Work around for SMH10 v4.1
Could Sena please put a work around on their site to pair BMW R 1200 RT?
Everything works sometimes but when switching back on after switching off the pairing with the BMW R1200RT is lost and it takes a lot of trial and error to get it back paired. Sometimes I have to give up and the next day when trying it again it sometimes works after resetting all to default. This has been taken 2 months now, my BMW dealer doens't know what to do, he did a hard reset of the audiosystem (built in Bluetooth: BMW Navigator IV);
Last week my BMW dealer sent it to the Sena Dealer, this man -furious on the phone- said it is working but when I came to pick it back up at my BMW dealer...no sound, whatever we tried.
Please help me
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I am having the same issue with my 2012 R1200RT. It is very frustrating. In addition, the intercom between myself and my friend on his bike, the sound is garbled every other time.... We both have the latest firmware.
Please help us!
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Thank you for your feedback. We will try to make the pairing test with BMW R 1200 RT. And if you have any issue of intercom sound, please give us a ticket of your case (http://support.senabluetooth.com/tickets/new) to get a support from us. We will keep you informed later.
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Thank you for the quick feed back. Just to clarify, I have the 4.1.1 firmware installed, and i have succesfully connected to the R1200RT (2012). The issue is that the sound is horrible. Everything sounds like a 1960s transistor radio! It seems that there is an over modulation situation or something of that nature. Keep us updated with your test results....
thanks for the support
tony
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I've paired 4.1.1 with my R1200RT with factory defaults... did you turn the bass all the way down on the R1200RT's tone settings? That REALLY helps, for some reason they're pushing way too much bass by default out the BT. What setting do you have in the Sena Manager for the K1200LT choice?
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I have been working all weekend on the Sena SMH10 v4.1.1 and I finally found a workaround that is reproducible to get the sound on a BMW R120-0RT. And,... it only takes 5 minutes. Here it is:
Notice: First pair your mobile phone with SMH10. When it is paired, make sure to TURN OFF bluetooth of phone.
1) Start bike (BMW R1200RT)
2) TURN OFF audiosystem of bike
3) SWITCH ON SMH10 v4.1.1
4) Press 'Phone Button' until you hear 'Phone pairing'
5) TURN ON audiosystem of bike while SMH10 is still searching (you can hear the high-toned multiple beeps)
6) You get connected and you will hear 'Your headset is paired'.
7) When you don't hear a sound, TURN AUDIOSYSTEM of BIKE OFF and BACK ON again. You will hear 'Media connected' and then the nice full sound.
7) TURN ON Bluetooth function of phone and you will hear 'Phone connected'.
If you switch off SMH10 and back on then the pairings are lost but the couplings are still there. So after shutting down SMH10 and switching it back on to go for a ride, then you only need to repeat steps 1 to 7. Takes +/-5 minutes.0 -
I have the BMW Navigator IV on my R1200RT along with the BMW factory radio. I have the SMH10 with firmware 4.1. Mr. Van der Auwera or others, could you be more specific on how the Navigator IV gets connected. My cell phone is a iPhone 4s. Thanks. Dasadab
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What exactly do you need to know? Sena did not come up with a solution... I think they have stopped looking for it since they no longer contact me and I recently got a message from SENA that the topic has been closed. Great service from SENA :-(
The workaround is as beneath: If there are any steps you don't understand, just let me know, ok?
Notice: First pair your mobile phone with SMH10. When it is paired, make sure to TURN OFF bluetooth of phone.1) Start bike (BMW R1200RT)2) TURN OFF audiosystem of bike3) SWITCH ON SMH10 v4.1.14) Press 'Phone Button' until you hear 'Phone pairing'5) TURN ON audiosystem of bike while SMH10 is still searching (you can hear the high-toned multiple beeps)6) You get connected and you will hear 'Your headset is paired'.7) When you don't hear a sound, TURN AUDIOSYSTEM of BIKE OFF and BACK ON again. You will hear 'Media connected' and then the nice full sound.7) TURN ON Bluetooth function of phone and you will hear 'Phone connected'.If you switch off SMH10 and back on then the pairings are lost but the couplings are still there. So after shutting down SMH10 and switching it back on to go for a ride, then you only need to repeat steps 1 to 7. Takes +/-5 minutes.Hope the technicians can do something with this.0 -
Thanks. I will try your temporary fix. It's frustrating that it's necessary to spend about 5 minutes everytime you go for a ride. I sent a comment to Sena that I am having the same problems as you finding a stable connection with my new RT (BMW radio, BMW Navigator IV, iPhone). I hope Sena can come up with a solution that works with the RT. I's interesting that their seems to be a solution with the 1600 series bikes. I would have thought that they had the same radio configuration as the RT.
