Why is Bluetooth support so shocking?

Tute

Tute

Tute

Soldato
Joined
24 Jul 2004
Posts
22,593
Location
Devon, UK
I really don't understand why, after all these years, Bluetooth still doesn't have the basic functions under Windows.

I have a dongle, which is claimed doesn't need any drivers. I plug it in, drivers install, all is well.

I search for my phone, find it, and pair. Fine. Then I get complaints that "something" is wrong, it won't tell me what, and it can't fix it.

I also can't send any files to the device, or vice versa.

Now I wouldn't normally be scathing, but OSX does this so straightforwardly. You pair the device, click browse, and you're into the phone filesystem. You can copy to, and from. Easy.

Why is it impossible to do anything under Windows? This really should be sorted by now.
 
Because Bluetooth provides standards for connection, but not in a particularly clear way for usage. There are so many profiles and standards, and no requirement for anything to actually say what profiles it uses and what protocols it follows, they all just say 'bluetooth compatible'.
 
ShakenNstirred said:
never had any probs with my bluetooth on my laptop
from XP though vista and now on win 7
bluetooth does everything i need.
what dongle is it anyway?
Click to expand...

Not sure, it's a generic one I got from CPW a couple of years back. Never had any drivers, and the leaflet with it claims that drivers are built into Windows.

Dolph said:
Because Bluetooth provides standards for connection, but not in a particularly clear way for usage. There are so many profiles and standards, and no requirement for anything to actually say what profiles it uses and what protocols it follows, they all just say 'bluetooth compatible'.
Click to expand...

So how does OSX overcome this problem and not Windows?
 
I was just about to post a thread about this myself....

Haven't dabbled with bluetooth for a few years since some wretched BlueSoleil software turned me into a gibbering wreck.

I assumed things would have improved with Vista so I tried my bluetooth speakers [which work fine with the ipod] but despite having a A2DP adapter windows keeps throwing up 'device driver required' messages. A quick scout round google and it seems bluetooth speakers are virtually impossible to set up.

On a related note, the missus has just got a new bluetooth phone [Sony Eriksson T303] and wants some new ringtones. I'll bluetooth them across from the PC - but no, medievals bluetooth transfer app tells me that it doesn't support OBEX. No problem, I'll bluetooth across from my phone. No, it pairs but tells me it doesn't support a transfer facility [her phone, not mine]. So, a phone with bluetooth I can't do anything with. Great.

Rant over.

;)
 
Interesting post, Ratbag; I've found that BlueSoleil is pretty much essential if you want to get anything more than a bluetooth mouse or keyboard working with Windows. I've got bluetooth FTP to my PDA and my phone working just fine, plus a pair of stereo bluetooth headphones via the A2DP. Have you tried using a recent version?
 
Ratbag said:
I was just about to post a thread about this myself....

Haven't dabbled with bluetooth for a few years since some wretched BlueSoleil software turned me into a gibbering wreck.

I assumed things would have improved with Vista so I tried my bluetooth speakers [which work fine with the ipod] but despite having a A2DP adapter windows keeps throwing up 'device driver required' messages. A quick scout round google and it seems bluetooth speakers are virtually impossible to set up.

On a related note, the missus has just got a new bluetooth phone [Sony Eriksson T303] and wants some new ringtones. I'll bluetooth them across from the PC - but no, medievals bluetooth transfer app tells me that it doesn't support OBEX. No problem, I'll bluetooth across from my phone. No, it pairs but tells me it doesn't support a transfer facility [her phone, not mine]. So, a phone with bluetooth I can't do anything with. Great.

Rant over.

;)
Click to expand...
i have a sony eriksson 810i and i dont have any problems transfering stuff to the phone from pc and phone to pc.
although i have never tried obex, i us mp3 for my ringtones so cant you use that instead? as i know that works fine
 
Last edited:
ShakenNstirred said:
i have a sony eriksson 810i and i dont have any problems transfering stuff to the phone from pc and phone to pc.
although i have never tried obex, i us mp3 for my ringtones so cant you use that instead? as i know that works fine
Click to expand...

If my limited knowledge is correct then OBEX is the native transfer protocol whereas Bluesoleil etc use proprietory bluetooth drivers. A good few years back, I tried bluesoleil and it was truly appalling - slow, buggy, bloated. I stopped using bluetooth as a result.

I was hoping that Medieval OBEX transfer, which is a nice compact app, would work for me [and it does on my phone].

Sadly, looks like I'm going to have to get Bluesoleil after all.

;)
 
Tute said:
So how does OSX overcome this problem and not Windows?
Click to expand...

im ssuming this is a problem with your dongle rather than windows , oh and what OS are you using ?

clicking the bluetooth taskbar icon in windows (on a dell laptop and a netbook) for me gives pretty much the same options as in leopard on macbook and its always worked fine on all 3 with various phones and a headset.
 
Last edited:
PardonTheWait said:
OSX's Bluetooth is good but not perfect, it doesn't work right with everything and much faffing is required to get some phones to work with it for no apparent reason. It's better than Windows but it isn't perfect necessarily.
Click to expand...

No, I didn't say it was. ;) But having tried a range of phones, i'm yet to find one where it's more than simply pairing the device and browsing it.

"andy" said:
im ssuming this is a problem with your dongle rather than windows , oh and what OS are you using ?

clicking the bluetooth taskbar icon in windows (on a dell laptop and a netbook) for me gives pretty much the same options as in leopard on macbook and its always worked fine on all 3 with various phones and a headset.
Click to expand...

Windows 7 RC x64, but i've had the same experiences with XP, XP x64, and Vista x64.

I get the option to pair, the option to use the phone as a modem, but nothing about simply being able to transfer files.

I just want to get pictures and music off/on without having to connect the data cable all the time! :)
 
Tute said:
No, I didn't say it was. ;) But having tried a range of phones, i'm yet to find one where it's more than simply pairing the device and browsing it.
Click to expand...

In my experience it's pretty shaky with at least Motorolas and Samsungs, doesn't seem to think much of Blackerries either. I dealt with it a lot at work and pretty much dreaded it, it was semi-embarassing at times.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom