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Microphone Mod

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Accessories & Modifications' started by Cheap!, Oct 12, 2006.

  1. Syclone

    Syclone Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Oct 12 2006, 12:18 AM) [snapback]331560[/snapback]</div>
    I'm not 100% sure, but I think if you get into the Diagnostic screens, you can raise the microphone volume.
     
  2. Cheap!

    Cheap! New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(syclone @ Oct 17 2006, 11:43 AM) [snapback]333965[/snapback]</div>
    From what I can tell you can only test the microphone and it measures your vocal volume and can record for a moment. This can be done in two different places in the Diagnostic screens. No adjustment exists that I have found.
     
  3. eagle33199

    eagle33199 Platinum Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Oct 17 2006, 11:29 AM) [snapback]333950[/snapback]</div>
    Thats the same worry i would have, and the reason i was hoping the packaging had specs on it.

    Oh well, back to the drawing board, so to speak :p
     
  4. Cheap!

    Cheap! New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Oct 16 2006, 05:08 PM) [snapback]333740[/snapback]</div>
    :D It is an improvement. The car can hear me better and it understands my voice commands more accurately. I did some testing while I was driving and I could even speak in a soft whisper for some of the more common commands like restaurant, or zoom out. I also have found that when I am on the phone people are not saying what, or you’re breaking up, any more. Finally, they can hear my wife as well as me when we make calls from the car. Listen carefully because you won't hear me say this often, "I think it was worth the 70 bucks." :eek:... B)
     
  5. Black2006

    Black2006 Member

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  6. Black2006

    Black2006 Member

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    Installed the second microphone over the weekend. It works great! Now when talking on the phone I don't get "what, what...?" Speaking to my wife when she is in the car, I can hear her much better, louder. I don't notice much increase in extraneous noise either.

    Overall, a great mod and very useful. I haven't really modded much on the car, other than the BT Tech Stiffening Plate and this. So far, I'd say that while I don't regret the plate, and while I think any improvement I think I notice on my 2006 from it is subtle, as far as mods go, this second microphone mod has made more of a clear improvement.

    Toyota should really make 2 mics a standard feature.

    Again, THANKS TO "CHEAP!" for the great pictorial instructions and for the great mod!!!!!
     
  7. augustson

    augustson New Member

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    Yeah I just installed this mod as well. Great job with the instructions Cheap! My only problem was I discovered my soldering skills aren't so great!

    Cheap, how did you get the pins back in once you had them soldered together? I ended up having to cut off the pins on one of the mics and soldered the wires of one mic to the pins of the other. I also had a hard time getting all four wires through that small hole in the side of the box! Mine ended up being quite messy, but a quick test in the diagnostic screen at least confirmed that both are working!

    A great mod and well worth the time and effort! (Even if you suck at soldering)
     
  8. Cheap!

    Cheap! New Member

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    You make a great point. I clipped the pins off of one mike and soldered the wire to the end of the other pin. The wire length was only about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch. I was not clear on that. If you have it working, then I would leave it alone. If anyone else has trouble soldering, here is a tip. Use flux and then put a small amount on the wire only. The flux will soak the solder up under the PVC insulation. Use just enough solder so you have no pin holes into the solder. Under a magnifying glass it should look smooth like powder coating, or a coating of chrome. You can use the soldering gun tip like a paint brush to even out the coating while it is still hot. Then put the smallest amount of solder on the end of the pin of the other mic barely coating it. Let them cool. Next put them together without adding any more solder and touch them with the soldering iron until the solder melts again. Remove the iron and they should be set. Doing this could leave you with too little solder so you may have to add more, but that is easier then de-soldering and starting over. I had no problem getting the wires back in the clip; I just lined up the wire insulation so they ended at the same point.

    Now the reason I did this was so my wife could be heard on the phone, however, since I did this conversion the computer understands us better when do voice commands. Please post it you notice the same improvement for you. I still have trouble with "78 Degrees," and "Theater," but that may just be my Houston accent.
     
