# Outdoor Tech Chips vs wired



## Pigpen (Feb 3, 2013)

So I'm about to order the Outdoor Tech helmet headphones. 
I'm torn between paying $125 for the Bluetooth Chips or paying $40 for the wired version. 
Has anyone used both and could compare for me?
Of course the Bluetooth will win, but is it worth the difference?

Thanks!


----------



## JTCarver (Dec 27, 2015)

I rock the wired version and they work great. $85 cheaper and one less battery to charge.


----------



## highme (Dec 2, 2012)

I bought these headphones from Amazon Amazon.com: SoundBot® SB221 HD Wireless Bluetooth 4.0 Headset Sports-Active Headphone for 20Hrs Music Streaming & 25Hrs HandsFree Calling w/ Sweat Resistant Ergonomic Secure-Fit Design & Voice Command Support: Cell Phones & Accessories removed the hard plastic behind the neck thing and now have $13 bluetooth jams in my helmet.

You need a small screwdriver and a little patience.


----------



## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

I bought drop in motorcyle helmet speakers for 10 bucks and this bluetooth adapter Amazon.com: Jumbl? Bluetooth 4.0 Hands-Free Calling & A2DP Audio Streaming Adapter/Receiver - White: Cell Phones & Accessories and saved a lot of money while having bluetooth functionality.


----------



## Outdoortech (Jan 4, 2016)

The rad thing about the Wireless Chips is how you can control pretty much everything without taking your gloves off. You can press on the side of your head to raise/lower volume, skip tracks, answer calls, etc. 

The Wired Chips don't have those features but still sound great.

If you can, go for the Wireless Chips.


----------



## sabatoa (Jan 18, 2011)

I have the wired, my only bummer is that I had to create a hole in my ear pad for the wire because my helmet's wire lead is way in the back.

It's a pain to thread the wire in and fire the port in the headphones blind.


----------



## Pigpen (Feb 3, 2013)

Outdoortech said:


> The rad thing about the Wireless Chips is how you can control pretty much everything without taking your gloves off. You can press on the side of your head to raise/lower volume, skip tracks, answer calls, etc.
> 
> The Wired Chips don't have those features but still sound great.
> 
> If you can, go for the Wireless Chips.


Probably going with wireless. 
Do they wired ones have the option of hitting a button on the side of the headphone to change tracks? I thought it did.


----------



## who_it_is (Feb 26, 2015)

The wired ones only have one button, pause/play


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

Outdoortech said:


> The rad thing about the Wireless Chips is how you can control pretty much everything without taking your gloves off. You can press on the side of your head to raise/lower volume, skip tracks, answer calls, etc.


Yeah, that's really a very nice feature. No taking the gloves off alla time saves from getting cold hands.

One thing I'm not sure what's the problem is: sometimes I've short cut outs in the music stream. I wear the phone in the front side pant pocket. Maybe the distance is too big?


----------



## taco tuesday (Jul 26, 2014)

I have the wired version. It does have less features than the wireless but it is more than pause/play. You can skip tracks and answer calls with the button on the ear piece as well. I am happy with them.


----------



## who_it_is (Feb 26, 2015)

how do you skip tracks with the ear button?


----------



## Outdoortech (Jan 4, 2016)

neni said:


> Yeah, that's really a very nice feature. No taking the gloves off alla time saves from getting cold hands.
> 
> One thing I'm not sure what's the problem is: sometimes I've short cut outs in the music stream. I wear the phone in the front side pant pocket. Maybe the distance is too big?



If your phone is on you, you should be good.. no cut outs. I have seen some odd stuff with phones that cut out when they have a bunch of stuff running in the background. If you continue to have issues, you should email [email protected] though.


----------



## taco tuesday (Jul 26, 2014)

who_it_is said:


> how do you skip tracks with the ear button?


Double click it. Took me some getting used to so that it didn't pause instead of skipping.


----------



## who_it_is (Feb 26, 2015)

taco tuesday said:


> Double click it. Took me some getting used to so that it didn't pause instead of skipping.


I had no idea. Thanks for the tip!!


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

neni said:


> Yeah, that's really a very nice feature. No taking the gloves off alla time saves from getting cold hands.
> 
> One thing I'm not sure what's the problem is: *sometimes I've short cut outs in the music stream*. I wear the phone in the front side pant pocket. Maybe the distance is too big?


I get the same thing.. every once in a while it'll get a lil choppy for a second..


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

neni said:


> ....One thing I'm not sure what's the problem is: sometimes I've short cut outs in the music stream. I wear the phone in the front side pant pocket. Maybe the distance is too big?


 Mine doesn't just cut out a little bit, if I put my iPhone in any pocket other than a chest pocket directly below the R earpiece, the signal drops out entirely. The problem with that is the phone gets very cold and the crappy iPhone battery dies. Even if it's placed in there with a pocket full of handwarmers.

I checked things out when I got home and it's not the Cold or the life proof case causing this. I took the phone out of the case in the house with the phone warm and fully charged. No other apps besides iTunes running, turned on the chips headset and placed my phone in my back pocket. I immediately lost the Bluetooth signal. If I place it the phone in the front pants pocket, I intermittently lose the signal. 

