Team-BHP - Blaupunkt Philadelphia 835 for VW Passat & others?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat (Post 3358154)

Thanks for the heads up.

I've been facing some issues and would like to have your views.

The audio volume goes up on engaging reverse instead of coming down. :eek:
Lastly how is the audio quality of radio? I find the radio reception to be poorer than stock. It seems kind of 'noisy'.... for lack of a better word.

Here is what I think I did for the first point above. In 'settings' under the 'video' tab, there is a setting called 'Reverse Volume'(Or it maybe Parking Volume, do not remember exactly). if I remember right, if this volume level is set to a value higher then the values set for different inputs under the 'Volume' tab, then when reverse is engaged, the volume will go up. So basically this value should be reduced. I set it to 8 or 9 and then did not face the issue off volume going up when reverse was engaged. Can you please try this and see?

Another interesting setting. Under the video tab there is a vague setting called 'Parking' with values on and off. If this is set to On that means you can play videos only if the hand brake is engaged. if it is set to Off, videos will play when car is in motion also.

After you mentioned the point about the radio, I paid attention to it and you are correct. It is not as sharp as I would expect. 'Noisy' seems to be a right term.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3358237)

1. That is true. The system needs to be turned ON for the reverse assist display. The proximity-related beeps are heard from a separate buzzer in the car which is not linked with the stereo system.

I guessed as much. I feel the reverse display in the stock set up was top notch. I had so much confidence in it that I would just back up to as close as an inch, by just looking at the display. Now I engage reverse after forgetting that this unit needs to be turned on, and then the agonizing wait, and then the unit is blaring out music at high volume. Engaging reverse has become one chaotic experience. I miss my old unit while parking :(

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3358237)

2. Something's not right here. The volume should go low when the reverse mode is engaged. Did this happen all of a sudden or is this a recent development?

Its been like that from the beginning. Will try out Rajeev's tip and revert.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3358237)

3. Honestly, I haven't listened to the radio yet! Noisy in the sense reception issues? Let me get back to you on this.

Not exactly reception, but the audio quality itself. Its does not have a premium and sober sound to it. Its kind of gruff and well..... 'noisy'. Even my family members have commented on it. In the stock set up, the radio audio quality was almost CD like. But now you know for sure it is radio! No such issues with CD, USB or Bluetooth. The audio quality there is nice. Just as good as the stock unit (thankfully).

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3358237)

4. I haven't faced much issues with the navigation part. It has worked whenever I had to use it without getting stuck.

Happened just couple of times, not a big issue. Navigation does work beautifully. Integrated navigation is the USP of the product if you ask me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3358237)

Could you do a firmware upgrade to check if the overall response has improved? I think I'll do it over the weekend. :)

Too lazy to do it. I'll let you lead the way :p

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rajeevraj (Post 3359695)

Here is what I think I did for the first point above.

Thanks Rajeev! Will try this and report back.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gannu_1 (Post 3358237)

... The system needs to be turned ON for the reverse assist display. The proximity-related beeps are heard from a separate buzzer in the car which is not linked with the stereo system.

2. Something's not right here. The volume should go low when the reverse mode is engaged. Did this happen all of a sudden or is this a recent development? ...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat (Post 3359738)

... Now I engage reverse after forgetting that this unit needs to be turned on, and then the agonizing wait, and then the unit is blaring out music at high volume. Engaging reverse has become one chaotic experience. ...

Something not quite right here. From your descriptions it sounds like you keep your HU off normally? Normally one keeps the unit ON all the time, allowing it to go to 'sleep' when one turns the key off. This ensures that the HU boots and comes on as soon as key is turned to On position. One doesn't need to 'shut down' the unit to turn it off, like one does with Windows PCs!

"volume should go low when the reverse mode is engaged" is also another googly - it should! Sounds like someone forgot to connect the reverse gear signal (usually this is a simple tap-off from the reverse light)???

If this reverse gear sensor signal is connected, and the HU is On, it will automatically switch to the reverse cam.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat (Post 3358154)

Thanks for the heads up.

I've been facing some issues and would like to have your views.

The parking display does not show up if the system is off. Only beeps are heard. I then have turn the system on, wait for it boot up (which takes an eternity) to see the display. The OE HU would show up the parking display immediately on engaging reverse without needing it to be turned on separately.
The audio volume goes up on engaging reverse instead of coming down. :eek:
Lastly how is the audio quality of radio? I find the radio reception to be poorer than stock. It seems kind of 'noisy'.... for lack of a better word.
I've had the system getting stuck in some screens in the navigation menu a couple of times. The usual turn off - turn on ritual had to be followed.

