Using Scenic with Sena SMH5
Quote from Maxodo on 14.07.2020, 07:24Hi guys, I just got Scenic and am hugely impressed.
I have used the voice prompts with my phone but just setting up an intercom and looking at the Sena SMH5.
I understand that Sena says you cannot have the intercom AND voice guidance at the same time?
Anyone using this set up can comment please?
Ideally I would like the intercom open with my partner but also have the Scenic voice guidance come in too.
Hi guys, I just got Scenic and am hugely impressed.
I have used the voice prompts with my phone but just setting up an intercom and looking at the Sena SMH5.
I understand that Sena says you cannot have the intercom AND voice guidance at the same time?
Anyone using this set up can comment please?
Ideally I would like the intercom open with my partner but also have the Scenic voice guidance come in too.
Quote from Guido on 14.07.2020, 07:29Not familiar with the SMH5 specifically, but usually Sena’s have ‘priorities’. A channel with high priority interrupts channels with lower priority. As far as I know (but check the manual) the only channel with higher priority than intercom is a phone call.
Scenic can play voice guidance as phone call. Go to Settings > Sound & Haptics > Voice Output, and art that to ‘As phone call (HFP)’.
hope this helps.
Not familiar with the SMH5 specifically, but usually Sena’s have ‘priorities’. A channel with high priority interrupts channels with lower priority. As far as I know (but check the manual) the only channel with higher priority than intercom is a phone call.
Scenic can play voice guidance as phone call. Go to Settings > Sound & Haptics > Voice Output, and art that to ‘As phone call (HFP)’.
hope this helps.
Quote from Maxodo on 14.07.2020, 07:43Thanks Guido, that was quick! If set as phone call does that mean each time a voice prompt is due I will get a ringing and have to 'answer the phone'! or the voice will just cut in?
Otherwise if I have the intercom open then I will not receive any Scenic voice? But if I switch intercom on and off as needed it will send me voice prompts only at the times the 'com is off?
Thanks Guido, that was quick! If set as phone call does that mean each time a voice prompt is due I will get a ringing and have to 'answer the phone'! or the voice will just cut in?
Otherwise if I have the intercom open then I will not receive any Scenic voice? But if I switch intercom on and off as needed it will send me voice prompts only at the times the 'com is off?
Quote from Guido on 14.07.2020, 07:49you don’t have to answer the call and no ringing either. Voice will just cut in. Intercom will be interrupted and will come back again after the instruction.
if you leave voice output on ‘device default’ voice prompts are played as ‘music’. Better sound quality but with lower prio than intercom. So if intercom is on you won’t hear the instruction.
Again, not 100% sure. This is how it should theoretically work. Perhaps someone with a Sena can confirm here.
you don’t have to answer the call and no ringing either. Voice will just cut in. Intercom will be interrupted and will come back again after the instruction.
if you leave voice output on ‘device default’ voice prompts are played as ‘music’. Better sound quality but with lower prio than intercom. So if intercom is on you won’t hear the instruction.
Again, not 100% sure. This is how it should theoretically work. Perhaps someone with a Sena can confirm here.
Quote from Maxodo on 14.07.2020, 08:34Thanks Guido - a connected question as I am considering using an older iPhone 6S Plus with the large screen as a bar mounted nav. I can use this without a SIM I understand as Scenic requires no data while navigating. But would I need data to search and find a new route while away from wi-fi?
Also guessing I cannot use the voice guidance as phone call workaround you describe if I do not have a SIM?
Thanks Guido - a connected question as I am considering using an older iPhone 6S Plus with the large screen as a bar mounted nav. I can use this without a SIM I understand as Scenic requires no data while navigating. But would I need data to search and find a new route while away from wi-fi?
Also guessing I cannot use the voice guidance as phone call workaround you describe if I do not have a SIM?
Quote from Guido on 14.07.2020, 08:43Quote from Maxodo on July 14, 2020, 08:34Thanks Guido - a connected question as I am considering using an older iPhone 6S Plus with the large screen as a bar mounted nav. I can use this without a SIM I understand as Scenic requires no data while navigating. But would I need data to search and find a new route while away from wi-fi?
Yes... you do need a data connection to find a Scenic route. So, I recommend to create and/or find the routes before you leave from home and add them to your list of routes. Once you do that they are available to you, even without connection.
Quote from Maxodo on July 14, 2020, 08:34Also guessing I cannot use the voice guidance as phone call workaround you describe if I do not have a SIM?
You cán use voice guidance as phone call, even without SIM. The 'as phone call' might be a bit misleading. The key word is HFP (Hands Free Protocol). It means that your phone connects to the Sena as if the Sena is the 'hands free' speaker. (similar to how that would work during a phone call in your car for example). No need for a sim.
Quote from Maxodo on July 14, 2020, 08:34Thanks Guido - a connected question as I am considering using an older iPhone 6S Plus with the large screen as a bar mounted nav. I can use this without a SIM I understand as Scenic requires no data while navigating. But would I need data to search and find a new route while away from wi-fi?
Yes... you do need a data connection to find a Scenic route. So, I recommend to create and/or find the routes before you leave from home and add them to your list of routes. Once you do that they are available to you, even without connection.
Quote from Maxodo on July 14, 2020, 08:34Also guessing I cannot use the voice guidance as phone call workaround you describe if I do not have a SIM?
You cán use voice guidance as phone call, even without SIM. The 'as phone call' might be a bit misleading. The key word is HFP (Hands Free Protocol). It means that your phone connects to the Sena as if the Sena is the 'hands free' speaker. (similar to how that would work during a phone call in your car for example). No need for a sim.
