Bluetooth 2.1 the Good/Bad News

[astrobill]

I am a noob to the Android seen but, I was wondering you all are banging your heads against the wall. Maybe it something simple like reset the head units! Then try to re-pair and connect. ????? That what i would try. BTW Hello everybody!!

Uh...yeah. Thought of that. Tried it. Multiple times. I'm sure most other folks have as well....given how critical Bluetooth compatibility with car devices and headsets is.

It's NOT the head unit, at least in my case. It's a fundamental change to the Bluetooth stack in Hero 2.1 that's causing incompatibility in some devices.

FYI, not sure if you read my original post (and edits) carefully, but I've also wandered through a few Best Buys with the phone, testing it with a TON of Bluetooth devices....Tom Toms, Garmins, Kenwood and Garmin head units, etc. The bottom line is that it works fine with some, not at all with others, and partially with others.

Frankly, Bluetooth certification standards are a joke these days. Nothing ever really adheres to the profile standards the way it's supposed to. In the early days it was REALLY an issue....getting better, but still too hard for consumers to really know if anything is going to work with anything else. I've tried e-mailing the Bluetooth standards group about this, but they don't care much...they should require INDEPENDENT testing before certifying a device as Bluetooth compatible in any way.

 

[wheindl]

I'm not trying to do anything advanced with Bluetooth, but am trying to use my Plantronics 925 as a handsfree device, for both making and receiving calls (preferably with auto-answer). While I can make calls okay (both with 1.5 and 2.1), I cannot get the phone to answer a call with the bluetooth device. Even if I manually answer, the call is directed to the phone, not the bluetooth. So if someone calls, I have to answer the handset and tell the caller I will call them back. This is a pain to do while driving (and illegal, in fact, in some states). Am I doing something wrong? Or does (not even) 2.1 support this most basic bluetooth function - receiving a call to the handsfree device?

 

[FdxRider]

I'm not trying to do anything advanced with Bluetooth, but am trying to use my Plantronics 925 as a handsfree device, for both making and receiving calls (preferably with auto-answer). While I can make calls okay (both with 1.5 and 2.1), I cannot get the phone to answer a call with the bluetooth device. Even if I manually answer, the call is directed to the phone, not the bluetooth. So if someone calls, I have to answer the handset and tell the caller I will call them back. This is a pain to do while driving (and illegal, in fact, in some states). Am I doing something wrong? Or does (not even) 2.1 support this most basic bluetooth function - receiving a call to the handsfree device?

I don't know if this will help.I have a VXI B250 and if i answer calls with the button on the headset everything is fine,if i answer the call by touching the ANSWER button on the screen then i have to hit menu>bluetooth on, Sometimes it seems to remember which caller i did that for.

 

[FdxRider]

Uh...yeah. Thought of that. Tried it. Multiple times. I'm sure most other folks have as well....given how critical Bluetooth compatibility with car devices and headsets is.

It's NOT the head unit, at least in my case. It's a fundamental change to the Bluetooth stack in Hero 2.1 that's causing incompatibility in some devices.

FYI, not sure if you read my original post (and edits) carefully, but I've also wandered through a few Best Buys with the phone, testing it with a TON of Bluetooth devices....Tom Toms, Garmins, Kenwood and Garmin head units, etc. The bottom line is that it works fine with some, not at all with others, and partially with others.

Frankly, Bluetooth certification standards are a joke these days. Nothing ever really adheres to the profile standards the way it's supposed to. In the early days it was REALLY an issue....getting better, but still too hard for consumers to really know if anything is going to work with anything else. I've tried e-mailing the Bluetooth standards group about this, but they don't care much...they should require INDEPENDENT testing before certifying a device as Bluetooth compatible in any way.

yeah i did sorry!

 

[heropain]

folks, I can't even pair my phone to my laptop. I can't pair to my car either. my phone just simply won't find any device on scanning (except for my neighbor's lg phone!)

 

[Vertigo1]

It was also stated the it lacks OBEX Remote Sim Access (although I have no idea what that means)

FWIW, this allows an external device to access the SIM directly, bypassing the "rest" of the phone.

It's being increasingly used in factory car phone installations, where the car effectively contains a mobile phone and then uses the Remote SIM Access to connect to the SIM in your phone. The rest of your phone is then shut down. This has the advantage that the power usage on the phone is greatly reduced plus the car can make use of things like its own, amplified aerial for better reception.

Android needs to add this profile sooner rather than later IMO.

 

[wheindl]

I don't know if this will help.I have a VXI B250 and if i answer calls with the button on the headset everything is fine,if i answer the call by touching the ANSWER button on the screen then i have to hit menu>bluetooth on, Sometimes it seems to remember which caller i did that for.

Thanks! This seems to work... but is there any way to auto-answer?

