The Venturi Mini
Posted by Jack Cook on 05/1/08 in Accessories, Mobilitysite Reviews, Wifi / Bluetooth
Music Streaming and Hands Free Audio
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Author: Jack Cook
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Vendor: Venturi
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Cost: $129.00
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Rating: 4 out of 5
Recently I did a review on a Bluetooth hands free solution that was in my estimation one of the best solutions I have ever used. In a nut shell it had a great quality case, excellent sound reproduction and the FM transmission was absolutely terrific. Shortly after that review I was contacted by a representative of the makers of the Venturi Mini and they asked if I would like to look at their device and if I liked it, would I review it. Frankly I was impressed with the confidence they expressed in the quality of their device so I said I would look at it and I am pleased that I did.
The Venturi Mini is quite a bit different than the typical hands free solution you see on the market today. The device does not attach to your sun visor but rather plugs directly into your cars DC outlet where it then will tune to an available space in the FM radio bandwidth. All sound from calls or from streaming music plays through your cars audio system.
As soon as you pair your device to the Venturi Mini, you are able to listen to music and hear phone calls over the car speakers. A2DP technology allows high quality stereo audio to be transferred from your device and if you have multiple devices, it will allow you to connect up to four. For this review, I used two devices (Motorola Q9m and the Cingular 8525).
The Package
Placed in a simple box , the package highlights its basic features: listen to music, have hands free calling and it will also charge your device if needed.
There is a clear window that displays the top of the device prominently giving you a glimpse at its design.
The Device
Removing the device from the package, I found myself looking at a pretty interesting design. The first thing I noticed was since it was an “all in one” unit and it appeared that if your DC adapter was not placed directly in front of you on your dashboard, it might be difficult to operate while driving and your voice quality while making calls might be compromised. My cars DC outlet is next to me in the car console so I had a concern as to its effectiveness for my particular situation. More on that in a minute….
The device comprised of two parts: the main body that contained the Bluetooth transmitter and the DC plug. The plug has approximately a 120 degree rotation that should adapt to most applications. There is a locking dial on the DC plug that enables the user to lock the device so it cannot accidentally fall out of the DC outlet. I did not feel it was necessary to use the lock because it did fit very securely. There is a warning that if you do use the lock, you need to unlock it prior to removal otherwise damage might occur to your DC outlet (like pulling the socket out).
The main body has an angular design. the outer edge of the top of the device has that black rubberized coating. I would have preferred to have the entire main body with that finish. The top of the Venturi Mini has a Music Mode Key, an ambient light sensor and the phone mode key. Below this area is a multi-function display that although it looks small is very clear when looking at the display. At the bend in the angular design is a multi function scroll dial used for viewing functions in different modes. The lower half has a play/pause and confirm button, the hands free mic and a stop/exit button.
The left side has a setup mode button and an audio in and an audio out jack (3.5mm jacks).
The right side has a settings mode/off button and below that is a USB charge connector.
First looks gives the feeling that there is a lot of potential for this device but because there is so much I wondered how easy would it be to use while driving.
Setting up the Mini
Of course there is a manual to clearly explain how to setup your device. I must admit that I did not read the directions and “played” with the functions to determine the pairing as well as many other features. It sure would have been a lot easier to read the clear instructions but that would be no fun.
When the device was first inserted, I had a choice of seven languages to choose from (interestingly enough, the user manual has instructions only in four). Choosing the language there was an automatic setup sequence that had me choose the radio frequency. There were four pre-sets I could set for easy channel changing in case a pre-set eventually had a FM station broadcasting on it. It was a pretty simple process to follow. Once the radio station was set, it automatically took me into a Bluetooth pairing mode.
The pairing was as easy as most device setups are. It sent a signal searching for a device, gave me 0000 to enter and it paired the phone then automatically paired for Bluetooth stereo. Within seconds, I was listening to music from my device through the car audio system.
