Are all bluetooth dongles the same

[Seera]

Am in the UK. I just got a Bluetooth phone and need a Bluetooth dongle.

Are all modern Bluetooth dongles effectively the same?

------

I started to Google Bluetooth and saw lots of really tech stuff. For
example the Wikipedia talked about "Bluetooth profile" referring to A2DP
stereo files etc. It's too much!

I just want to make a decent connection beyween my PC and my phone!
Later I probably want to connect other Bluetooth devices.

What shortcomings are there with an own-brand Bluetooth dongle from
Tesco for about £10 or £15?

If that type is crap then what Bluetooth dongle would you recommend?

 

[ChrisM]

In message [email protected],

Am in the UK. I just got a Bluetooth phone and need a Bluetooth
dongle.

Are all modern Bluetooth dongles effectively the same?

------

I started to Google Bluetooth and saw lots of really tech stuff. For
example the Wikipedia talked about "Bluetooth profile" referring to
A2DP stereo files etc. It's too much!

I just want to make a decent connection beyween my PC and my phone!
Later I probably want to connect other Bluetooth devices.

What shortcomings are there with an own-brand Bluetooth dongle from
Tesco for about £10 or £15?

If that type is crap then what Bluetooth dongle would you recommend?

Basically, though there is a large variation in terms of quality of build
and range.
If you just want a simple connection between your phone and your PC to
transfer piccys and ringtone or to sync your contacts and diary etc then I
can't see any problems with using a 10 quid Tesco job.
I use a cheapo un-unbranded dongle that I bought on eBay for about 8 quid,
and that does me just fine...

 

[Seera]

In message [email protected],


Basically, though there is a large variation in terms of quality of
build and range.
If you just want a simple connection between your phone and your PC
to transfer piccys and ringtone or to sync your contacts and diary
etc then I can't see any problems with using a 10 quid Tesco job.
I use a cheapo un-unbranded dongle that I bought on eBay for about
8 quid, and that does me just fine...

What about a certain feature(???) on Bluetooth to transfer *stereo*
audio files?

Does that sort of thing come with most basic Bluetooth dongles?

 

[Phil]

What about a certain feature(???) on Bluetooth to transfer *stereo*
audio files?

Does that sort of thing come with most basic Bluetooth dongles?

Those features are dependant on the device you are connecting to, and has
nothing to do with the dongle.

As Chris mentioned, the major difference is build quality. The other difference
is the Class.

The Class relates to the power, and hence effective range.
Class 1 is 100m and Class 3 is 10m (this is reduced by walls etc), a Class 2
is somewhere inbetween but seem to be extremely rare.

I have a Class 1, as I use my PC as a BT access point for my PDA when I am
downstairs, if you are just transfering to a phone in the same room a Class 3
will do just fine.

HTH Phil

 

[Andy Burns]

Those features are dependant on the device you are connecting to, and has
nothing to do with the dongle.

also dependant on the features the drivers support.

 

[Paul]

What about a certain feature(???) on Bluetooth to transfer *stereo*
audio files?

Does that sort of thing come with most basic Bluetooth dongles?

Notice here, that only the headset section mentions profiles. It implies
that it is possible to buy a headset and a phone which don't work with
one another. All devices need profiles, as the profiles define how the
devices can work with one another successfully. Some retailers do
a better job than others, of listing profiles, so that a customer
knows two devices will work. (Expect the dongle for the computer to
understand a lot of profiles. Windows has a Bluetooth stack, presumably
if you are using a certain Service Pack, and in that case, you might
not need to use a separate Bluetooth stack. Hardware devices support
a profile in logic gates, so they cannot support an infinite variety
of them.)

"Connecting Your Devices"
http://www.bluetooth.com/Bluetooth/Connect/Devices/Generic_Pairing_Instructions.htm

You'll notice the same thing here. More than one profile for audio, implying
some older gear might not work with some newer gear. Sending audio to
a headset, is different than moving files between a phone and a computer.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_profile

Take a sample product. First, read the specification section for this
one.

