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Dave
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Joined: Sep 10, 2003
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Location: UK
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 Posted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 11:31 pm Post subject: REVIEW COMMENTS: Qubit PDA Sound System Review |
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The low volume of the speakers on many of the latest PDA's is frequently cited as an issue when using them for in-car navigation. As each new model is released to an eager audience it seems that the addition of new features such as Bluetooth and WiFi are added at the expense of a smaller PDA speaker and lower output volumes.
Enter Qubit!
The full review can be read here |
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Parky
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Joined: 25/05/2003 09:12:02
Posts: 247
Location: Bradford UK
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| Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 8:58 am Post subject: Quibit Sound System |
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Great, At least a company is thinking on the right lines for poor volume issues. However, I foresee a problem that many of PDA mobile sat nav users will have using this system, in that, it plugs into the cigarette lighter of the car, which is currently being used in many cases by the PDA itself. I'm sure the more technically minded will be able to hard wire either the PDA or this unit, but for us mere mortals, it still leaves us with a problem of getting power to both units at once.
Alan |
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Dave
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Location: UK
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a4ace
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Joined: 19/08/2003 21:28:03
Posts: 219
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
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| Posted: Mon Feb 09, 2004 11:28 am Post subject: Re: REVIEW COMMENTS: Qubit PDA Sound System Review |
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| Dave wrote: | | Most new vehicles provide an input specifically for cell phone car kits and this system will integrate perfectly with them. Installing in this way would automatically mute the in-car audio when your PDA is speaking! |
how about for those that already have a cell phone kit installed? would this work as well on nav control inputs?
| Parky wrote: | | However, I foresee a problem that many of PDA mobile sat nav users will have using this system, in that, it plugs into the cigarette lighter of the car, which is currently being used in many cases by the PDA itself. |
from Dave's review...
| Dave wrote: | | Helpfully Qubit even provide a 12v cigarette lighter pass-thru socket so that you don't lose the ability to charge your PDA whilst the Qubit system is using the car's socket. |
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DavidW
Pocket GPS Moderator
Joined: 17/05/2003 02:26:21
Posts: 3747
Location: Bedfordshire, UK
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 3:53 pm Post subject: Re: REVIEW COMMENTS: Qubit PDA Sound System Review |
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| a4ace wrote: | | Dave wrote: | | Most new vehicles provide an input specifically for cell phone car kits and this system will integrate perfectly with them. Installing in this way would automatically mute the in-car audio when your PDA is speaking! |
how about for those that already have a cell phone kit installed? would this work as well on nav control inputs? |
I think that should actually be Darren wrote...
I would think there's normally no problem just connecting up another device to the mute line - though it depends on what standard is being used. Most (but not all) radios that have a mute line on the radio that's weakly pulled up, and you ground it to mute the radio.
This allows you to use the mute input in "open collector" fashion - you connect the input to the collector of an npn transistor, with the emitter connected to ground. Certainly this is how most if not all Nokia car kits work. With "open collector", there's no problem connecting up another transistor in another piece of kit.
Unfortunately it's impossible to give blanket reassurance that it's always safe and is always going to work, as there are so many standards. I've come across at least one stereo that can have the mute input working on a pull high to mute setup!
What probably won't work is trying to use an audio input on the radio - I know the one on my Vauxhall/Opel OEM system seems rather slow to switch on when the mute line is asserted.
What interests me is this QuBiT system - which I don't think is the one reviewed here.
David |
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a4ace
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Joined: 19/08/2003 21:28:03
Posts: 219
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 4:18 pm Post subject: |
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| whoopsss... sorry about that. thought it was you who wrote the review. sorry to darren. |
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Darren
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Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40
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Location: Hampshire, UK
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 4:24 pm Post subject: Re: Quibit Sound System |
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| Parky wrote: | | I foresee a problem that many of PDA mobile sat nav users will have using this system, in that, it plugs into the cigarette lighter of the car, which is currently being used in many cases by the PDA itself. |
If you read the review again you'll notice in the equipment diagram a cigaerette lighter plug (3) to power the Qubit and to the right a 12v accessory socket for pass-thry. In the paragraph below this is this text "Helpfully Qubit even provide a 12v cigarette lighter pass-thru socket so that you don't lose the ability to charge your PDA whilst the Qubit system is using the car's socket"[b] so they have forseen the issue and provided a solution 
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Darren Griffin |
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Darren
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Location: Hampshire, UK
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 4:34 pm Post subject: Re: REVIEW COMMENTS: Qubit PDA Sound System Review |
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| a4ace wrote: | | how about for those that already have a cell phone kit installed? would this work as well on nav control inputs? |
It's not the carkit that controls this, it's whether your stereo has a 'Mute' line. If it does then you should be able to connect both a carkit and the Qubit system to it.
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Darren Griffin |
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a4ace
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Joined: 19/08/2003 21:28:03
Posts: 219
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 4:50 pm Post subject: |
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thanks darren, nice review, and sorry again for my mistake. i have two mute lines: one for the cell phone, and another for nav control.
if you would look at a picture of my dash here, you'll see that i already use the cell phone mute. |
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Darren
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Location: Hampshire, UK
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 5:13 pm Post subject: |
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You should still be able to connect the Qubit to the same mute line as the device is of the correct impedance but as you ahve a Nav unput as well I'd be interested to know if it works on that?
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Darren Griffin |
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a4ace
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Joined: 19/08/2003 21:28:03
Posts: 219
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
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| Posted: Tue Feb 10, 2004 5:28 pm Post subject: |
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| yeah, that's actually my question, i sent them an e-mail. i'll share it here when they reply. |
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DrVenkman
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Joined: Jan 20, 2004
Posts: 22
Location: Milton Keynes
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:11 am Post subject: |
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I just called the UK distributer to enquire about availability and prices and they told me that they do not stock this system, "but to maybe do so in the future".
Dr V |
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Darren
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Joined: 11/07/2002 14:36:40
Posts: 23848
Location: Hampshire, UK
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:19 am Post subject: |
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Was this Nemesis? That's odd, my information regards them being the UK retailer came direct from Qubit. I will speak to them and calrify the sitiuation.
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Darren Griffin |
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DrVenkman
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Joined: Jan 20, 2004
Posts: 22
Location: Milton Keynes
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 11:30 am Post subject: Defintaley was.... |
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| It was definatley them. I called the number that was in the review, and also visited the website to make sure the numbers were the same, and they were. They do have plans they said, but for the moment, they are not selling them. |
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Parky
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Joined: 25/05/2003 09:12:02
Posts: 247
Location: Bradford UK
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| Posted: Wed Feb 11, 2004 4:35 pm Post subject: Re: Quibit Sound System |
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| Darren wrote: | | If you read the review again you'll notice in the equipment diagram a cigaerette lighter plug (3) to power the Qubit and to the right a 12v accessory socket for pass-thru. In the paragraph below this is this text "Helpfully Qubit even provide a 12v cigarette lighter pass-thru socket so that you don't lose the ability to charge your PDA whilst the Qubit system is using the car's socket" so they have forseen the issue and provided a solution |
Sorry Darren,
I'll put my reading glasses on for next time.  |
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