Audio Multi-tasking - What is it and where does it work.

[R1200GS]

I have a Sena 20s and have been looking at the 30K.  I rarely do bike to bike and if I really want TOTALLY RELIABLE bike to bike I use GMRS.  When I look into the 30K everyone says MESH if great, BUT audio multi-tasking has problems.  When I try to find out what works and what does not, I am confused.
First, what is audio multi-tasking?  The simple answer "should be" that you can hear GPS, mp3, and/or phone while during an intercom conversation.  You should not lose your the GPS, music, or phone if you talk in the intercom connection.  That is supposed to work on a 20s but I have not tested it.  It is supposed to work on a 30K too, but only works either in the BT or Mesh mode but I do not know which.  I tried reading the 30K users manual and it is clear as mud.  I could not find where it said what worked and what did not.  It might be in there but I could not find it.


One thing is perfectly clear to me is that GPS, mp3, and phone connections are pure BT and the 30K pairs to them as BT.  Sooooo, do you actually receive them when you are in the Mesh mode?
Could someone please enlighten me on this subject?   Thanks


Note:  I used "phone" above.  I run my cell through my GPS, music too.  So that may complicate things.  In reading my Owners manual for the 20s it doesn't mention phone at all in the multi-tasking section.  May want to leave phone out of this topic, don't know.

[normkern]

First, what is audio multi-tasking?  The simple answer "should be" that you can hear GPS, mp3, and/or phone while during an intercom conversation.  You should not lose your the GPS, music, or phone if you talk in the intercom connection.  That is supposed to work on a 20s but I have not tested it.  It is supposed to work on a 30K too, but only works either in the BT or Mesh mode but I do not know which.  I tried reading the 30K users manual and it is clear as mud.  I could not find where it said what worked and what did not.  It might be in there but I could not find it.


One thing is perfectly clear to me is that GPS, mp3, and phone connections are pure BT and the 30K pairs to them as BT.  Sooooo, do you actually receive them when you are in the Mesh mode?
Could someone please enlighten me on this subject?

Note:  I used "phone" above.  I run my cell through my GPS, music too.  So that may complicate things.  In reading my Owners manual for the 20s it doesn't mention phone at all in the multi-tasking section.  May want to leave phone out of this topic, don't know.

I'll answer the phone question first since it applies to both the 20S and the 30K. When you receive a phone call, it interrupts everything else you have been hearing. OTOH, once you have taken the call and established the phone conversation, you can tap the jog dial and conference in whoever you are paired with on intercom. You will NOT be able to hear GPS or other audio while on the phone call no matter how you are paired with other sources.

Audio multitasking on the 20S: Whatever is paired to your 20S using "GPS Pairing" as described in section 5.4.1 of the 20S manual. If your GPS is paired this way, you can hear GPS audio during BT intercom sessions. Works quite well.

Jeff Dolence and I received our replacement 30Ks and tested the two of them on a 5 hour ride yesterday with two other 20S riders. We didn't have time to test with a variety of settings, but here's what we learned:

1. Bluetooth intercom with the 4 of us (2 30K, 2 20S) worked pretty well- not much popcorn noise, good range, stayed connected very well. Only problem was audio on the 30Ks got progressively fuzzy and scratchy after 60-90 minutes. If we turned them off and back on and reconnected, audio was clear again for the next 60-90 minutes.

2. Jeff and I tried using mesh intercom for the two of us and I paired and used Bluetooth intercom for one of the 20S units which linked to the other 20S unit. I could hear everyone, but Jeff could only hear me. Therefore, the Bluetooth-connected users are not included in the mesh intercom group in either public or private mode.

3. There is NO audio multitasking when using the 30K with Bluetooth intercom.

4. A brief test confirmed that mesh intercom did not work well with an A2DP dongle in either public or private mode- same as the returned units. Mesh Private mode seemed OK as long as no A2DP dongle was active.

Conclusions for now:

1. If you are riding with other 20S users, use a 20S. It supports larger groups and audio multitasking works fine if you use GPS pairing mode.

2. 30K users who ride in large groups of other 30K users and aren't trying to use audio multitasking are generally happy.

3. 30K users who are riding with 10S/20S users and aren't trying to use mesh intercom or audio multitasking are generally happy if they reboot every 60-90 minutes as needed.

4. 30K users who listen to GPS/music and phone but no intercom are very happy.

The more you try to do with any combination of 2, 3, and 4, the more unhappy you will be, until at least the next firmware update.

Norm Kern

[R1200GS]

Thanks Norm.  Already read this over on FaceBook.  I think the only way I'm going to really understand multitasking on the 30k is to buy one and use it myself.  I understand Sensitivity but sure don't know how the volume management comes into play or why they implemented the system the way they did.  Seems like you set the sensitivity to where you want to listen to GPS, music etc in relation to the level of conversation volume then volume manager button just overrides any lowering of volume.  Got to be a better way. Also sounds like between noise sensitivity and HD plus multitasking setting this puppy up is going to involve a lot of tinkering.