"TRENDnet TBW-105UB USB 2.0 Compact Bluetooth Adapter - Retail"
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156069

Now, read the reviews and the amount of work you have to do to make
this cheap thing work.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16833156069

1) Hacking an INF, and not using provided CD.
2) "On two different XP machines, (stereo) AD2P support was unavailable"
(I think the person is referring to A2DP there.)
3) "keeps disconnecting the virtual serial port"

The reviews on this one are more positive. I don't know if the
references to Widcomm, are for the chip inside it or not.

MSI Star Key 2.0 USB 1.1 Bluetooth2.0 Transceiver, 3Mbps, 100 Meters - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16833158122

A Dlink product...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16833127117

"This D-Link support page shows that there are FOUR (4) different
chipsets that have shipped under this model number"

"D-Link unfortunately named new Bluetooth 2.0 version of this dongle:
DBT-120, the same as BT 1.1 version. The difference to look for is
the revision number. Revisions A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, B4 are BT 1.1;
Revision C1 is the BT 2.0 version with black housing. So don't get
confused. support.dlink.com/products/revision.asp?productId=DBT-120"

So far, it looks like the MSI one has the best reviews. If you can find
reviews, that will take a lot of worry out of the selection process.

Paul

 

[Phil]

also dependant on the features the drivers support.

True, I had forgotten the strange world of windows and installing drivers.

Phil

 

[DaveP]

Am in the UK. I just got a Bluetooth phone and need a Bluetooth dongle.

Are all modern Bluetooth dongles effectively the same?

I've been looking recently too - I bought what I thought was a Billionton
class 1 bluetooth dongle IVT Blue Soleil software - functional if a bit
clumsy. Tried to use it with native XP software but it failed and turned
out the unit was a counterfeit supplied with pirated IVT software.

Next purchase will probably be from mobilefun (had great service with a BT
GPS last week) and will be at least one that claims to be plug-and-play so
it will go XP software anywhere - they have one around £9 that does this.

A2DP refers to using a stereo headset from the PC, stereo file transfers to
and from a PC will work using BT unit without it.

Regards,
Dave

 

[Jon]

(e-mail address removed)222.f9.co.uk declared for all the world to hear...

Those features are dependant on the device you are connecting to, and has
nothing to do with the dongle.

Er, not quite. The dongle has to support the service you intend to use
also. If you buy a dongle which does not feature the A2DP profile
(proper name for stereo audio streaming) then you won't be able to do
it.

The Class relates to the power, and hence effective range.
Class 1 is 100m and Class 3 is 10m (this is reduced by walls etc), a Class 2
is somewhere inbetween but seem to be extremely rare.

Class 1 = 100m
Class 2 = 10m (the type found in mobile phones)
Class 3 = 1m

http://bluetooth.com/Bluetooth/Press/Media/Kit/Technical/

 

[Seera]

(e-mail address removed)222.f9.co.uk declared for all the world to hear...


Er, not quite. The dongle has to support the service you intend to
use also. If you buy a dongle which does not feature the A2DP
profile (proper name for stereo audio streaming) then you won't be
able to do it.

Very useful. Thanks for the info.

Class 1 = 100m
Class 2 = 10m (the type found in mobile phones)
Class 3 = 1m

http://bluetooth.com/Bluetooth/Press/Media/Kit/Technical/

You mention that the 10m Bluetooth class 2 is found in mobile phones.

Suppose I get a Class 1 USB dongle (with a 100m range).

Does the phone still be within 10m of the PC because the phone can't
send its Bluetooth signal over a greater distance?

 

[Lemmo]

Notice here, that only the headset section mentions profiles. It
implies that it is possible to buy a headset and a phone which
don't work with one another. All devices need profiles, as the
profiles define how the devices can work with one another
successfully. Some retailers do a better job than others, of
listing profiles, so that a customer knows two devices will work.
(Expect the dongle for the computer to understand a lot of
profiles. Windows has a Bluetooth stack, presumably if you are
using a certain Service Pack, and in that case, you might not need
to use a separate Bluetooth stack. Hardware devices support a
profile in logic gates, so they cannot support an infinite variety
of them.)

