Grom Adapter With Bluetooth

BillNick · June 21, 2011

Hi all,

Already decided I am getting the GROM adapter for my iPhone4, but I am also attracted to the Bluetooth adapter that they offer for handsfree capability.

Is anyone running the GROM with Bluetooth?

I was looking for some feedback - installation, location of microphone, trail of cables and general use once installed?

Should I be concerned that members who have GROM also have another seperate Bluetooth kit instead of using GROMs adapter??

Thanks

Bill

FuntimePhil · June 24, 2011

hiya bill, i've asked this question too, i had a grom installed a few years ago and it was fantastic, back then they didnt have a Bluetooth option, it seems to be relatively new, which is prob why all existing grom users here dont know about it. I really want to try it but would love some feedback first, if you decide to take the plunge first please leave me your feedback.

As for cabling, my first grom, all cables ran behind stereo and under the gear gator, under the middle console and into the back compartment (by your elbow), no cables visable and i loved it. This time i have built a retractable Iphone holder fitted under the heated seats plate, so when i install grom, cable will come from under there so still pretty much invisible and the mic i was gonna mount on the sunglasses holder tray (where the satnav is on the better models)

LexIS200Sport · June 28, 2011

guess what I received in the mail today... tada!! :P

It's a Grom unit with the Bluetooth module. I'm just waiting for my climate control backlit LEDs to arrive and then I will install them all in one go.

I read through the user manual, and apparently you just need to hit the "next track" button on the CD player to answer the call, and "previous track" to hang up. Any music that is being played by the Ipod will be attenuated automatically. You can also stream music from your phone via Bluetooth.

I'll post here again when I have it all hooked up and running!

FuntimePhil · June 29, 2011

he he well done mate, make sure you let me know. these are the questions i have:

Does the music streaming via Bluetooth sound the same?

Does it cut in and out or skip when loses connection?

Where have you mounted mic?

what is the clarity of the call, from both callers perspective?

Is it the Dogs bo%%ocks? as im hoping it is?

also post a pic of your climate control leds, i tried at least 4 different types and non of them were bright enoough. i ended up making a little circuit with lots of leds in there to keep it bright but there is so little room to play with it was very hard

BillNick · June 30, 2011

guess what I received in the mail today... tada!! :P

It's a Grom unit with the Bluetooth module. I'm just waiting for my climate control backlit LEDs to arrive and then I will install them all in one go.

I read through the user manual, and apparently you just need to hit the "next track" button on the CD player to answer the call, and "previous track" to hang up. Any music that is being played by the Ipod will be attenuated automatically. You can also stream music from your phone via Bluetooth.

I'll post here again when I have it all hooked up and running!

Great!!

Please let us know on this thread how you get on....

Recommendations for mounting mic and trailing the cable would be great. I was hoping to trail it up the drivers A fram and poke it out of the corner roof above the driver.

Looking forward to it.

Bill

andrewtayloruk · June 30, 2011

My IS200 came with a Grom unit installed by the previous owner, I've always been very pleased with it. I'm thinking about putting one in our other car (Toyota Avensis). If the Bluetooth works well, I think I'll upgrade the Lexus. I'm following this thread with interest.

Andrew

Parthiban · June 30, 2011

Does this connect to the amp or the stereo? Assuming it's the same as the first it's probably the stereo - in which case how does it cut in when you get a call (or does it not and you have to switch to CD1 to hear the phone audio)?

LexIS200Sport · June 30, 2011

It connects to the CD-changer port at the back of the headunit.

From what I understand, it cuts out the iPod when you receive a phone call. But you still have to preselect "CD1" on the headunit for the Bluetooth connectivity to work. I think.

I'm hoping to get it all connected next week, so I'll confirm if this is the case! :)

FuntimePhil · June 30, 2011

i read the instructions and it says, if you are listening to ipod then it auto cuts out to call, if your listening to normal cd or radio, when phone rings just press CD1 and it connects straight to phone,

if it works like it says it should it could be a very impressive piece of kit, Come on Lex hurry the hell up lol

LexIS200Sport · June 30, 2011

I plan to install the microphone in a similar location as shown in the picture below:

However, I am a little unsure on how to remove the A-pillar trim. I read through the PDF guide from this link and had a hard look at my own A-pillar, but I couldn't find the bolt that is securing the trim?

Any advice on removal will be greatly appreciated!

Parthiban · June 30, 2011

You don't need to remove the A-pillar trim, I ran mine along the edge of the dash and then along the front edge of A-pillar (adjacent to the windscreen) - it's really easy to tuck it in using some form of blunt object.

Another option is that you will probably end up taking the door rubber off, and when you pull this away you have direct access to behind the trim, so again it doesn't need to come off. Just bear in mind if you have a car with curtain airbags that you never cross the airbag with the cable.

FuntimePhil · June 30, 2011

ok i like it where you have it that picture, Parthiban, rough step by step, how do i get from back of stereo to up there without cable showing anywhere>?

Parthiban · June 30, 2011

ok i like it where you have it that picture, Parthiban, rough step by step, how do i get from back of stereo to up there without cable showing anywhere>?

