2006+ Honda Civic Forum banner

Incoming Call Announcements, on Screen

Phone 
11K views 57 replies 34 participants last post by  czechplastik 
#1 ·
HFT - display incoming call id?

One of the things that is begining to bug me about the HFT is the way it is unable to display either the number, or preferably, the id of the incoming call (either from HFT phonebook, or preferably phone phonebook)

I therefore have to answer ever incoming call with my best 'work phone' voice - which is causing my wife no end of hilarity :oops:


Am I just being stupid - I've RTFM, but can't find any way to get it to do it :(

HFT 'issue', or is it down to the bluetooth protocol not supporting it?
 
#2 ·
A bit of both. I am looking to mount my phone somewhere so I dont just get the 'You have an incomming phone call'
 
#3 ·
One of the things that is begining to bug me about the HFT is the way it is unable to display either the number, or preferably, the id of the incoming call (either from HFT phonebook, or preferably phone phonebook)

I therefore have to answer ever incoming call with my best 'work phone' voice - which is causing my wife no end of hilarity :oops:


Am I just being stupid - I've RTFM, but can't find any way to get it to do it :(

HFT 'issue', or is it down to the bluetooth protocol not supporting it?

If this is the true extent of the HFT's ability, then that it is truly poor. Honda should be able to produce a better system than this. The whole point of the BT technology is that you do not have to see the phone in a cradle, it could be in your pocket, or even in a brief case in the boot.

Come on Honda, must try harder........


Of course if the above quote is incorrect (I really hope it is), then I take it back :)
 
#4 ·
Same problem here. I think we're just going to have to put up with it I'm afraid.

I'm sure Honda will get it sorted on the next generation of HFT (whwnever that might be!).
 
#6 ·
As far as I'm aware its the limitations of bluetooth v1 which most phones and the honda have on it.

Only newer phones (like the previously mentioned nokia's) are starting to put on v2 of bluetooth so it transmits information such as caller ID and even text messages to the car. Even if you have a newer phone the car has to support it as well and it seems to be only newer mercedes are starting to put it on their cars.

Some older cars have this ability but its only because you plug the phone into the car rather than it being bluetooth. So I don't think that this will be possible until phones start getting up to date and honda change the bluetooth module in the car
 
#7 ·
I currently have a Parrot kit in my Golf ( as mentioned elsewhere ). This cost £99 and integrates with the stereo, mute etc.

It will dial a stored name by voice.
Notify me when a call is incoming, with either the number, or ID if programmed in the phone - It will also, if I have set the name up as a voice dial, announce the caller (in my voice, which is weird at first). This works with all BT phones, and has superb sound/voice quality.

see here :

http://www.parrot.biz/uk/products/ck3100-lcd


I am not sure that it is a BT version issue with the Honda, as these Parrot kits have been around for ages. It seems that when I get in the car, the Parrot downloads phonebook information from my phone to itself. This can then be used for dialing, incoming call alerts etc. Very, very good and I am disappointed that when I get my EX this will be a major downgrade as far as the phone is concerned.
 
#8 ·
Hi there, first post an all.

Ive just got a Civic EX with HFT on order and found myself here looking for more info on the bluetooth implementation.

I find it very strange that Honda havent added this capability on the Civic.

We got my partner a new 2006 Grande Punto Sporting a few months ago and that has full bluetooth handsfree capabilty, when you first pair the phone the car downloads the whole of your phone directory into its memory and then you can either scroll down you names in the display in the dash or press a button on the steering wheel and speak the name without any voice training. Conversley, when you receive an incoming call it displays the name in the dash display - I just assumed the Civic would have been the same, and feel a little short changed by it :(

Ah well - still can't wait for it to arrive :)
 
#12 ·
It is not a bluetooth specification problem. Bluetooth is just a protocol for transmitting data wirelessly. It defines how two devices can make connections and then talk to each other , eg HOW data is transmitted/received , it doesnt define what data content can be sent - that is down to the higher level software on the devices at either end ie the Host software. Now I dont know who writes that on the Honda!!

Think of bluetooth as being similar to USB(albeit wireless), you can plug a printer into your pc via usb and there is a specification that says how the data is transferred from one to the other but that specification wont say whether or not you can tell your printer to print double sided by clicking an icon on your pc !

I would expect something like caller id to be easy to do whatever version of bluetooth was present as its basically just a set of numbers so would be sent as a normal 'data' packet and wouldnt require a high bandwidth or anything like that. Honda probably just forgot to put it in or thought it wouldnt be wanted!!

Hope that helps!
 
#13 ·
It is not a bluetooth specification problem. Bluetooth is just a protocol for transmitting data wirelessly. It defines how two devices can make connections and then talk to each other , eg HOW data is transmitted/received , it doesnt define what data content can be sent - that is down to the higher level software on the devices at either end ie the Host software. Now I dont know who writes that on the Honda!!

Think of bluetooth as being similar to USB(albeit wireless), you can plug a printer into your pc via usb and there is a specification that says how the data is transferred from one to the other but that specification wont say whether or not you can tell your printer to print double sided by clicking an icon on your pc !

