i've been wanting integrated bluetooth in my car for a while now. i've tried using my carputer and the various different available software, but with limited success. i looked at some of the different parrot kits, but for the price, i figured i could get a new headunit with bluetooth instead. and that's what i decided to do.
i ended up going with the kenwood kdc-bt838u headunit. it's definitely a step down from my previous excelon head unit, even though it's a few years old. but i was willing to make a few trade-offs for the bluetooth. regardless, the new headunit still sounds pretty good. i could've gotten a newer excelon HU along with the kenwood bluetooth adapter, but i saved some money going with the all-in-one HU. plus, it saved the trouble of having to install another piece of hardware. the only thing i don't like about it is the lack of functional buttons. there are basically two knobs that control everything, including menu navigation. i have to admit that accessing your phone book through the HU is probably more cumbersome than using your phone to do it. again, something i'm willing to deal with since my lg dare has a touchscreen that's really easy to navigate.
overall, i'm pleased. i got what i wanted in a bluetooth system. i sacrificed a little bit of sound quality by moving away from my excelon HU, but still have a great sounding system. and everyone i've talked to so far using the bluetooth says they can't tell the difference.
anyway, video and pictures...
the box... apparently, the bluetooth system is associated with parrot.
i put the mic on the steering column, which is where the manual suggests.
the new HU and my cell phone in a cradle.
Linear Mode
