"Hands Free" vs "Headset"

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Roger 2008 - 07 Apr 2008 16:17 GMT

The other day I paired a PPC/phone with a laptop computer and saw I could
use the laptop as a "Headset" instead of "Hands Free."

Turns out that "Headset" is basically a "Hands Free" device with no control
at all over the phone.

Now here is the funny part. With all the things Microsoft can do it looks
like they can't write a program to end a call when the laptop is being used
as a "Headset." I tried all the buttons I could find on the laptop and none
of them did anything.

If I'm wrong about the above please let me know. Until then I'll rely on
the other party to end the call for me when I use my laptop as a BT
"Headset."

TIA

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Sven - 07 Apr 2008 19:44 GMT

Maybe I'm missing something. You say you are using the laptop as a 'headset'
for a PPC/phone. You indicate that 'headset' has no control over the phone.
Yet you want to 'control' the phone from the laptop using 'headset'.
Wouldn't it make sense that you would have to end the cal from the phone if
using the laptop in headset mode?

Frankly I'm a little surprised you were able to use the laptop as a headset.
I would have assumed that the existence of the headset and handsfree
profiles in the BT set on a laptop would be so you could connect a headset,
or handsfree device to the laptop..not use it as one. Out of curiosity, if
you have the laptop acting as a headset to your phone, how do you answer an
incoming call?

Signature

Sven
MVP Mobile Devices

> The other day I paired a PPC/phone with a laptop computer and saw I could
> use the laptop as a "Headset" instead of "Hands Free."
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
>
> TIA

Reply to this Message

Roger 2008 - 08 Apr 2008 16:01 GMT

> > The other day I paired a PPC/phone with a laptop computer and saw I could
> > use the laptop as a "Headset" instead of "Hands Free."
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> Maybe I'm missing something. You say you are using the laptop as a 'headset'
> for a PPC/phone.

Yes and it does a pretty good job at it too but it is really more of a
"Speaker phone" than a "Headset." BTW my laptop has two built in
microphones and it uses them both when used as a BT "Headset" for a
PPC/phone.

> You indicate that 'headset' has no control over the phone.
> Yet you want to 'control' the phone from the laptop using 'headset'.
> Wouldn't it make sense that you would have to end the cal from the phone if
> using the laptop in headset mode?

That's true, I could use the phone itself to hangup the phone but the point
was it should be very easy for Microsoft do write a program to control the
phone via bluetooth since it already has the voice channel. If they had a
program to control the phone then they could use the term "Hands Free"
instead of "Headset" right?

> Frankly I'm a little surprised you were able to use the laptop as a headset.
> I would have assumed that the existence of the headset and handsfree
> profiles in the BT set on a laptop would be so you could connect a headset,
> or handsfree device to the laptop..not use it as one.

My new laptop is not the first bi-directional Bluetooth device I've seen but
it is the first bi-directional Bluetooth device I've seen that runs on
batteries.

I first noticed that I could use the laptop to play the Stereo Audio from my
phone via the "Wireless Stereo" and it would use it's speakers, but it took
me a few tries to get it to work as a "Headset."

It turns out that I can only use the laptop as one BT audio device at a
time. That means I receive BT Stereo and play it on the laptop speakers or
I can send BT Stereo to a third device but it will not do both at the same
time

Same with the incoming BT Stereo or the BT "Headset." I can do one or the
other but not both at the same time. It seems to need a few seconds to
swich too.

> Out of curiosity, if
> you have the laptop acting as a headset to your phone, how do you answer an
> incoming call?

That is simple. Phone->Menu->Options->More then check "Headset" and it will
automatically answer the phone. But, for some reason, it is still
automatically answering the phone, when used with a "headset" even though I
have that box unchecked now.

> Sven
> MVP Mobile Devices

Reply to this Message

Sven - 08 Apr 2008 17:36 GMT

> That's true, I could use the phone itself to hangup the phone but the
> point
> was it should be very easy for Microsoft do write a program to control the
> phone via bluetooth since it already has the voice channel. If they had a
> program to control the phone then they could use the term "Hands Free"
> instead of "Headset" right?

I suppose they could, but I don't think MS even wrote the 'Phone' program
you seem to be using. I would guess the BT profiles you have available
aren't even the MS ones. They are pretty limited. Seems that many laptops
come with the Toshiba stack (even non-Toshibas) or Blue Soliel.