I would expect something like caller id to be easy to do whatever version of bluetooth was present as its basically just a set of numbers so would be sent as a normal 'data' packet and wouldnt require a high bandwidth or anything like that. Honda probably just forgot to put it in or thought it wouldnt be wanted!!

Hope that helps!

So then the Honda's display is unable to show names or numbers, it's not just mine then?
 
#14 ·
Hey JohnD,

It's not just your phone/car. Mine doesn't provide callers' information on the screen either. If I'm on the Audio screen and I receive a call, then I have an icon with a phone which is off the hook

Surely Honda can just upgrade the system, it's probably just a software thing. I hope they do, 'cos that'll be cool.
 
#15 ·
Hey JohnD,

It's not just your phone/car. Mine doesn't provide callers' information on the screen either. If I'm on the Audio screen and I receive a call, then I have an icon with a phone which is off the hook

Surely Honda can just upgrade the system, it's probably just a software thing. I hope they do, 'cos that'll be cool.

Thanks for the reply, i thought it was a fault with the car's display.
 
#19 ·
Perhaps Honda have got it already sorted out and they are trying to ring their software engineers, and as the engineers have not got that facility they dont know who's calling and therefore won't pick up.

Got a round robin here I think!

"The directors in this company always seem to bite the hand that lays the golden egg!"

Charles H.
 
#20 ·
yer we definatley deserve better software
 
#21 ·
Even if they do, we won't get it! It will be in the next model year or when the face lift is due.

It would have been soooo easy for Honda to do! I must have been lazyness, I mean how much would have cost them. I would have paid an extra £50 or so to see call details and text messages! The same can be said for ipod intergration.
 
#25 · (Edited)
I was in a primera taxi a few weeks ago and the drivers wife rang it came up on the sat nav screen *HOME CALLING* we then had to listen to her ask for him to pick up some milk on his way home.

My dad's Qashqai does it too
 
#23 ·
I think it's more a bluetooth thing. Not all that many phones have a capablility (the newer ones do I know)and when they do they tend to be a bit of a non-standard standard
 
#24 ·
I'm thinking that the price Alpine &/or Panasonic charge for the head unit/satnav/hft/voice control combo may well be a lot more (maybe x2/x3) for all the bells & whistles so while working within a budget HUK opts for the slightly lower spec.

As it is possibly the 1st car they have produced in this class with these features they opt to leave some room for improvement & in return the price of the extra bells & whistles will come down in the couple more years it takes for them to upgrade the spec.

You can bet your life the 1st wheels ever sold were not as round as the prototypes... :cool:
 
#28 ·
I think Honda has gone for the most basic headset profile to ensure compatibility with most phones. BMW have been offering bluetooth that can display caller and text messages for years, but it only works with phones that have the advanced profiles like SIM access.

You would be surprised how many modern phones don't have these profiles. I had a 2003 BMW that had all the features with an ancient Siemens S55, but the Samsung D500 i got when it was new much later didn't have them and just worked like the Honda.

http://www.bluetooth.com/Bluetooth/Connect/Motion/Scenarios/Automotive/
 
#29 ·
can you imagine how many people would complain about the honda system, only to find out it was there crap out of date phone
 
#30 ·
I had a parrot bluetooth kit in an old mondeo for several years and it always showed the caller ID or name if it was in the phone's phonebook for every phone I tried. (even the most basic of nokia's with bluetooth) so I can't imagine that many phones couldn't support it!

I opted for the integrated satnav and bluetooth kit to save having wires everywhere, so now my wife has the kit in her car. So she at least knows its me calling... I have to answer in posh work voice :(
 
#32 ·
I think this is shocking. I have a Type-R GT w/sat nav and I think its ridiculous I have to look at my phone to see who's calling! that's hardly 'hands-free' is it!! I previously had a focus ST w/bluetooth pack and this would at least display the number of the person calling. I feel like writing to honda about this. I would definately want a software upgrade for this. Another issue I have is I cant dial a number that's not stored in the car. E.g. if I manually get my phone to call someone it doesnt get transferred through the car!! Anyone else have this?
 
#33 ·
Z1ppy,

Hi mate, I think that's more of a problem with your mobile than the HFT. I have the Nokia N95 and if I want to call a number which is not in the HFT phonebook, I simply press the HFT button and say, "Call 020 1234 5678". The system then asks for confirmation of the number, answer "yes" and the number is dialled.

With regards to the Incoming Announcements on the screen, I think we should ALL (those who want it anyway) write to Honda asking for this software re-write or upgrade. I've got to look down at the phone to see whose calling, not very HANDSFREE is it?
 
#34 ·
Z1ppy,

With regards to the Incoming Announcements on the screen, I think we should ALL (those who want it anyway) write to Honda asking for this software re-write or upgrade. I've got to look down at the phone to see whose calling, not very HANDSFREE is it?

Maybe we should do a thread with "requested possible software updates". "Possible" meaning functions which COULD well be software updates, we can´t be sure as we don´t have all the design details.

One thing I would like is to have autolocking doors which can be turned on/off. I know they took this out on the 07. Also auto folding mirrors may be a software update.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top