Re: [SLUG] Bluetooth connectivity

From: Eben King (eben01@verizon.net)
Date: Thu Apr 30 2009 - 19:42:51 EDT


On Thu, 30 Apr 2009, Ron Youvan wrote:

> Eben King wrote:
>> All evidence shows that my laptop doesn't have built-in Bluetooth
>> connectivity. Since I specced it, it's my fault. So. What's the cleanest
>> way of rectifying the situation? Or, if the inside option is out (hah!),
>> which of 1 & 2 is the least overhead? As I see it, my options are:
>
>> 1. a USB dongle -- $13 and up. Some are quite small:
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833139019
>
>> 2. a PCMCIA card or PC card or ExpressCard or whatever they're called this
>> week -- Newegg has one, at $45:
>> http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16833203014
>
>> 3. Something internal -- I took a screenshot from the service manual
>> showing
>> the card at http://royalty.mine.nu:81/bluetooth.jpg ; can anyone
>> identify
>> that style of card, assuming the drawing is accurate? I believe the
>> antenna is already in place, though of course I'd check before I
>> ordered.
>> The card is identified as HP stock #409993-001.
>
> I chum told me he has seen SD card blue tooth adapters.
> (you can use a USB 2 SD reader)

What's the advantage of that over skipping the SD card middleman and using a
USB BT transciever?

I did find some stock HP BT cards on eBay:
http://cgi.ebay.com/_W0QQitemZ120411341781 (ends 5/1 07:09:41 EDT, BT 1.2)
http://cgi.ebay.com/_W0QQitemZ370191135402 ($18, BT ??, no cable)
http://cgi.ebay.com/_W0QQitemZ400001097984 ($35, BT ??, with cable)
http://cgi.ebay.com/_W0QQitemZ200336940594 ($10, BT 2.0, no cable)

It's given no interface name, so it might be proprietary.

BT 2.x is quite a bit faster than BT 1.x (not as bad as USB, but still: 0.7
Mbps vs 3 Mbps IIRC), so I definitely want BT 2.

I opened up my laptop and looked but I don't see a cable where the BT module
goes. The "Maintenance and Service Guide" shows one, so I most likely need
one. HP sells a "Cable Kit", so I could buy one. But nowhere does the
manual show how to _install_ one, should I get it. I'm tempted to just say
"the heck with it" and get a USB dongle.

-- 
-eben   QebWenE01R@vTerYizUonI.nOetP   http://royalty.mine.nu:81
CANCER:  The position of Jupiter says that you should spend the
rest of the week face down in the mud.  Try not to shove a roll of
duct tape up your nose when taking your driver's test.  -- Weird Al
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