Cardo Packtalk Outdoor REVIEW PART 2 // Technical details and stress tests
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- Опубліковано 10 чер 2024
- Use discount code JANUS25 to get a favourable discount.
Packtalk Outdoor is a high-end intercom system with JBL speakers and a wire microphone. It allows you to communicate hands free with your friends and family during outdoor activities like skiing, snowboarding, mountain biking, climbing, horseback riding and more.
You can also connect to your phone to take phone calls and listen to music.
In this video I am reviewing the technical details in the intercom system Packtalk Outdoor from Cardo. This is PART 2 of the full review.
In PART 1 If you want to learn more about what its like to ski with Packtalk Outdoor and be able to communicate and talk to each other in a group of friends, as a family, in a ski lesson or when you are filming.
WATCH PART 1
• Cardo Packtalk Outdoor...
PART 2 CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
02:06 Whats in the box
03:28 The reach
06:17 Solve connection issues
06:24 Sound quality
07:30 TEST: Sound quality
07:56 Delay
09:35 Durability
10:18 TEST: 4 meter fall to stone tiles
12:48 TEST: Snow, dust and water (IP67 rating)
13:51 Noise cancellation
14:27 TEST: Noise cancellation (Outdated model Packtalk Ski, but same technology)
15:39 Making phone calls
16:31 Listening to music
17:28 Voice recording
18:21 The look and design
19:00 Navigating the buttons
19:51 Voice commands
20:12 Student edition
20:59 Specs for student edition and the regular edition
21:35 Software update
22:08 Using the app
22:59 Installation
23:44 TEST: Can the glue plate take a hard impact?
27:47 Connecting the units
30:50 Battery life and charging
32:29 Conclusion
Check out our written review:
www.inspirationalskiing.com/b...
Get your Packtalk Outdoor here
www.cardosystems.com/shop/out...
Pocket guide, installation guide and full manual
www.cardosystems.com/support/...
Cardo software update page
www.cardosystems.com/update
What is an IP67 rating?
www.iec.ch/ip-ratings
DISCOUNT CODE
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Thanks, you are awesome!
Janus Hecht // Inspirational Skiing
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#cardosystems #packtalk #review - Спорт
Thanks Janus. We have been using our Cardo Outdoor units at Keystone/Breck over the past three weeks after Santa left the units under our tree. We wanted to give our unbiased view to help your viewers.
Pros:
The wind noise is nonexistent. WAY better than expected. I can be on the phone and the other person has no idea I am skiing while we talk.
Audio quality is excellent. Phone calls are crystal clear as well.
Set up was easy. Some mounted unit outside left ear, some right. Works fine either way.
Indifferent (no big deal issues):
There is a very small amount of ski "noise" when on hardpack.
Intercom can miss first two or three words at the beginning of conversation. Or a bit muffled under face masks.
Buttons take a bit of getting used to in regard to location and use. Same with voice commands.
Lag is an issue, but not a big deal. We learned to turn off mics when we got into a lift line.
Con:
Really only one issue.... battery.
What happens when the battery "gets old"? Can we replace ourselves? I'm thinking this will get EXPENSIVE to own over the years if we have to send it back for replacement batteries.
Doesn't last as long as advertised. We can get ten hours... but mostly eight. Out this week -5°... and battery gave out at five.
These units probably need to be recharged the evening before each use. We can't get multiple days duty at all.
Yes, line of sight means line of sight. A stand of trees is enough to impede the communication. A drop in a trail will as well; if you can't see them, you can't talk with them.
Overall: If the battery issue can be resolved, this system will become part of every group's necessary equipment like helmets, boots and mittens. This system has huge value on the slopes for instructors (I am not an instructor but I teach friends and family often) and families skiing with small children. But even when it is just my wife and myself, we find Cardo to be very useful.
Thank you LAXtimmons for your inputs.
It is very kind of you to add your perspective to help our viewers make an informed decision.
I will just add a few things to your comments, that might help clarify or suggest solutions.
The ski noise from the hardpack might be solved by adjusting the microphone sensitivity a bit lower.
The microphone does work the best with nothing between that and your mouth, is also what I have experienced. It is one of the things on the checklist I provide in the video 06:17, if people experience problems with the connection/the signal coming though.
