Intercom "Drops" Off and is unreliable.
Hello everyone,
We are on our second set of 20s. We bought the dual pack and installed them relatively easily and they were working fine. We started having issues with the intercom feature "dropping off." We'd have the headsets connected and, in the middle of a conversation while riding next to each other, the conversation would drop off. The only way to re-establish the connection was to either go through the head shake or press the button for 5 seconds. Finally, my unit essentially died on us. It started repeating "group intercom failed" whenever you would try to tap a button or even turn it off and wouldn't hold a charge. We contacted Sena support and left a voice message after we were unable to get through a few times, but haven't gotten any response. Finally, the store we bought the units from exchanged them.
The new units were also easy to install and pair with our iphones. We have the same issue with conversations simply dropping off while using the intercom feature. We also have problems listening to music. On my husband's unit, he can either listen to music or use the intercom, but not both. If he has music on, the intercom will drop off after about one sentence and does the same every time we reconnect. On mine, I can't seem to NOT have music, even if I turn off the music app that it's coming from on my phone. I can hear him, though, so we just leave it on.
Is there any way to escalate with support? Has anyone else had these issues and found a workaround? The primary reason we bought these was for the intercom features and they have been unreliable on both sets of headsets. Thank you!
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Haven't been riding much due to weather, but.... Just took the first day ride with the new firmware update. At least for today (fingers crossed) the intercom did not drop once.
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I have a pair of 20s and bought them about 2 months ago to use for intercom when we ride atvs. When we got them we had whatever firmware was on them and no issues. We updated to 1.3 and this ride and the last they suck. After about 5 minutes they stop working. Have to turn them off and back on, then pair them up to use intercom again. Needless to say we stopped doing that while we ride. We paid 500 and basically they are useless. Help please. 0 -
Used my new 20s headsets for the first time this past weekend. Latest firmware installed. Intercom would drop off randomly, at most lasting 5 minutes.
Would not reconnect, kept getting "Intercom failed" message. Would have to power unit off and on again to re-establish connection. Unit would also power off at random intervals on its own, without warning or "goodbye" message.
Also, could not get it to pair with iphone 6 using latest iOS. Kept getting device is not compatible message.
As they sit now...waste of $500
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Has anyone had an answers as to why intercom drops out unexpectedly?????
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I have a duo set purchased a couple weeks ago and on one of mine as soon as you connect the intercom it will shut itself off within 30 seconds or less. I started a case. I think this is really strange as it seems to only happen after the intercom connects, I wonder if its a hardware or software crash? The other issue I had was in the good unit on the way home today I all of a sudden was getting some static in the left speaker while listening to music through my Garmin lm590, reboot fixed it.
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Julie, with only two of us paired and connected, I haven't encountered the intercom drop-out problem using the latest firmware. If you have a GPS connected to the A2DP (1st phone) port of the Sena, intercom will cease every time the GPS gives a navigation or alert. If both users have GPSs, intercom will cease when either user gets an alert or navigation prompt. But without any GPS connected and only 2 intercom users, we haven't experienced any failures like with the first and second firmware releases.
Ken
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My wires shuts off completely after we connect intercoms, brand new unit with 1.3 software.
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@Dtoake91 "Also, could not get it to pair with iphone 6 using latest iOS. Kept getting device is not compatible message." Since you are having a problem pairing your 20S to your iPhone 6, can you please contact our Technical Support department by e-mailing then at support@sena.com and provide them a picture in regards to your statement about not being able to pair with your iPhone 6. It would help us to determine the cause and possibly find a solution.
In regards to the issues being reported about the intercom, we are determined to improve our products based on customer feedback so we will keep supporting the 20S to improve upon existing features through firmware updates.
