Hi,
I searched a long time for a good car holder. Now I bought the brodit active holder and want to give you some feedback on it.
Positive:
- Build quality is very good. The plastic doesn't look cheap but very good.
- Despue the fact that the brodit holders are not glued or drilled to the dashboard, it's very very stable.
- The holder is active, that means if you push it in into the holder it gets energy
- The cable to the cigarette plug and the plug itself is looking good as well. A little light on the plug is showing that energy is.
- The car specific part can be fixed without drilling. So in a leasing car you can remove it after some years again.
- Inserting and removing the phone is easy. It's not to tight and not to loose, just perfect.
Interesting to know:
- I read that the brodit car holders a consisting of two parts, the car specific part and the device specific part and therefore you can switch the holder between the cars. That doesn't work as I expected because the device specific part and the car specific part are connected with a screw. So you can't easily take it to car A today and car b tommorow.
- The same applies to the orientation of the phone. Landscape is possible. But you have to open the screw with a scredriver. Adjust the holder as you like it and thight the screw again. You won't change it from day to day or even during the drive.
Edit 01/31/2011: Both is probably possible if you have the right extra parts from Brodit. Thanks for your feedback guys.
Negativ:
- There is a "open area" for the headspeaker plug in the holder frame. But this one has to little tolerance (or HTC changed the dimensions of the phone). I couldn't insert the plug. It's not important for me as I have a bluetooth connection to my auto radio.
Summary:
I would buy it again. It's a bit expensive (ca. 75 EUR for both parts of the holder) but worth the money as I haven't find something comparable.
Any chance of some pictures to see it in action? im after a car holder aswell
Good one
Brodit are the best car holders in my opinion i use them for years now and in different cars never had any problems whit them it wont fell of the fit is perfect if you get the right part to place it in your car they made for every car its own part so look out you get the right part for you brand and type of car
Regards Wielo
Yu cannot movt from car to car because you have to fasten the holder to the clip with screws. But you can buy 1 clip for each car and buy the removable adaptors (I don't remember how they call them, something like clip & move) so that you can easily transfer to different cars.
Orientation: not true, you can just rotate and move at any angle you like.
Charger: bad thing is that it is not recognized as dock which would be very nice to have.
Also, I received one which was very tight for the phone, so tight that I couldn't take the phone out of it and most times, the sim cover would get off and stay in the cradle. I received a replacement which seems to have been altered to allow more room for the phone. If you have similar case, you should request replacement from brodit directly since resellers deny the issue.
Some picture would be really helpful!
I am looking to go Brodit's way - I particularly like the option of the molex connector for getting direct power from the power, thus hiding cables! The price though is kind of heavy...
Regarding the picture, you can see it pretty good on that site. Go with the mouse over the small pictures:
http://www.gps-haus.de/Zubehoer-n-H...nzuenderkabel-fuer-HTC-Desire-HD::104540.html
Regarding the "moving it from one car to another". You are right. There are some extra parts that can be bought.
Regarding the orientation, you may be right as well. I didn't know that there is that much extra parts you can buy. There is probably one that allows it. With my solution it's not possible. At the moment I am a bit overwhelmed how many extra parts there are. It's difficult to know which one is good for what.
andreasy said:
Charger: bad thing is that it is not recognized as dock which would be very nice to have.
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That's not a big problem for me. I use tasker in order to configure/control the phone. If the bluetooth connection to my radio is connected, I have a trigger to do whatever I want.
So i found that if you get the Sprint version of HTC evo LTE car mount and unscrew the pieces and remove the charger port on the mount as well as the grey piece as shown in the pictures. It fits amazing! highly recommended if you have a otterbox commuter on your phone!
Makes a great dash cam..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDgsHlY91mM&feature=share&list=UUYfRasme5t_BiD7RmX-JG5w
Pics in second post.
Sent from my SPH-L720 using xda app-developers app
How effective are the suction cups on your windshield when using this type of car mount? I feel like with all of that weight on it, the suction wouldn't hold very well, especially in hot weather...