 

[pfk1977]

Just adding to the info here. I have an '08 Ford Fusion and both streaming music and phone worked fine in 1.5 also Sync could automatically download my phonebook. Haven't tested all functions yet with 2.1 so not sure if all this still works.
I Also have a Clarion deck in my VW Gti and just recently got a BLT370 Tranceiver for it. These came out in '07 I believe. This thing just connects to the AUX and it has a TEL-INT audio mute line. Didn't have this when I was at 1.5 so don't know if it would work, but streaming audio works fine with 2.1. As soon as I make a call the Clarion sees the TEL interrupt and then there is no audio. I am gonna try disconnecting the TEL interrupt line. I also found that if I am streaming audio and then I manually start to dial, I can hear the dial tones, but as soon as I hit the send button the volume cuts out. You can actually hear it go silent. Not sure if this is a problem with the BLT370 or Hero. I will post any update after more testing.

PS Person on the other end can hear me fine, but I get no audio. I have a feeling like its a Hero issue.

 

[meinken]

About one time in ten, the car kit IS able to decode my Hero's name ("Bill's Hero") and connect for two seconds.

I know this is silly, but have you tried renaming your hero, so that, it doesn't have an apostrophe or even a space? Something to try if all else fails. Could be that 2.1 is having a problem interpeting special chars or is passing them to the head unit differently?

 

[astrobill]

I know this is silly, but have you tried renaming your hero, so that, it doesn't have an apostrophe or even a space? Something to try if all else fails. Could be that 2.1 is having a problem interpeting special chars or is passing them to the head unit differently?

Hmmm...that's actually not a bad suggestion. I may have tried it when I first got the Hero months ago, though. I'll double check...

UPDATE: Tried it again...doesn't make a difference.

Be aware, however, that the phone actually streams Bluetooth audio to the head unit just fine using the name "Bill's Phone" (with an apostrophe) and the A2DP profile. It's only the HFP/HSP profile (not sure which one my head unit is attempting to use) for telephony that's making the head unit say "Invalid Device"...

 

[astrobill]

FWIW, this allows an external device to access the SIM directly, bypassing the "rest" of the phone.

It's being increasingly used in factory car phone installations, where the car effectively contains a mobile phone and then uses the Remote SIM Access to connect to the SIM in your phone. The rest of your phone is then shut down. This has the advantage that the power usage on the phone is greatly reduced plus the car can make use of things like its own, amplified aerial for better reception.

Android needs to add this profile sooner rather than later IMO.

Yep...

By the way, it stands for OBject EXchange. It's not a Bluetooth "profile" per se, but rather a subset of Bluetooth standards that allow profiles to be built on top of it.

And you're totally right...they really need to get Bluetooth together, not just in Android but across industry. In my opinion, the Bluetooth standards groups is WAAAY too permissive in granting certification to devices, headsets, and especially car units that don't really fully comply with any given Bluetooth profile standard.

 

[rmomota]

I have a Peugeot 5008 and the original bluetooth radio used to work with my cheap nokia cellphone.
Now I bought new Android 2.1 cellphone and the handsfree function works just fine, but I don't have my contacts displayed on the radio and the recent call list is empty.
Hope they'll fix this soon.

 

[kilowatt2]

I have a Pioneer Avic-D3 with BTB200 bluetooth adapter and 2.1 broke the stack where I could not connect. Had to go back to 1.5 to use it then I tried Cyanogenmod 6.0.0 (Froyo) and it connects again so there is hope for us with older car kits.

 

[scOpe]

Also having problems when upgrading my hero from Andoird 1.5 to 2.1.

Starngest thing was, my provider did not passed on the update, so used othe rprovider to get the update.

Now my hero is updated to Android 2.1, and does not work with my HF kit as it should. Finds it, but when connecting the HF kit disappears.

All worked fine with Andoird 1.5

As there are many more complaints, HTC cannot just do nothin abt it.

So what are they going to do????

 

[BigRedHiker]

Having the same problem as the original thread verbatim. Pioneer AVIC-D3 head unit and a new Hero with Android 2.1. Same problem with pairing but not holding a connection and displaying the same error message.

Called Sprint and they acknowledged the software upgrade to the hero was probably the problem and suggested I contact Pioneer. Plan on contacting Pioneer tomarrow.
But after reading this forum it seems pretty clear its a Sprint/ Hero android 2.1 problem vs my Pioneer head unit.

I got this new phone on Friday as a new sprint customer from a radio shack store. It paired and operated just fine on friday. I then discovered that the hero was an older unit they sold me so the sprint service center updated the phone to Android 2.1 on Sunday. And now it wont connect.
Obviously the new android 2.1 is no longer compatible.
I sure hope there is a fix for this as I need to be able to have this function. Thinking about cancelling with sprint within this 30 day trial period if I cant get a fix. Of course now that they ported my phone number to the new phone it may be quite a hastle.
Does anyone know if a different model of Sprint Phone such as the Samsung Moment encounters the same problem. Are they all using the new upgrade software. By the way, Ive been told another upgrade is on the way in a few months.
Cant believe the hours Ive wasted...this really....
Any help appreciated.

