Devine Concepts

Mobile Electronics Expert in Naples, Florida

BestCarAudio.com

Product Spotlight: Drone XC-LTE Dash Cam

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Drone XC-LTE

If you’re a regular visitor to BestCarAudio.com, you should be familiar with dash cams and smartphone-based remote vehicle control solutions like Drone. Imagine combining the features of both units into one product and then adding live video streaming capabilities! The new Drone XC-LTE 2K QHD dash cam with LTE, GPS and Wi-Fi does precisely that. Let’s check it out!

What Is the Drone XC-LTE Dash Cam?

There are a lot of features and design elements to unpack with the Drone XC-LTE. The unit has a footprint of 4.2 by 2.8 inches with a thickness of 1.5 inches. A vertical mounting orientation on the windshield minimizes obstruction.

Drone XC-LTE
The XC-LTE mounts vertically on the windshield to stay out of your line of sight.

The XC-LTE uses a Sony STARVIS image sensor for excellent contrast and low-light performance. The sensor is mated to a wide 154-degree lens to allow recording well off to the sides of the vehicle. The camera records at a 2K Quad HD resolution of 2560 by 1440 pixels at 30 frames per second. A built-in Wi-Fi transceiver lets you download stored videos to your smartphone.

Firstech includes a high-quality 64 GB microSD memory card to ensure reliable recording. Upgrading to a 128 or 256 GB memory card allows the system to store more data. The system also accepts a secondary camera input signal. Your installer can add the XC-RC100 rear-facing or the XC-IR100 infrared interior cameras. The interior camera is very popular with taxi, Uber and Lyft operators. The parking mode feature allows it to monitor the visible area continuously and then record when something or someone enters its field of vision.

Drone XC-LTE
The optional XC-RC100 rear-facing camera allows the Drone XC-LTE to capture video of what happens behind your vehicle.

What makes this dash cam unique is the ability to view live video on the DroneMobile app on your smartphone using an LTE cellular data connection. You can see exactly what the camera sees on your phone. The system uses an LTE data connection to transmit video. As long as your phone can access the cellular data network, it doesn’t matter where it’s parked or driving. Remote live-viewing capability is a feature people have been requesting for years.

Drone XC-LTE
The DroneMobile app provides access to a live video feed from your Drone XC-LTE dash cam.

Regarding live-feed details, the video stream has a resolution of 960 by 540 pixels. Depending on your chosen service package, you get 1 or 2 GB of cloud storage for important videos you tag via the DroneMobile app.

Drone Vehicle Control

While the excitement of the remote video viewing is the highlight of the Drone XC-LTE, it’s crucial to remember that this is still a Drone vehicle control interface. When paired with a compatible control module from Compustar, Arctic Start, FTX or NuStart, you can use the DroneMobile app on your phone to lock and unlock your vehicle or start the engine. You can even pop the trunk or open a sliding door or motorized hatch in many applications.

Drone XC-LTE
The updated DroneMobile app retains lock, unlock, remote start and auxiliary control features.

The Drone XC-LTE acts like the DAS-II sensor to detect impact, tilt, motion and glass breakage. Any of these triggers will instantly send a notification to your smartphone. You can use the LTE streaming feature of the dash cam to look around your vehicle to find out what’s going on. The DroneMobile app also allows you to trigger the Panic feature to scare away would-be thieves or the neighbor’s cat.

Drone XC-LTE
The Drone system pushes security alerts to your smartphone so you’ll know immediately when someone is tampering with your vehicle.

The system also functions as a vehicle-locating or -tracking solution with one of the GPS-enabled Drone service plans. You can configure speed-based warnings to monitor vehicle operation. Location-based notifications, often called geofencing, are also available. These warnings tell you when the vehicle enters or exits a specific area or location.

Drone XC-LTE
The Drone’s GPS receiver provides location and speed-based warnings on your smartphone.

See Why Your Car Alarm Triggered

Most of us are familiar with hearing car alarm sirens, getting a security alert from a two-way remote key fob or perhaps seeing an alarm notification on our smartphones. We all want to know what is happening in and around the vehicle. With the new XC-LTE, you can open the DroneMobile app and see what the cameras see in real time. There’s no need to leave the house or your office. You could be on vacation in the Caribbean and check on your car or truck from the pool while sipping a mojito or enjoying a beer.

The XC-LTE is ideal for commercial equipment left on a job site or in a company-owned service or delivery vehicle. The XC-LTE is a perfect solution if you rent your car or truck on Turo or Getaround and want to see where and how the renter uses your vehicle.