Hi Guys,
I have been using the Philadelphia 835 for about 6 months now. My comments on the issues faced by you are;

1. I am using a reverse camera along with the park distance sensor and I have set the reverse camera as default for when reverse gear is engaged and even if my system is Turned OFF the camera display starts along with the beep. I will change it to the sensors as default and will let you know what I get.

2. The audio volume issue you may be facing is because the volume at which you are listening to songs is lower than the volume preset for reverse mode.
For eg. You are listening to music @ vol 8 and preset for reverse mode is vol 10, then you will find that the volume goes up while engaging the reverse camera as the volume level changes from vol 8 to vol 10 when reverse gear is engaged.

3. Radio, I would say is one of the biggest let downs of this otherwise very premium system which face the problem of disturbance of "noise" as stated by you.

4. With the Sat Nav I have not faced any such problems apart from once while on my trip to Malvan when I had taken the NH4 to get there and while returning to Bombay I took NH17. Right till the time I entered Bombay while travelling the Nav was determined to take me back to Bombay via Kolhapur, even if that meant taking me back 350 kms in the opposite direction to Kolhapur and then back to Bombay. It seemed to have developed some kind of memory as I had gone to Malvan via Kolhapur or maybe it developed some kind of a crush for Kolhapur. lol:

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAlte (Post 3361915)

I keep the HU on only when I am listening to music. Otherwise I am in the habit of keeping the HU off. I don't turn the system off before turning off the key. If the HU if off while turning the car off, then of course it does not boot up on ignition.

The way the stock HU worked was that it would show the reverse display instantly even if the HU was off. The BP 835 does not work like this. It needs to be on for it to show the reverse display.

Regarding the volume while reversing also, the Blaupunkt unit works differently. Upon engaging reverse the stock unit would suppress the volume by a fixed ratio. Say if you were listening to music at volume 15, it would suppress it by 5 and bring it down 10. If you were listening at 10, it would bring it down to 5. In the Blaupunkt unit, the music volume while reversing is fixed. This option is hidden in the "Video settings". I discovered this thanks to Rajeevraj. So now I have set it to a low setting. Irrespective of the current music volume, the Blaupunkt unit takes the volume to that prefixed setting upon engaging reverse gear. If current music volume is lower than this setting, the user will feel the volume increasing, which was what I experienced earlier as the reverse music volume by default was quite high.

Now when I engage reverse, the display automatically switches to park assist display (provided the unit is on) and the volume comes down to the preset setting (which I have now lowered significantly).

Overall I am happy with the unit. Only that the radio quality sucks big time and is a huge let down for such a high priced HU.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat (Post 3362202)

... The way the stock HU worked was that it would show the reverse display instantly even if the HU was off. ...

That is because the display wasn't an integral part of the OE HU - it was an independent unit that catered to the Reverse Monitor *and* the HU, and wasn't going Off when HU was switched off.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Santoshbhat (Post 3362202)

... Only that the radio quality sucks big time and is a huge let down for such a high priced HU.

Not the after-market unit's fault IMHO. The antenna, which was good for the OE HU, must be falling short with the aftermarket one. Another common fault is installer forgetting to connect the antenna after replacing HU.

The solution is simple - change to an internal antenna that mounts between the IRVM and windshield. Costs 400-500.

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Originally Posted by babhishek (Post 3367690)

the steering controls do not work on Bluetooth, unless I am missing something!

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Originally Posted by Rajeevraj (Post 3367776)

You mean to change tracks and volume when streaming from the phone? Yes, For me, steering controls do work for these functions.

No, steering controls don't use BT - they are sort of a direct electrical connection to the HU. I thought your original comment was about using the controls generally to select Directories (other than on iDevices, which don't have a Directory concept exposed to user).

Yes, one can select Next or Previous track using Bluetooth, using either the steering wheel controls or the HU's keys. Playback rolls naturally in File storage order when one track ends, but if one wants to change or select another Directory, one has to do it on the device.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DerAlte (Post 3367959)

Yes, that was my original question and your response was in line with what I had asked. But I thought baabhishek's question was whether steering controls can be used to move through the list of songs playing via bluetooth from a device.