> My new laptop is not the first bi-directional Bluetooth device I've seen
> but
> it is the first bi-directional Bluetooth device I've seen that runs on
> batteries.

So what is this laptop. It has some unique features it appears.

> I first noticed that I could use the laptop to play the Stereo Audio from
> my
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
> other but not both at the same time. It seems to need a few seconds to
> swich too.

That is actually pretty consistant with the BT concept. It was originally
conceived as a cable replacement, with the various profiles supporting
specific cable scenarios, like replacing the headphone cable, the printer
cable, etc. You couldn't hook those cables to more than one peripheral,
unless you had more than one port. Haven't seen too many BT implementations
that allow multiple instances of a single profile though you can run
multiple profiles at the same time. You should technically be able to run
A2DP (the stereo profile) at the same time as the headset/handsfree profile.

> That is simple. Phone->Menu->Options->More then check "Headset" and it
> will
> automatically answer the phone. But, for some reason, it is still
> automatically answering the phone, when used with a "headset" even though
> I
> have that box unchecked now.

Interesting. What Phone application is this?

>> Sven
>> MVP Mobile Devices

Reply to this Message

Roger 2008 - 08 Apr 2008 20:24 GMT

> > That's true, I could use the phone itself to hangup the phone but the
> > point
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> I suppose they could, but I don't think MS even wrote the 'Phone' program
> you seem to be using.

There is *no* phone program from what I've seen. The laptop just lets a
PPC/phone use it for a "Headset" and that is it.

...

> I would guess the BT profiles you have available
> aren't even the MS ones.

By looking at the software, I can't tell where it is from. If you want to
do some futher investigation yourself you can call HP and ask them about the
bluetooth software that they ship with their tx2000.

...

> They are pretty limited. Seems that many laptops
> come with the Toshiba stack (even non-Toshibas) or Blue Soliel.

I've seen the "Toshiba stack" and I've even seen their latest BT software.
Toshiba makes it look like you can use their software for "Wireless Stereo"
from a PPC/phone but I never got theirs to work for anything but
transmitting Stereo BT.

..

> > My new laptop is not the first bi-directional Bluetooth device I've seen
> > but
[quoted text clipped - 27 lines]
> multiple profiles at the same time. You should technically be able to run
> A2DP (the stereo profile) at the same time as the headset/handsfree profile.

I just tried that and the Stereo BT started skipping. It still works great
for one audio profile + internet via BT and that is good enough for me.

Oh, I'll say this too. I've seen AVRCP work with WM6 devices but the tx2000
is the first laptop I've seen where AVRCP works from a Stereo BT headset
with AVRCP.

> > That is simple. Phone->Menu->Options->More then check "Headset" and it
> > will
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> >
> Interesting. What Phone application is this?

It is the "Phone" application that came with the Sprint Mogul. Most every
phone I know of that takes a "Headphone" can also be setup to auto-answer
when the headphone is used.

Back to the "Toshiba Stack." If you can get me more information on where I
should go to address issues I've had with the "Toshiba Stack" and older
laptops let me know

TIA

Reply to this Message

Sven - 09 Apr 2008 00:50 GMT

> There is *no* phone program from what I've seen. The laptop just lets a
> PPC/phone use it for a "Headset" and that is it.

That's interesting

> By looking at the software, I can't tell where it is from. If you want to
> do some futher investigation yourself you can call HP and ask them about
> the
> bluetooth software that they ship with their tx2000.

Hmm, I have an HP TX 1327, but it didn't come with BT. Seems HP is moving
out with some unusual additions.

> ...
>> They are pretty limited. Seems that many laptops
>
> I just tried that and the Stereo BT started skipping. It still works
> great
> for one audio profile + internet via BT and that is good enough for me.

Oh, you can get it connected but the quality sucks. That could be a problem
with the processor in the phone or the BT stack itself. There were a lot of
these problems when BT and stereo was first coming out on Windows Mobile.
There were a lot od stack swapping instructions around at the time. Maybe
not much you can do about this. How is it if you aren't doing anything but
streaming stereo.

> Oh, I'll say this too. I've seen AVRCP work with WM6 devices but the
> tx2000
> is the first laptop I've seen where AVRCP works from a Stereo BT headset
> with AVRCP.

That's cool

>> > That is simple. Phone->Menu->Options->More then check "Headset" and it
>> > will
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>> > I
>> > have that box unchecked now.

Oh, OK. Might try a soft reset and check and uncheck the box again. Seen
settings get stuck on other stuff and the visual not match the actual.