The Best Vehicle Monitoring and Control Solution

The Drone XC-LTE is the first aftermarket dash cam solution with live view capabilities that can integrate with a car alarm or remote start system to provide vehicle control and monitoring. You can also use the system as a stand-alone dash cam with remote live viewing. Your local Compustar retailer can explain the remote control and live-view service plans and the features they offer. To find an authorized Drone retailer near you, use the locator tool on their website. For more information about Drone solutions, visit their YouTube channel, Facebook page or Instagram. Check back frequently, as a full Test Drive Review of the Drone XC-LTE is coming soon.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14

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Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14

Rockford Fosgate, a brand synonymous with Harley-Davidson amplifier, speaker and subwoofer upgrades, has just introduced its PMX-HD14 multimedia infotainment system. If you have a 2014 and newer Street Glide or Ultra, or 2015 and newer Road Glide, this might be the perfect way to make your entire stereo system sound better. Best of all, it’s got a unique trick up its sleeve. Let’s check it out.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14
The new Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14 is the ultimate audio upgrade for your Harley-Davidson touring motorcycle.

Features of the Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14 Radio

The PMX-HD14 is Rockford Fosgate’s second foray into the multimedia receiver market for Harley-Davidson. The radio is a direct drop-in upgrade for many of H-D’s touring bikes. This plug-and-play design works with the existing power and speaker wiring. It also features a 7-inch touchscreen that works even if the rider is wearing gloves. The screen and the trim around it are Element Ready, the term Rockford Fosgate gives to products that are sealed to keep out water and dust and can handle prolonged UV exposure and all the vibrations from applications like a big V-twin motorcycle.

In terms of the interface, there are four fixed buttons adjacent to the screen for Home, Settings, Information and Power control. A short press on the information button in the top right increases the radio volume, and a short press on the power button below it lowers the volume. Pressing and holding the information button brings up an odometer and distance-since-last-service display.

Rockford Fosgate is on top of the integration situation with the PMX-HD14. The radio is compatible with the factory-installed handlebar audio controls without the need for any additional parts. It works with wireless headsets and the OEM CB system when the WHIM and CB modules are present. And there’s no need to reflash the bike to maximize the radio’s performance. These features make the radio ideal for those who don’t want permanent modifications on their motorcycle.

Harley-Davidson Multimedia Radio Audio Sources

Of course, the PMX-HD14 has an AM/FM and Weather Band receiver, so you can tune in to your favorite local radio stations. An optional SXV300 tuner module will give you access to SiriusXM satellite radio for uninterrupted genre-specific programming from coast to coast. You can also play MP3, WMA or FLAC digital audio files from a USB memory stick. A Bluetooth receiver allows you to play music stored on a portable media player or stream audio from your smartphone.

The PMX-HD14 also includes Apple CarPlay. Connect your Apple iPhone and you can easily access entertainment, communication and navigational information. You can make phone calls or send text messages without taking your eyes off the road. If you’re on a cross-state or cross-country adventure, access to Apple Maps, Google Maps and Waze will help you reach your destination efficiently and safely. Of course, dedicated CarPlay streaming apps like Pandora, IHeartRadio, Pandora or Spotify make listening to almost anything you want quick and easy.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14
Large menu icons and handlebar control integration make the PMX-HD14 intuitive and safe to operate.

Take Your Party on the Road

Rockford Fosgate knows that an essential part of owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle is the lifestyle and brotherhood with fellow riders. That awareness led them to create a feature called Street Party Mode. If your friends have a PMX-HD14 on their bikes, you can share whatever music you’re playing. They can connect their radios to yours using a proprietary Bluetooth 5.0 solution. The crew can enjoy the same music while cruising or hanging out.

Amazing Audio and Processing Features

The PMX-HD14 includes a built-in amplifier that can deliver 25 watts of clean power to four 4-ohm speakers or 50 watts to four 2-ohm speakers. The radio has six preamp outputs that provide up to 4 volts RMS to your amplifiers. A built-in 14-band graphic equalizer allows you or your installer to fine-tune the sound to your listening preferences. Rockford Fosgate invested a lot of time developing this radio, with innovations like audio presets – called Optimized Tunes – for the different Rockford Fosgate amplifier, speaker and subwoofer upgrade solutions available for your bike.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14
Rockford Fosgate audio upgrade kits’ preset settings ensure maximum performance with minimal configuration time.

