorite iPhone head unit so far. It really works well in a 1DIN space environment.

 

[JnC]

An update: I'm finding that at highway speeds there is too much background noise for Siri to work properly. Perhaps at this beta stage, noise reduction may not be completely sorted out. I'd be curious if the Teslas are faring better with a much quieter drivetrain.

 

[dsm363]

An update: I'm finding that at highway speeds there is too much background noise for Siri to work properly. Perhaps at this beta stage, noise reduction may not be completely sorted out. I'd be curious if the Teslas are faring better with a much quieter drivetrain.

That probably has more to do with wind noise than drivetrain noise. The wind noise in my Roadster is horrible even with the hard top and the wind noise fix they applied.