Sound Quality
I was immediately impressed with the sound of the playback from an album that I had just ripped to my device. It was smooth and great quality …. of course having a good in-car speaker system helps.
I then went for a drive and made several calls (initiated from my device) and the switch from music to the call was instantaneous. The call quality on my end was excellent and reports from the other end were all very positive.
Interestingly enough, whenever I test a device I always call Chris Leckness from Mobilitysite. He never pulls any punches when he evaluates the sound quality of a device I am testing. Because of the location of my DC outlet is next to me in my console, I was initially concerned that my voice quality during a call may be somewhat questionable. Chris’ comments were that unquestionably this was the best sounding device I had ever used. That was a high complement to the device.
At the conclusion to each call, there was an immediate return to the music that was playing, a truly a seamless transition.
Features at a glance
After a device is paired, it will automatically connect to the device when it is powered up.
Not only can you play music from your device but you can attach a portable music player if your portable device supports the A2DP profile or you can attach via an input cable directly to the side of the Mini.
If you are streaming music, you can control the Play/Pause/Skip Track and Stop from the Venturi Mini. By pressing the Music key, the display will show the Play button. By scrolling the multi-scroll wheel, you can skip a track in either direction. It is a simple operation and convenient while driving.
There is a phonebook feature where the device will download and store contacts from your device but unfortunately it was not compatible with Windows Mobile so I did not test it. All my calls going out were made from the handset.
There is a mute feature when in a call and a privacy feature that requires re-connection to use the device again. I’m not sure why but I was not able to use either feature. They would not appear on the screen while rotating the multi-function scroll wheel.
There is a redial function that works well but there was no support for Voice Command from the Mini. Of course initiating Voice Command from the phone did work.
I was happy with the ability to charge a device while using the Mini. There is slot on the side of the Mini where you can attach a USB cable for charging devices. It is a great feature if you plan on using your phone to stream music on a long trip.
Lastly there is a light sensor embedded in the device to adjust the brightness automatically for night driving
Conclusion
Overall this was a pretty good experience. I was very pleased with the quality sound reproduction on the receiving end of the Mini and I was thrilled with the reports from folks hearing me indicating that my sound was excellent to superior especially with the way I had to mount the device. It clearly would have been better if my car had a dash mount DC outlet.
I thought the manual was clear in explanations for anything that might have been less than intuitive. The design of the device makes for ease of use but the implementation of functions can be difficult while driving. I was also concerned about the usability while driving because of the placement in my car but that turned out to not be a major concern. I was able to easily answer calls and change music as soon as I became familiar with the location of device functions. Clearly it would have been a lot easier if the Mini was placed in front of me so I would only have to drop my eyes slightly.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Cost: $129.00 (a little searching on the net will bring better prices)
Written by Jack Cook · Filed Under Accessories, Mobilitysite Reviews, Wifi / Bluetooth
Tagged: FM transmitter, hands free, Hands Free Audio, MP3, Music Streaming, Venturi, Venturi Mini, Verizon Wireless
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Hm, that would make a nice Father’s Day present…for me. :)
Hey Jack! I reviewed one of these not too long ago, and I was sad when I sent it on for the next reviewer (maybe you?). It’s a very handy doo-dad. :-)
>and I was sad when I sent it on for the next reviewer (maybe you?).
Ah-HA! You and Jack are part of the Reviewer Illuminati Familyhood, aren’t you? ;^)
My only issue with FM transmitters is that the are that I live in is saturated and there are only one or two free frequencies, so everybody with a satellite radio or iPhone transmitter is using the same frequency. Drive near them on the highway and it’s a pain in the neck. And this gets particularly bad when I visit family near NYC, where there is only a single frequency (that I have found.)
Otherwise, this sounds great.
“Ah-HA! You and Jack are part of the Reviewer Illuminati Familyhood, aren’t you? ;^)”
Yes, and we get to wear really cool robes, and we have secret rings, too! ;-)
This is nice but you really should just go with a docked Zune!