On the slope when I placed my phone in the hand pocket of my fleece vest, under my jacket? Again I would lose the signal completely.

The problem is not with my phone's Bluetooth chip. I use the Bluetooth for my car radio, I also have the outdoor tech Adapt Bluetooth for my earbuds. Using the Adapt I can leave my phone inside a bag in the cab of my truck and I don't lose the Bluetooth signal until I get to the back of a 50 foot trailer. So 40 or 50 feet of steel and fiberglass between me and the phone and the adapt still picks up the Bluetooth signal. 

I know I have put on some weight since my injury, but my fat ass isn't generating a gravitational field so massive that it should be sucking the Bluetooth signal into my Black Hole's event horizon!!!! :blink: 

Obviously the set I have must be defective, as Outdoortech claims a 30 foot range for the Bluetooth signal with the Adapt & the Chips. I sent a message to Outdoortech this morning through the "contact us" option on their website, I have yet to hear back from them. I will be very upset if I can't get this situation resolved before my next trip to Boyne two weeks from now, or before I go to CO. in Feb!


----------



## WasabiCanuck (Apr 29, 2015)

neni said:


> Yeah, that's really a very nice feature. No taking the gloves off alla time saves from getting cold hands.
> 
> One thing I'm not sure what's the problem is: *sometimes I've short cut outs in the music stream*. I wear the phone in the front side pant pocket. Maybe the distance is too big?


I have had that problem with bluetooth speakers in general. They cut out sometimes. That's why I hate bluetooth tech. I bought a sonos speaker for my house, it runs on wifi, no cut outs now. Obviously that won't work for headphones.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

So the first two times i used the ODT Chips (wireless) I had absolutely no problems, no dropouts and awesome clear sound. I found the volume up feature was a bit hit and miss, and would usually just use the sound source.

This last time it was quite bad though. I have the audio player (Sony Walkman) in my chest pocket, so not even 50cm from the Chips, but still it had a few stutters and stops, stopping completely when i turned my head to the side so that the distance between the chips and the player was the furthest (50cm, but probably with my chest/shoulder in between). Since it is the walkman, there are no apps or anything that could account for the stuttering, and 50cm should be plenty strong.

Only difference i can think is the temperature - was about +10deg C the first time, and -10 the second time. I will give this another try soon, but i might start just go wired next time... stuttering music really kills the vibe in a massive way


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

tokyo_dom said:


> So the first two times i used the ODT Chips (wireless) I had absolutely no problems, no dropouts and awesome clear sound. I found the volume up feature was a bit hit and miss, and would usually just use the sound source.
> 
> This last time it was quite bad though. I have the audio player (Sony Walkman) in my chest pocket, so not even 50cm from the Chips, but still it had a few stutters and stops, stopping completely *when i turned my head to the side so that the distance between the chips and the player was the furthest* (50cm, but probably with my chest/shoulder in between). Since it is the walkman, there are no apps or anything that could account for the stuttering, and 50cm should be plenty strong.
> 
> Only difference i can think is the temperature - was about +10deg C the first time, and -10 the second time. I will give this another try soon, but i might start just go wired next time... stuttering music really kills the vibe in a massive way


This is something that I noticed too when I was turning back to look for my friends. The same thing happens with the bluetooth headphones that I use daily, but those cost me $10...


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

emt.elikahan said:


> This is something that I noticed too when I was turning back to look for my friends. *The same thing happens with the bluetooth headphones that I use daily, but those cost me $10...*


That's disconcerting!! I understand accepting performance like that from a $10 set if earbuds, but I will be quite upset if this is considered "normal" from a $130 set!! 

Especially since I very quickly decided I _REALLY_ prefer not having my helmet wired to my MP3 player. (...I know this definitely a *1st world* problem and most ppl proly don't consider this to be a big deal,..) But with helmet straps, neck gaitors & face masks, etc,.. The wires can be a real pain in the ass and I like not having to thread a wire thru layers or have them keep "hanging up" when gearin' up! :dunno: :blink:

Plus,... I think they sounded great! Way better than my SC wired! I'd like them to work properly so I can keep & use them! :blink:


----------



## SoCalSoul (Nov 13, 2013)

I've got the wired set with the Outdoortech Beanie. Works great and no connection problems.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Its a little worse for me i guess because i am goofy, so most of the time my head is turned to the right. The bluetooth receiver is in the right ear, so that puts it at the furthest distance (and having to go through my shoulder/chest). If i was Natural, i would be facing to the left, bringing the receiver ear out in front of me and in direct line of sight to the audio source.

Might switch sides next time (put the receiver module on the left) and see if that improves things.

Also just bought a K2 Rival helmet that came with (super crappy) audio built in. Thought i could just switch the speakers out but it seems they are pretty tight in there. Sucks because compared to my Sandbox, this K2 helmet feels 10x more comfortable. May consider surgery to get these Chips in there.


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

tokyo_dom said:


> Its a little worse for me i *guess because i am goofy, so most of the time my head is turned to the right. The bluetooth receiver is in the right ear, so that puts it at the furthest distance (and having to go through my shoulder/chest). *If i was Natural, i would be facing to the left, bringing the receiver ear out in front of me and in direct line of sight to the audio source.
> 
> Might switch sides next time (put the receiver module on the left) and see if that improves things...


