Bluetooth speakerphones

[DeLicious]

I know there are people who use their bluetooth headsets connected to a computer running the speaker client for voice recognition purposes, but I don't really want to wear a headset around the house.

However, I was thinking I could place a few of these http://www.amazon.com/Jabra-SP500-Bl...TF8&s=wireless Jabra SP500 bluetooth speakerphones in strategic places and have them act like handsets. This one didn't seem to get terribly good reviews anywhere, but something like this might work, especially if you have a 100 meter bluetooth dongle (I don't yet, my laptop only has a 10 meter built-in receiver).

[DeLicious]

here's the computershopper.com link for the same device http://computershopper.com.com/Jabra....html?tag=pdtl

[DeLicious]

The more I think about it, the more the idea seems useful... That particular model referenced in previous posts has an AC adapter, so it should be able to stay powered. Plus, I envision having the "call" connection open at all times, so it's always listening like a speaker client (instead of having to push a button like you would to answer or place a call). If anyone knows of any reason why this wouldn't work, please feel free to post!

[Fuego]

The more I think about it, the more the idea seems useful... That particular model referenced in previous posts has an AC adapter, so it should be able to stay powered. Plus, I envision having the "call" connection open at all times, so it's always listening like a speaker client (instead of having to push a button like you would to answer or place a call). If anyone knows of any reason why this wouldn't work, please feel free to post!

Can't see why it wouldn't work other than sound quality and the quirks of whichever BT stack you're using.

Thinking along similar lines myself - but with PPCs and the up and coming Parrot BT Boom boxes. http://board.homeseer.com/showthread.php?t=119458

Overall bandwidth may be an issue if you have more than 3 or 4 paired to your dongle.

Going to look into Handsfree BT units as well now

[Malarcy]

My only doubt would be the requirement for the push to call type function don't knoe how that would work/if it is required for example.

Other issue - requires something more advanced than the microsoft bluetooth stack - that doesn't support the bluetooth audio profile - so widcom or whatever the others are is the way forward.

I like the idea of the bluetooth speaker phone for basic vr and HS speech - will watch this one and see how it goes.

Malarcy

[DeLicious]

I don't think the bluetooth audio profile is required. I believe the speakerphone uses the standard bluetooth headset profile, which I'm pretty sure the Microsoft stack supports.

When I scrounge up enough loose change to buy one (and the bluetooth plug-in), I'll let you know my results.

[Malarcy]

Pretty sure when I tried with my laptop and a bluetooth headset it didn't support the headset profile but happy to believe otherwise- don't have a MS bluetooth stack machine around to try it with right now - anyone got a rig they could test?

Malarcy

[Fuego]

Pretty sure when I tried with my laptop and a bluetooth headset it didn't support the headset profile but happy to believe otherwise- don't have a MS bluetooth stack machine around to try it with right now - anyone got a rig they could test?

Malarcy

Unless they've added it to Vista, XP/SP2 MS BT stack supports only HID, SPP and DUN profiles, oh and whichever profile they have used to send and receive files over BT (Object Push, I think).

[Malarcy]

Vista apparently supports the stereo and remote control protocols - but haven't tried it out yet

Malarcy

[DeLicious]

this link http://www.windowsdevcenter.com/pub/...bluetooth.html tells how to install the widcomm stack over the MS stack

[DeLicious]

well, i've finally got around to setting this us as a test. I bought a Belkin 30m-range USB bluetooth adapter for an old desktop that I had laying around. I set it up for wireless audio configuration which allows it to replace the speakers and microphone of the computer. Once I trained the speech recognition profile on XP a little, it seemed to work okay. The only downside of this is the microphone quality on the Jabra SP500, it seems I have to get really close to it to hear me well enough... of course, it was meant to be used in a car's close quarters, so I suppose I could put on a headset around the house (and look like an idiot).

All this, and I didn't need to buy the bluetooth connector for HS2 since the bluetooth is not on that machine. If a higher quality bluetooth speakerphone were available, this would be a viable setup.

[Fuego]

I have the Parrot BT speakerphone (not the boom box) I bought the other day for 68 Euros. I'll give it or try and report back. It has voice dialling which can be used to send an attention phrase to HS Speaker app, probably.

[DeLicious]

I was thinking... all of this work may be for naught with the advent of wireless USB hubs... Instead of using a low quality bluetooth speaker phone meant for a car (or an expensive one meant for conference calling in an office), you could simply use USB microphone and USB speakers and connect to a computer in the closet using wireless USB. The only hub I've seen so far is by Belkin for $199, so hopefully the price goes down as these things get more prevalent.

[Fuego]

Maybe, but for now it may provide a solution for some situations.

The Parrot mini Bluetooth hands free speaker/mic works well with a Belkin F8T008 dongle (the early "100m" model), but only to a range of about 10m through concrete wall/floor after which the sound breaks down and eventually disconnects.

Once back in range it reconnects automatically without problem.

One you make a "call" on it, the mic stays connected - so no need to press the button again, each time you want to give HS a voice command,.

HS Voice recognition works very well so long as you are no more than 1 metre away from the mic and you do some voice training through the device.

Going to try with my Belkin F8T013 and see it I getter better range. At the moment it is definitely an easy solution to providing remote Hs audio/VR, but only for a short distance.

The dongle could probably also benefit from being mounted higher upon a short USB extension cable and maybe even an aerial mod (anyone done this for BT?) and the Parrot unit could use a better speaker, but there is potential there.

[DeLicious]

There seems to be a kink in the plan... I went back to my test computer tonight, and the speaker client had shut down. My guess is that the speakerphone went into some sort of power-saving mode after not being used for hours (even though it's running on AC power), and since the audio profile was no longer running, the speaker client shut down. Has anyone else experienced this?

I would hate to think that I would have to restart the speaker client every time I connected the bluetooth speakerphone.