How to make a bluetooth call while driving?

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(yarzy @ Sep 11 2006, 10:40 AM) [snapback]317683[/snapback]</div>

Dial by number or dial by name with the voice commands

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(yarzy @ Sep 11 2006, 11:41 AM) [snapback]317722[/snapback]</div>

Nope, I do it all the time.
Hit the talk switch, say dial by name
Follow the prompts and after the voice has told you to dial, wait until the screen updates briefly and then touch the off hook switch to dial.

 

If you want to, there's a speed sensor wire that you can cut and add a switch. By switching to "Off," the car thinks it's stopped and you can use the MFD. You have to turn it back on as that sensor wire also supplies data to the 5-min bars of the Consumption screen and the turning wheels of the Energy screen.

 

The speed dials are still active while driving. So if you have the number preset as one of those, you're golden.

Also, you can always dial the number on the phone itself....

 

The voice recognition feature doesn't work for me. It never hears me correctly. The number of speed dial numbers is very limited. So, like nearly everyone else, I open my phone and dial manually when I need to make a call. I guess Toyota does this to make driving so much safer -- what a crock. It's obviously less safe to dial using the phone instead of the nice big touchscreen.

It's just one of very few disappointments in the Prius.

 

The dial by name is some cars is "greyed out" while you drive.

In my car (06 #5)...I can dial by number by inputing the voice, I can also speed dial...both of these while driving...

If I want to dial from my phone book or speak a voice tag, I have to wait till the car stops and the phone book "updates."

I met with other Prius owners yesterday, who also confirmed they can't dial by name while driving, but can input number by voice.

Speed Dial is the fastest...I have 17 numbers that I entered into Speed Dial...the Speed Dial window comes up when I hit "telephone" on the MFD.

It seems that some settings are different even though the year and package are similar.

Play with it, but speed dial is easy and fast....

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(jbarnhart @ Sep 11 2006, 05:53 PM) [snapback]317976[/snapback]</div>

Have you seen this thread about the mic gain?

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(terri @ Sep 11 2006, 03:35 PM) [snapback]318000[/snapback]</div>

Note that the Dial By Name is not reading the names in the speed dial or using any "dial by voice" in the phone. You have to have set the "Dial By Name" pattern in the address book of the car. When adding/editing a name to the address book, press the down arrow to access the "voice name" setting. Only then can you dial by name.

Once I set that up, dial by name worked fine for me while driving. I have an '06 #8.

Hope this helps...

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(terri @ Sep 11 2006, 06:35 PM) [snapback]318000[/snapback]</div>

That is so strange...why would some of the voice commands work and not others? why dial by number but not dial by name?

I am not doubting you...I truly am puzzled by this.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(davidf @ Sep 11 2006, 07:16 PM) [snapback]318034[/snapback]</div>

I did add "voice tags" to a bunch of names...I'll go back into the phone book and check editing features and see if I can access the "voice name" setting...

Thanks david!

terri

I agree Renocat...it doesn't make sense since I get up to the point where I am waiting for the "phone book to update" (it is grayed out and only updates when I stop...updates meaning becomes accessible)....will try looking into what david suggested. As I said, I did add the voice tags to the number of voice tags allowed...20, I think.

 

OK...just went to car, powered up...

All of my dial by names have a mike in front of them, and when I used the down arrow for edit, it says they are set for voice recognition and I played a few back...then I tried to call a few with dial by name...

No problem...

But my car is at a standstill...it simply will not allow dial by name while the car is in motion....phone book is grayed out...Someone I met yesterday says his car has the dial by name grayed out, too, while he is driving...and he has the nav system.

So....that's what it is....

It works fine with car at a stop, but not with car in motion.

Default settings may not necessarily be "same" in all cars delivered...my smart key system was "off" when I got the car and we had to push the button to set it to open without beeping the key and to start without putting the key in the slot.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(terri @ Sep 11 2006, 08:47 PM) [snapback]318074[/snapback]</div>

When my screen updates...the buttons are still greyed out. It is just a short pause where I hear the radio come back on, then I press the off hook switch and it dials.

 

Sorry for the double post...
In the interest of science (and to make sure I am not crazy :lol: ) I just tested my dial by name. These are the steps I go through.

I have the voice command set to beeps only so the first thing I do is press the talk switch (looks like a head with lines coming out) and the car beeps.
I say dial by name.
Jill says "Dial by name has been chosen. After the display has updated, please briefly touch the talk switch.:
The radio comes back on and the screen switches to the phone book screen. All selections are greyed out.
I touch the talk switch.
Jill says, please say the name.
I say the name
Jill says, "Name chosen, please briefly push the talk switch or push the off hook(telephone with receiver off the hook) switch to dial."
Radio comes back on briefly and I push the off hook switch and dial.

I go through exactly the same steps while sitting still, except the phonebook is not greyed out and I could use the it to dial if I wanted to.

Terri...too bad you are so far downstate...I would love to sit side by side and see why they are different. Anyone near Rochester having these problems? B)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(terri @ Sep 11 2006, 05:59 PM) [snapback]318081[/snapback]</div>

I had the same problem, and then I cut the Speed Sensor Wire, and installed a switch. When switched "off" the car thinks it's stopped and you can dial by name, or on the keypad of the MFD or see the names of the MP3 files. I cut the wire here and installed a push-on/push-off button here. Others have used a magnetic switch, which is less conspicuous.

It has to be switched on again as that sensor also sends the 5-minute information to the Consumption screen and the wheels of the Energy screen.

 

<rant>

On the highway, I came across a large field of rubber debris from a truck that had apparently lost at least a couple tires. People were swerving around this, nearly getting into accidents as they slammed on the brakes at 70 MPH. I would have very much liked to call the emergency number (this was Illinois Tollway, so *999), but of course there is no way to do this via the screen. By the time I was able to pull the phone out of my pocket while still keeping the car under control with one hand on the steering wheel, traffic was heavy enough that I didn't feel safe opening the phone and dialing it. I hope that nobody got hurt back there.

</rant>

I have now programmed 911 and *999 into two unused spots under speed dial screen #3.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Renocat @ Sep 11 2006, 09:14 PM) [snapback]318088[/snapback]</div>

Thanks for being so persistent and patient, Renocat!! I think I did push the talk switch again after the gray-out, but will try again today....at any rate...it is still more steps for me than the Speed Dial...the SD window comes up when I hit "telephone" and I simply push the name and it dials and I am connected...don't have to hit the "talk switch" at all, much less twice. Just one push for "telephone" and a quick touch on the name...the Speed Dial is easier for me to see, too, since I can hit the info button on the MFD without looking practically...and then the icons and names are large and visible for these poor ole' eyes...

I appreciate the offer....I really got such great help from fellow Prius members at our LI Club meet on Sunday...we may play around with this voice feature next meetup in October....

Meanwhile, I'll try moving forward after the gray-out stage...I just like to see that everything WORKS as it should!!

terri

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(yarzy @ Sep 12 2006, 07:57 AM) [snapback]318289[/snapback]</div>

Yes, mine works fine with the "dial by number" option voice command while moving.