Scala Rider G4 Review...not very impressed...

[bone crusher]

I recently got the G4 as my Scala Rider Q2 suddenly stopped working...I think I forgot to put the rubber top in tightly when I was in a rainstorm...whooops!

Anyway, here's the take on the G4.

It is complicated and very picky. You can follow the directions perfectly and still have issues. I have a zumo 550 and an iphone. I was able to sync them but it took a few attempts. I know the directions don't specifically say which you have to sync first, but it did take some fiddling to get them to sync...

One of sync directions says you need blinking red and blue lights...YOU NEVER GET THIS...YOU GET PURPLE BLINKING...can't they figure out their colors or the timing of the blinks?

When I first starting testing the syncs, I would get phone calls to go through, but no function from the mic...I then had issues with the zumo not hanging up the calls...what a mess!

I then did the obvious thing...turned everything off and on again...this clearly affects the function between the devices. After a few attempts, I was able to get everything to work together.

Bottom line is that Cardo needs to do better with how they sync things. I've been on a few rides with the G4, and it has worked, but I did have to turn things on and off once or twice to get them to work properly...I always call a number before I start riding to see if all is connected...if not, you might get the headset disconnecting and connecting randomly to your zumo...it can really be frustrating.

The radio function is decent, once you get it going...how about some reception for the radio? It's almost impossible to get a good, clear signal, no matter where you are. The ease of locking in the preset stations is not too hard, once you get going.

The one feature I really like about the G4 is the ability to connect a bluetooth enabled ipod or other mp3. I have a Sony dongle bluetooth adapter connected to my ipod but have not had success yet getting it to work. It seems to alter and adversely affect the functions of the other features...go figure...the radio is fine in that it shuts itself off and on if the navi talks or a call is made/coming in.

The overall volume is much better than the Q2...they got this part right.

All in all, I am not overly impressed yet with the G4. If you are a tech nut, like I am, give it a shot and be patient...it will work for you if you take your time...if you don't like to hassle with things, don't get it...you'll get frustrated far too many times.

Once I get the mp3 to work, if I can, I'll report back...no time right now to fiddle with it.

Cardo needs to make their units easier to use, period...more user friendly would be a nice start.

[Prense01]

Interesting experiences. Thanks for sharing. I am not currently using a nav unit, but I will eventually use the zumo 665. As for my syncing experience, all went without any issues. I noticed what you are talking about with the purple, but I think it is a result of the LEDs blinking so fast...they could have been more clear. Regarding the manual...it is poorly written, but it does get the job done. I have yet to have any issues with having to reset any connections except for my wife's iPod touch...which I now know is a compatiblity issue with the iPod. My iPhone connects perfectly and automatically. I began a review in the RT section and will update as I get more miles with this arrangement.

Chris

[Dochands]

For months I have been talking about how great the ICOM system is. Besides offering stereo when the Scala was still mono it offers the ability to use noise canceling earplug headsets for clear sound and hearing safety.

I have only used it with the Garmin 660 which syncs my cellphone but calls are clear at 75 MPH and the music sounds great. How well it works for bike to bike or passenger to driver I do not know.

Now the Garmin needs some new tricks but that's just their design issues.

[fastfraser]

Thanks for the report. I have the Q2 and it works great. Was looking into getting the new Q4, but think i will wait awhile until they get it to work better.

[Donk45]

Love the wireless stereo and volume, a lil disappointed in the phone aspect part. Seems like a low volume, i gotta see if I have everything set correctly

[kentompkins]

I'm sorry to hear that others are having problems. Mine works perfectly with no troubles at all.

Connecting to my Iphone and Garmin Zumo550 was flawless though perhaps the first time a bit slow. The speakers installed easily into my Shoei helmet though I don't like the excess wire to the right speaker inside the helmet.

The absolute best thing about the G4 is the wireless hookup to my Iphone as an mp3 player. With my Q2, I had to use the accessory wire from the Iphone to the Q2 unit. It worked but was awkward. The Bluetooth connection solves that. I moved my Ipod tunes to the phone. The music is loud and clear. It also works with Pandora on my Iphone so I can listen to it play or to the Ipod built into the Iphone. Wonderful.

Indeed, the music is so loud that I have had to reduce the volume.