> It is the "Phone" application that came with the Sprint Mogul. Most every
> phone I know of that takes a "Headphone" can also be setup to auto-answer
> when the headphone is used.

OK, got it. Thought you had a way to answer from the PC.

> Back to the "Toshiba Stack." If you can get me more information on where
> I
> should go to address issues I've had with the "Toshiba Stack" and older
> laptops let me know

Beats me, Just know my Sony uses it. Not impressed.

Reply to this Message

Roger 2008 - 10 Apr 2008 15:29 GMT

> > There is *no* phone program from what I've seen. The laptop just lets a
> > PPC/phone use it for a "Headset" and that is it.
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
> not much you can do about this. How is it if you aren't doing anything but
> streaming stereo.

True, the "quality" is good enough for web pages but not for streaming
video. Besides, if I want streaming video for more than a few minutes at a
time I will use a tethered connection to my PPC/phone instead of BT.

Talking about "streaming video." The HP tx2000 came "Launch Slingbox Flash
Tour" on the desktop and "Sling Media" under "All Programs" so I didn't have
to do install it myself.

BTW using my laptop as external speakers for my PPC/phone does not skip at
all if that is my only BT connection. I wish it could keep working even in
"Standby" but it doesn't.

...

> > Oh, I'll say this too. I've seen AVRCP work with WM6 devices but the
> > tx2000
> > is the first laptop I've seen where AVRCP works from a Stereo BT headset
> > with AVRCP.
> >
> That's cool

I thought it was cool when I first saw that work with WM6. Too bad I've
only seen it work with WMP.

...

> >> > That is simple. Phone->Menu->Options->More then check "Headset" and it
> >> > will
[quoted text clipped - 6 lines]
> Oh, OK. Might try a soft reset and check and uncheck the box again. Seen
> settings get stuck on other stuff and the visual not match the actual.

Hmmm. I thought I tried that but maybe not. I want to try using another BT
"Hands Free" next.

...

> > It is the "Phone" application that came with the Sprint Mogul. Most every
> > phone I know of that takes a "Headphone" can also be setup to auto-answer
> > when the headphone is used.
>
> OK, got it. Thought you had a way to answer from the PC.

Nothing at all on the laptop other than a small message that pops up about
"headset" when the connection starts.

The laptop can't even display the Caller ID when I have seen the Caller ID
displayed on a Motorola S705.

...

> > Back to the "Toshiba Stack." If you can get me more information on where
> > I
> > should go to address issues I've had with the "Toshiba Stack" and older
> > laptops let me know
> >
> Beats me, Just know my Sony uses it. Not impressed.

ugh.

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Roger 2008 - 10 Apr 2008 20:38 GMT

"Sven" <sejohannsen@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:E5C8765E-FBE5-4239-A294-

> Oh, you can get it connected but the quality sucks. That could be a problem
> with the processor in the phone or the BT stack itself. There were a lot of
> these problems when BT and stereo was first coming out on Windows Mobile.
> There were a lot od stack swapping instructions around at the time. Maybe
> not much you can do about this. How is it if you aren't doing anything but
> streaming stereo.

I met someone today that bought a new Gateway a few days ago with Bluetooth.
It said M-Series on top but I couldn't find the exact model number anywhere.
At least I couldn't find a model number I could pull up on the internet. It
too does BT "Hands Free" and BT "Wireless Stereo" from a phone to it's own
speakers/microphone just like my HP Pavilion tx2000.

When I tried to show it could use the BT PAN for the internet that would
work until the phone got a phone call. After the phone call the browswer
would crash and then you could not open the browser open until after a
reboot. I suspect it has something to do with the wireless card they
normally use for the internet. I might know more in a bit.

Reply to this Message

Roger 2008 - 12 Apr 2008 07:27 GMT

> "Sven" <sejohannsen@hotmail.com> wrote in message
> news:E5C8765E-FBE5-4239-A294-
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> reboot. I suspect it has something to do with the wireless card they
> normally use for the internet. I might know more in a bit.

The Gateway seems to be working just fine now. I don't know why it was
acting up earlier.

I spoke to a third person that special ordered his own laptop and he said he
didn't want bluetooth because he didn't like putting that thing in your ear.
I said "You can use bluetooth for getting the internet from a phone to a
laptop too." Then he said something like "That would be cool." Too bad he
didn't know how many different uses Bluetooth had earlier he might have
ordered his laptop with it.

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