New BMW ad is freaking creepy - Page 2

blee · 10-07-2005, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinecone

And just what is wrong with a normal cell phone to do such notification?

Anyone can call your cell phone. BMW can call your car.

...unless you've ripped out the phone module already.

Pinecone · 10-08-2005, 06:18 AM

I meant versus OnStar for things like calling people to let you know you are alright.

blee · 10-08-2005, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pinecone

I meant versus OnStar for things like calling people to let you know you are alright.

Yeah, I was wondering that myself. OnStar isn't any different from a regular cell phone, I don't think; in fact, I think the voice service is actually carried by a regular nationwide provider.

kognito · 10-08-2005, 09:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by blee

Yeah, I was wondering that myself. OnStar isn't any different from a regular cell phone, I don't think; in fact, I think the voice service is actually carried by a regular nationwide provider.

Are we sure about that?? or does an onstar installation allow for a much more powerful transmitter/receiver. I live in a "dead zone" for ATT, Cingular, Sprint, Verison, heck you name it, I've tried it. I have a V60 right now with Verison, and loss signal a few hundred feet from my house. Plaz has been to my house. He can vouch for the nasty hill I live on. There is a "shared" cell tower up behind my house, but I have no coverage.

In my garage, I even loose AM/FM and XM goes in and out, but Onstar works

According to their web site, Verison allow sharing with Onstar (depending on your plan)

Maybe Onstar is allowed to be stronger cause the transmitter isn't next to your ear (where it could scramble brain cells

)

Pinecone · 10-08-2005, 05:38 PM

But if you don't have a signal, you aren't receiving a signal, so you still can't communicate.

*Plaz* · 10-08-2005, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kognito

Plaz has been to my house. He can vouch for the nasty hill I live on.

Consider it vouched. Just the idea of plowing snow off your driveway, or trying to drive up it during an ice storm gives me the willies.

kognito · 10-08-2005, 07:56 PM

Going down is easy. . . stopping, not so much

Today's wet leaves were no fun either

*Plaz* · 10-08-2005, 09:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kognito

Going down is easy. . . stopping, not so much

Today's wet leaves were no fun either

At least you don't have to worry about flooding.

How about mudslides?

kognito · 10-09-2005, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Plaz

At least you don't have to worry about flooding.

How about mudslides?

No mudslides, but there was some road construction down the street from me a few weeks ago. The consrtuction was covered by stone (QP) and dirt, but the pavement was never finished.

Now there are huge sink holes where the stone and dirt was

Rob · 10-10-2005, 01:13 PM

Ahem. I have On-Star in my current car. It's still active. I am about to subscribe for three more years. But only b/c that three year subscription causes them to swap my analog on-star equipment for analog/digital equipment, which in turn lets me use the car phone as part of my verizon subscription. Assuming I want to use the car phone feature instead of a headset (and I do), this is a pretty low cost option. Having an after market blue tooth installation would cost twice as much, not be integrated to the radio and other car electronics (i.e., push the phone button and the fan sets to low), and have a kludgy speaker hanging from the bottom of the dash.

On-star runs off of cellular towers. Cellular tower signals are different from satelite signals. The nav and xm radio use satelites. This is pretty obvious, but I often have problems with the satelite signal when any phone signal would work fine. The onstar signal is stronger than normal cell phones b/c it has the external antenna, I think. If I remember correctly, external antennas have a 5 watt power amplifiers (or something) that hand held cell phones don't get for a variety of reasons. Like size, weight and power consumption.

All of that stuff is off the top of my head from research into antennas from years ago though, so take it with a grain of salt.

10-08-2005, 06:18 AM	#12
Pinecone Carmudgeon Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,717	I meant versus OnStar for things like calling people to let you know you are alright. __________________ Terry Carraway 2002 Topaz E46 M3 2000 Dakar M Roadster 1995 Alpine E36 M3 LTW 1990 Red/White Spec Racer

10-08-2005, 05:38 PM	#15
Pinecone Carmudgeon Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,717	But if you don't have a signal, you aren't receiving a signal, so you still can't communicate. __________________ Terry Carraway 2002 Topaz E46 M3 2000 Dakar M Roadster 1995 Alpine E36 M3 LTW 1990 Red/White Spec Racer

10-08-2005, 07:56 PM	#17
kognito older fart than ZBB Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: On the road again Posts: 8,911	Going down is easy. . . stopping, not so much Today's wet leaves were no fun either __________________ 2017 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE 2020 Fusion Titanium

10-10-2005, 01:13 PM	#20
Rob The user formerly known as rwg Join Date: Oct 2003 Carmudgeonly Ride: Z4 Location: Vegas baby! Posts: 8,261	Ahem. I have On-Star in my current car. It's still active. I am about to subscribe for three more years. But only b/c that three year subscription causes them to swap my analog on-star equipment for analog/digital equipment, which in turn lets me use the car phone as part of my verizon subscription. Assuming I want to use the car phone feature instead of a headset (and I do), this is a pretty low cost option. Having an after market blue tooth installation would cost twice as much, not be integrated to the radio and other car electronics (i.e., push the phone button and the fan sets to low), and have a kludgy speaker hanging from the bottom of the dash. On-star runs off of cellular towers. Cellular tower signals are different from satelite signals. The nav and xm radio use satelites. This is pretty obvious, but I often have problems with the satelite signal when any phone signal would work fine. The onstar signal is stronger than normal cell phones b/c it has the external antenna, I think. If I remember correctly, external antennas have a 5 watt power amplifiers (or something) that hand held cell phones don't get for a variety of reasons. Like size, weight and power consumption. All of that stuff is off the top of my head from research into antennas from years ago though, so take it with a grain of salt.