I put the Iphone in my jacket pocket; my Zumo 550 is mounted on the bike and the G4 on the helmet. No wires or connections. I also hear the phone fine as well as the directions from "Beatrice" -- the helpful woman who lives inside my Zumo.

I can't ask for more.

ken tompkins

[Dochands]

Ken -

How do you get your iphone and your Garmin to work on the same channel? My Garmin steals the channel and the iPhone so I can call through the Garmin but little else.

How'd you do that?

[bone crusher]

I'm sorry to hear that others are having problems. Mine works perfectly with no troubles at all.

Connecting to my Iphone and Garmin Zumo550 was flawless though perhaps the first time a bit slow. The speakers installed easily into my Shoei helmet though I don't like the excess wire to the right speaker inside the helmet.

The absolute best thing about the G4 is the wireless hookup to my Iphone as an mp3 player. With my Q2, I had to use the accessory wire from the Iphone to the Q2 unit. It worked but was awkward. The Bluetooth connection solves that. I moved my Ipod tunes to the phone. The music is loud and clear. It also works with Pandora on my Iphone so I can listen to it play or to the Ipod built into the Iphone. Wonderful.

Indeed, the music is so loud that I have had to reduce the volume.

I put the Iphone in my jacket pocket; my Zumo 550 is mounted on the bike and the G4 on the helmet. No wires or connections. I also hear the phone fine as well as the directions from "Beatrice" -- the helpful woman who lives inside my Zumo.

I can't ask for more.

ken tompkins

Hold on...you have the ipod function of the iphone transmitting through the bluetooth for the iphone...how did you pull this off...no way this works on mine...

[bone crusher]

Love the wireless stereo and volume, a lil disappointed in the phone aspect part. Seems like a low volume, i gotta see if I have everything set correctly

You have to really make sure the speakers are positioned perfectly...if they're off by a hair, you'll lose an incredible amount of volume. I can have my earplugs in and still hear the music from the radio (although great reception is another issue)...

I am trying to figure out how Ken got the ipod on the iphone to work...it's not advertised to do this and I tried with no success...I'm doubting this unless he has a really special trick!

[Prense01]

You have to really make sure the speakers are positioned perfectly...if they're off by a hair, you'll lose an incredible amount of volume. I can have my earplugs in and still hear the music from the radio (although great reception is another issue)...

I am trying to figure out how Ken got the ipod on the iphone to work...it's not advertised to do this and I tried with no success...I'm doubting this unless he has a really special trick!

The iPod function of the iPhone works as soon as the BT connection is made...unless you are talking about through the nav unit. If the latter, I cannot speak to that.

Chris

[Prense01]

Love the wireless stereo and volume, a lil disappointed in the phone aspect part. Seems like a low volume, i gotta see if I have everything set correctly

Speaker position is key... Remove the cheek pads when fitting the speakers and use a mirror or someone to help see how they are located and oriented to your ear. Space the speaker away from the helmet shell with more Velcro if needed...end result is the speaker will touch your ear very lightly. Once set up, reinstall the cheek pads, tuck away the wires and test while riding. With foam earplugs, I have turn the volume down three from max for a comfortable audio level. Earplugs may sound counterproductive, but I assure you that the clarity will be much better with earplugs in and at the same time protect your hearing.

Chris

[kentompkins]

My Iphone 3G works as an mp3 player through the G4 Bluetooth. I simply followed the setup instructions on p. 10 in the Manual. I had no problems setting it up. Like all the other features, when the phone rings it cuts the mp3 tune off until the call is done.

I feared that it wouldn't work with Pandora -- which isn't an mp3 player -- but it works fine so the Iphone must treat the sound of that app like it does the Ipod mp3.

ken tompkins

[bone crusher]

My Iphone 3G works as an mp3 player through the G4 Bluetooth. I simply followed the setup instructions on p. 10 in the Manual. I had no problems setting it up. Like all the other features, when the phone rings it cuts the mp3 tune off until the call is done.

I feared that it wouldn't work with Pandora -- which isn't an mp3 player -- but it works fine so the Iphone must treat the sound of that app like it does the Ipod mp3.

ken tompkins

Well,

I'll say that you have a blessed unit as mine does not do that...I thought about that and tried, but no music player works through my G4...I can get the phone, navi, and radio to work just fine...I tried to use the iphone ipod capabilities and it doesn't work...I guess another reason for me to gripe about this thing...