Buttons and voice command takes a bit of getting used to, yes, I agree.
Lag is a bit annoying; I agree. They have recently optimized this with a software update, so it is a bit better. There is still a little bit lag, so hopefully they will improve this even more.
I am happy you brought up that it takes a split second for the microphone to pick up sounds. I missed that in the video, and I do think this can be a bit annoying. As you indicate, it is nothing major, but enough that I have passed that on to Cardo. They are constantly improving the system, sometimes with software updates, so hopefully they will improve this as well.
Something you can try to make it pick up the sound earlier is to turn up microphone sensitivity (if the snow is hard, there might be a trade off with the scrapping sounds here) or talking a bit louder. I have experienced that this can sometimes help getting my voice through, so it’s worth a try.
If I have fully charged the batteries over night, I haven’t experienced any problems with having the units last the whole day, even in cold temperatures.
Cardo have given me this statement about the batteries, charging and battery life to help them function optimally:
”Lithium batteries power your Cardo, just like the ones in your smartphone and laptop. These batteries don't have a set expiration date, their lifespan depends on how you charge, use, and store them. ⚡
So, it's crucial not to forget to periodically charge your Cardo, even during the off-season.”
Yes, you are absolutely right about line of sight. Also worth noting is that if there are more units in the group, they will connect as a network which makes the signal stronger. And as long as the network is intact some obstacles can be overcome, as I try to show in the video with the example on my helmet 04:49.
Thank you so much again for your input, I really appreciate you sharing your experience with everybody here. I am sure they will find it valuable.
All the best,
Janus
@@InspirationalSkiing Thanks for the reply. I think the battery is more of an issue than Cardo is letting on. Sure it is "just like the ones in your smartphone and laptop" as they are both lithium based. BUT.... the battery in my smartphone is MUCH bigger than the Cardo unit (lol.... laptop battery is pounds bigger) and only "lasts" two maybe three years before it starts losing the ability to charge fully. I expect the Cardo battery to begin its decline after the first year and I FULLY expect to throw the unit in the trash after two seasons since Cardo does not offer replacement support.
They should seriously set up shop and charge $35-$40 USD to open up the unit, unsolder the old battery, solder in a new battery, reapply waterproofing compound/seal and return. Until they do this, I cannot recommend the unit to anyone until they change battery policy. Don't get me wrong Janus, I REALLY love this intercom and we use ours 5 times per week and feel naked without. But the long term cost is currently prohibitive.
Thanks again for sharing your opinion@@LAXtimmons. We shall see how long the batteries lasts, I am curious about this myself. If they start to loose the ability to charge fully or they start to run out quickly, that will of course be negative worth considering. I totally get where you are coming from with the option to replace the batteries. I support this idea instead of buying a new unit, and I will pass it on to them. This would be a great option on many levels, so thank you for bringing this up. All the best, Janus
@@InspirationalSkiingCardo JUST (3 hours ago) released an explanation of their battery. ua-cam.com/video/oaJDKh9Zr1M/v-deo.html
BTW, If you ever get into my neck of the woods (Keystone/Breckenridge Colorado USA), let me buy you a dinner!
I have just used your code today and ordered the Duo set.
Would the unit stay firm on the helmet when using the clamp solution on the straps, or would it hang off the helmet a bit? It is a permanent installation so I might end up using the sticky pad eventually if the clamp is not tight against the ear pad.
Awesome, @dobermanUK!
Congratulations with your purchase and thank you so much for supporting us at the same time! We really appreciate it🙏 I am sure, you will love the product.
How tight the clamp sits on the straps depends on the helmet. Often times, it sits very well on the strap, and doesn't bother in any way, but sometimes there might not be enough space so you have to undo a button or two. That might affect how tight it sits on the helmet. I guess you will have to experiment what works on your helmet.
For myself, I am using the glue plate solution since it is a permanent solution, and I don't notice the unit at all.
I hope this helps.
/Janus
thanks for your videos! could I use the Packtalk outdoor with my kids, even though they don't have a phone to connect it to, they would still be able to connect to other cardo packtalk outdoor units (just won't be able to use other features like music or phone calls etc.), correct?