I'd say your (...and my) BT chip is likely defective. Especially since you said it started acting up the second time and not the first. 

I also use the Adapt BT adapter for use with my earpods. I can receive the BT signal from my iPhone no matter WHERE I've got the phone or Adapt receiver. I tested this tonight at work. Placed my phone in a my bag on passenger side of cab,... Zipped the pocket closed then put the entire (...not insubstantial) mass of my body between them! Not a hiccup!!! Not even a wisp of a stutter. Cupped the Adapt in my gloved hands and held it close to my chest with my torso still between it & the phone,..! Again, crystal clear and no signal drop. 

I received an email from Outdoor Techs "conact us" form and the reply was less than helpful. Here is that text,...
_"....Thanks for reaching out. From what you’re describing, I believe you’re experiencing cross body interference. If there’s a clear line of sight between the Chips and your Bluetooth device, do you still encounter connectivity issues? The reason why the Chips don’t cut out when your phone is in your right chest pocket is that the antenna of the Chips is in the right ear piece so the closer the BT device is, the less likely you’re experience connectivity issues. Please let me know if you have any other questions."_

The OT web store claims in their Tech Specs, up to 30ft. signal strength/reception. There is _NO_ mention that it needs to be "line of sight!" That wouldn't make the Chips very practical or useful if that was required! :dunno:

Earlier in this thread, the OT rep in a reply to neni stated,.. "If you have the phone _ON_ your person, there shouldn't be a problem or any drop outs!" 

Don't misunderstand me,.. I'm NOT raggin' on OT or their product. (...not yet anyway!) :blink: When the signal's good, the sound quality and volume is excellent. Better that most of the "wired" options I've used. But I do however strongly believe that the $130 set should funtion _*at least*_ as reliably as the $30 Adapt does!! :huh: :shrug:

Still waiting to hear from their actual customer support dept on this.


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

tokyo_dom said:


> Its a little worse for me i guess *because i am goofy*, so most of the time my head is turned to the right. The bluetooth receiver is in the right ear, so that puts it at the furthest distance (and having to go through my shoulder/chest). If i was Natural, i would be facing to the left, bringing the receiver ear out in front of me and in direct line of sight to the audio source.
> 
> *Might switch sides next time (put the receiver module on the left) and see if that improves things.*
> 
> Also just bought a K2 Rival helmet that came with (super crappy) audio built in. Thought i could just switch the speakers out but it seems they are pretty tight in there. Sucks because compared to my Sandbox, this K2 helmet feels 10x more comfortable. May consider surgery to get these Chips in there.


I too ride goofy and was considering trying this... however, I would just have the same problem when riding switch... :dry:


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Interesting. Actually i had even worse performance with the Jabra Clipper/Koss KSC-75s combo. That was a very clear "turn my head, music starts stuttering". The Chips were a bit random.

Best reception i had was with my $10 no brand bluetooth earphones lol. But maybe the earpiece was on the left for them.

From a technical standpoint i cant understand why it would work good the first time, and not the second time, but to be honest the first time i was with friends and only really listened to music a couple of times. This last time i had loaded it up with some long mixes and had it playing the entire day.. Hopefully it is just that they were too cold.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Yeah but being truthful i dont really ride switch all that often. Only for a few turns before going back to goofy. I could put up with stuttering music for that short time.

Another option is to get a neck strap for my player. If it is higher up on my chest it will be closer to the source.


----------



## 16gkid (Dec 5, 2012)

Any decent bluetooth device should have no problem with signal, no matter what pocket you put ur phone/music device in. So either the wireless chips are cheap crap, or u guys have broken ones, sucks the amount of problems you guys are having for such an expensive piece of equipment.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Scored mine for $65 on Ebay so it wasnt so much for mine. Was legit brand new too.

Though yes it does suck that they are not perfect. I would have expected to be able to have my phone/player anywhere without issues


----------



## montyp (Jan 6, 2016)

I recently purchased the BT chips and have the same issue others have described with the audio cutting out whenever i turn my head, very disappointing for such an expensive product!!!! 
So i decided ok, not so bad i will just use them wired, but then i have no controls for volume/pause ect by tapping the headphones, useless.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Tried them out last night in my Apartment. Phone in the bedroom, and walked around. Only when i got to about 10m from the phone (and this is through doors, walls and with my head between the receiver and the phone), did it cut out. I cannot replicate the cutouts while i am holding the phone in my pocket, or against my chest (as if i had it in my Jacket media pocket)

All i can think is that the cold really messes with the bluetooth transmitting/receiving capabilities


----------



## JTCarver (Dec 27, 2015)

tokyo_dom said:


> All i can think is that the cold really messes with the bluetooth transmitting/receiving capabilities


The cold seems to mess with everything with a battery. That's one of the reasons i'm ok with with an extra wire if it means one less battery.


----------



## chomps1211 (Mar 30, 2011)

tokyo_dom said:


> Tried them out last night in my Apartment....
> 
> ...I cannot replicate the cutouts while i am holding the phone in my pocket, or against my chest (as if i had it in my Jacket media pocket)
> 
> *All i can think is that the cold really messes with the bluetooth transmitting/receiving capabilities*


It shouldn't! Again,.. According to their own tech specs, "They have been tested to operate properly at -20c (-4f). 
As shown here,.. 8th line up from the bottom!







