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Hi guys...

I just got a T68M and I picked up a Belkin USB dongle for my desktop PC. It seems to me like it's more hassle than its worth. I thought that all I had to do was walk into its range and you could do what you needed to do. Then I find out there is all this mess about discover and discoverable and pairing. I think I'm also having software issues which might be making it a big pain in the a$$ to work with it.

Please correct me if I'm wrong...

-I must first set my phone to be discoverable.
-During the 3 minutes it is discoverable, I need to search for it w/ my BT software.
-Once the BT sw finds it, I need to pair it.

Now this is where I kinda' get confused. Do I need to set up the phone to accept a pairing request... or is that the same as being discoverable?

-Once it is paired, I should be able to open up a serial port and synch it with Outlook through the XTND software.

It seems that when I first boot up my PC, the first time I sync... it works, but only with a little tinkering... like discovering, re-pairing, etc... Then at some point the serial port is disconnected and I can never get it back again, even with re-searching and re-pairing. Typically, it won't even find the phone.

In theory, once I pair it for the very first time... do I need to pair it every time I go away and come back and want to sync it? And when do I need to make my phone discoverable?

I thought all I needed to do was walk up to my computer, turn Blue Tooth on my phone and just click sync. And if I leave Bluetooth on always, I should be able to come and go and sync as I please, right? Or am I expecting too much?

What about the Automatic operating mode... what "wakes" it up? If I have it set to Automatic... do I just sit at my PC, press sync, and my phone knows to turn Bluetooth on? Or do I need to set it to Discoverable?

Through Trial and Error, I found out that without hte XTND software installed, I can open and close the serial ports as I please. I think there's something buggy about the XTND Connect sw... is there a known problem like this?

Any thoughts would be appreciated guys! Thanks in advance.

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Posted: 2002-09-23 21:50:00
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Once you have paired the computer and the phone, they can communicate as soon as the phone is in range.
I have my T68 paired with my computer and I can sync and connect to internet without doing anything at all with the phone. I just click on connect to internet and that's it, or just use Synchronize in XTNDConnect and it synchronizes the phone.

I always have bluetooth enabled on the phone though.

You can also get your WinAMP playlist on your phone with PcControl by Christersson.

http://www.christersson.org/software_pccontrol.asp

With that program your phone becomes a remote control for the PC.... just great....
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Posted: 2002-09-24 00:04:00
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No way!!!!!! That's unbelievable about the WinAmp playlist. How do you access the file on the phone though? I guess that's what the PCControl sw is for, huh?

Also, if you have your phone with Bluetooth always on... what does Automatic do? Or how does Automatic work? Or does it not work like it's supposed to.

I've been searching all day on Esato.com and Semuser.com and it seems that A LOT of people have Bluetooth problems... especially with intermittent connectivity. And with the BT working one time, then never again. So I'm not alone... I wish I knew what was wrong with it.

Thanks for the input man.




[ This Message was edited by: GTwinkie on 2002-09-24 00:20 ]
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Posted: 2002-09-24 01:19:00
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i'm with you. it might work once but after a file transfer, it disconnects. i can reconnect the phone, but SendFile and xtendconnect don't recognize the phone the second time around even though the bluetooth folder shows the phone as connected. it works sometimes but not at other times. i'm thinking it might actually be the firmware on the phone b/c b4 i upgraded to t68i software, it worked beuatifully.
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Posted: 2002-09-24 02:38:00
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It works perfect here. I can sync, use sendfile, connect to internet all the time, I've had no problems at all. It performs perfect. I have a Bluetake USB bluetooth dongle and a T68m upgraded to T68i with R2E006 software version.

You get the WinAMP playlist in the accessories menu on your phone, you can also control other programs and even move the mouse on your PC with the T68 joystick

You just choose which song you want to play from the playlist and WinAMP plays it. It's the most amazing software I've tried in ages. Bluetooth really rocks.

I think the automatic setting is mostly for exchanging business cards, playing games, and for the bluetooth headsets. If you want to use bluetooth with the computer you should set Bluetooth to On.

