Paring XT as a phone. Any downsides?

[wjbertrand]

Forgive if this has been covered but I could not turn up a direct answer searching this forum. I have a Cardo Smartpack which allows paring the XT either as Phone 1, as a phone, or as a GPS. If one pairs the XT as a phone is there any loss/trade off of functionality with regard to the GPS features and capabilities compared to pairing it as a GPS?

[Peobody]

I don't know what the differences are between a Cardo Smartpack and Packtalk but with my Packtalk I put it in pairing mode then use the "Search for Devices" function on the XT to pair it. By default it pairs as a headset with media audio connected (Packtalk has FM radio built-in). My iPhone has Garmin Drive and media audio connected. The XT also shows Smartphone services connected which I assume handles the co-ordination of phone calls and texts between the XT and the phone.

FWIW, I have yet to figure out how to get everything to work seamlessly. I think I figured some stuff out this morning but haven't ride tested and still have problems with accessing phone contacts through the XT. I couple of the guys I ride with gave up trying to connect all three. They keep their headsets connected to their phones and rely on visual-only to their GPS. I tried it once and the phone and Packtalk worked well together but I missed hearing the GPS instructions

Finally, I have to re-pair the Packtalk to the XT often. I rode two weeks ago and had to pair it. I rode two days ago and had to pair it again. I had to pair it again this morning to work on the phone issues. When I'm on a multi-day trip it will usually reconnect every morning but it a crap shoot whether it will or not once they're powered off for more than a day.

[wjbertrand]

Thanks for the reply. My question is pairing the XT to the Cardo as a phone or a GPS, This a setting in the Cardo, not the XT. The packtalk will automatically pair to the XT as a headset. Once the packtalk is in pairing mode, you have to roll the volume roller on the Packtalk to select either phone or GPS pairing. If you skipped that, your XT will be paired as a phone by default.

What I’m trying to understand is if there are any functional difference for the XT between the different pairing types.

[Peobody]

...you have to roll the volume roller on the Packtalk to select either phone or GPS pairing.

I didn't know anything about this so I just looked in the manual and found that the volume roller phone/GPS selector is only mentioned when connecting a device to the 2nd bluetooth channel. I have never used the second channel. The 1st channel appears to default to connecting a phone which might explain why the GPS instructions always override intercom conversations even though the Cardo is configured to give intercom preference. I intend to try to connect the XT as a GPS on the second channel when I have some time. I wish I knew of a way to test GPS/intercom preference without having to take a ride with my wife on the pillion for intercom testing purposes. She enjoys riding but testing things like this make her crazy.

If the XT can indeed be paired on bluetooth channel 2 then pairing the phone on channel 1 instead of to the XT is another topic that needs insights.

[wjbertrand]

You can choose GPS or phone on either channel. Phone is the default on both channels.

[casbar]

I read somewhere that pairing the second channel as a phone instead of GPS works better on the XT. So I have my iPhone paired to channel one and to the XT and I have channel 2 paired as a phone to the XT. This is with a Packtalk (original not bold) and have had no issues with calls or anything. I have my phone paired to both because I ride other bikes that don't have a sat nav.

[Peobody]

You can choose GPS or phone on either channel. Phone is the default on both channels.

My manual only references it for bluetooth channel #2 which I tested early this morning with the XT paired as a GPS and I didn't notice any behavior difference in what testing I could do while sitting at my dining room table.

[Peobody]

So I have my iPhone paired to channel one and to the XT and I have channel 2 paired as a phone to the XT. This is with a Packtalk (original not bold) and have had no issues with calls or anything.

Hmmm.... I was having problems when I had my phone paired to both the XT and to my Packtalk Bold. I don't remember the details now except that connecting the phone only to the XT solved whatever those problems were. I wasn't connecting on different channels though. Regardless, base on my experience I don't see an advantage to having the phone connected to both. Connecting it to the XT seems to be enough. The Smartphone services seems to handle the rest. I have the Garmin Drive app connected. I don't know if it is the source of the Smartphone services.

Unfortunately we still don't know the difference between connecting the XT to a Garmin as a GPS vs. as a phone. My preliminary tests didn't reveal any differences when I changed from connected as a phone to connected as a GPS. I could still make and receive calls, play music stored on the phone, and hear map directions. The only thing I couldn't test was intercom behavior.

[casbar]

Like I posted in my reply. The advantage of connecting to both for me, is I ride fleet bikes that have different Navs and the only bike that has an XT is my own. So I need to be able to take calls when on my own bike, when riding other fleet bikes and when parked and away from the bike whilst making deliveries, so if I only had the phone paired to the XT, every time I went to work, I would have to repair my phone. The other way around this was I used to use my second Packtalk (wifes) which I also paired my phone too and take that when not on my own bike. But that caused us issues when touring as both the Nav and her Packtalk got any calls. So as it works I've done it the way I described, worked the same with my Nav VI as well

[V-Tom]

My XT has been paired with my Cardo Packtalk Bold as Phone 2 for quit a while. I think when I first got it I did it as GPS but (iirc) the phone functions on the XT didn't work (properly.)

As phone2 it can do phone functions like dial pad dialing or dialing contacts and, at least in my case, it works pretty much seamlessly.

..Tom