Quote from Maxodo on 14.07.2020, 09:27OK, thank you. That clears things up as I could run a phone with no SIM/data and hotspot it to my main phone in pocket when/if data needed.
OK, thank you. That clears things up as I could run a phone with no SIM/data and hotspot it to my main phone in pocket when/if data needed.
Quote from Maxodo on 15.07.2020, 06:04I have ordered the SMH5 so will update this as soon as I have had to chance to install/test it in case no-one else comments.
I have ordered the SMH5 so will update this as soon as I have had to chance to install/test it in case no-one else comments.
Quote from Maxodo on 18.07.2020, 12:46Update - been out all day with the SMH5 and using Scenic.
Once again this app finds superb roads. Although the voice guidance remains a bit shonky with many junctions missed and frequent lefts and rights mixed up!
Regarding the SMH5 - if you have comms open then the voice guidance does not come in. A bit annoying as you then have to choose one or the other.
Guido's workaround sorts this (changing voice output to HFP) but as noted above the quality is not as good (less clear and less volume - also the 'beep' before an instruction of more of a muffled noise).
It is what it is though and I guess this is down to Sena or Apple not the app.
Update - been out all day with the SMH5 and using Scenic.
Once again this app finds superb roads. Although the voice guidance remains a bit shonky with many junctions missed and frequent lefts and rights mixed up!
Regarding the SMH5 - if you have comms open then the voice guidance does not come in. A bit annoying as you then have to choose one or the other.
Guido's workaround sorts this (changing voice output to HFP) but as noted above the quality is not as good (less clear and less volume - also the 'beep' before an instruction of more of a muffled noise).
It is what it is though and I guess this is down to Sena or Apple not the app.
Quote from Maxodo on 09.08.2020, 07:11Hi Guido. For some reason this weekend play voice as phone call stopped working. Have reset Sena, repaired etc but the voice command will only come through if set to device default. And then of course it will not come in if intercom is on.
But Google Maps is doing the same. If I set play a phone call on Google it will not give voice over the Sena either.
Any ideas please?
Hi Guido. For some reason this weekend play voice as phone call stopped working. Have reset Sena, repaired etc but the voice command will only come through if set to device default. And then of course it will not come in if intercom is on.
But Google Maps is doing the same. If I set play a phone call on Google it will not give voice over the Sena either.
Any ideas please?
Quote from Maxodo on 09.08.2020, 08:54I have done some more playing around and it does seem very random - opening/closing apps, changing settings etc got it working but then trying again after a short while (again changing settings etc) it stopped. All very random and I guess the ancient Sena firmware is to blame here......?
I have done some more playing around and it does seem very random - opening/closing apps, changing settings etc got it working but then trying again after a short while (again changing settings etc) it stopped. All very random and I guess the ancient Sena firmware is to blame here......?
Quote from Guido on 10.08.2020, 09:53Sorry for my late reply. I was on a motorcycle trip myself this weekend, without cellphone reception most of the time.
OK, so if it's also doing this with Google Maps, I'm afraid it's not a Scenic problem. My guess is that it's a bluetooth connectivity problem / bluetooth pairing problem. Do you know if it's playing over the device speaker when the voice doesn't come through on the headset? Or is it not playing at all? If it's playing on device speaker that means the phone thinks your headset is not connected (i.e. the connection was dropped and not re-established). If it's not playing at all then the phone is trying to play on the headset, but somehow the headset is not receiving/processing as it should.
Honestly these things are very hard to diagnose. There's a lot of things that can be wrong in the chain. From a software problem (which in this case I think not, because also Google Maps has the problem), a connectivity problem, or even a hardware problem.
I don't know if it's an option for you to have the intercom not on all the time? Perhaps only turn it on when something needs to be said. Not sure how the SMH5 works... if that's possible at all.
Let me know if I can be of any further help.
Sorry for my late reply. I was on a motorcycle trip myself this weekend, without cellphone reception most of the time.
OK, so if it's also doing this with Google Maps, I'm afraid it's not a Scenic problem. My guess is that it's a bluetooth connectivity problem / bluetooth pairing problem. Do you know if it's playing over the device speaker when the voice doesn't come through on the headset? Or is it not playing at all? If it's playing on device speaker that means the phone thinks your headset is not connected (i.e. the connection was dropped and not re-established). If it's not playing at all then the phone is trying to play on the headset, but somehow the headset is not receiving/processing as it should.
Honestly these things are very hard to diagnose. There's a lot of things that can be wrong in the chain. From a software problem (which in this case I think not, because also Google Maps has the problem), a connectivity problem, or even a hardware problem.
I don't know if it's an option for you to have the intercom not on all the time? Perhaps only turn it on when something needs to be said. Not sure how the SMH5 works... if that's possible at all.
Let me know if I can be of any further help.
Quote from Maxodo on 10.08.2020, 13:19Thanks very much Guido. No, if selected to play on Sena it does not come through the phone.
It must be the old firmware I think as otherwise all hardware works fine and there are many issues reported online with Sena and Siri etc.
Thanks very much Guido. No, if selected to play on Sena it does not come through the phone.
It must be the old firmware I think as otherwise all hardware works fine and there are many issues reported online with Sena and Siri etc.
Quote from muddyfeet on 22.08.2020, 12:03I’ll just chime in here. Love Scenic and considering moving to lifetime premium - it’s a really great app. However, the only thing holding me back at the moment is getting voice navigation prompts with the sena 5. Have set the audio to HFP but still no success. Have experienced exactly the same as the OP.
I’ll just chime in here. Love Scenic and considering moving to lifetime premium - it’s a really great app. However, the only thing holding me back at the moment is getting voice navigation prompts with the sena 5. Have set the audio to HFP but still no success. Have experienced exactly the same as the OP.