I have a separate ipod I can either connect with the wire or run with the Sony bluetooth adapter, but that seems to mess everything up with the G4...as I said originally, this thing is certainly not perfected. When I have time, I'll try the pairing again (although it showed that it worked)...

As far as you getting the iphone music to work through the bluetooth, I wonder if anyone else has been successful with this??....

Ken...hmmmm....did you accomplish this by setting up 2 independent bluetooth connections with the one iphone? I didn't try this as I thought it couldn't be done, but is this what you did?

[kentompkins]

I don't think I set up two Bluetooth connections deliberately. I simply let it make the connections for the phone and the Zumo 550.

Here are three Iphone screen captures that show the Iphone connected to the G4, the Ipod on the Iphone connected to the G4 and the screen for Pandora showing it connected to the G4.


Iphone Settings Ipod Connected Pandora Connected

On the bottom of the Iphone screen it shows that it is connected to the G4; if you don't see that, it's not working.

ken tompkins

[Prense01]

I don't think I set up two Bluetooth connections deliberately. I simply let it make the connections for the phone and the Zumo 550.

Here are three Iphone screen captures that show the Iphone connected to the G4, the Ipod on the Iphone connected to the G4 and the screen for Pandora showing it connected to the G4.


Iphone Settings Ipod Connected Pandora Connected

On the bottom of the Iphone screen it shows that it is connected to the G4; if you don't see that, it's not working.

ken tompkins

Mine looks exactly the same and no problems listening to iPod or pandora.

Chris

[bone crusher]

I don't think I set up two Bluetooth connections deliberately. I simply let it make the connections for the phone and the Zumo 550.

Here are three Iphone screen captures that show the Iphone connected to the G4, the Ipod on the Iphone connected to the G4 and the screen for Pandora showing it connected to the G4.


Iphone Settings Ipod Connected Pandora Connected

On the bottom of the Iphone screen it shows that it is connected to the G4; if you don't see that, it's not working.

ken tompkins

ken, did u use only one bluetooth connection, or two? If you
followed page 10, you would have connected the iPhone as
the iPhone and separately as the iPod as a mp3 as it shows on page
10.

[ARtraveler]

I have used a pair of G2's for a year with no problems. When the G4's came out boasting better range, I could not wait to get a pair. $600.00 later I am not happy with the product at all. The FM radio did not work on either set, one set received but did not transmit, the other set transmitted but did not receive. I worked on these for a couple of hours doing everything the manual stated--but to no avail. I bought them from a reputable cycle gear supplier so I am sending them back for a full refund. Cardo needs to get the bugs worked out of this product. I am going to try the Chatterbox FM2 which is supposed to have a range of 2 miles--I will let you know what happens with this product.

[ABN350F]

I have the Q2 and it has been working fine for 6 months. Dont like the mono sound from the Ipod -- so I just put a earbud in one ear and the Q2 speakers on the other side of the helmet

[bone crusher]

Ken,

Can you address the issue of how you connected the bluetooth?

I am asssuming that connecting the phone alone with the G4 only works for phone function...at least on my unit, this is all the works.

To get the ipod or any mp3 to work, you'd have to follow the instructions on page 10, which means you'd effectively be connecting the iphone 2 times to the G4...this would make sense as they are connecting through two different settings on the G4.

The phone and zumo connect through 'A' settings...the mp3 through 'B'...this is why the mp3 cuts off if you get a call...as you notice, the syncing process involves a different set of buttons with the mp3 vs. the phone or gps. This means that to get music from the ipone, it would have to be synced through 'A' for the phone and 'B' for the ipod/pandora/whatever...

Please verify if this is what you did as syncing ONLY for the phone does not yield the ability to play the ipod/mp3...you would have to connect through the mp3 setting to get these functions...I have not tried this yet, but if this is what you did, it's worth a try as it makes sense....it never occurred to me to try the ipod function on the iphone...perhaps you're onto something here...

Thanks...

[Donk45]

Speaker position is key... Remove the cheek pads when fitting the speakers and use a mirror or someone to help see how they are located and oriented to your ear. Space the speaker away from the helmet shell with more Velcro if needed...end result is the speaker will touch your ear very lightly. Once set up, reinstall the cheek pads, tuck away the wires and test while riding. With foam earplugs, I have turn the volume down three from max for a comfortable audio level. Earplugs may sound counterproductive, but I assure you that the clarity will be much better with earplugs in and at the same time protect your hearing.