If your ears weren't cold, I can't see how the chips could be that much colder!

Strange you couldn't replicate your drop outs at home. I even took the Chips out of the helmet when testing mine. All I had to do was put my phone in my back pocket & I lost the signal entirely. 

I Still haven't heard back from OT's customer support dept. (...starting to get a little "agro" about that!) :huh:


-edit-
Sorry for the poor, barely legible, low res image. It's a screen cap of their web page done with my phone! :dunno:


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Well its possible that even if the chips are ok at -20, that the phone (or audio player in my case) is not. 

I want to try this app next: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.nakaborigawa.sakaigawa&hl=en

Or perhaps use this, so i can see if its my phone that is putting out the weak signal
Bennett::Bluetooth Monitor - The SZ

Another possibility is that the chips are using Bluetooth 4.0 low power mode under certain circumstances. Great for battery life, but i suspect not so good for signal strength?


----------



## Outdoortech (Jan 4, 2016)

chomps1211 said:


> It shouldn't! Again,.. According to their own tech specs, "They have been tested to operate properly at -20c (-4f).
> As shown here,.. 8th line up from the bottom!
> View attachment 84201
> 
> ...




Someone from customer service should be getting back to you soon, sorry about that.



Really the Chips shouldn't cut out, even with it being pretty cold. There are a lot of people that have the Chips and the cut out stuff isn't normal. If anyone is having a problem, please contact [email protected] and someone will help you out.


----------



## Aztrailerhawk (May 4, 2014)

How long on the battery life? Put these in a Smith Vantage or Variance, and it is gonna be pretty inconvenient to recharge. BTW, have only used them a couple days, but my signal has been good.


----------



## Extazy (Feb 27, 2014)

I use it with ipod touch. I usually wear it in my pants front pocket. Never had any issues.


----------



## emt.elikahan (Mar 12, 2014)

I guess I will contact customer support too... It's definitely not the cold. I was riding in 40°F and sunny today, and still happens.


----------



## Outdoortech (Jan 4, 2016)

Aztrailerhawk said:


> How long on the battery life? Put these in a Smith Vantage or Variance, and it is gonna be pretty inconvenient to recharge. BTW, have only used them a couple days, but my signal has been good.


You should get about 10 hour of play time out of the Chips.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

Outdoortech said:


> You should get about 10 hour of play time out of the Chips.


I can vouch for that. I've ridden all day with them on constantly. My phone craps out (especially when it's super cold) long before the chips. Be sure to plug them in before going to be so they're fresh for the morning.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

Pigpen said:


> So I'm about to order the Outdoor Tech helmet headphones.
> I'm torn between paying $125 for the Bluetooth Chips or paying $40 for the wired version.
> Has anyone used both and could compare for me?
> Of course the Bluetooth will win, but is it worth the difference?
> ...


There was another long thread about the OT Chips which I had several comments in. My wife and I each have a set -- absolutely no problems ever. Best accessory I've ever bought. Neither of us has ever had a problem with these drop outs people are speaking of. Maybe a quality control issue, which would be too bad, because they sound incredible. My Red 'Mutiny' helmet has a thin plastic insert in the earpads, and it extends up through the helmet. The speakers have a channel around them that fits right into this plastic liner, and it really helps extend the bass. I would buy the BT ones again without hesitation.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

After spending a weekend with a wired set of helmet speakers (built-in speakers in my K2 Rival Pro), a few stutters in the audio with my Chips seem trivial. I have a mild skin irritation from where the audio line was on my neck. The volume control required taking my gloves off. The sound was too quiet even at max volume, and incredibly tinny sounding.

And worst of all, moving around jiggled the audio socket on the MP3 player enough to cause left/right drop outs, scratching and even completely drop audio. The Chips dont fit into this helmet as-is, but I will do surgery to get them working


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

tokyo_dom said:


> After spending a weekend with a wired set of helmet speakers (built-in speakers in my K2 Rival Pro), a few stutters in the audio with my Chips seem trivial. I have a mild skin irritation from where the audio line was on my neck. The volume control required taking my gloves off. The sound was too quiet even at max volume, and incredibly tinny sounding.
> 
> And worst of all, moving around jiggled the audio socket on the MP3 player enough to cause left/right drop outs, scratching and even completely drop audio. The Chips dont fit into this helmet as-is, but I will do surgery to get them working


There is no point in getting the wired Chips. None.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Wired Chips with a short lead to a BT adapter thats clipped to your helmet could be considered a budget solution if the audio controls arent that important


----------



## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

surfinsnow said:


> There is no point in getting the wired Chips. None.


Battery is the point.... plug and play


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

SnowDogWax said:


> Battery is the point.... plug and play


Then don't bother with good headphones. Buy some shit from the dollar store. Plug and play. The chips last all day, even in the coldest weather. I've been out all day in below zero conditions. My phone failed before the Chips. But then, you could pay $5.99 for some buds at the mall kiosk.


----------



## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

No battery Anon. sound effects delivers premium sound with ultra-lightweight, custom 40mm Square Note drivers. Anon has exclusively designed remote control.


