Comm's in helmets

JZ67 said:

I have been using the Interphone F4 for over 15 years. Aside from swapping the battery (and removed to be put in new helmets along the way), it has been great. The rubber on the wiring is showing some age but it came with multiple wire packs so I had plenty to use. Changing the battery was an ordeal and it took a bit to find the replacement but so glad I did.

Music quality is incredibly good even through hearing protection. The phone quality is great as well. As much as I don't like taking a call on a ride, the caller cannot tell that I am on my bike.

Did I mention it is 15 years old?

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I have a Sena 20S that’s around the same age. I’ve used it year round swapping it from motorcycle helmets to snowmobile lids and it’s been great. Changed the battery just last year with an Amazon one as the original was starting to have low charge (easy peasy, cost $20, and lasts all day blasting music).
I don’t take most calls but it has come in very handy when a call comes in that needs taking and I don’t have to wait around for it.

adoom said:

Yes. In fact the only time I've had an issue is when I took a call, on my bike, from a friend using a SENA on his bike, and I couldn't understand a word he said it was breaking up too much on his end. I'm not saying SENA or any other brand isn't good, I'm just saying if you want some bare bones, no frills comms, the V6 is a decent pick.

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It's actually due to the limitations of bluetooth over distance. Pillion distance is about as good as bluetooth gets for real time comms.

You would think to compare it to bluetooth at home on a bluetooth speaker, but the Bluetooth A2DP protocol is designed with built in buffering (think how Youtube buffers your videos). Bluetooth Telephony (TCS Intercom) has no buffer so that is why you had such a terrible experience with the Sena.

But if you only use comms for pillion situations, then it's more than enough as the helmets probably come off as soon as the bike stops so distance apart isn't a factor.

I'm still using a 1st gen packtalk from 2019 but I'm on my 3rd battery. Just two wires soldered and some RTV, as good as new.