Clarion FB275BT Install

[keanucosmo]

This past weekend I installed a Clarion FB275BT receiver in my Nissan Versa. I used the Scosche mounting bracket.

I used plastic bicycle tire levers to pry up the top panel.



Then I removed 2 screws and removed the panel around the stereo.



The picture is blurry, but I enlarged the opening that the wires go through so that the jacks would fit through. I also drilled 3 holes in the front and ran 2 tie wraps through the center and then through the left and right holes to mount the external mic an aux in jack.



The end result.



It was an inexpensive ($150) Bluetooth enabled reciever.

It has no moving parts, no CD or DVD and no AM Tuner.

It has an FM Tuner, Aux In and Out, SD card slot and Bluetooth.

The SD will only play MP3's and is FAT limited to 2GB. This doesn't really bother me since I will be streaming audio from my phone.

The Bluetooth is both hands free and A2DP. It works great for both. If you are in the middle of a call, you can shut the car off and the reciever will stay powered on until you end the call. If you are streaming BT Stereo and shut the car off, it pauses the source device. It will auto pair only for hands free. I have to go to my phones BT settings and set the reciever to BT Stereo. The only issue I have with this is that if you do this before starting the car, it will lose the streaming when you start the car. When you get a call, it mutes the stereo and switches to hands free. It will do BT voice dialing if your phone supports it. The only thing is you have to press the call button twice to engage this mode. I was used to BT speakerphones that only required 1 call button press to voicedial.

[Versa Madness]

Sounds like a slick unit. I was not aware that there were units with such capabilities.

[hwyix]

Now that you have had it for a while do you still like it?

How well does the bluetooth with the phone work? Once you have it setup do you have to pair it up every time you get in the car? If I am outside of the car with bluetooth turned on my cellphone and I get in the car and I use it right away or do have I have to wait for pairing, etc..

thanks

[keanucosmo]

I am still liking it. It works great with the phone for Hands Free and streaming music.

Like I said initially, it will automatically pause streaming audio and switch to hands free when you recieve or make a call and then resume streaming when the call ends.

I am going to experiment with the external microphone location as I have had occasional complaints about my voice quality.

You only have to set up the pairing once, then it auto pairs.

You would have to wait for it to auto pair before using, but its at most a couple of seconds.

If you turn the car on without starting it, the stereo will auto pair. If you do this and are not in a call and start the car, the stereo shuts off during starting and then auto pairs again after starting.

If you turn the car on and make a call before starting the car, it will maintain that call through the car starting. If you are in a call and shut off the car, the stereo maintains power until you end the call.

It does not maintain a streaming audio connection when starting or turing the car off.

[hwyix]

Thank you for the quick reply.

It is always so much better to get a review from a end user.

Cruthfield just sent me a catalog in the mail. The white is one $100 and the black one is $120.

How bad would white look next to all the grey in my 2004 wrx wagon?

[keanucosmo]

I'd go with the black unit.

[daan]

Hey thanks for that. DOes the dash panel just pry off, or do you have to do anything special to keep it from cracking? It's amazing what they do with car audio now, I remember being excited about getting one of these:(an under-dash FM converter with 8-track player for those younger than me.) NOw that I think of it, some of you might not know what that means, either...

[Jesda]

Is it true that the volume knob doesn't actually rotate?

[keanucosmo]

No.

[Jesda]

Something to consider then. I really have to think about whether I want to give up AM radio. The extended reach of AM signals means I can enjoy talk programs from anywhere while traveling.