----------



## gnarstradamus (Jan 12, 2016)

I've had the Skullcandy wired (I think they were called the drop in) and now have the Chips wireless. I had issues with the SC getting shoddy audio when it got really cold (around 15 degrees and under it used to happen) which I'm assuming is from the metal to metal connection with the wire that comes out of the helmet. Not sure if this is an issue with the wired Chips version but didn't want to risk it so I went with the wireless. I've had them since the beginning of last season so I've gotten a good 80 days riding with them and haven't had any issue at all. I ride with my phone in my front pants pocket, never had any sound issues cutting out what so ever. I've left my phone across the house and it has still stayed connected. They're one piece of gear I've been really stoked on after all the years of dealing with earbuds falling out, having to pull my phone out to change tracks, and then the SC helmet audio being somewhat unimpressive..these finally did it for me.


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

surfinsnow said:


> Then don't bother with good headphones. Buy some shit from the dollar store. Plug and play. The chips last all day, even in the coldest weather. I've been out all day in below zero conditions. My phone failed before the Chips. But then, you could pay $5.99 for some buds at the mall kiosk.


Been using mine for 5days in ~ -10°C with one loading.

BTW: no cut outs anymore since I don't have the streaming app running in the background.


----------



## STR8SHOOTR (Jan 3, 2014)

I have the bluetooth chips and absolutely love them. Worth the extra money in my opinion. I have a smart watch and can control the music from that. Going on 3 yrs no issues. I try to keep them charged up at night and full for the next day. Also use them in the Smith Vantage helmet.


----------



## Outdoortech (Jan 4, 2016)

Just in case anyone is interested, we are giving away a pair of Chips this week. If you want to enter, just go to our Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/OutdoorTechnology/


----------



## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

Thanks for chipping in


----------



## biggator (Dec 29, 2015)

After my skullcandy ones crapped out again (they've already replaced them once) I bought the wired chips on the mountain... so far, fantastic.

I didn't want wireless.. don't want another device that I have to remember to pull out and charge every night. Already have too many of them. Took me 2 minutes to install.. no issues - never have to think about them again.


----------



## SnowDogWax (Nov 8, 2013)

biggator said:


> After my skullcandy ones crapped out again (they've already replaced them once) I bought the wired chips on the mountain... so far, fantastic.
> 
> I didn't want wireless.. don't want another device that I have to remember to pull out and charge every night. Already have too many of them. Took me 2 minutes to install.. no issues - never have to think about them again.


+1 
I'll take the wire and no batteries....


----------



## Extazy (Feb 27, 2014)

Wait for people who want without battery option, arent wireless chips come with a wire? 

I never used it but you can probably just wire it in, and still use wireless chips push to play buttons.

I also bought a pouch from outdoor tech for my sweet protection helmet. So far works OK. Have to make sure I press the button firmly other wise slight-weak clicking doesnt do the trick.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

Extazy said:


> Wait for people who want without battery option, arent wireless chips come with a wire?
> 
> I never used it but you can probably just wire it in, and still use wireless chips push to play buttons.
> 
> I also bought a pouch from outdoor tech for my sweet protection helmet. So far works OK. Have to make sure I press the button firmly other wise slight-weak clicking doesnt do the trick.


Yes, the wireless chips also come with a wired cord with play/pause/answer buttons. if the battery is dead, you're not going to be able to use the tap-on-the-earpiece functions. The wire doesn't have all the functions, but it works pretty much like a conventional wired headphone cable.


----------



## yodelup (Feb 28, 2016)

*Walkie-talkie with friends & control your music. Never take your gloves off again!*

As awesome it is, not everyone rides with a fancy helmet with integrated bluetooth audio. Most skiers use their wired or bluetooth earbuds, and may not even wear a helmet. That's why we went with a retrofit solution. The main problem we solve is that you can keep your gloves on, and not fish for your phone, and not morse-code on your helmet - this allows to take full control of your music, take calls, and even walkie-talkie with a group pf friends via a mobile app.

This link takes you to our kickstarter for more info: www.yodelup.com/kickstarter
brought to you by vancouver, bc, canada engineers. We test our products on Whistler, Blackcomb! 

thanks, would love to hear your comments...


----------



## Sudden_Death (Mar 23, 2011)

Usually your first post shouldn't be an ad. However that is a cool looking product. I have the outdoor tech wired chips, as well as their adapt bluetooth receiver which is similar to your product. Where yours has advantage is in the button size and ability to use bulkier gloves. Does the walkie talkie function work if your friends have the app on another device but not the wrist piece?


----------



## yodelup (Feb 28, 2016)

Sudden_Death said:


> Usually your first post shouldn't be an ad. However that is a cool looking product. I have the outdoor tech wired chips, as well as their adapt bluetooth receiver which is similar to your product. Where yours has advantage is in the button size and ability to use bulkier gloves. Does the walkie talkie function work if your friends have the app on another device but not the wrist piece?


Yes! in fact that's one of the reasons so many ski instructors are interested in YodelUP. Your Friends/students can download the app and add you as a friend and just use their smartphone to communicate with you through the WT app. Though they would have to reach for their phone or may have to take off their gloves to do respond back.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

yodelup said:


> As awesome it is, not everyone rides with a fancy helmet with integrated bluetooth audio. Most skiers use their wired or bluetooth earbuds, and may not even wear a helmet.


