Thinkpads Forum

I would like to use Bluetooth to attach wireless stereo headphones to my laptop.
I have now tried with 3 different models (by HTC, Sony-Ericsson and iPhono) but none of them works with the Broadcom BT stack on my T60p (all headphones *do* work nicely with my cell phone, so they definitely *do* work and they all support the A2DP protocol).

When searching for new devices they all do show up. One can then select them and the software then claims it that it is pairing with the device. Sometimes it then asks for a security code, most times it does not (the "security" code for headphones (which have no keyboard to enter any) is "0000" for all headhones). The BT stack subsequently always claims, that the device is now securely connected, but it does not exhibit the proper behavior for paired devices, i.e. the context menus of those headphones do not show a Connect and an "Unpair" option nor do they show that second Properties-tab with the permissions for the devices services. The devices also do *not* have the checkmark that normally indicates a paired device nor are the devices shown in green, i.e. they are not connected and hence unusable by the T60p.

Is there some way to fix this? Might it bring something to completely de- and then re-install the entire BT SW? BT on Thinkpad is (and always has been) infuriatingly buggy and next to useless!

This is on a T60p running WinXP Pro (+SP3), broadcom BT stack v5.5.0.5800, firmware v2.1.92.108

Michael

PS.: I regularly do sync my PDA via Bluetooth (using a virtual COM port) and at least that works somewhat reliable. But any other attempt to use of BT for audio so far has been a hopeless exercise...

Did you try updating the BT drivers/software?

Turn on BT, go to My BT places, on the left you have View or modify my configuration, open it and check settings under Local services -> Headsets > uncheck secure connection and check service startup... Also check if headphones have some additional drivers...

Thanks both for responding!

Marin85 wrote:Did you try updating the BT drivers/software?

yes - latest harvest. Meanwhile also the firmware is on the latest level found at http://www-307.ibm.com/pc/support/site. ... d=MIGR-629.

beGi wrote:... uncheck secure connection and check service startup...

The secure connection is indeed checked but I can't uncheck it, since the checkbox is grayed out. Only the automatic startup is changeable. Any alternative way to set this off? Some registry-setting maybe?

beGi wrote:... Also check if headphones have some additional drivers...

Not that I know of.

Michael

Check your settings when you open BT places then right click on headphone icon and click properties, maybe something there can help you...

Also try to set additional serial port, and then when you click discover services first connect with headphones via serial port (double click it) and then connect via other protocol/app...

This procedure once helped me when I was using my mobile phone as modem (was expensive and slow, but i really needed to check my e-mail in the middle of nowhere), and couldn't work before that...

I have tried a lot and wasted several hours trying to get BT working again on my T60p but to no avail. I de- and re-installed the BT SW several times during that process but obviously some setting even survive across installations. So, no chance to start from a clean slate (and I certainly don't want to reinstall my entire system just for this BT crap).

Conclusion: The official Broadcom Bluetooth stack still is unusable on Thinkpads! It has been that way with all my prior devices (A31p, T41p and others) and its still the same buggy and useless heap of $#!&@.

If only I could get rid of that Broadcom stack! In contrast to what other people are seeing and reporting, on my earlier devices I had switched to the MS BT stack and then had much less problems. The MS stack admittedly had less functionality and profiles, but those that existed at least worked. Alas, even if I uninstall the Broadcom stack and switch the BT device on and let the system search for drivers, it doesn't come up with the MS stack instead (this "procedure" had worked on earlier devices but apparently not on the T60p).

Very frustrating!
Michael