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Hi,
the bluetooth audiosystem on the BMW K1600 is not similar as the one installed on a BMW R1200RT. They hadn't figgered that out neither. I guess, or better I hope, that know by now.
After lots of mailing they started to believe me that R1200RT has a different BT audiosystem. They said about 3 weeks ago that they would give it a try on the BMW R1200RT. Haven't heard from them again....
I can only advice you to keep focussed on your driving and keep your hand on the handlebar. And, ...maybe consider getting the BMW original BT device built in your helmet instead of Sena. Works like a charm!
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I gave up. I am proceeding as per thread #68. http://www.bmwlt.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53007&page=2&pp=50&highlight=dongle
I spent days trying to get BMW's audio system, GPS and my iphone to all work together with a stable connection. The problem seems to be with BMW's priority BT system. When I finally got a somewhat stable connection with firmware 4.0 (4.1 would rarely connect) the audio quality coming from the BMW radio to my Sena SMH10 was horrible. This is not the fault of the SMH10; It's an excellent product. The problem is on the BMW end with the BMW radio. The Sena SMH10 will provide excellent quality if the BMW BT radio is bypassed as per post #68.
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There's something going on in our side. We will provide patch firmware for BMW riders soon. Please stay tuned awhile. It wouldn't be long.
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Thank you!! 0 -
On October 12, Sena said it would not be long until there is a patch to make the SMH10 work reliably with a BMW R1200RT. How much longer do we have to wait? My original unit (non-USB) was replaced under warranty with a USB unit after 18 months when a pin broke. I was really happy with the Sena service, until I found out that I cannot get the Sena to stay paired. I paired the original unit once and a year and a half it worked every time I enabled Bluetooth. I was able to get the replacement to pair after a lot of trial and error, but after the first time I turned things off and back on I lost the pairing. I tried a few more times and gave up out of frustration. Does anyone out there use a Scala system? Does it work? My SMH10 is completely worthless and if there is not going to be a fix, I need to replace it with something that works. If this was a new unit I would just return it for a refund, but that is not an option.
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I agree. Sena, please get this done instead of just saying, "it won't be long." That was 3 months ago. That's 3 months with a worthless unit on the BMW RT. Alternatively, just tell us it's not happening and we can move on.
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New Firmware did not fix... When should we expect a fix? R1200RT....
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Hi,
I have a 2012 RT with the BMW Radio and NAV IV. My wife and I have each have a SMH10, iPhones, and I have wired the SM10 to the rear speaker wires. Now I am trying to figure out how to have a stable system and was hoping for your insight and suggestions.
I am really trying to sort out the best way to get everything to work together when riding with a passenger (who has the other iPhone)I paired the Sena SMH10s to each other----INTERCOM
I paired each SMH10 to a SM10 channel (it has 2)---BMW RADIO AND NAV COMMANDS CAN BE HEARD BY ME AND THE PASSENGER
I paired each iphone to its respective SMH10---RIDER AND PASSENGER CAN USE PHONE AND PLAY IPHONE MUSIC
The system isn't super stable. It seems that the order that things are paired and turned on and off matters. Q: Is this true?
Further Questions:
1. It seems with this set up, because the iPhone is not paired with the NAV IV and doesn't use the BMW BT system, I cannot answer and make calls through the NAV IV. This seems like a loss because its almost impossible to make calls from just an Iphone--Gloves, I'll drop the thing, etc.