Wha wha whaaat? The whole point of the OT Chips is that you don't need a "fancy helmet with integrated Bluetooth audio." The speakers are Bluetooth, and you slip them into the earpads of your most regular helmets. And I suppose you're writing from Tahoe or Utah, or someplace with soft, cushy, deep powder. "Most" riders (this is a snowboard forum, not a skiing forum) wear a helmet, especially here on the ice coast, where a fall on hard-pack at 40-45 mph could seriously ruin your day.


----------



## Kenai (Dec 15, 2013)

yodelup said:


> thanks, would love to hear your comments...


My comment is get the fuck out of here with your spam. 1) You spam advertise against the forum rules and any sense for the community on which your are intruding. 2) You hijack another thread to post your shit. 

p.s. If you have a decent product go about promoting it in the right way. I'm not going to give you a link. The info about "the right way" is clearly available on this site.


----------



## tokyo_dom (Jan 7, 2013)

Kickstarter price isnt bad, but $159 retail is a lot more than any other bluetooth solution.
Also not sure i like the idea of a bright, kooky looking watch band (though they do have black, so that would work)

I'm currently debating whether to get the Sena Snowtalk with inbuilt intercom feature. Made by a motorbike helmet audio solution provider so should be interesting to try out (its like $60 on amazon)


----------



## yodelup (Feb 28, 2016)

Thanks everyone for their comments, as developers info like this is golden for us. Reading all the posts in this thread it looked like this is where people expressed their love/frustrations with similar products, we'll post it in a more relevant section. Have a great day!


----------



## WasabiCanuck (Apr 29, 2015)

I think I am definitely getting the wireless chips. I'm so tired of my earbuds falling out. Ugh. I just gotta get a new helmet now. Mine is super old anyhow. Like all my other gear. :frown: These chips look so cool, some helmets have a zipper on the pocket for them and others have velcro. I assume a zipper is easier and since you need to take them out every night to charge, I want something easy.


Which do you find is better for these velcro or zipper? Which brand of helmet would you recommend to go with these. Does it have a micro usb charging cord like an android phone or their own garbage cord?


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

WasabiCanuck said:


> I think I am definitely getting the wireless chips. I'm so tired of my earbuds falling out. Ugh. I just gotta get a new helmet now. Mine is super old anyhow. Like all my other gear. :frown: These chips look so cool, some helmets have a zipper on the pocket for them and others have velcro. I assume a zipper is easier and since you need to take them out every night to charge, I want something easy.
> 
> 
> Which do you find is better for these velcro or zipper? Which brand of helmet would you recommend to go with these. Does it have a micro usb charging cord like an android phone or their own garbage cord?


The zipper pocket is really convenient. I have a Red "Mutiny" helmet. The zipper goes all the way around from one earpad to the other, with a cut-out that perfectly fits the speakers. You don't need to remove them to recharge, just unzip the right side with the charging port on it.

The charger is USB but the connection on the speaker is just a standard headphone jack which is included, but you can use any three-band jack -- the third band carries the power. You can't really see it in this pic, but there is tiny led light on the side which glows red when it's charging, slowly blinks when they're on, and goes dark when off. They automatically shut down if they don't receive a signal after about 20 minutes (not sure the exact length of time), so you don't have to worry about forgetting to turn them off. About half an hour before the battery dies (might be even longer) they'll beep every 60 seconds to let you know they're dying. They also come with a wired controller/headphone jack in case the battery dies while you're riding, but a charge is usually good for a full day of riding.


----------



## WasabiCanuck (Apr 29, 2015)

surfinsnow said:


> The zipper pocket is really convenient. I have a Red "Mutiny" helmet. The zipper goes all the way around from one earpad to the other, with a cut-out that perfectly fits the speakers. You don't need to remove them to recharge, just unzip the right side with the charging port on it.
> 
> The charger is USB but the connection on the speaker is just a standard headphone jack which is included, but you can use any three-band jack -- the third band carries the power. You can't really see it in this pic, but there is tiny led light on the side which glows red when it's charging, slowly blinks when they're on, and goes dark when off. They automatically shut down if they don't receive a signal after about 20 minutes (not sure the exact length of time), so you don't have to worry about forgetting to turn them off. About half an hour before the battery dies (might be even longer) they'll beep every 60 seconds to let you know they're dying. They also come with a wired controller/headphone jack in case the battery dies while you're riding, but a charge is usually good for a full day of riding.


Thanks man. That helps alot!!


----------



## neni (Dec 24, 2012)

WasabiCanuck said:


> since you need to take them out every night to charge, I want something easy.


I've been actually astonished how long they last. I charge mine maybe once a month, i.e. 8days out - but I only listen while _riding_, not on lifts.

I've hearpads with velcro. Removing or installing the chips is done in seconds.


----------



## WasabiCanuck (Apr 29, 2015)

neni said:


> I've been actually astonished how long they last. I charge mine maybe once a month, i.e. 8days out - but I only listen while _riding_, not on lifts.
> 
> I've hearpads with velcro. Removing or installing the chips is done in seconds.