It's quite simple actually, you'll see when you get the stereo out that it's pretty easy to get it out, then behind the steering wheel, up the side of the dash and up the a-pillar.

Can't remember how much I took but I'll try and dig out my pics from when I installed.

FuntimePhil · June 30, 2011

if you wouldnt mind that would be great. are you saying then that bar the the stereo nothing else actually needs to be removed? its just a case of feeding it through gaps etc?

Koko · July 1, 2011

Hi all,

I fitted mine in Apr this year HERE ARE a few pics from the installation (sorry for the foreign link, but thats where my thread is) click to see full size

The Grom unit is fantastic and the Bluetooth too but the ringing and `in call` volume are bit low. Have emailed Grom and they`re working on it, hopefully the outcome will be good.

Make sure you have the latest version of firmware!

LexIS200Sport · July 1, 2011

That is awesome, thanks for the pictures! You have a very neat installation!

This will definitely come in handy... I'm all too tempted to plagiarise your setup! :P

FuntimePhil · July 5, 2011

still waiting lol

LexIS200Sport · July 6, 2011

still waiting lol

Still waiting for my climate control LEDs to arrive mate

Friggin postal services...

Parthiban · July 6, 2011

if you wouldnt mind that would be great. are you saying then that bar the the stereo nothing else actually needs to be removed? its just a case of feeding it through gaps etc?

Sorry been a tad busy so haven't been on here in a few days - yep the only thing I removed was the stuff in the centre console, everything else was just feeding cables around.

FuntimePhil · July 15, 2011

laaaalalaaaaaa :)

LexIS200Sport · July 15, 2011

I finally got around to fitting everything today! Sorry for the delay everyone; I decided to wait until I had enough time to do everything below at one go:

salvage my stuck CDs from the headunit
replace LED backlights for the climate control unit
install the Grom iPod + Bluetooth module
swap the indicator and wiper stalks around (with Altezza ones)

Right just to recap, this is what the Grom iPod and Bluetooth system looks like:

Installation

I generally followed the guide posted by Hando here. The photos below show where I have mounted the various bits and bobs for the Grom system:

The Grom unit up close and personal

The Grom unit all wired up and placed on the passenger side of the centre console

The Bluetooth microphone

The Bluetooth module, not visible but it is located behind the panel shown below, held by two black zip-ties. This panel is located at the top of the centre console

I routed the microphone wires inside the black velvet border along the A-pillar. It then continues to under the dash (routes into the fuse box, located near the OBD port and bonnet-release lever), and then to the centre console. The overall routing was pretty straight-forward, it just got a little tricky when I had to look for mounting points to zip-tie the wire. I also made sure that it wasn't too close to the heating/cooling pipes for the climate control system.

Operation

The Grom system worked on the first go. You will have to switch to the Grom unit by hitting the "CD" button twice. You can then select to control your music either using the clickwheel on the iPod or using the buttons on the headunit.

Pairing with the Bluetooth module was pretty straight-forward with my Nokia E71. Music is streamed via A2DP. Anything that streams from Bluetooth takes precedence over the iPod. Therefore, the iPod is muted automatically when I play music using the phone or when the satnav woman on Ovi maps interrupts. The same goes to phone calls; you can answer the call by hitting the "Next Track" button, and hang up using "Previous Track". If you have call-waiting feature, you can also switch between calls, though I am yet to try this myself.

After initial pairing with the Grom unit, my phone remembers the settings and automatically reconnects whenever I switch on the ignition. If the Grom unit wasn't already selected on the headunit when the phone rings (for example while listening to FM radio), you can still answer the call by hitting the "CD" button. The Bluetooth connection remains even if you have selected another mode on the headunit.

Sound Quality

After trying out a couple of different tracks, this is how I generally rank the sound quality:

CD player > iPod > FM radio > Bluetooth

Somehow, audio streaming via Bluetooth makes my MP3s sound like sub-128k quality. Phone call quality however appears to be good. I tested the call quality with a friend while driving at speeds between 50 - 60mph and the sounds was clear with almost no background noise.

Conclusion

So there you have it folks. The Grom-iPod connectivity has already been well received on this forum. Streaming audio via Bluetooth may not yield the best sound quality, but phone calls were certainly clear. Or it could just be that the sound quality from my phone is sub-par anyway

Parthiban · July 16, 2011

Nice neat install mate :)

Check on your phone whether it has Bluetooth settings for phone audio and music audio separately - it might be sending the music using the phone profile which may explain the poor quality.

FuntimePhil · July 18, 2011

looks good mate, think im gonna mount my mic next to the interior lights, didnt want it near the window incase of outside wind noise, but if you say its all good then excellent.

LexIS200Sport · July 19, 2011

Thanks guys. I did a Milton Keynes - Cardiff roundtrip over the weekend and streamed audio via Bluetooth all the way. There was absolutely no drop in connection at all.

Had a few phone calls along the way and the system transitioned smoothly between the call and the music player on my phone. Was doing 70mph on the M4 as well and had no issues with the call quality.