BTW you should create 2 different Bluetooth serial-ports one that all programs which uses MobilePhoneManager should use (i.e SendFile, XTNDConnect etc), and one serial-port for programs that doesn't use MPM.

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Posted: 2002-09-24 15:31:00
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Great news... I think I got my BT to work consistently now.

I was poking around this site and Esato.com and read up on the troubles that the 3Com BT dongle people were having. And they were more or less identical. One step that I had not done that kept coming up in the threads was to enable AND RESERVE the COM port once you know what it is.

I had only been enabling it. Now it works like a charm. I'm gonna' try the Mp3 thing next.

@Maynard.. have you tried the reserving thing?

@ppcrockar...

Could you clarify this for me. Say I have XTNDConnect set on Autosync Upon Connection and I have BT on on my phone, as soon as I walk into range, should it automatically open up the Serial Port and sync? Or do I still need to manually open the Serial Port, at which time it would automatically sync? 'Cause right now, I still have to open the port manually and then it syncs.

I think what I'm basically asking is, do you always have to turn on the serial port manually or can XTNDConnect open it up when it needs it?

But you're right... I don't have to touch the phone, other than turning Bluetooth on.

But leaving Bluetooth on as long as I'm near the computer SUCKS the battery down like none other. Have you experienced this... seems like it's transfering something (2-way arrow and flash blue blinking light on the phone) all the time. What's it doing?

What do you mean I'll find the Playlist under my Accessories menu? I don't have that menu... do you mean, the Fun & Games menu? Or does PCControl put something on your phone? Is it a T68i thing?

Also... do you ever lose a connection while sitting near your computer? I had to reconnect/reopen the serial port once yesterday.

Sorry for all the questions.. but I'm really getting to like the technology... and I want to make sure it's running at its fullest.

Thanks for all the help pccrockar!

Victor.

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Posted: 2002-09-24 18:27:00
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Great that you've got it working...

Ok.. here goes...

Well I've never tried the autosync feature. Tried it now and it doesn't seem to autosync. Anyway I just right-click on XTNDConnect icon and choose Synchronize Outlook and then click synchronize then it syncs the phone. No need to open any ports. I have never thought about the autosyncing, but that could be handy if it is possible...

Well.. my phone doesn't drain the battery when i'm not doing any bluetooth stuff, but of course if I connect to internet via bluetooth it draws some power, but that is normal. But if you're not transfering anything it shouldn't blink all the time....and it shouldn't drain the battery just because it's within range.

Start the PCControl software, and use the other serial port... not the one that MPM uses. In settings choose your WinAMP path. Then click on connect. Once connected go to the communications menu in your T68 and choose accessories and there should be a few options

No I've never lost connection.. and I've been using it for about 2 months. My phone never looses connection wherever the phone is in my flat. It works just perfect. I can even use it on my balcony

But that could also depend on the Bluetooth dongle for the PC. My Bluetake USB adapter has a 100 meter range. Not that the phone can handle that kind of distance anyway

Good luck

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Posted: 2002-09-24 20:04:00
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I have the Belkin Bluetooth Dongle too... so I can go downstairs and outside into my backyard and it still works.

I will try to see if just pressing Synchronize will work without opening any ports first.

Do you know what I'm talking about though? I usually go to "My Bluetooth Places" from the system tray and double click on the T68 to see its services, then I double click on the Serial Port 1 to establish a connection. The Serial Port icon turns green and so does the T68 icon. Then Automatic Synchronization happens... or if I have that option off, I do what you do and click Synchronize Now.

Now I just have to figure out how to use the other services... like IrDa Synchronization, File Transfer, etc...

Thanks again for your help ppcrockar!
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Posted: 2002-09-24 20:45:00
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Yeah.. I know what you are talking about

About the other services.. I can tell you that the T68 doesn't support the bluetooth file transfer service (profile). You'll have to use a program like SendFile or MyPictures to send files to the phone...
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Posted: 2002-09-24 21:04:00
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