[normkern]

Thanks Norm.  Already read this over on FaceBook.  I think the only way I'm going to really understand multitasking on the 30k is to buy one and use it myself.  I understand Sensitivity but sure don't know how the volume management comes into play or why they implemented the system the way they did.  Seems like you set the sensitivity to where you want to listen to GPS, music etc in relation to the level of conversation volume then volume manager button just overrides any lowering of volume.  Got to be a better way. Also sounds like between noise sensitivity and HD plus multitasking setting this puppy up is going to involve a lot of tinkering.

Am not sure why this concept is so difficult to understand.
Section 21.2 of the 20s manual:
Audio Multitasking allows you to have an intercom conversation while
simultaneously listening to music, FM radio, or GPS instructions. The
overlaid audio is played in the background with reduced volume
whenever there is an intercom conversation and will return to normal
volume once the conversation is finished. If this feature is disabled,
any incoming or outgoing intercom will interrupt your audio channel.

Section 21.3 Audio overlay sensitivity
When the Audio Multitasking setting is enabled, if you talk over the
intercom while music is playing, then the music volume will be lowered
to play in the background. You can adjust the intercom sensitivity
to activate this background music mode.

I don't want the audio to be reduced, so I use the following setting
21.4  Navigation App Support
When Audio Multitasking is enabled, your smartphone’s GPS
application reduces in volume whenever there is an ongoing intercom
conversation. To listen to your smartphone’s GPS navigation clearly
without this volume reduction, enable Navigation App Support.
Note:
The volume level of the music will NOT be reduced during an intercom
conversation when the Navigation App Support setting is enabled.

Navigation App Support also works with GPS pairing as per section 5.4.1 GPS Pairing, as I've stated many times.

The settings are somewhat different with the 30K, and are not functional in all combinations of operating modes or with some devices due to firmware and possibly hardware problems.

OK?

Norm
 

[JimRRides]

Well Norm, I get it.

Thanks for adding all the information and keeping us updated on your test results.

I think these devices are a great advance and regardless of their growing pains provide us with some great utility.

Heck, I can recall when the best I could do was run my portable cassette player to a pair of scavenged speakers in my helmet, had to change disposable batteries every couple of hours and if I wanted to phone someone I had to pull in to a rest stop or convenience store to use the payphone. Bike to bike communication was via basic hand signals or you just had to guess what the other person was thinking and play "follow the leader." My GPS was a folded map and it never "spoke" to me much at all (although a few times in the middle of the night on a long distance run I was pretty sure it would whisper things when I wasn't looking at it).



Sent from my SM-N950U using Tapatalk

[naustin]

After much frustration - this is how I’m currently connecting my 20s, Zumo 595, and iPhone:

Pair 20s to Zumo.  Zumo will treat Sena as “headset” and Sena should be set up to treat Zumo as “mobile phone.” Make sure you delete all other pairing profiles from both devices. You can’t/shouldn’t run multiple configurations and swap different equipment in and out of the mix without creating issues. The more pure you are with your setup - the better. 

Pair   iPhone to Zumo.  Zumo treats iPhone as “mobile phone.  Garmin smartphone link app should be running on the phone before powering on Zumo (if not, it doesn’t always automatically launch)

Here’s a really big difference maker - DO NOT pair a second (pillion) 20s to the Zumo - even though it invites you to.  Instead, use “music Sharing” between rider and pillion Sena units when you have a passenger. Audio quality is much better and seems to eliminate other issues with the Zumo. Even when second 20s is not used, the existence of it in the Zumo memory and the Zumo’s apparent need to search for the missing headset causes issues. 

Other settings:

GPS Audio - OFF. (At least when pairing in this way, the GPS audio feature totally Screws up volume reduction for music during intercom conversations, and seemed to contribute to audio degradation somehow as time went on during a ride).   Turning it off also seemed to cure the issue of audio connections dropping out after GPS directions transmit, but I made several changes at once - so not sure if it’s directly related to this setting, or unpairing the Pillion Sena from the Zumo.

Audio Overlay sensitivity = 4 or 5.  Factory setting was 6, and too sensitive to wind noise, at least with our helmets. (Scorpion Modular)

[R1200GS]

naustin,
I also pair my Galaxy to my Nav V (it's a Zumo with a BMW brand name on it) then pair the Sena 20s GPS to Nav V.  I control my phone on the Nav V and load my tunes into the Nav V not the phone.  Works great and seems to improve 20s battery life.  Additionally I pair the second phone to my Motorola M350U GMRS for bike to bike.  Actually you can do BT bike to bike and GMRS at the same time.  Nav V assigns priorities to phone, music and gps directions.