Auotcom system starcom cost?

[Thornberry]

Hi anyone got a starcom intermcom system all singing and dancing, calls, music, satnav, passenger chat and the ability to attach a walkie talkie if a few caterhams altogether.

 

How much approx? 2 head sets etc to.

 

Regards Craig

[Garth]

Hi Craig

I have the digital starcom with two bluetooth modules fitted in my car which does everything. I got it about 3 and a half years ago. It cost me about £650 then, excluding fitting which I had done professionally (although I should have done it myself!). I only used it for one trip and as SWMBO does not like the 7 I am planning on taking it out soon and was going to advertise it on blatchat.

Let me know if you are interested - would have to check it was still working as not been fired up two years!

Garth

 

[Thornberry]

Hi Gareth, shame about that. Not ready to get one just now but wondering if they are a great product and worth it.

 

Thanks Craig

[thompster]

I've got the basic autocom setup - two yellow peltor/autocom headsets and an intercom box that runs on a pp3 battery. I plug my phone in via the headphone socket and music automatically drops in volume if one of us speaks. It has an input for a walkie takie but I've not tried it yet.  At some point I'll buy the bluetooth module so I can have 2 way phone calls - at the moment I get telephone audio through the music jackplug but the microphone stays on the phone handset - the bluetooth module fixes that. I've only used it on a handful of longer journeys but found it transformed long motorway runs. Only downside is you look a bit of a tit in bright yellow ear defenders. Recommended.

[Thornberry]

Hi, thanks for that I was wondering how much did that set up cost?

 

 

[thompster]

I bought 2nd hand on ebay - Active Plus with two headsets and paid £150 I think. A similar setup went not long ago for under £100.  You can pick up both starcom (e.g. Digital) and Autocom (old like mine and much newer) units on ebay all the time but the headsets are much rarer.

[Alan Reeves]

I have one but as far as I’ve been advised you cannot use the blue tooth module fir sat nav....well can’t and I did ask the question at Starcom...the way out I believe is to use the phone sat nav....I must try it 

Starcom is good 

[SLR No.77]

If you plan to fit a radio, e.g. something like a Kenwood TK-3301, try to get the Autocom SPA rather than the Active Plus. The radio can be powered directly from the Autocom SPA with a dedicated lead which will reduce interference from earth loop problems.

On my bike prior to switching to full Bluetooth I used an Autocom SPA with a push-to-talk switch to a Kenwood Radio, hard wired to a Garmin Zumo 590 which in turn was connected via Bluetooth to my phone. I tried Autocom's Bluetooth BTM-02 unit for the nav and phone connections but it wasn't reliable, adding the Garmin Zumo is brilliant and very reliable. Full riders-passenger comms, bike to bike comms, nav/music/phone. The nav handles all the phone connectivity which is the most reliable way to do it.

Having switched to BT on the bike, my SPA kit is waiting to be fitted in the 7, I had thought about going the Bluetooth route in the 7 with something like a Sena SPH10 but I'm fearful to achieve full car-to-car comms with the Kenwood radio it may get unjustifiably expensive.

Stu.

[Wrightpayne]

I picked up an old unit from ebay for £42 incl 3 helmet headsets. Just need to install into peltor ear defenders as per SM25T's instructions and I'm sorted! Not bothered about phone and walkie talkie features though it does have music input.

Ian

[Geoff Brown]

Do not forget the club discount!

https://www.lotus7.club/membership/special-offers-members/starcom1com

[lincslotus7.club]

We have a Starcom system & didn't like the standard yellow head sets, so asked & they were happy to supply grey ones at no extra cost. For us one of the good features is having the unit in the boot out of the way & safe, the system turns on when head set connected. 

 

[Toughie]

I was going to buy the full new system, and visited them to have a look at the range, after reading about their 'Kit Car' package on their website, so was ready to make the purchase at something like the £200 price that was advertised.  I was looking to buy two sets, as one was for an oppo so we could communicate when touring.

Then the person that showed it to me told me in a very high-handed manner, that to have the headsets, rather than simply the speakers and microphone, as intended for helmet mounting, was going to almost double the price.  I couldn't shake off the feeling that customers were being ripped off over the whole pricing.  There are other systems which cost nothing like as much.

I became thoroughly annoyed about the whole thing, so bought a second hand Autocom set on ebay for a fraction of the price.

I can, however, certainly recommend having an intercom for touring.  It makes a huge difference.

[Nick Chan]

Don’t forget that drivers using these headsets is illegal now in France with fines being applied. Same as with music earphones too

[gileshudson]

And Spain

[Ian B]

Don’t forget that drivers using these headsets is illegal now in France with fines being applied. 

Any evidence to support this for drivers of sevens?

Several of us have used headsets extensively in France since the "law" was supposed to have been introduced, and passed numerous Gendarmes, with no interest shown whatsoever.

I can understand them possibly targeting yoof's in hot-hatches not paying attention (massive over generalisation there!), but I've not seen any evidence of issues where headsets are used for comms between cars (indeed we find this offers another level of safety, allowing the lead car to let those behind know of hazards, or potentially dangerous oncoming traffic or road conditions). 

 

[Ian B]

PS. I use the Sensorcom Microcom 3 in-ear headset with boom mic (with custom molded inserts) as I found the full "cans" got too hot, sweaty and uncomfortable on long trips especially in hotter countries.

[SM25T]

Had no problems in France ... as above ... wearing headsets right next to gendarmes .... no interest shown.

[Nick Chan]

Interesting. Maybe its a law that will be applied more rigorously if caught driving badly and/or a result of an accident.  We are over in France and Spain later this year and I hadn't intended to take the autocom set up for this reason

[SLR No.77]

I'm pretty sure the ban in France is related to the use of in-ear headsets, i.e. earbuds. It came in in 2015.

Stu.

[SM25T]

Anything with a cable Stu.

[Thornberry]

So I bought sena smh10r from facebook market place £50 for one set and £130 for the other plus the ear defenders £20.00 x2 so im happy all in £220 rather than say £600 :)

[SLR No.77]

At work we've swapped from Peltor Optime 3 to Sonis Compact ear defenders and they're substantially better, they're effectively a "size" smaller in the range for the same level of noise attenuation, also much better quality.

Stu.