Thanks for your question, @gaellelamande7061. That is correct. The units can connect even if nobody have a phone. I hope this helps. Please feel free to ask if you have any further questions. /Janus
I have these for snowboarding, however really disappointed by the range on these units. As soon as I turn a corner I lose connection with the other unit… defeats the point of this..
Thanks for sharing your experience, @FJDH11. You are absolutely right, you need line of sight as I explain in the video. Ideally they should be able to stay connected when loosing sight, but as of know that is not the case as you point out. To supplement your comment I would mention that as soon as your regain line of sight the units reconnect. What I do if I loose contact with someone I need to contact and I know we won't soon reconnect, I make a phone call. This is still more nice with the phone already connected to the speakers and mic, in my opinion. Compared to walkie talkies as an alternative that might be able to communicate around corners in the terrain, you get really good sound quality with Packtalk Outdoor. So I guess it is about finding the solution that suits your preference. I hope this helps. /Janus
I ended up buying this with your coupon code and the clarity is really good compared to Milo. I do wish the range was better, especially with obstacles in the way. I do have a question, are you able to hook up headphone with a microphone to this. And use that instead? This would be mainly for road cycling
Thats awesome, @kunalpatelfilms. Thank you. And good to hear that the clarity is good compared to Milo. Yes, you can use the adapter cable to switch to a different head set with its own microphone. The head set needs to be connected with a mini jack cable. I am not sure how a different headset affects the noise cancellation, though. If the noise cancellation system is affected, a "deadcat" over the microphone will help. Feel free to share your experience with this here in the comments if you try it. I am sure it will be helpful for people considering buying their own Packtalk Outdoor. I hope this helps. /Janus
@@InspirationalSkiing great thanks! Will do. It would also be cool if the device can use your phone as a mic/speaker. For example, since this isn’t really made for road cycling, I could clip the pactalk somewhere and then have my iPhone mounted on the handrail and communicate through speaker. Not sure if that has been done. Just trying to get more use out of it than just snowboarding! Or even during two car road trips!
@@kunalpatelfilms That could be a nice feature, but unfortunately that is not currently possible. I have passed that along to Cardo as an idea for product development. /Janus
Does it connect to older models like the pack talk black, wondering if me and my buddy can connect?
Thanks for your question,
Highlighted comment, @gangatk. Yes, it does connect with older models, Packtalk Black included. Basically it connects with all models that have DMC (Dynamic Mesh Communication). I hope this helps. /Janus
Can they handle engine noise for jet boating?
Thanks for your question, @shaunrabbidge1777. I haven't tried it on jet boats, but I have passed on the question to Cardo and I will return with an answer for what would work the best here. /Janus
I now have an answer from Cardo: "We haven’t tested them with jet boats so I can’t give a definite answer. However, I would think that they’d be suitable, since our products handle motorcycle engine noise on the regular. Regarding the risk of getting Packtalk repeatedly soaked in water: We need to distinguish between salt water and fresh water.
Salt water: No guarantees it will work.
Fresh water: The Packtalk itself can get soaked and will work just fine. The mic and speakers are splash proof, but if they get soaked repeatedly they could stop working.
I have seen people use Packtalks for jet skiing and think it could be a good solution but there are some risks involved. NOTE: Cardo can’t guarantee performance in that sector." I hope this helps. /Janus
Thanks alot i appreciate that you took the time to ask on my behalf
You are welcome, @@shaunrabbidge1777. Have a nice day! /Janus
Wait - simple LINE OF SIGHT breaking defeats connectivity? That really limits the point of these for us; since we primarily used our walkies to communicate when we got split up on the mountain and literally cannot see each other anymore (separated by trees cliffs etc.. ) . Kinda renders these more of a toy rather than an actually useful utility device.
Thanks for sharing your thought,
@nenzonenzo. You are pointing to an important aspect worth noting. Line of sight between the group members is required in most cases for the intercom system to function well. The way I have contacted people who were out of sight/got away from the group, is that I have called them over the phone through the Packtalk system, since it is connected to your phone and you can make hands free phone calls. You can even use voice commands. In my opinion this is a very convenient solution, which supplement the intercom system well, in such a situation. I hope this helps. Have a nice day. /Janus
@@InspirationalSkiingthat’s a good thing but sometimes areas will have no service. That will be a challenge.
Yes, that is of course true,@@kunalpatelfilms.