Re: [gentoo-user] Bluetooth is impossible

[Grant]

>>> I have a TRENDnet TBW-105UB USB bluetooth adapter and Motorola H560
>>> bluetooth headset, and I'm trying to use them with twinkle VOIP
>>> software.  I've spent at least 8 hours today following up with every
>>> single lead and I can't figure out how this is supposed to work.  I
>>> think I don't have the 2 devices "pairing".  The instructions here:
>>>
>>> http://www.gentoo.org/doc/en/bluetooth-guide.xml
>>>
>>> seem to be completely outdated.  I installed blueman in the hopes that
>>> it would help facilitate pairing, but I only get python errors when I
>>> try to run the binaries.  Is it gnome-only?  I'm running xfce4.
>>
>> Dumb question, Grant, but you are using the right passkey, right?
>>
>> These headsets have it built into them, and you usually have to do something
>> like hold down the headset's power button for 4 or 6 seconds (instead of
>> just pushing it and letting go, as you would normally do to power on the
>> device) and the indicator light will flash (or flash more slowly than usual,
>> or change colour or in some other way indicate it's doing things
>> differently). This initiates pairing mode on the headset, and you have 10 or
>> 20 seconds to pair.
>>
>> The passkey of the headset is usually fixed at 0000, but check the manual.
>> You can't change it, and you'll need to match your PC to that.
>>
>> It seems like you're a bit frustrated by all this, the way you've posted
>> without giving us any information. If you're struggling with the concept of
>> pairing, then I suggest you try pairing the headset with your phone & using
>> it, just to get the hang of it. If you don't have a bluetooth phone, maybe
>> you could borrow one? Usually headsets pair with phones pretty easily, first
>> or second time, just as soon as you've worked out which of the tiny little
>> buttons to hold in the right way for pairing. Once you've got this sussed
>> out it'll pair immediately - or even automatically - with your PC.
>>
>> The article doesn't look *that* out of date to me, as it mentions "... with
>>>=bluez-libs-3.x and >=bluez-utils-3.x, pin helpers have been replaced..."
>> and here on my systems versions 2.25 are still marked as stable. On the
>> other hand I see that 3.36 is marked as stable, too. :/
>>
>> Stroller.
>
> Thank you for taking the time to write, and I'm sorry my frustration
> shined through.  I got blueman running and everything is working now.
> To get blueman running I had to use the dbus bluetooth.conf from here:
>
> http://bugs.gentoo.org/275470
>
> and run blueman-applet and then blueman-manager.
>
> That Gentoo Bluetooth page really is way out of date.  I reverted back
> to original everything, and the only info I needed from that page was
> the kernel config.  Absolutely nothing else necessary except for
> emerging blueman, copying the dbus bluetooth.conf from above, and
> starting /etc/init.d/bluetooth.  That page refers to bluez-utils-3.*
> and bluez-libs-3.* which are both deprecated and the config is
> different.  bluetooth stuff in portage depends on bluez-4.* which
> blocks the other two.
>
> Also, it was necessary to add the following to /etc/asound.conf and
> specify "bluetooth" for the alsa devices in twinkle:
>
> pcm.bluetooth {
>        type bluetooth
>        device 00:1F:82:14:7F:11
> }
>
> You mentioned that the headset's PIN can't be changed.  Couldn't
> anybody pair with it if they enter 0000?
>
> - Grant

Using the blueman-1.21 ebuild is really the secret to success here:

http://bugs.gentoo.org/show_bug.cgi?id=289902

All that is required is emerge bluez, reload dbus, start bluetooth,
emerge blueman-1.21, config asound.conf as above, and restart
alsasound.

Has anyone gotten bluetooth pairing without a GUI tool such as
blueman?  That's the "impossible" part.

- Grant