"Connecting Your Devices"
http://www.bluetooth.com/Bluetooth/Connect/Devices/Generic_
Pairing_Instructions.htm

You'll notice the same thing here. More than one profile for audio,
implying some older gear might not work with some newer gear.
Sending audio to a headset, is different than moving files between
a phone and a computer.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth_profile

Take a sample product. First, read the specification section for
this one.
"TRENDnet TBW-105UB USB 2.0 Compact Bluetooth Adapter - Retail"
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833156069
Now, read the reviews and the amount of work you have to do to make
this cheap thing work.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?
Item=N82E16833156069

1) Hacking an INF, and not using provided CD.
2) "On two different XP machines, (stereo) AD2P support was
unavailable"
(I think the person is referring to A2DP there.)
3) "keeps disconnecting the virtual serial port"

The reviews on this one are more positive. I don't know if the
references to Widcomm, are for the chip inside it or not.
MSI Star Key 2.0 USB 1.1 Bluetooth2.0 Transceiver, 3Mbps, 100
Meters - Retail
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?
Item=N82E16833158122

A Dlink product...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?
Item=N82E16833127117
"This D-Link support page shows that there are FOUR (4)
different
chipsets that have shipped under this model number"
"D-Link unfortunately named new Bluetooth 2.0 version of this
dongle:
DBT-120, the same as BT 1.1 version. The difference to look
for is the revision number. Revisions A1, A2, B1, B2, B3, B4
are BT 1.1; Revision C1 is the BT 2.0 version with black
housing. So don't get confused.
support.dlink.com/products/revision.asp?productId=DBT-120"

So far, it looks like the MSI one has the best reviews. If you can
find reviews, that will take a lot of worry out of the selection
process.

Paul

Paul, that's a great link to "Connecting Your Devices". Also nice
tech reviews on the NewEgg web site!

Many items will be the same in the US as in the UK but not always. Is
there a similar web site for goods that are sold on the UK market?

 

[Paul]

Paul, that's a great link to "Connecting Your Devices". Also nice
tech reviews on the NewEgg web site!

Many items will be the same in the US as in the UK but not always. Is
there a similar web site for goods that are sold on the UK market?

That is a good question. You have some private forums over there,
where things like motherboards and processors might get discussed.
But the Newegg site is pretty unique in its construction and features,
and I've yet to see anyone imitate their site with much success.

It is funny in a way - Newegg doesn't ship to Canada, so while I visit
the site daily looking for information, I actually cannot buy anything
from them

Paul

 

[John Kenyon]

You mention that the 10m Bluetooth class 2 is found in mobile phones.

Suppose I get a Class 1 USB dongle (with a 100m range).

Does the phone still be within 10m of the PC because the phone can't
send its Bluetooth signal over a greater distance?

Correct.

Mix different classes and the range is limited by the lower power device.
(in this case the phone).

/jk

 

[Jon]

(e-mail address removed) declared for all the world to hear...

You mention that the 10m Bluetooth class 2 is found in mobile phones.

Suppose I get a Class 1 USB dongle (with a 100m range).

Does the phone still be within 10m of the PC because the phone can't
send its Bluetooth signal over a greater distance?

Basically, yes. Although a 100m dongle will improve the range slightly
the phone cannot transmit over 100m.

 

[Sjouke Burry]

(e-mail address removed) declared for all the world to hear...

Basically, yes. Although a 100m dongle will improve the range slightly
the phone cannot transmit over 100m.

Bluetooth communication has been designed as a short range
connection, walk up to a BT telephone, computer, etc.,
and a BT headset for example will connect to that.
If it had 100m range , that would mess up the selective shortrange
hookup.
If you want to use it for long range, you are abusing the
purpose it was designed for.
And so, for a proper Bluetooth design, it should not operate
beyond 2 or 3 meters.

 

[Jon]

(e-mail address removed) declared for all the world to hear...

Bluetooth communication has been designed as a short range
connection, walk up to a BT telephone, computer, etc.,
and a BT headset for example will connect to that.
If it had 100m range , that would mess up the selective shortrange
hookup.
If you want to use it for long range, you are abusing the
purpose it was designed for.

What are you talking about? 100m devices are designed to do just that!

And so, for a proper Bluetooth design, it should not operate
beyond 2 or 3 meters.

I sincerely hope you do not work for a company manufacturing bluetooth
products.