 

[Linx]

I have a Kenwood DNX7100. The Hero would sometimes connect and other times won't with 2.1. But now I have a Evo and haven't had any problems connecting. Though tomorrow (8-3-2010) the new firmware, Froyo 2.2, will be released and I'm hoping everything will still run ok. Though some people with the leaked 2.2 are happy now that voice activation works with Bluetooth. If you want, take the Hero back and exchange for the Evo. Much nicer phone.

 

[BigRedHiker]

It is indeed the android 2.1 upgrade to the hero thats the problem. Ive tried active phones such as the Evo with 2.0 and the Samsung Moment with current androisd upgrade and they both paired and connected properly. The Hero only made a media connection but no phone connection ( the phone will tell you if it makes one or the other or both when it displays its connected). HTC was no help with this, Pioneer sugested a new stereo unit ( ya right) and Sprint scratched their heads. At least Im a new customer so can return the Hero as it's still under thirty days.
Buy the way...their is a new android uprage for the Evo that released yesterday as version 2.2 that is suppost to have enhanced the bluetooth functions, so I'm waiting to see it that works with my pioneer bluetooth before getting that phone instead.
HTC screwed up on the 2.1 for hero and dosent have a fix yet or in the forciable future from what I can attain.
What a hastle...now I have to find someone that has the Evo in stock.

 

[BigRedHiker]

Well, was ready for the Evo until I tried someone with the adroid upgrade to 2.2 which came out last week.
Now this one is on the wont connect list too.
Thanks Google/ Android for making this firmware no longer compatible with some bluetooth car kits.
Looks like Sprint is about to loose a new customer.

 

[yaeger]

Hi everyone. As you may know because I heavily depend on my bluetooth connection to my car (Infiniti G35) I stayed with Fresh 1.5. I took the plunge and flashed Cyanogen 6 (Froyo) and happy to report there is no problems with this OS. I highly recommend!

 

[Who's high pitch?]

Hi everyone. As you may know because I heavily depend on my bluetooth connection to my car (Infiniti G35) I stayed with Fresh 1.5. I took the plunge and flashed Cyanogen 6 (Froyo) and happy to report there is no problems with this OS. I highly recommend!

Yaeger, I've had it up to hear with Sprint and HTC not giving a damn about this problem. I was thinking about throwing in the towel and going back to 1.5, but I am glad I came across your post. With Cyanogen 6, can you confirm that you can connect to your G35 no problem? Contacts sync? Audio connects to the speakers?

Thanks!!!

 

[LBPHeretic]

Yaeger, I've had it up to hear with Sprint and HTC not giving a damn about this problem. I was thinking about throwing in the towel and going back to 1.5, but I am glad I came across your post. With Cyanogen 6, can you confirm that you can connect to your G35 no problem? Contacts sync? Audio connects to the speakers?

Thanks!!!

I am interested in this too. Though, I do not own an Infiniti G35.

I am more interested if CyanogenMod 6 for the Sprint HTC Hero can finally take care of Bluetooth voice dialing? Also, does it work with the newer features that can be pulled off in Android 2.2 such as sending a text through commands and whatnot through a Bluetooth headset, completely handsfree of course?

 

[yaeger]

Works just like 1.5 in terms of dialing and call quality but I never tried syncing contacts. I'll give it a try.

Functionality depends on your vehicle BT so I recommend doing some reading and giving Cyanogen a try. Plus the OS is fasssst and battery life is awesome.

 

[Who's high pitch?]

Works just like 1.5 in terms of dialing and call quality but I never tried syncing contacts. I'll give it a try.

Functionality depends on your vehicle BT so I recommend doing some reading and giving Cyanogen a try. Plus the OS is fasssst and battery life is awesome.

Thanks again!!! Yeah, I don't have a G35, but an aftermarket Kenwood. But from what I hear, if it works on the G35 it should work on anything. I'll post later with the results if anyone wants to know.

 

[rmomota]

Now something happened to my bluetooth pairing. I deleted the pairing configuration from my Peugeot 5008 car kit and now I not able to pair it again. My Android 2.1 cellphone Huawey Joy doesn't ask for the passkey as it should. It tries to pair without a passkey or using the old passkey.
Is there a way to reset the Android configured bluetooth passkey for that device pairing?

 

[chawski]

not sure if anyone in this thread is rooted or what ROM you are running if you are, but I had the same problem with my Pioneer D3 when i updated to 2.1, however since flashing CM6, ive had no pairing issues. it works as it should