Good to know. Thanks. :wink:


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

neni said:


> I've been actually astonished how long they last. I charge mine maybe once a month, i.e. 8days out - but I only listen while _riding_, not on lifts.
> 
> I've hearpads with velcro. Removing or installing the chips is done in seconds.


Yeah, in reasonable weather, they hold a charge for a long time. Super-cold weather takes it's toll on them, as with any battery, but I usually turn mine on in the lodge in the morning and leave them on all day, only turning them down on the lift.


----------



## modman (Mar 3, 2015)

I'm late to the party but thought I'd share my experiences. My wife has been wearing the wireless chips for years and raves about them. Hold a charge well, like others have stated, and the controls are top notch. 

I've had 3 pairs of the wired chips over the past few seasons, trying to save some dough over the wireless. Each have broken after 10 to 20 days on the snow. I think the speakers themselves are fine, but the cord between the phone and the chips seems to short out. Each pair (my third broke just last week) starts getting staticy for a day and the play/pause button becomes intermittent. A day or two later and they stop working alltogether. If you fiddle with the cord it comes back for a few minutes, but just dies again. Unfortunately I'm done with the wired chips and may pony up for a wireless set myself. Such a shame, too, since it seems OT could fix the issue with a beefier cord. Seems the problem is pretty widespread according to Amazon reviews, at least.


----------



## JTCarver (Dec 27, 2015)

modman said:


> I'm late to the party but thought I'd share my experiences. My wife has been wearing the wireless chips for years and raves about them. Hold a charge well, like others have stated, and the controls are top notch.
> 
> I've had 3 pairs of the wired chips over the past few seasons, trying to save some dough over the wireless. Each have broken after 10 to 20 days on the snow. I think the speakers themselves are fine, but the cord between the phone and the chips seems to short out. Each pair (my third broke just last week) starts getting staticy for a day and the play/pause button becomes intermittent. A day or two later and they stop working alltogether. If you fiddle with the cord it comes back for a few minutes, but just dies again. Unfortunately I'm done with the wired chips and may pony up for a wireless set myself. Such a shame, too, since it seems OT could fix the issue with a beefier cord. Seems the problem is pretty widespread according to Amazon reviews, at least.


I agree the cord is the weak link in the chain. I have mine wrapped in electrical tape with pieces of plastic over the controls. I only use the ear piece. Wish OT would fix this issue. I'm happy with every other aspect of them.


----------



## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

Same dilemma here, I think I'm going wired bluetooth never seems to be able to push the volume I'd like and yes one less battery.

Just hope the wire(s) is replaceable, those things always wear out and get wonky


----------



## hikeswithdogs (Sep 23, 2011)

JTCarver said:


> I agree the cord is the weak link in the chain. I have mine wrapped in electrical tape with pieces of plastic over the controls. I only use the ear piece. Wish OT would fix this issue. I'm happy with every other aspect of them.



Is the cord not replaceable with a standard 2.5mm headphone cable?


----------



## modman (Mar 3, 2015)

hikeswithdogs said:


> Is the cord not replaceable with a standard 2.5mm headphone cable?


I think the cord is replaceable with a standard headphone male/male cable, but it would eliminate the play/pause/skip feature of the right earbud. As I understand it, OT's cord is necessary for that feature to work.


----------



## biggator (Dec 29, 2015)

modman said:


> I think the cord is replaceable with a standard headphone male/male cable, but it would eliminate the play/pause/skip feature of the right earbud. As I understand it, OT's cord is necessary for that feature to work.


I can try to remember to test this, but I doubt it. At the phone end - there's still only 4 connections like every other headset that comes with a phone.. 

Something like this should work
http://www.amazon.com/YCS-Basics-foot-3-5mm-conductor/dp/B00FJEGXLW


----------



## modman (Mar 3, 2015)

biggator said:


> I can try to remember to test this, but I doubt it. At the phone end - there's still only 4 connections like every other headset that comes with a phone..
> 
> Something like this should work
> Amazon.com: YCS Basics 3 foot 3.5mm male to male 4 conductor: Electronics


Thanks. This would be great! I'll look for a 4 section cable and report back, too.


----------



## TooNice (Feb 7, 2014)

Does anyone know if the Chip can be charged with just about any 3.5mm to USB cable?


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

TooNice said:


> Does anyone know if the Chip can be charged with just about any 3.5mm to USB cable?


I'm pretty sure you need the 3.5mm plug has three black bands around it (instead of two) -- one of those carries power. However, I'm not 100% certain, just 99%.


----------



## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

if you lost your cord, call outdoor tech, they sent me one for free when I lost mine. they also now have a micro usb to 3.5mm adapter they sent with the v2.0 set i purchased


----------



## who_it_is (Feb 26, 2015)

I have had the wired OT speakers for about a year and a half, and the cord finally stopped working. The left speaker cut out occasionally for a while, now it completely cuts out. So frustrating. How difficult would it be to replace the cord? Can I just strip it down and use electrical tape to connect a new cord?


----------



## who_it_is (Feb 26, 2015)

I just emailed OT about my cord issue and they said they would send me a new cord, no questions asked! I suggest anyone else having this issue to do the same!


----------



## stevejw (Jan 19, 2017)

Outdoortech said:


> The rad thing about the Wireless Chips is how you can control pretty much everything without taking your gloves off. You can press on the side of your head to raise/lower volume, skip tracks, answer calls, etc.
> 
> The Wired Chips don't have those features but still sound great.
> 
> If you can, go for the Wireless Chips.