Transform Your Motorcycle Adventure with Rockford Fosgate

If high-quality sound, reliability and an easy-to-use interface are on your radio shopping list, drop by a local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and check out the Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14. With a very detailed compatibility list on the product website, you can instantly see whether the radio is suitable for your touring bike. Follow Rockford Fosgate on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with their latest releases. Of course, their YouTube Channel has some of the coolest and most informative videos in the mobile audio industry.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Devine Concepts

14848 Old 41 Rd
Suite 9,
Naples, FL 34110
United States (US)
Phone: (239) 451-3210
Email: info@devine-concepts.com

Product Spotlight: Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14

-

Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14

Rockford Fosgate, a brand synonymous with Harley-Davidson amplifier, speaker and subwoofer upgrades, has just introduced its PMX-HD14 multimedia infotainment system. If you have a 2014 and newer Street Glide or Ultra, or 2015 and newer Road Glide, this might be the perfect way to make your entire stereo system sound better. Best of all, it’s got a unique trick up its sleeve. Let’s check it out.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14
The new Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14 is the ultimate audio upgrade for your Harley-Davidson touring motorcycle.

Features of the Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14 Radio

The PMX-HD14 is Rockford Fosgate’s second foray into the multimedia receiver market for Harley-Davidson. The radio is a direct drop-in upgrade for many of H-D’s touring bikes. This plug-and-play design works with the existing power and speaker wiring. It also features a 7-inch touchscreen that works even if the rider is wearing gloves. The screen and the trim around it are Element Ready, the term Rockford Fosgate gives to products that are sealed to keep out water and dust and can handle prolonged UV exposure and all the vibrations from applications like a big V-twin motorcycle.

In terms of the interface, there are four fixed buttons adjacent to the screen for Home, Settings, Information and Power control. A short press on the information button in the top right increases the radio volume, and a short press on the power button below it lowers the volume. Pressing and holding the information button brings up an odometer and distance-since-last-service display.

Rockford Fosgate is on top of the integration situation with the PMX-HD14. The radio is compatible with the factory-installed handlebar audio controls without the need for any additional parts. It works with wireless headsets and the OEM CB system when the WHIM and CB modules are present. And there’s no need to reflash the bike to maximize the radio’s performance. These features make the radio ideal for those who don’t want permanent modifications on their motorcycle.

Harley-Davidson Multimedia Radio Audio Sources

Of course, the PMX-HD14 has an AM/FM and Weather Band receiver, so you can tune in to your favorite local radio stations. An optional SXV300 tuner module will give you access to SiriusXM satellite radio for uninterrupted genre-specific programming from coast to coast. You can also play MP3, WMA or FLAC digital audio files from a USB memory stick. A Bluetooth receiver allows you to play music stored on a portable media player or stream audio from your smartphone.

The PMX-HD14 also includes Apple CarPlay. Connect your Apple iPhone and you can easily access entertainment, communication and navigational information. You can make phone calls or send text messages without taking your eyes off the road. If you’re on a cross-state or cross-country adventure, access to Apple Maps, Google Maps and Waze will help you reach your destination efficiently and safely. Of course, dedicated CarPlay streaming apps like Pandora, IHeartRadio, Pandora or Spotify make listening to almost anything you want quick and easy.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14
Large menu icons and handlebar control integration make the PMX-HD14 intuitive and safe to operate.

Take Your Party on the Road

Rockford Fosgate knows that an essential part of owning a Harley-Davidson motorcycle is the lifestyle and brotherhood with fellow riders. That awareness led them to create a feature called Street Party Mode. If your friends have a PMX-HD14 on their bikes, you can share whatever music you’re playing. They can connect their radios to yours using a proprietary Bluetooth 5.0 solution. The crew can enjoy the same music while cruising or hanging out.

Amazing Audio and Processing Features

The PMX-HD14 includes a built-in amplifier that can deliver 25 watts of clean power to four 4-ohm speakers or 50 watts to four 2-ohm speakers. The radio has six preamp outputs that provide up to 4 volts RMS to your amplifiers. A built-in 14-band graphic equalizer allows you or your installer to fine-tune the sound to your listening preferences. Rockford Fosgate invested a lot of time developing this radio, with innovations like audio presets – called Optimized Tunes – for the different Rockford Fosgate amplifier, speaker and subwoofer upgrade solutions available for your bike.

Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14
Rockford Fosgate audio upgrade kits’ preset settings ensure maximum performance with minimal configuration time.

