vB Easy Archive - Dash with Sony HBH-DS970 and Voice Command = PAIN

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Dash with Sony HBH-DS970 and Voice Command = PAIN
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Posted by: martyspencer

I just received my Sony stereo Bluetooth headset for my new Dash. It is a pretty nice bit of kit, however there are a few thing that have been mentioned elsewhere and a couple of new problems I just discovered.

First the particulars:

Unlocked Tmobile Dash phone with a 2gb SanDisk microSD storage card.

Microsoft Voice Command 1.6 for Smartphone, running in phone memory (not storage card).

I can confirm the following issues that have been reported elsewhere:
Track id doesn't show in Headphone display.
Only the caller ID phone number shows in Headphone display, not contact info on incoming calls.
Quality of sound is very good, but it does benefit from equalization. (Sounds great with TCPMP's EQ)

Here are two minor new issues I found:

1. Pause/Play and track skip/back only works with Windows Media Player, not with TCPMP (this is a minor bummer since TCPMP is otherwise a better choice than WMP for the headset.)

2. Voice Command also only works with Windows Media Player, not TCPMP ( Evil Microsoft Plot???

)

Here is the BIG PROBLEM:

The Voice Command program sounds are WAY TOO LOUD using the Sony headset. This is mainly due to two factors: The headset has the amplifier to really blow your ears out and you have to crank the volume down to about half or less for normal listening. This is cool execpt for Voice Command blasts everything at MAX volume. This is quite painful and makes Voice Command unusable with the headset. For some reason, even with the Sony volume at minimum, everything from Voice Command comes thru at very painful levels.

I further tested this volume problem with Voice Command using the stock wired headset that ships with the Dash and it works the same way, whatever system volume you set, all sounds issuing from Voice Command are at MAX. This distorts the sound in the headset, but the stock headset doesn't have the sound pressure potential to hurt your ears since.

Same thing using the speaker in the Dash: Slight distortion from Voice Command due to it blasting everything at Max volume. There is no way to adjust this volume. This can be a problem in meetings if you use alerts. Even when the phone is in the silent profile, Voice Command is always at MAX.

I checked this out using my Scala 500 bluetooth headset. Same issue, Max volume for everything from Voice Command, but the Scala's volume does have an effect on the overall volume. Voice Command actually works fairly well with the Scala. Of course, the Scala is only good for phone calls, not music, and there is the occasional glitch where the volume goes to MAX, even with the Scala set to low volume. No pain with the Scala since it dosn't fit in the ear as well as the Sony and it only blasts away in one ear, not both.

This volume Issue is a big problem and makes Voice Control pretty much useless with the Sony headset.

I cannot find a way to adjust the volume in the Voice Command software. I even poked about in the registry and experimented a bit with a couple of likely looking items with no luck.

I spoke with a CSR at Sony techincal support but they were pretty useless hiding behind the "we only support Sony Ericson equipment used with Sony Erickson Phones" excuse. This is probably fair and to be expected.

I'm hoping I'm just incompetent and missed something that one of you sharper lads will pick up on. I am really hoping someone familiar with Voice Command internals can come up with a registry entry to fix this.

I'd like to hang on to both Voice Command and the Sony headset. If the volume problem can be sorted out, the combo is almost perfect with the Dash.

Marty

Posted by: martyspencer

Hey,

I solved it!!!

The Sony headset has two volume setting!! Not very intuitive and not in the user manual, but if you adjust the volume on the headset while listening to music, that only affects the music setting. Use the same volume buttons to adjust the volume during a call and this affects only the call volume.

I had the call volume set to max, thus causing my painful Voice Command issue...Voice Command was coming across the phone channel.

I feel much better now and am very pleased with both the headset and Voice Command.

Once again, another case of SUS (Stupid User Syndrome)!!!

Marty
Happy Dash Owner

Posted by: ebadger

Marty,

I can assure you that Voice Command working with windows media player is not an evil plot. I believe you can actually switch the association of .ASX files to use another media player. If you do that, it should work. Voice Command creates an ASX file and shell executes it, so any media player that can handle .ASX format should be able to handle the Voice Command playlist.

I think there is a tweak just asking to be made here.

It's great to hear that you're having a great experience with media and Voice Command!

Let T-mobile know how you feel about Voice Command, maybe they'll include it in all of there next gen devices by default.