Problems with Sena 20S and Iphone music and making calls

[Bob S]

I have a 2015 Spyder RT Ltd. I have the Sena Dongle SM10 (latest firmware as of 9.3.15) in the trunk and am using a pair of Sena 20'S (latest firmware upgrade 1.5) for the helmets. I have my Iphone 6 mounted on the handlebar and plugged into a custom DC outlet.
I have done the following: Paired the 20S with Iphone, then paired the 20S, using the mobile phone pairing protocol for the SM10 to get the radio through bluetooth and then paired the Sena 20S to the Garmin GPS using the GPS protocol.

Everything works great except:
1. I cannot get any bluetooth connections to the Iphone to play any music from the Iphone. I use the command "Stereo" or "Music" on the Sena 20S and nothing happens when I am paired with the SM10. I can only get the music from the Iphone 6 if I turn off the SM10...but then I loose the RT audio system.

I have tried pairing the 20S using the mobile phone protocol and also using the media protocol and the same thing happens....no connection to the Iphone 6 for music when the SM10 is on and paired. I can, however make and receive phone calls.
I have tried to pair these devices in different order but the same result happens.

Does anyone know of any solution to this.

2. I also find that when I tap the phone button on the 20S, the Iphone responds, but when I give a command such as "call home" it does not go any further, or sometimes, if it responds, it shows home but goes no further in the process to actually make the call. If I turn off the phone, reboot it and try this, it sometimes will work....but then it will not do it again.

Thanks for all you help.

Bob S

 

[tehrlich]

I don't have an answer.

I feel like my 20S does one thing at a time very well: just radio, just intercom, etc., I'm unable to get it to do two things at once very well at all. I've only been able to control the phone directly once, like telling it to play a particular playlist, but no more.

 

[robmorg]

I cannot help you directly because I have the older SMH10 headset and a Samsung Android phone. However, I can tell you this... When using multiple functions it makes a BIG difference what method you use to do the Bluetooth pairing and sometimes even in what order you pair the devices to the headset. I had to read that section of the SMH10 manual a few times, and do a little experimenting with different pairing formats before I got everything working together. But I finally got there. The headset manual was ultimately a big help, but it can also be a bit confusing.

If no one answers your specific question, you may find it helpful to do the same as I did - just study that part of the manual and try different pairing methods. There is a function in "Settings" to UN-pair everything, so you can always do that and start over as often as you need to. (You should also do that whenever you update the headset software.)

Good luck with it. :thumbup:

 

[Bob S]

I cannot help you directly because I have the older SMH10 headset and a Samsung Android phone. However, I can tell you this... When using multiple functions it makes a BIG difference what method you use to do the Bluetooth pairing and sometimes even in what order you pair the devices to the headset. I had to read that section of the SMH10 manual a few times, and do a little experimenting with different pairing formats before I got everything working together. But I finally got there. The headset manual was ultimately a big help, but it can also be a bit confusing.

If no one answers your specific question, you may find it helpful to do the same as I did - just study that part of the manual and try different pairing methods. There is a function in "Settings" to UN-pair everything, so you can always do that and start over as often as you need to. (You should also do that whenever you update the headset software.)

Good luck with it. :thumbup:

Thanks for your help. I've tried everything...paired in different ways....The iphone will not play music through the headphones when the SM10 is on. Turn it off and it works but then you loose the bluetooth for the GPS and the Spyder Audio.

 

[finless]

The SM10 binds to the headset like a phone. The headset does support 2 phones so you have to switch between them. They cannot be streaming media (music) at the same time.

Bottom line you cannot have two media (A2DP) devices playing at once. So you either have the SM10 on or the phone.

5.3 Bluetooth Stereo Device Pairing 1. If the Bluetooth stereo device is integrated with the mobile phone such as smartphones, you don’t need to pair the 20S with it separately. When the 20S is paired with the mobile phone, it is also paired as a stereo music device. 2. If you have a stand alone Bluetooth stereo device, follow the pairing procedure separately. The procedure is the same as the procedure in section 5.1, “Mobile Phone Pairing”

You might try and see if you can bind the SM10 with selective paring but I have not tried it.

Section 6
PAIRING WITH SELECTIVE PROFILE: A2DP STEREO OR HANDSFREE

6.1 A2DP Stereo Music Only


Bob

 

[tehrlich]

I was working with mine a lot today. My Sena 20S only recognizes a few of the verbal commands, and I've said the words in multiple ways, and I'm thinking possibly doing them in different languages, too.

I've read the directions umpteen times, and just can't get it to go. It appears that my firmwear needs to be updated, and I'll try that next. It's frustrating for sure.

 

[Bob S]

The SM10 binds to the headset like a phone. The headset does support 2 phones so you have to switch between them. They cannot be streaming media (music) at the same time.

Bottom line you cannot have two media (A2DP) devices playing at once. So you either have the SM10 on or the phone.

5.3 Bluetooth Stereo Device Pairing 1. If the Bluetooth stereo device is integrated with the mobile phone such as smartphones, you don’t need to pair the 20S with it separately. When the 20S is paired with the mobile phone, it is also paired as a stereo music device. 2. If you have a stand alone Bluetooth stereo device, follow the pairing procedure separately. The procedure is the same as the procedure in section 5.1, “Mobile Phone Pairing”

You might try and see if you can bind the SM10 with selective paring but I have not tried it.

Section 6
PAIRING WITH SELECTIVE PROFILE: A2DP STEREO OR HANDSFREE

6.1 A2DP Stereo Music Only


Bob

Great information.
I finally gave up and am now using an old Iphone 3Gs loaded with all of my music plugged into the Cell phone connector in the Trunk....and it works great..
I use the Iphone 6 mounted on the handlebar just as a phone which is connected to the Sena 20S. I had a 12v oulet installed just below the handlebar to keep the Iphone 6 always charged up...I'm now happy, however, the Iphone 6 sometimes will not connect using voice comands through the Sena 20S connected through the the Sena SM10. Sometimes it says that it lost the internet connection which is not true. Sometimes it works perfectly. I shouldn't be talking on the phone anyways while on the Spyder.

Thank again....

Bob S

 

[Brentc]

Identical setup

Bob, I also have the sm10 and the 20s as you do. I have an iPhone 6 as well that is my GPS on longer trips and will interrupt my music with turn by turn navigation. I had a,lot of initial trouble getting things to work and went through 2 sets of 20s's. I currently have my 20s connected to theniphone and the sm10. I would recommend making sure you are at the latest firmer on both the sm10 and 20s and then do a factory reset and fault reset on everything and start over one last time. I paired my helmet to the sm10 first and then I pared the helmet to the iPhone. Both were done using the phone button at the rear of the 20s.

 

[Bob S]

I was working with mine a lot today. My Sena 20S only recognizes a few of the verbal commands, and I've said the words in multiple ways, and I'm thinking possibly doing them in different languages, too.

I've read the directions umpteen times, and just can't get it to go. It appears that my firmwear needs to be updated, and I'll try that next. It's frustrating for sure.

I find that I have to keep the mike right next to my mouth and speak slowly and loud to get the voice comands to work. I don't use voice comands often because as you said, they don't always work.

However, it is a pretty neat device.

Bob S

 

[Bob S]

Bob, I also have the sm10 and the 20s as you do. I have an iPhone 6 as well that is my GPS on longer trips and will interrupt my music with turn by turn navigation. I had a,lot of initial trouble getting things to work and went through 2 sets of 20s's. I currently have my 20s connected to theniphone and the sm10. I would recommend making sure you are at the latest firmer on both the sm10 and 20s and then do a factory reset and fault reset on everything and start over one last time. I paired my helmet to the sm10 first and then I pared the helmet to the iPhone. Both were done using the phone button at the rear of the 20s.

I am also on my second set of 20S's....Initialy could not pair with one of them ... I have paired according the secenio 10 in the manual and all is well. I use the Garmin GPS because it is easier to view the screen. The iphone washes out. I am connected to the Iphone 6, then the SM10, and then the Garmin. The second set is paired only to the SM10 and GPS. I did not want it to hear any phone calls. I do have some static from the SM20 but cannot hear it when the music is playing.

Bob S