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I have a 20s (dual set), purchased last year July/August; an iPhone 5s and a BMW NAV V. Phone is connecties to the GPS and so is the Sena. It is also connected to my boyfriends' sena Sena workshop fine, and then soletimes, i hear a crack and it stops, other times, i just hear botsing and it is only benauwend don't hear instructies from the GPS it is still on, but doesn't work anymore. All connecties see' to be lost. The only thing that i need to do is shut it down and start it up again,but it can do the same seconde or minutes later. I have tried almost everything, but today i had to shut it down and restart it About 10-15 times. This is so annoying,and inreliable. What I don't understanding is that it is only mine! The other set workshop just fine - no issues. Anyone has an idee wat to do? 0 -
I have a 20s (dual set), purchased last year July/August; an iPhone 5s and a BMW NAV V. Phone is connecties to the GPS and so is the Sena. It is also connected to my boyfriends' sena Sena workshop fine, and then soletimes, i hear a crack and it stops, other times, i just hear botsing and it is only benauwend don't hear instructies from the GPS it is still on, but doesn't work anymore. All connecties see' to be lost. The only thing that i need to do is shut it down and start it up again,but it can do the same seconde or minutes later. I have tried almost everything, but today i had to shut it down and restart it About 10-15 times. This is so annoying,and inreliable. What I don't understanding is that it is only mine! The other set workshop just fine - no issues. Anyone has an idee wat to do? 0 -
I have a 20s (dual set), purchased last year July/August; an iPhone 5s and a BMW NAV V. Phone is connecties to the GPS and so is the Sena. It is also connected to my boyfriends' sena Sena workshop fine, and then soletimes, i hear a crack and it stops, other times, i just hear botsing and it is only benauwend don't hear instructies from the GPS it is still on, but doesn't work anymore. All connecties see' to be lost. The only thing that i need to do is shut it down and start it up again,but it can do the same seconde or minutes later. I have tried almost everything, but today i had to shut it down and restart it About 10-15 times. This is so annoying,and inreliable. What I don't understanding is that it is only mine! The other set workshop just fine - no issues. Anyone has an idee wat to do? 0 -
Now that spring is here I've been able to put hours on my new firmware. I had the "intercom fail" issue before, but not now with the new firmware. I've had multi day trips and no issue. Usually I use them two up riding with my wife, but did a full day with dad on a separate bike and had no issues. I hope I don't jinx it now....
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Return to Sena for replacements. The warranty is 2 years. Serials 1500xxx and higher work perfectly and solve all of these problems. Serials 14xxxx are nothing but problems.
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Same issue with our group of three.
Regularly a person is dropped without any warning.
Strange thing is that the led is still flashing green, but without any sound.
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well, I started a ticket but reaction from Sena is REALLY slow (or non existing)
I hope to get the set replaced and get rid of all problems
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Actually I have a 20s that was purchased March 2015 with SN 1501xxxx that is having the same problems as above plus it will not fully charge (get blue light). Currently running firmware v1.4.1. Before doing the update I did a fault reset and factory reset. When I use it paired with my Android phone and intercom I really do not have many problems with dropping out of my intercom session with my buddy who is using a SMH10. When I pair my phone to Garmin Zumo 660 and Zumo to 20s as phone, I have nothing but problems. Drops any time the GPS makes any sound.
Opened a ticket for Charging issue and will just reconfigure with GPS prompts so that I can talk with my riding buddy.
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Just got our replacement set today. Choppy communications at 200 feet and then all communication stops after that. The range is awful. I am so disgusted with these stupid things.
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Kathy, ours worked almost flawlessly for our 13 day trip. Last year, we were as frustrated as you sound to be. But this year was a totally different experience.
One of the things we did this year (different from last year) was that we did NOT pair and connect our Zumos with the Senas. We all have Zumos and 20S Senas. But there is a problem in Zumo->Sena interface operation. It may be Garmin's or Sena's problem causing the issue; but it was absolutely horrible last year. Instead of Bluetooth connection between our Senas and Zumos, this year, we all got little $9 FM transmitters and wired our Zumos to the FM transmitters via short audio patch cable. Then, we tuned our Senas FM radios to our individual FM transmitter frequencies. It was great! The Senas were no longer interrupted by the Zumo lady or any of her beeps, alerts, powering on/off, etc. We had constant Intercom communication for the entire trip. None of our Senas powered off or had any intercom interruption at all.