Transform Your Motorcycle Adventure with Rockford Fosgate

If high-quality sound, reliability and an easy-to-use interface are on your radio shopping list, drop by a local authorized Rockford Fosgate retailer and check out the Rockford Fosgate PMX-HD14. With a very detailed compatibility list on the product website, you can instantly see whether the radio is suitable for your touring bike. Follow Rockford Fosgate on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with their latest releases. Of course, their YouTube Channel has some of the coolest and most informative videos in the mobile audio industry.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Devine Concepts

14848 Old 41 Rd
Suite 9,
Naples, FL 34110
United States (US)
Phone: (239) 451-3210
Email: info@devine-concepts.com

Steering Wheel Audio Control Integration

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Steering Wheel Audio ControlWhen you go shopping for a new radio for your car, one of the many questions the product specialist should ask you is whether your existing radio has steering wheel-mounted audio controls. Almost every aftermarket radio has provisions to accept a signal that will give you steering wheel audio control functions like volume, source selection, tracking and power. Here’s how it all works.

Factory Control Functionality

Steering Wheel Audio ControlThere are two common types of steering wheel control interfaces. The first is resistive; the second is data. Systems that use resistors often have two wires connected to the switches. Each switch presents a different resistance value when pressed. The factory radio sees these different resistances as different voltages and the computer in the radio responds appropriately. There are usually two wires so a multitude of switches can have well-separated resistance values to ensure functions will never overlap.

A small computer is built into the steering wheel controls switches in vehicles that use data communication for the steering wheel audio controls. This computer has inputs dedicated to each switch and its function. When you press a switch on the steering wheel, the computer sends a digital communication to the computer in the radio. Often, this communication takes place on the vehicle’s CAN data network.

Connection to Aftermarket Radios

Steering Wheel Audio ControlIn North America, almost every radio is Steering Wheel Remote Control Ready. Being “Ready” means the radio has a connection on the back to accept a serial data communication signal. The communication language used on the radio connection is not the same as that used in the vehicle. Thus, you will require an interface module to make everything work. Companies like iDatalink, Axxess and Pacific Accessory Corporation (known in the industry as PAC) all offer interfaces that can be programmed to understand and translate the information from the vehicle to something that is compatible with your radio.

Steering Wheel Audio Control Installation

Steering Wheel Audio ControlWhen your tech is installing the new radio in your vehicle, he has three tasks to complete to make the steering wheel audio controls work. First, he must wire the controls into your vehicle. In many cases, the installer will use a “harness saver” or “wire harness adapter” to connect a set of bare wires to the factory radio plug for power, illumination and speaker wire connections. This adapter usually includes the steering wheel communication wires from the vehicle.

Once the installer completes the electrical connections, the next step is to program the module to understand the commands from the vehicle. Some interfaces have software built into them to recognize commands from the vehicle automatically.

Another method of programming the interfaces uses a website that will allow the installer to select the year, make, model and trim level of the vehicle, and program the interface to recognize the correct commands.

Finally, the interface has to be programmed to send the correct commands to the new radio. Each brand of radio has a set of dedicated and unique command codes.

Additional Options

Steering Wheel Audio ControlOver the past few years, many vehicle owners have chosen to upgrade their factory radios to add Bluetooth audio streaming and hands-free calling to their vehicle. New cars have telephone control buttons on the steering wheel, but older ones don’t. Several of the interface modules have the ability to send different commands to the aftermarket radio, depending on how long you press and hold the steering wheel buttons. For example, a quick tap on the Volume Down button will, of course, turn the volume of the aftermarket radio down. You can have the button programmed so pressing and holding it for a couple of seconds to tell the radio to answer an incoming Bluetooth phone call.

The list of compatible functions varies by vehicle and the make and model of the aftermarket radio.

Custom Applications

Steering Wheel Audio ControlOne unique feature of the steering wheel control interface is that your installer could build a set of custom controls for you. Let’s say you are building a custom car, and you want to add a nice sound system. In most applications like this, the builder will install the aftermarket radio in the glovebox, under the seat or in the trunk of the vehicle. But how can you control the radio if you cannot reach the controls? Your installer could mount a set of switches in the center console and then program the switches, through an interface module to control the aftermarket radio.

Some installers and fabricators have gotten quite creative with these switch installations. A power mirror adjustment switch, for instance, serves as a great solution for volume and tracking functions.

Your Retailer is Ready to Help

When it is time to install a new radio in your vehicle, drop by your local mobile electronics specialist retailer. They would be happy to show you the latest in car audio source units and explain how they can integrate it into your vehicle.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.