Q: Anyway to integrate the NAV IV with the iPhone?Q: If not, will Siri work if iPhone is paired to SMH10?
2. I was also thinking it would be nice to use the BMW connector in the glove box and plug my iPhone into bike's system and then both me and the passenger could listen to my iPhone's music via the SM10. But, maybe this is too much complexity?
3. Mop up Question, Can anyone with the exact configuration that I have tell me what they recommend? Precise instructions concerning what type of pairing to use (multipoint, Hands Free, etc) would be great since I really don't understand this stuff very well.
Thanks a lot.
Dean0 -
The old unit I returned after a pin broke was running firmware 3.x and I never had any pairing issues. Every time I started my motorcycle and turned on the Sena, they would hook right up. The replacement unit Sena sent was running firmware version 4.x, and I would always lose the pairing after a power cycle. After installed backlevel firmware version 3.3, and it looks like my pairing issue is resolved. Now, if I could just get audio out of both speakers.
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@ Scott,
Pairing lists are not reseted after power on and off the unit, please contact our technical support team.
http://support.senabluetooth.com/tickets/new
Thank you.
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I just purchased the Sena SMH10B paired set for my 2012 BMW R1200RT. I looked at bluetooth systems a year ago but since Hans and Franz chose to make the BMW audio system proprietary (not a good idea) I decided that I would wait until Sena or BMW got off the dime and did a workaround. It was cheaper than buying a $1,000 helmet. Besides I liked my Shoei. This week when I went in for service the kids behind the parts counter told me that Sena had "done the workaround" so after the paired it to a bike on the showroom I bought a set for my wife and me. Worked great on my iPhone, worked great pairing with each other for the intercom. Sound on iPhone music was terrific. iPod was even good with the audio cabe. I felt so darned good about it I went to the Sena site and upgraded the firmware to 4.2. Then........I paired it to the BMW.......it paired right up, Great! I thought. Then I noticed the sound was raspy and sounded like it was coming from a time warp. Ouch! The sound was terrrible. Then I found that if you shut the audio off and then on and etc. But even that didn't work. It's BMW's flaw, not Sena but it would sure be great if Sena could solve this BMW problem.
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@ Bud,
Please do factory reset after firmware upgrade, and if you still have intermittent sound loss, please disable High quality A2DP sound from Device Manager.
If you still have problem remains, please contact our technical support team.
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I had the same issue as Bud. I purchased a Sena smh10-11, it paired perfect with my 2012 R1200RT but the sound quality was raspy..like a bad speaker. I was about to purchase aftermarket speakers but decided to call the Sena help desk. The person told me the BMW audio systems can be a problem. He suggested I Bluetooth directly to my iphone without the BMW audio. Bingo, the sound quality was perfect. I am now enjoying great sound and don't use my BMW audio.
Thank you for your suggestion at the help desk!
Kelly
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Kelly,
I finally got the BMW audio to work by buying a SM10 dongle and installing it in the glove compartment. I blue toothed it to the Sena SMH10 on the helmet and now I have BWM audio and iphone connectivity. Sena was great and Tristan at the help desk worked me through the pairing. What you do is purchase a BMW cable for the rear speakers (yes I know you don't have rear speakers) and hook it up to the rear speaker output cable underneath the front fork strut. If you look you will see it tie wrapped to a strut. It's a 4 pin connector. The cable with connector that you buy from BMW has a male 4 pin connector on one end. Next you go down to Radio Shack and buy one of the heavier audio cables, cut it and solder the three wires to pins 1,2 and 3. Pin 4 is not used on the BMW rear speaker cable. Solder the wires and shrink tube the assembly so it's water proof. Drill a small hole with a Dremel tool so you can feed the cable into the glove box. Press some foam around the cable so water can't get in. Hook the rear speaker output to the audio input socket of the SM10 and after you pair it to the SMH10 you need to press the "tone" button on the BMW audio and roll the "fader" to 10 on the rear. This sends all of the audio signals (Sirius radio etc) to the rear speaker cable and thus to the SM10 dongle. When you have the helmet SMH10 blue tooth unit paired to the SM10 you can hear all of the great audio from the BMW system and all of the handle bar controls work as well. Because your phone is also paired, when a phone call comes in you can pick it up. This is truly a great fix and the sound quality is wonderful! Phone works, the world is now back in "order". :)
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I have been using the SMH 10, paired to my Samsung phone, for a few years with great success. Playing music to the headset and communicating with another SMH 10 user has worked well. I just changed from an 09 R1200RT with no BMW radio to a 2013 that has the BMW audio system. Now I am having problems, because I am trying to play the BMW audio to the headset and not use the Samsung phone as a source of music. What I have experienced is as follows:
1. If I pair the BMW audio to the phone, and try to do a standard pairing with the Samsung phone as well, it does not work. After pairing to the BMW, when I then pair to the phone the SMH 10 turns off. What I am sure is trying to happen is 2 audio pairings at the same time, which the SMH 10 will not accept.