ON RANGE: We still had intercom communication when separated by an eighth of a mile or more. I could barely see the last ride in my rear view mirrors at times, but still had good, clean communication.All of the little flip-up antennas must be UP to get good range. There were four of us for the first week and three after that.
It should be noted that the motorcycles need to be in riding position (on the road) that resemble the chain of intercoms in the app or as set up manually. In that mode, we could even talk to riders totally out of sight; so long as intermediate riders were in range of the front and rear riders. Conversely, if the group intercom 2nd rider is at the back of a string of motorcycles, the first rider will have trouble using intercom to all the rest. It's something to think about that's inherent with Bluetooth communication.
BUT, like I say, in our 4 man configuration, we all had excellent communication even when the last rider was well over 1/8th of a mile back. It was consistent and repeatable. Last year we were ready to throw all of our new 20S units into the trash. This year; well, we can't wait for another motorcycle tour, the Senas worked so well.
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We had just the 20s on- no phones, no gps- nothing. I stood on my back deck and my husband walked out and we kept talking. He got to 200 feet and the communication broke up. They're junk.
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I'm sorry to hear of that; mainly because it was so much like our experience last year. EVERYTHING was wrong with them last year.
The Bluetooth IS line of sight between each of 2 units. The antennas on both must be up vertical. And the antennas must be able to "see" each other. Even turning one's head can hide the antenna and cause loss of communication when at the fringes. Trees, buildings, cars, trucks, or anything else that gets between units on the fringes will interrupt intercom.
I hope you have better luck in the future. I only replied to your post because our experience this year was as we originally expected from Sena.
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For what we paid for them they should have, at least, the range that the smh10's had. The antennas were both up, both units fault reset, dead straight line between husband and I and 200 feet is max. We'll be looking at other brands. 0 -
You guys should check a few things before jumping to conclusions. I have a replacement set that I got from Sena a few months back and they work perfectly. Like comms radio-radio around a half a mile.
Check your headphones!! That headphone wire is the antenna for the units not that stupid little plastic fake one on the side. The antenna wire has to be run over the top of your head inside the helmet or they will not work. It also makes the FM radio work or not work so check that wire.
Mine work really better than I expected after I got replacements. My only complaint is that the audio is not quite loud enough at highway speeds. Needs a better amp built into the units.
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Wires are run over the tops of the helmets. 0 -
Wires run over the tops of the helmets? What are they connected to? Which wires? This is confusing.
The Bluetooth gets its signal from the little flip-up antenna and nowhere else. When flipped up vertical, it works best and the Bluetooth has best range. When folded down and latched, it still works, but the range is reduced.
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Sena techs have said on another thread about FM radio reception that the speaker wire that goes to the speakers (that came with the unit) must run across the top inside of the helmet liner and be extended inside the helmet for best radio reception. I am assuming that the wire serves as a Radio-Radio antenna as well. That's how mine is setup and it works great. When I installed my Sena and put the speakers inside the helmet I made sure to run the wire across the top inside of the helmet and it works great both radio and comms.
Just my 2 cents maybe it will help.0 -
The headphone wires are run directly (under) the tops of our helmets- not the back.
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Speaker wires, headphone wires- whatever. The are run inside the helmet over the top. Max range is 200 feet on second set of replaced units.
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Through several conversations with Sena over the past year, I'm pretty sure that the helmet speaker wires have nothing to do with intercom range. Intercom range is more affected by whether the little flip-up antenna is up or down. My own experience is that if the Sena units can't "see" each other, range is reduced. Hills, trees, buildings, buses, trucks, cars, other motorcycles, and even head turned so that the Sena is turned away from the connected rider; all reduce range.
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We turned off the HD Intercom and got another 200 feet or so before the choppy communications started again. This is with both of us standing on our street with no obstacles. I guess 400 feet is better than 200 feet but still is not as good as the smh10 units.
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Make sure eight-way intercom is disabled if you are pairing with less that 4.
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