Does Preamp Voltage Matter?

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Preamp VoltageFor almost as long as there have been car audio enthusiasts, they have been adding amplifiers to their vehicles to increase the power available to drive their speakers. More power means we can turn the volume up higher without distortion. When it came to connecting amplifiers to speakers, the first power boosters connected to the speaker wires of the radio. Now, modern head units offer dedicated RCA preamp outputs to make things easier.

Manufacturers specify how much voltage their source units can produce on these preamp outputs. Most radios offer at least 2 volts of signal, but some offer 4 volt, 5 volt or even 8 volts. Does this preamp voltage matter? Does more voltage make your system louder? Read on to find out.

Signal Chain

Preamp VoltageWhen we install an aftermarket radio in your dash and connect it to the amplifier, we have to make at least one adjustment to ensure everything will work properly. We refer to this step as “setting the gains.” This procedure involves matching the output voltage limit of the source unit with power production capabilities of the amplifier to ensure that both achieve maximum output when the volume is cranked all the way up.

Adjusting an amplifier’s sensitivity is, in theory, a simple process. That said, there are many things to take into consideration. How loud is the source material recorded? Does the head unit distort at full volume? Has anyone adjusted the radio’s tone controls or equalizer? Does the amplifier have any tone controls? If any one of these criteria are overlooked, the sensitivity adjustment may not be accurate.

What is the drawback to an improperly configured sensitivity control? If it is set too low, then you cannot get all the power available from the amplifier to your speakers. If the sensitivity control is set too high, then you can easily distort the output of the amplifier. A second side effect of adjusting the sensitivity control too high is that you increase the noise produced by the amplifier. Nobody wants to hear a hiss in the background of their music, so setting things properly is critical.

What Does High Preamp Voltage Do?

Preamp VoltageSome intensive research among several of us “old” car audio enthusiasts revealed that there were even a few twin-shaft cassette receivers with high-voltage preamp outputs. Some sales and marketing folks decided that more voltage meant more volume. In the early ’90s, several head unit manufacturers started marketing their radios as having voltage preamp outputs. If nothing else changed, sure – in theory, more voltage means more output. That said, if you swap from a 2 V source unit to a 4 V, and then readjust the sensitivity control on your amplifier down to compensate for the extra voltage, the maximum output level should stay the same.

If more voltage does not make your system louder, what is the benefit of this extra voltage? The answer is a reduction in gain of the amplifier and, thus, a reduction in potential noise. If your amplifier is set up to produce full power with a 2 volt signal and has a subsequent signal to noise ratio of 85 dB, then it is not unreasonable to expect that the noise would reduce by about 3 dB when we turn the sensitivity down by the same amount.

To the Test

We set up a premium consumer-grade amplifier on the lab test bench. It had an S/N Ratio specification of 89 dB when producing 1 watt of output and connected to a 4 ohm load. This is a pretty good rating these days. We set the amp up to produce 1 volt of output with a 1 kHz sine wave at a reference level for our function generator at -30 dB relative to full signal. We then took a long frequency response measurement.

The next step was to reduce the output signal of the function generator by an arbitrary amount – we chose 6 dB. We readjusted the sensitivity control of the amplifier so the output level was once again 1 volt and took another long frequency response measurement.

The results of the two measurements are shown in Figure 1.

Preamp Voltage
Figure 1, output dropped by 6db.

In Figure 1, you can see the large spike in frequency at 1 kHz on the right side of the screen. We zoomed in to fill the screen with as much information as possible below this frequency. The gold line shows the background noise produced by the amplifier with the sensitivity control at the lower of the two settings. The green line shows the background noise when we increased the sensitivity of the amplifier by 6 dB.

Figure 2 shows the difference in noise level at 100 Hz. Not surprisingly, the difference in noise is just under 6 dB.

Preamp Voltage
Figure 2, just under 6db of noise difference.

Conclusion

When it’s time to go shopping for a new source unit, among the dozens of cool connectivity features, options for display technologies and different brand names, paying attention to specifications is still important. If you are planning to add an amplifier to your mobile electronics system, make sure your source unit can produce at 4 volts of output on the preamps. This extra voltage will allow your installer to reduce both the sensitivity controls on your amplifier and the background noise level of the system.

Visit your local mobile electronics specialist retailer today for more information on which source units have high-voltage preamp outputs.

This article is written and produced by the team at www.BestCarAudio.com. Reproduction or use of any kind is prohibited without the express written permission of 1sixty8 media.