2. When I do Selective Profile pairing, under the instructions given in chapter 7, I am able to pair the BMW audio and the Samsung phone separately. In order to make this work, I have to turn on the SMH 10 with the BMW turned off and the phone on, and the phone then pairs (message "phone paired" is heard). Then I turn on the BMW and after a few seconds I hear "Media Paired", and music starts playing.
3. If I turn on the BMW first, its audio system pairs but the phone does not. I have to let the phone pair first for both to work. With this set up I can listen to music from the BMW audio and still receive or make phone calls.
4. As far as the BMW audio goes, I've had the following results. When I plug a USB memory stick into the BMW audio system and play music from it, the sound quality is excellent (transmitted via Bluetooth to the helmet). When I try to play music from a local FM station, or from SIRIUS XM, the sound quality is not very good when sent to the helmet via Bluetooth. The radio station or XM music is better when the bass and treble are turned down, but it is still not good. The difference between the memory stick music quality and the radio or XM sound quality is significant.
5. Since setting up my pairings this way (separate BMW audio and phone), my intercom communication with my riding partner has not been as good. Sometimes it is clear, and other times it is very garbled. Sometimes I hear some of my music trying to bleed into the conversation.
I'm not sure how much of the problem belongs to SENA and how much belongs to the BMW audio system. From what I have heard, the problem has been resolved between the SENA headset and the BMW 1600 audio system. It still is a very big problem with the SENA and the 1200RT.
A year ago SENA acknowledged the problem and said a fix was on the way. Now a year later there is no fix, and apparently the fix is still in the "Planned" category.
PLEASE SENA, let us know what the problem is, and whether or not a fix is coming from YOU. Bud Fraze in the earlier entry seems to have found a solution, but it involves a rather costly work around, including the purchase of a SM 10 dongle. Is this the only real solution to the problem, or are you working on something else?
Thanks, Pete Vosbury, Daytona Beach, Fl
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One additional item is a question for Bud Fraze. Does the SM 10 stay charged in the glove box, by having a constant USB connection, or does it have to be pulled out and charged? You said the BMW audio controls now handle everything. Does that include volume?
Thanks, Pete V.
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The best solution and it works flawlessly is: Buy the SM10 dongle. Buy the rear speaker connector cable. Go to Radio shack and by an audio mini connector and solder it on to the cable end. Drill a small hole into the glove box (yes you can squeeze foam rubber around the hole to make it water proof. Connect it to the dongle. Blue tooth pair the SM10 dongle to the SMH-10 Bluetooth headset. Charge both before this and or pair them on the kitchen table. The dongle has about 8-10 hours of battery. Turn it off when not using it. BMW controls all work as per the BMW manual because you are NOT pairing to the BMW audio, you are using the rear speaker output to the dongle. Yes, the audio for the volume on the handlebars works as does all the other functions. The volume on the helmet works as well so you have two volume controls. Go! Just buy the SMH-10 and get it done. It works flawlessly and you will have zero problems with it. Mine has been working for 4 months no problem. NO, it won't charge on the audio cable that is in the glove compartment, not a big deal. The Sena units work perfect. Just go do it and enjoy incredible audio while you ride. There are no pairing problems since both units are Sena. Just do it!