Using this one on 3 cars.
http://www.amazon.com/Mountek-nGroo...e=UTF8&qid=1374163360&sr=8-1&keywords=mountek
Here's my mini review of the Scosche Power Mount:
I've always been a very picky user when it comes to car mounts. I generally hate the suction mount style because I think it'll fall off over time or the windshield glass is too far for my practical hand reach. I also hate the vent mounting system because... well... I want AC air flow. Then there's the cup holder mount... I like to use them for my actual drinks. Then there's the sticky pad mount... which I think gets dirty and loses its sticky pad property and that the dash is far from my reach.(I drive an SUV) So that leaves me with the cigarette lighter ports mount type, which has its own set of problems... Often times the mounting plug is round... so it will "spin slip" and sag your phone when set at an angle. Or that the plug offers such limited functionalities. So you can see my rationale in my picky-ness... lol
Then there's the flexible arm issue... sometimes the flexible arm is cheaply made and is too weak. The arm is too long/short/missing arm.
And... the holder cradle is bulky, non adjustable, no padding for phone, etc.....
But I have found this and am quite satisfied with it:
http://www.scosche.com/mounts/powermount-power-socket-mount-for-portable-devices
Let's go down my concerns and see how it addresses it.
- Plug has a triangular shape to help brace it against something to prevent "spin slip".
- Plug has 2 USB outputs PLUS the pass through cigarette lighter port. My friend can charge even if they bring their own fatty cigarette lighter plug charger.
- The flexible arm is made of tough bendable metal material and has the right length so the toughness can actually support the weight of the extended arm.
- The arm length is there but not super long. It's enough to extend phone to places around the dash from mounting port. I had to still crunch mine up (S curve) to fit because I didn't want it too far from the plug.
- The mounting cradle is a treat! It has a cool spring loaded mechanism to accommodate wide and narrow devices with click locking so it's actually secured.(squeeze in cradle arm to tighten on clicks. Push button in back to release and widen cradle arm.) The foam in the arms create the perfect soft squeeze to prevent slip. Well padded in all regions where your phone would come in contact with the cradle. It can spin 360 on a pre-determined clicks for portrait or landscape mounting. There are actually two little swivel "feet" that can either be hidden flush for landscape mode or extend to support phone when in portrait mode. (Tiny swivel feet are also soft padded!) The cradle is minimal in obstruction, so the common placements of ports on different phones are fully accessible.
I drive an Acura RDX so its a stiff ride and can feel the bumps of the road, which generally causes dangling items in the car such as the extended arm of a car mount to shake and rattle. I'm happy to say that I don't experience shakes on the car mount! Unless, of course, when I drive over large pot holes or go at high speed over speed bumps, which I would be more concerned about other things than my phone shaking in such instances. However, do note that my mounting arm is crunched up in an S shape and is not exactly dangling out like a fully extended mounting arm, so the shaking effect may have been reduced.
There are some drawbacks to this product though. (not everything is perfect)
- The USB ports only charge at 500mA per port, so it might be a tad low for some. However, in practical use, I find that it is enough to overcome the power drain of when I use Navigation and screen on all the time. So when I get out of the car, my phone had increased in charge %.
- It doesn't come with any cable, so you'll have to use your own. I find that the retractable cables work best for length adjustments.
I've been using this for over a year now. I used an iPhone 4 with it and now I'm using my Galaxy S4 with it.
I also bought one for my nephew as he had been complaining about his vent mounting cradle. He's very happy with it!
PS. I'm not in anyway affiliated with Scosche or benefit from advertising for them. I just feel that my search for a perfect car mount can satisfactory end with this device and I thought the OP of this post (or anyone in search of a car mount) could reap from the fruits of my... labor. lol
sprint_dobbs said:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lDgsHlY91mM&feature=share&list=UUYfRasme5t_BiD7RmX-JG5w
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Is that Lime Creek Road?
Don't have pictures right now but the basic Samsung car mount kit works really well. The mount is pretty sturdy and the phone is held very securely. No annoying shaking of the phone while you drive. Comes with a car charger overall pretty solid piece.
