One way to use a Bluetooth headset with OS X

Jun 23, '05 09:12:00AM

Contributed by: reneesq

I have read the various hints about using Bluetooth headsets on OS X. I've updated my Bluetooth firmware for both the PowerBook (G4 Model 867MHz DVI and the D-Link DBT-120 H/W B2 running OS X Panther 10.3.9), but I still get the dreaded "Headsets are not Supported" message. It drives me nuts!

Well, I finally found a way around it, but it does not involve using the Mac's Bluetooth services. I must add that I rather stumbled on this workaround in the process of solving another Bluetooth problem. I use a Blackberry 7280 which does not have Bluetooth. So I purchased a Jabra A210 Bluetooth Adapter, which purports to add Bluetooth to cell phones with a 2.5mm audio jack. It works and does so well enough for me to use my Plantronics M3000 Bluetooth Adapter with it. This solution has worked very well for me, as my home cordless phone also supports 2.5mm headsets and I can easily take the adapter off my cell phone and plug it into the cordless phone as needed.

On a whim, I decided to buy a 2.5mm to 3.5mm plug on eBay to see if it would take the audio output from my PowerBook (or Mac monitor) and send it to my Bluetooth headset (via the Jabra A210 adapter, of course) ... and it works great! Is the quality the best? No, but it is certainly good enough for me to use iTunes with or to listen to Rush. I think I'd have better audio output with a Motorola headset (I've heard the Plantronics headsets don't deliver the same quality).

While my solution doesn't get the unit to pair with OS X, much less work with it, I still get the same end-result (listen to audio from my OS X Mac on a Bluetooth headset), and I'm happy with it. In fact, I get the extra added benefit that I can move the Jabra A210 adapter to any device with a 2.5mm or 3.5mm plug and get Bluetooth. I've done this with my daughter's MP3 player and it works great. This way, I don't have to re-establish pairing with different devices. The Jabra A210 Bluetooth adapter supports Bluetooth version 1.2 (forward and backwards compatible), and it should work with just about any Bluetooth headset but I can't guarantee that.

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