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Forum > Sony Ericsson / Sony > Accessories > HCA-20 Car Kit Questions

Author HCA-20 Car Kit Questions
Batch_2002
T68 grey
Joined: Feb 06, 2002
Posts: 52
From: Basingstoke, UK
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Posted: 2003-08-02 22:08
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I have just aquired a new car and was suprised to find an Ericcson car kit already installed! I guess it is the HCA-20, but it is hard to read the identifying label (it has separate speaker, mic, stereo mute, etc, etc).

Assuming it is a HCA-20

1. The system cable (and cradle) is the wrong type for my T610. Can I just swap it over for the right one or is there a special install procedure for the cable?

2. The SE site states this car kit supports voice dialling. Does that mean it uses the external microphone to utilise the T610 voice dialling feature, or is this a separate function of the HCA-20? Any help here would be useful since I don't have the HCA-20 instruction manual and I can't find it on the SE website.

Thanks in advance,

Batch
masseur
P910
Joined: Jan 03, 2003
Posts: > 500
From: Sydney, London
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Posted: 2003-08-02 22:17
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Well I have no experience of this product but here is the global support page for the HCA-20 including a getting started manual which may answer some of your questions.

Hope it helps!
bug.com
P910
Joined: Jun 01, 2003
Posts: 36
From: Portugal
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Posted: 2003-08-02 22:30
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If it is HCH-20 you can buy just the cradle and cable for your phone model or universal SE cradle and cable. Voice dial uses phone built in functions.

This message was posted from a T68i

Batch_2002
T68 grey
Joined: Feb 06, 2002
Posts: 52
From: Basingstoke, UK
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Posted: 2003-08-02 23:23
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Thanks Both!

Don't know how I missed that getting started document!

The label definitely says Ericsson on it so I am hopeful. The cable is cheap enough to try anyway!

Once again, thanks!
volvoman
R520 copper
Joined: Dec 15, 2002
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From: Cumbria, England
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Posted: 2003-08-03 02:00
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If you can find the main control box, it should say on it that it is the HCA-20. You must make sure it is as I do not think the T610 will work with the earlier HCA-10. What phone holder is in it at the moment, you may be able to tell from this, as earlier phones like the R520 and the T28, T39, T29 all used the HCA-10 as this was the kit available at the time. These phones can use the later HCA-20. What age is the car as the HCA-20 has only been out since the T68 came out. Check on the SE web site but I am sure you can not use the newer phones with the older HCA-10, not sure why but it is best to check first.
C702i x 2, T650i, K850i, W850i, K810i, K800i, tomtom GO 910, Brodit proclips.

Batch_2002
T68 grey
Joined: Feb 06, 2002
Posts: 52
From: Basingstoke, UK
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Posted: 2003-08-03 19:06
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Thanks for the heads up Volvoman. It may be the HCA 10...It isn't obvious from the faded label.

It looks to me like the HCA 10 supports the HCC-30 data cable for is compatiblity with the T68. This is the same data cable as the HCA 20 requires for the T610. Now putting 2 and 2 together and probably coming up with 5 I remain hopefull..

I think I will suck it and see so to speak!
volvoman
R520 copper
Joined: Dec 15, 2002
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From: Cumbria, England
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Posted: 2003-08-04 01:26
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I think you may be right about it been OK to use the HCA-10 with the T610, it may be that you are not able to use all the features you would get with the HCA-20. I made enquiries when I was looking for a car kit, and phoned SECS and was told the only kit compatable was the HCA-20, and that was to work with the T68i. I asked if I could use the R520m with this kit and was told yes as the new kits are backward compatable. I don't seem to remember ever getting a reason as to why they would not sell me a HCA-10 kit, but do remember it was not price, as they at the time were the same price. I would just try it and see, you can get a holder for the T610 but what confuses me is, they list an aerial cable, but from what I have seen of the T610, ( I have not got one yet. ) there is no way of conecting an external aerial to it. If anyone knows different please let me know. I must say I use the HCA-20 kit with my P800 every day and find it to be perfect. I have used the cark-91 Nokia kit in the past with various Nokia phones, and find the HCA-20 to be far better. The thing I like best about the SE kits, is that they will accept any of their phones, you just need to get a different holder and system cable.
lesneo
W950 Blue
Joined: Jan 19, 2002
Posts: 482
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Posted: 2003-08-04 04:17
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Fact:

HCA-20 = voice dialing

HCA-10 = no voice dialing

T610 has a dedicated cradle HCH-33. A beautiful black piece of holder to hold your beautiful T610. The cradle uses the HCC-20 system cable (same as HCH-28 for T68, and HCH-32 for P800). You need to check what is the cradle presently sitting in your car. The universal cradle (HCH-30) uses another system cable (HCC-30). I was told that even if your car kit is the older HCA-10, you just need to change the cradle and the system cable to fit your T610. But no voice dialing. Hopefully you are blessed with a HCA-20, which will fulfill your need for voice dialling.

Any exteranal antenna attached to it?
Batch_2002
T68 grey
Joined: Feb 06, 2002
Posts: 52
From: Basingstoke, UK
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Posted: 2003-08-04 10:27
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lesneo, volvoman - thanks again.

I can't remember seeing any external arial from the box and their defineitly isn't one into the system cradle.

Voice dialling would be nice, but if I can't do it then it is not the end of the world. I'll get the HCC-33 cradle once I have tried the HCC-20 (not Hcc-30!) system cable to make sure it all works with the 610 (Expansys were out of stock on the cradle anyway).

EDIT
One last question, The post from "bug.com" above seems to indicate that the HCA-20 uses the phones internal voice tags to use voice dialling. Is this is correct why can't the HCA-10 use voice dialling features?

[ This Message was edited by: Batch_2002 on 2003-08-04 09:31 ]
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