[Galaxy S III Accessories] MikaelPe:
All, as there's a lot of questions coming in to iBOLT's customer service, and on forums about connecting the sound to the car-stereo speakers, using aux-out, playing music while a phone call is coming in etc. I figured we can start a new thread dedicated to all the variables involved. I'll try to make a summary below of functionality. If you have not seen the video or images of this product you can do so on www.ibolt.co/ibpf-33307

First, the iBOLT S III Dock solves the problem reported by many users that when they insert an aux-cable from the headset jack their Bluetooth device does not work properly. Since our Dock takes the Aux-out through the microUSB it works differently and from our testing, and end-user reports, the Bluetooth works fine.

Below is a run down on different options how to connect the Galaxy S3 Dock to car-stereo speakers for playing music and sound from all Apps.

BLUETOOTH OPTIONS:

Please note that when using any Bluetooth hands-free device (headset, portable, built-in from car-manufacturer etc) with the Galaxy S3 you can choose if the connected device is to be used for phone calls only, for audio streaming or both. This depends on which Bluetooth profile your device is using. See attached screen shot for an example of the S III UI. This is from a Bluetooth U-connect system used in Chrysler cars (although they should all be the same).

1.

Car-stereo systems featuring A2DP:

If your car is equipped with a Bluetooth hands-free system

it may

allow you to to stream audio (in addition to hands-free functionality) but only if your system features the A2DP (Advance Audio Distribution Profile). If it does have A2DP profile you will have the option during the pairing process to select the "Media Audio" in addition to "Call Audio" (see attached screen shot). If this is the case, the Aux-cable that's included with the Dock will not be used as Audio Streaming over Bluetooth is the preferred choice if your system is set up for it. In this scenario, simply hide the aux-out cable end or tuck in under the car seat or center console.

2.

Typical car-stereo/Bluetooth systems:

If your car-stereo does NOT allow you to choose the "Media Audio" this means that your system is designed with the so called "Hands-free Profile", thus it is only able to be used for hands-free calling. For this scenario the aux-out cable from the iBOLT Dock should be plugged in to the 3.5 mm aux-in on the car-stereo, usually located in the center console or in-between the front seats. When you play music (or GPS Navigation sound) from your Dock to the car-stereo speakers and a phone call is made or coming in the Aux sound will

automatically

mute and start again once the phone call has ended. The sound quality when using the aux-out 9ft cable has been reported to be very good. Some users have indicated that the base is even better when using BT A2DP Audio Streaming, versus aux cable. This sounds very logical.

3.

Cars without integrated Bluetooth:

If your car does NOT have a 3.5 mm aux-in jack but features a cassette player there's plenty of "cassette-to-3.5 aux" options to buy. Search at your preferred electronic retailer for the solution that is right for you. Once inserted the iBOLT Dock can be used for playing music through the car stereo as if played through the cassette player but at lower quality.

4. Cars with CD player only, no BT, no cassette player:

For cars that has neither 3.5 mm Aux-in, nor a cassette player there's some FM transmitters that features a 3.5 mm aux-in or with Bluetooth A2DP connectivity, allowing a way of connecting the Dock to the car stereo. We have very limited knowledge of this option as it has not been tested by us but theoretically it should work. Any feedback which models work well would be much appreciated!

There's more options and more variables but the above should provide a basic run-down. As there's many knowledgeable users on this forum, clarifications or comments are always appreciated. Connecting the phone's music to the car-stereo is something of high interest to a lot of people.

Our concept with the iBOLT S III Dock was to make the first (?) phone holder truly designed for placement on the left side of the steering wheel. Run the 9ft cable down the door seal and under the drivers carpet and/or seat up to the center console where power and aux-in is usually located. With the phone on the left side it is "out of the way" as far as blocking the view and more importantly, it is within finger tip reach for answering call or switching application. If you have not tried the application "CarHome Ultra" we recommend you do so as it's free for 30 days. Having a good "car panel" in combination with the right Dock placement, and the aux/BT set up as described here is very cool. The S III will become a integral part of the driving experience!

Finally, we strongly recommend connecting the Galaxy S III phone to a Bluetooth device for hands-free calling, regardless which option is used to connect to the car-stereo speakers for listening to music/app sound. To use the S III phone as a "speaker phone" while in the Dock works fine with regards to the driver hearing the other party. However, the party on the other end often hear an echo, a lot of background noise or the driver sound "faint" or like "in a tunnel". This is because virtually no Smartphone (including S III) is designed with a dedicated DSP (Digital Signal Processor) chip for cancelling background noise and echo when used for hands-free speaking. Smartphones don't have full duplex either when in speaker mode, which essentially means the microphone is at least partially shut down while the other party speak. The conversation is therefore similar to using a "walkie-talkie", where only one party can speak effectively at a time. Summary: connect your S III phone to a Bluetooth device from a respected brand manufacturer unless you're holding the phone to the ear when driving (bad idea!) or using a old fashioned wired headset.

I hope this long intro helps setting the stage for a good discussion about the best way to have the ultimate hands-free experience when driving!