Sent from my SGH-I337 using xda premium
CZ Eddie said:
Is that Lime Creek Road?
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haha.. the road that goes to the Oasis(not sure of the name still kind of new to austin) then pulling on to 620.
dust. said:
How effective are the suction cups on your windshield when using this type of car mount? I feel like with all of that weight on it, the suction wouldn't hold very well, especially in hot weather...
Click to expand...
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Its never fallen off!
sprint_dobbs said:
haha.. the road that goes to the Oasis(not sure of the name still kind of new to austin) then pulling on to 620.
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Yeah okay. I love those twisty roads down by the lake there.
Welcome to Austin! Please keep it weird. :good:
Just got my iottie xl in the mail today from amazon. Has an amazing grip and can put it in the dock and take it out with one hand. Very nice and study. (I have a commuter on it btw)
Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk 2
Here's what I did. I have used it with my Streak, Note, and S4 now. Anxiously waiting for an Otterbox to become available for the Active, but in the meantime maybe this will help. It is not the cheapest solution, but being universal, I've used it with 3 phones now over the course of something like 4 years. I no longer need to buy a new mount each time a new phone comes out. I have one in each Jeep, and none of the phones have never fallen out of them, and it is a very solid mount (almost no vibration). Some Jeeps I use a windshield suction cup mount, and some the Proclip as shown here.
The parts I used on this particular one are the following:
http://www.rammount.com/CatalogResu...rtid/082065077045066045050048050/Default.aspx
http://www.rammount.com/CatalogResu...65077045066045050048049085045065/Default.aspx
http://www.rammount.com/CatalogResu...77045072079076045085078056066085/Default.aspx
http://www.proclipusa.com/dashboard...7-2001/proclip-center-mount-852459-13093.cmsv
On the ones with the windshield suction cup I use a longer arm
http://www.rammount.com/CatalogResu...d/082065077045066045050048049085/Default.aspx
And of course the suction cup mount instead of the AMP screw down base and Proclip
http://www.rammount.com/CatalogResu...82065077045066045050050052045049/Default.aspx
I modified the X-Grip by removing the rubber pads, cutting off the original bent arms, and then bending new ones slightly further in, then painting and reinstalling the rubber phone holding pads. When I started down this path, RAM didn't have an X-Grip that fit the Streak or the Note in an Otterbox Commuter or similar. The smaller phone X-Grip might work with the S4, but I don't know. I know that this works, and works well. Hope that helps.
CZ Eddie said:
Yeah okay. I love those twisty roads down by the lake there.
Welcome to Austin! Please keep it weird. :good:
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AUSTIN!! Fellow Texan.
I have used my CraigsDocks car dock for a little over a month now and I could not be more pleased with it's functionality.
As I stated on another thread about car mounts what kind of mount you get is totally dependent on your vehicle's interior and where you want the phone. I don't want my phone on the top of the dash and I tried an Arkon vent mount with the N4 in my previous vehicle that didn't work because of the weight. It vibrated on rougher roads causing the screen to reflect.
The first thing I want to address is the cost which is $70-100 depending on which options you order. Mine has a custom made base plate to accommodate mounting it exactly where I wanted it and that additional cost is quoted after you've supplied measurements & pictures. It is dependent on the amount of custom fabrication necessary. I'm guessing most users won't need a custom fabricated base plate. This unit is hand made by Craig himself and is not a mass production product. It's probably the most expensive car mount/dock on the market however it is also the last one you will ever buy because it is universal for both the vehicle & the phone (with or w/o case and/or extended battery). There is nothing to wear out as there is no plastic or springs. The entire mount is hand milled aluminum and the adjustments are threaded with set screws. The quality is exactly what you would expect for the cost & IMO the design is as much modern industrial art as it is pure functionality.
Before purchase I was comparing it to a ProClip mount which was about $60 but the ProClip didn't have the dock functionality and it was both vehicle & phone specific. Considering I get a new phone every 2 years & a new vehicle every 3 years in a fairly short time span I'd have spent more for way less functionality if I'd purchased the ProClip instead.