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By the way, you send the audio to the rear speaker cable by fading all the audio to the rear speaker. Make sense? If you want front speaker audio and helmet I suppose you could split them, but why? I don't want the people on the street to be subjected to my music.
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Bud:
Some additional information please. Do you have the part number for the BMW rear speaker cable? Also, does the cable have 3 wires, and do the radio shack mini audio connectors have 3 pins? If yes, which wires solder to which pins. Thanks, Pete V.
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I went with the SM10 Bluetooth Transmitter suggested by Bud Fraze, and I now have a very good and reliable system when connecting my SMH10 headsets to the built in BMW R1200RT audio system. The specifics are as follows:
1. The SM10 transmitter can be purchased through Amazon for around $110.
2. The BMW rear speaker harness, which connects to the unused plug secured to the front forks by a zip tie, is BMW part number 83300413584. This harness is $27.50 from BMW. There are 3 unused plugs at this location, but only one with 4 pins and the color wires identified below.
3. The BMW harness has 4 wires, with the numbers 1, 2, 3 and 4 printed on them. When the harness is plugged in, wire 1 is the ground, wire 2 is NOT USED, wire 3 is the right speaker, and wire 4 is the left speaker. The color coding on the wires this harness plugs into is as follows: Grey with brown stripe = ground Grey with white stripe = right speaker Grey with red stripe = left speaker
4. Wires 1, 3 and 4 need to be connected to a 1/8" stereo plug, and the stereo plug then goes into the SM10 audio in port. For the stereo plug, the tip is the left speaker, the middle is the right speaker, and the inner portion is ground. Radio Shack is a good source for the 1/8" stereo plugs.
Once the installation is complete, the SM10 is able to be paired to 2 separate SMH10 headsets, with both headsets listening to the same music coming from the BMW audio system. I adjusted the BMW audio system to send music only to the rear, and I set the volume level at 12. This sends ample signal strength to the SM10, and then each listener can fine tune their own volume at the headset.
The headsets get paired with the SM10 using selective pairing (paragraph 7.1 in the user manual), and a phone gets paired to the headsets using selective pairing (paragraph 7.2 in the user manual). An incoming phone call will turn off the music, as will an incoming intercom connection or GPS directions from the phone. Once the incoming communication ends, the music comes back on.
The total investment in parts is less than $150, and the system works really well. The music quality is really good, the intercom communication is clear, and the fact that 2 headsets can be paired to the BMW audio system at the same time is a blessing. I created folders (BMW1, BMW2, BMW3, etc) on a USB memory stick that I plug into the BMW. BMW1 has the music on it that I like the most, and BMW2 has the music on it that my wife and I both like (she is not a Jimmy Buffett fan). So I now select the proper folder (music) for the ride.
When I tried pairing the headset directly to the BMW audio system, the sound quality was not good and it also affected the quality and reliability of my intercom connection. Connecting the BMW directly to the SM10, and pairing the headsets to the SM10 has solved these issues. A small hole placed in the glove box allowed me to bring the wires in from the BMW rear speaker wire harness, and a small amount of black silicone seals up the hole. The SM10 is small and easily fits in the glove box.
If anyone would like more detailed information on the mechanics of the installation, I would be happy to share how I did it.
Cheers, Pete V.
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Pete V. wrote:
"If anyone would like more detailed information on the mechanics of the installation, I would be happy to share how I did it."
Can you provide me with the detailed mechanics of the installation? I have a 2011 R1200 RT and I am concerned about damaging the unit if I hard wire 3 of the 4 pins to the SM10. Your help is greatly appreciated.
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I haven't monitored this forum for a couple of years, because nothing new was appearing.
I got an email today (8/4/16) saying there was a new entry. I was really surprised to see the entry dated 8/12/14 that was directed at me, because I never received an email from SENA indicating this was posted. I am sure Louis has found an answer by now, but I feel bad that I was never notified of his entry because I would have been happy to help. I still am happy to help if Louis needs any assistance.
Pete Vosbury, Sebastian Fl
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