Whats the difference between ODT and ODTv2.0? All I can see is theres less bundled with 2.0.

the walkie talkie function just seems to be a phone app which has had some pretty bad reviews on the play store.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

stevejw said:


> Whats the difference between ODT and ODTv2.0? All I can see is theres less bundled with 2.0.
> 
> the walkie talkie function just seems to be a phone app which has had some pretty bad reviews on the play store.


I'm not sure the difference is all that big. From looking at their web site, it looks like OT 2 uses voice commands to help you set up and pair the chips. On v1 you have to learn all the secret codes. I didn't see anything else significant.


----------



## Fielding (Feb 15, 2015)

As far as sound quality goes I’m liking inexpensive earbuds compared to any helmet chip I’ve tried. Granted, you probably dont want total noise canceling while you’re riding for safety reasons. But the helmet chips seem to be lacking in audio quality to a point that it’s hard to enjoy the music.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

Fielding said:


> As far as sound quality goes I’m liking inexpensive earbuds compared to any helmet chip I’ve tried. Granted, you probably dont want total noise canceling while you’re riding for safety reasons. But the helmet chips seem to be lacking in audio quality to a point that it’s hard to enjoy the music.


That's crazy. Have you actually tried the OT Chips? The sound is great. In my helmet, the bass is transferred throughout the helmet and it sounds amazing. I'm no slouch when it comes to audio, I'm very picky. These things are the bomb. I had tried several different brands of earbuds before I found the Chips, and nothing even comes close in terms of sound quality.


----------



## Fielding (Feb 15, 2015)

surfinsnow said:


> That's crazy. Have you actually tried the OT Chips? The sound is great. In my helmet, the bass is transferred throughout the helmet and it sounds amazing. I'm no slouch when it comes to audio, I'm very picky. These things are the bomb. I had tried several different brands of earbuds before I found the Chips, and nothing even comes close in terms of sound quality.


 I have the OT wired chips in a Smith helmet i wear sometimes. Lately I prefer earbuds and a controller under a Bern lid. No problem with the buds popping out.

Added: Maybe it’s the helmet. It’s kinda like the speaker cabinet right?

The wired connector that came with the OT chips was pretty meh. Felt cheap. I replaced with a straight cable.


----------



## Aztrailerhawk (May 4, 2014)

*I have*



surfinsnow said:


> That's crazy. Have you actually tried the OT Chips? The sound is great.


 Sometimes can't even tell if both speakers are working. And the volume is not great. I still use them, because in my opinion it is the easiest way to have music with a helmet. And not looking for a ton of volume, would rather hear what is running me down. But Fielding is prolly right on sound quality. Also, the fabric/padding is gonna filter your sound somewhat?


----------



## f00bar (Mar 6, 2014)

Aztrailerhawk said:


> Sometimes can't even tell if both speakers are working. And the volume is not great. I still use them, because in my opinion it is the easiest way to have music with a helmet. And not looking for a ton of volume, would rather hear what is running me down. But Fielding is prolly right on sound quality. Also, the fabric/padding is gonna filter your sound somewhat?


I find myself adjusting them quite often to make sure they are in a good spot in the ear flap on my anon helmet. A pretty small adjustment can be night and day as far as sound goes.

The sound quality is not the best but given the environment it more than meets my needs. I've kind of grown out of my audiophile days. More important things to care about.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

Well, I guess everyone's experience is different. I absolutely can't stand wired earbuds. It's not that they "fall out," but I was constantly snagging the wire and yanking them out...a bitch to put back in correctly on a freezing cold day with gloved hands. Speaking of which, the controls on the Chips are awesome. Just a couple of taps (with gloves on) to do anything, even answer phone calls and get texts. No wired buds can do that. I've just never had an issue with the sound quality. The stereo separation and the bass are phenomenal. If I want LOUD, they get loud...but as you said, it's better to be able to hear what's going on around you. But on the lift a couple of quick taps and I can turn down the music and talk to people. If some slow song comes on shuffle-play during a ride I can skip ahead with another tap, no fumbling for cords. Again, we all have our preferences. I bought some really nice earbuds, which I still have, while searching for the best solution for music while riding. After I got the Chips I stopped looking.


----------



## surfinsnow (Feb 4, 2010)

f00bar said:


> I find myself adjusting them quite often to make sure they are in a good spot in the ear flap on my anon helmet. A pretty small adjustment can be night and day as far as sound goes.
> 
> The sound quality is not the best but given the environment it more than meets my needs. I've kind of grown out of my audiophile days. More important things to care about.


My helmet's ear cups have a metal guide that matches perfectly with the slots in the OT Chips. It centers them perfectly and holds them in place. Plus, the metal guide transfers the vibrations of the bass into the whole helmet. I'm guessing the sound quality is just as much about the helmet as it is the speakers.


----------



## jstar (Sep 21, 2016)

Helmet fit would be a huge factor with sound quality. I use a giro combyn with the wireless chips V 2.0, and they pair great. Max volume is way too loud, two or three notches down is the loudest I can run them at without my ears bleeding.


----------