  9. hobbit

    hobbit Senior Member

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    Yeah, that looked like a bit of a tricky soldering job. I would
    have probably shaved a little insulation off away from the pin and
    tacked the second wires right in there, like I do for all the
    harness taps down by the ECUs. But if you can work at the pin then
    it's easy to reverse almost undetectably -- just heat-n-pull.
    .
    Did you happen to test the impedance of the mic element while you
    had it out? That would tell you what type it is. Two wires,
    probably just a little dynamic element. You might even hear a
    tiny click out of it when you connect the ohmmeter.
    .
    Excellent pix. You might want to consider hosting them and the
    surrounding details somewhere other than priuschat, against the next
    time PC gets knocked over and all the images disappear.
    .
    _H*
     
  10. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Oct 24 2006, 09:11 AM) [snapback]337392[/snapback]</div>
    That's it buddy! Hand over your screen name, and nobody gets hurt.

    Very interesting mod. I honestly didn't think it would offer much, if any, improvement. Super to hear that it does. Just goes to show what assuming will do for you.

    My car doesn't hear "commands" but we use the BT all the time, so I think it'll be fun to try. Plus, I'm actually GOOD at soldering. ;)

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Black2006 @ Nov 8 2006, 01:15 PM) [snapback]345786[/snapback]</div>
    I assume this is what you ordered:

    Item Number MSRP Core Price Price
    8625047040 $62.05 $0.00 $46.54

    MICROPHONE ASSY, AMP

    ---------------
    It appears that both numbers pull up the same item (at least same price and description).
     
  11. Black2006

    Black2006 Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Dec 1 2006, 02:19 PM) [snapback]356422[/snapback]</div>
    Yep, that's it. As Cheap! said, the one that ends on "40" is for the 2006+, the one that ends on "20" is for 2004-5. Not sure if there is any difference, but it doesn't hurt to order the correct number:)

    And, yes, we have pretty much stopped hearing "What, what...." from the other party, when using the BT speaker phone:)))))
     
  12. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Black2006 @ Dec 5 2006, 04:29 PM) [snapback]358211[/snapback]</div>
    Ah.. I missed the part where there is some theoretical difference. Looks like I ordered the correct one. Whew.
     
  13. ttabbal

    ttabbal New Member

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    For those that are recently finding out about this mod, I got this from toyotaworld.com (the cheaper link above)

    ------

    This item is backordered with several on order already, it may be 1-2 weeks for us to get one for you. -David

    ------

    OK with me as I wasn't planning on getting it right away, just FYI for anyone else looking to try this.
     
  14. Cheap!

    Cheap! New Member

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    I removed my complete radio and MFD to install the front camera on my car and it must have reset something because people were having difficulty hearing me. Yesterday I found the adjustment for the microphone volume in the service screens. It was set on zero so I put it all the way up to five and people can hear me much better again. You should try this first before you spend money on the second mic. However, if that does not fix it for you, the second mic helps.
     
  15. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Dec 14 2006, 10:35 AM) [snapback]362277[/snapback]</div>
    Thanks, Cheap! Do you have a good write-up on how to access the service screen setting for the mic gain? Would like to add it to my site as well. I wonder what the default level is when the car is shipped.
     
  16. Cheap!

    Cheap! New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(darelldd @ Dec 14 2006, 01:01 PM) [snapback]362301[/snapback]</div>
    I'll have to run out to my car at lunch and snap some pic on how to get to that screen. I'll have it for you tonight.
     
  17. darelldd

    darelldd Prius is our Gas Guzzler

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Cheap! @ Dec 14 2006, 11:04 AM) [snapback]362303[/snapback]</div>
    Would still love to know how to get in there and check the level!

    In the meantime, I installed my new mic, and created a new page for it. Only swiped a couple of your pictures. :) I don't mean for this to steal any of your thunder... I just wanted to add my own take on it and have the instructions and pictures on my site.

    http://evnut.com/prius_mic.htm
     
  18. Rick Grahn

    Rick Grahn New Member

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    I wonder if a "remote mic" could be rigged up so that it clips to a lapel. I wonder if my voice over the blue tooth phone will be clearer than when it goes through the overhead microphone.
     
  19. Cheap!

    Cheap! New Member

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    Rick,
    First try to adjust your input volume from the dynastic screens. Go to the Diagnosis Menu, then “Bluetooth TEL Check,†then “Handsfree Voice Quality Set.†Finally you can set the “Send Voice Level†up to “5.â€

    I recommend every try this first before spending any money. This may solve your problem.
     
  20. Virodeath

    Virodeath New Member

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    Does that adjustment have to be made everytime you start the car or does it retain the change in memory?