Chris

The volume is PLENTY loud with music, it's just when im on the phone it kind of seems low and choppy. Used it some today and it was a little better. I am happy with the unit overall because, at least for my use it goes like this:
1. Wireless music from my android
2. helmet 2 helmet comm with my wife
3. phone

I usually just answer the phone to tell whoever it is that I am riding and I will call them when i get somewhere.

[Blackwidow74]

I tried the G4 and did not like it. The radio totally cut out while I was riding and I could not get it come back on until I left that area. The beep you hear to when the unit turns off and on, I didn't hear one at all. On the Q2 I could hear the sound without my helmet on my head. I found it hard to feel the buttons with my gloves on.
I sent the G4 back for the Blueant Interphone F4, and I love it. I feel like I am still using the Scala Q2, just an upgraded version. The Zumo 550 does software does support the AD2P technology, so the sound is bad. I have no problem connection my bluetooth Ipod touch and my cell phone at the same time and they both sound great. The sound of the speakers is great, I am now wearing ear plugs so I turn the volume of the F4 all the way up and I can hear the music and talk on the phone just fine. I can feel the buttons with my gloves on. The battery life on the F4 after being fully charged is great, it has to be somewhere around 12+ hours. So if you like the Q2 then you will surely like the F4. You can buy the F4 on Revzilla.com for $225 with free shipping.

[bone crusher]

I tried the G4 and did not like it. The radio totally cut out while I was riding and I could not get it come back on until I left that area. The beep you hear to when the unit turns off and on, I didn't hear one at all. On the Q2 I could hear the sound without my helmet on my head. I found it hard to feel the buttons with my gloves on.
I sent the G4 back for the Blueant Interphone F4, and I love it. I feel like I am still using the Scala Q2, just an upgraded version. The Zumo 550 does software does support the AD2P technology, so the sound is bad. I have no problem connection my bluetooth Ipod touch and my cell phone at the same time and they both sound great. The sound of the speakers is great, I am now wearing ear plugs so I turn the volume of the F4 all the way up and I can hear the music and talk on the phone just fine. I can feel the buttons with my gloves on. The battery life on the F4 after being fully charged is great, it has to be somewhere around 12+ hours. So if you like the Q2 then you will surely like the F4. You can buy the F4 on Revzilla.com for $225 with free shipping.

Actually, the zumo 550 only allows connection with a bluetooth phone and a headset...the ipod or whatever mp3 has to go directly to the G4. There is a setup for this...until I get Ken's response, I cannot go further...only can say that to make this work, I think you essentially hook up the iphone to the G4 on two different G4 settings...I'll have to try this to see...

[kentompkins]

You are right; I do have it set up with two Bluetooth connections. I added the Zumo 550 connection which the Iphone saw and picked up. This Iphone screen capture shows the two connections.



Hope this helps.

ken tompkins

[bone crusher]

You are right; I do have it set up with two Bluetooth connections. I added the Zumo 550 connection which the Iphone saw and picked up. This Iphone screen capture shows the two connections.



Hope this helps.

ken tompkins

Ken,

I still think there is more to this...

1. The iphone has to connect with the zumo
2. The G4 has to connect with the zumo
3. The iphone then has to connect with the G4 through two separate connections...the primary connection for the phone and the secondary as described on page 10...

This might only show as one connection on the iphone, but if you used page 10 for the mp3 connection and you synced the iphone through the bluetooth phone sync method, you have, in effect, connected the iphone 2 times...

You referenced page 10, so I'm assuming you did sync the phone 2 times to the headset (for phone and then for mp3).

I'll give this a try tonight (if I have time) and report back...very curious to see if this works...would be great if it does!

[kentompkins]

I first set it up with the Iphone; the Zumo was actually in the garage and was not turned on. I had, at that point, one connection to the G4. Once I was assured that both the mp3 and Pandora in the Iphone worked, I got the Zumo and turned it on.

I had to go into the Zumo Bluetooth settings and add new connections for it to find the G4. Once I got that worked out -- it took some experimentation and time -- I noticed that the Iphone showed two connections -- like the Iphone screen capture shows.

I did follow the general instructions on p. 10 of the Manual but just for the Iphone connections I was most concerned about.

ken tompkins