This is not only a superb mount it is also a dock meaning that when I insert my phone the modified mini USB>USB cable automatically triggers the phone's native car dock app whether the cable is plugged in to my 12v car adapter or not. On my phone I have the Car Home Ultra (CHU) app installed which is automatically triggered by the phone's native car dock app so without any screen input from me I have Car Home Ultra open on the phone every time I insert it in the dock. The only time I have to use screen input is if the screen is locked and I use the fingerprint scanner. So instead of having to set up the phone every time I get in the car it has the screen always on with CHU and provided I've got the cable plugged in to the 12v adapter it's always fully charged/charging. To me this functionality is a phenomenal step up in the car. I know the CraigsDocks mount isn't the only one that has a dock feature but I think there are only a couple of others.
My mount has the ball mount tilt + swivel option and the combination of that and the custom fabricated base plate put the phone exactly where I wanted it. I think my interior is about as difficult as it gets to mount a phone the size of the N4 and have it no further away than my right steering column stalk controls without blocking other screens/controls/air vents. The location is so functional it is actually easier for me to use the CHU digital speedometer on the phone than to read the car's speedometer. Considering I use my phone primarily for business it's important for me to be able to see who's calling/make calls/conference calls looking away from the road as little as possible & I just don't like an on the top of the dash mount. The CraigsDocks mount/dock is available with a suction cup or windshield extension for those that prefer those locations.
So on a 1-10 scale I rate the CraigsDocks mount dock a clean 33!! I absolutely love it. To me it was money well spent because I don't know how I could make my phone any more functional in the car than it is & it's located exactly where I wanted it. On top of that I never have to buy another car mount. Thanks Craig!!
http://www.craigsdocks.com/samsung-galaxy-s3-s4-s5-note-3-4-car-dock/
BTW, I'm using an Otterbox Defender case. These pictures show it w/ the Otterbox plastic screen cover & an iCarez glass protector. Since they were taken I've removed the Otterbox protector & installed a Zagg HDX.
Other thing I want to mention is the CHU screen shown in the pictures is not my home CHU screen because that one has sensitive info on it. I highly recommend the Car Home Ultra app too. I have mine set to turn off Wi-Fi which I'm always forgetting to do and make the phone's home screen button default to my CHU homepage.
Had the chance over the last few days to use this nice car phone mount from Choetech. I must
say this thing is well built and clamps on to the phone really well. I’m using it on a LG G5 with a
bulky case. It clamps on with no problem and has a lot of teeth so you can squeeze it tighter for
a better hold. On the bottom back of the holder it has a quick release button that is super easy
to use and doesn’t take a lot of pressure to press. Now one thing that I really like about this
phone holder is that the fact that it doesn't bounce around like other holders. Usually when
driving or hitting humps these type of holders tend to have allot of vibration and instability. Not
this one, it is very solid.. Has a sticky suction cup for a strong hold. Will take some real strength
to remove it without the release pulled. So with all that said, if you're looking for a good, sturdy,
and well crafted car phone holder then the Choetech H71-C81 is the one for you.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01JRYA4LE/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_p9bfyb0DRPDH3
Would like to share with everyone this discreet little phone holder, I've been using it for a few days now and it has held my phone very securely without and drops.
The holder comes in a very well presented box with 2 metal plates for the magnet to stick to which can be placed on your device or phone case, there is also 2 spare sticky pads incase you need to move the holders position or for if you get a new car which I though was a nice added extra.
The magnet is very strong so at first I was worried about it effecting the devices compass but I'm happy to say I've been using Google maps to direct me with no issue.
For anyone that has to constantly remove there phone to add new addresses into Google maps this is a really useful tool.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking at a magnetic phone holder for their vehicle.
For anyone in the UK interested I've got a discount code that makes this £5.50 that's valid till the 31st of jan.
Code 3XJ36IIB
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N1EL11X
Looks practical, especially if it holds over bumps....