There are some wireless keyboards and mice that were made after the IRDA
infrared standard and before the wide adoption of Bluetooth. I think some of
these early wireless devices operated in the 900 MHz band; Bluetooth and
much Wi-Fi operate in the 2.4 GHz band.
Lloyd Rasmussen, Kensington, MD
http://lras.home.sprynet.com
-----Original Message-----
From: David via Talk
Sent: Sunday, December 31, 2017 12:26 AM
To: Window-Eyes Discussion List
Cc: David
Subject: Re: USB headphones with microphone
Carol, and the rest.
Perhaps you already will know this, but still, might I be allowed to
clarify one point. Keyboard and mouse, might either be ordinary
wireless, or they might be Bluetooth. Headsets could be strict wireless,
but the ones with microphone will (to all my knowledge) always be
Bluetooth. All of this of course, unless your equipment is all wired.
So what is the difference between pure wireless, and the stuff we name
Bluetooth? I mean, and you understand, that they all do send signals
through the room wirelessly; that is, without the need of a cable for
the signals to be transfered.
The strict, or pure, wireless technology - is the oldest method known on
modern computer devices. It sends its signals by means of Infrared
light; and often is being refered to as IR devices. This means it
completely depends on free and open access for the signals to fly from
your wireless unit - like your keyboard, and to the wireless receiver,
plugged into your computer. Often these receivers would be placed
somehow high in the room, to ensure the free flow of the light signals.
On laptops, you might have a tiny "window" on one side, and to have a
good transmission, you would need your wireless unit to sit on that side
of the laptop. Wireless, infrared signals, typically have a covered
distance of something like 8-10 feet, or between 2.5 and 3 meters. That
is to say, long as the complete distance is close to freed from any
clutter. Place a book, a coffee cup, or even your hand in between the
keyboard and the receiver, and the whole transmission gets blocked.
I have seen keyboard, mouse and some older cellphones - with the
infrared wireless transferring capability.
Wireless products need no pairing, as they simply are working like a
sender and a receiver; taking and giving whatever comes within their
frequency. Due to its many limitations, it is not very much used now
aday, though you might have no trouble in using a wireless keyboard on
modern computers. And wireless mouse and keyboards are still frequently
sold.
What then about Bluetooth? What is it, and in what ways does it differ
from the infrared wireless equipment?
First of all, why it has got its name, I have no clue. So simply just
accept the fact that they decided to name it Bluetooth, in some cases
abbreviated BT.
Bluetooth, in reality, is a low-range, short-reaching radio. You have a
sender, usually sitting in your headset, keyboard or whatever is
considered the Signal Giver. And you have a receiver, typically sitting
inside your cellphone, your computer or in a USB dongle much like a tiny
USB Pen Drive. This Sender/Receiver combo, together forms a closed radio
circle. Signals can flow between them, both forward and backward. Since
the signals are all radio waves, you are no longer restricted to having
open and freed space between the units. Your bluetooth headset might
even work in the next room, with the doors closed. You could sit in any
angle from your computer, and still experience your Bluetooth equipment
communicating perfectly with the PC. And best of all, it has a trippled
distance range, of upto 30 feet, or 10 meters. Some do advertise their
Bluetooth equipment with even higher range, but I would be careful in
relying too much over this limit. Bluetooth signals even can pass
between floors, so easily can be used between up- and downstairs in your
house. In reality, if you have a headset with bluetooth capabilities,
and you want to dictate something while you are doing your laundry
downstairs, you can do so just fine. That is, you of course have to get
your computer turned on and all that stuff. Smiles.
Bluetooth needs a one-to-one pairing. That means, you have to make the
computer and headset know of each other, and tell them to only connect
to that one unit. In reality, most Bluetooth communication hence only
will work between your computer, and one external equipment. Modern
Bluetooth connections are sometimes capable of running more than one
paired communication, meaning you could use both your Bluetooth
Keyboard, and Bluetooth headset at the same time - a combination that
often might prove helpful on modern mobile devices.
Due to the pairing requirement of the technology, noone outside your
closed communication circle will basically be able to "see" the signals.
That means, once you have paired your computer and the headset, all
communication will take place between those two units, no matter if your
spouse is using a Bluetooth headset paired with his cellphone. Each
pairing is strictly between the paired units, and nothing else.
Bluetooth communication, is the all-over standard for wirelessly
transmitting signals now aday. Much dictated by the introduction on the
mobile market, it has become the industry standard for computers as
well. People want to be able to use the same keyboard, the same headset
or speaker, and the same whatever else - on their cellphone as well as
on their computer. And Bluetooth is on many kinds of devices now.
Anything from Bluetooth version 2 - or so - will be able to transfer
sound. most devices now aday are at least version 3, and new products
are way into version 4. They are typically backward compatible, meaning
if your computer has Bluetooth 4, it should not have any issues in
pairing up with a version 2 or 3 headset. But the higher the version
number, the better quality, speed and battery life.
I have Keyboard, Mouse and headsets, as well as speakers that run on
Bluetooth. If your computer has already installed Bluetooth
capabilities, all you need is a Bluetooth periphal, like a headset, and
some keystrokes to pair the two. Sometimes the pairing will call for a
pin code to be entered, but modern equipment often just pairs up when
you tell them to. The Bluetooth on your computer might need to be turned
on, or activated, which you will have to do inside the Windows control
panel. Not sure exactly how to do it on Win10, but under Win7, you would
simply hit the Win-key, and type in Bluetooth, and the choice for
setting it up would appear.
After all of this confusing stuff, you might wonder if the different
equipment could communicate, or even interfere with each other. Is it,
for instance, possible that your Bluetooth Headset, and your Infrared
keyboard, would cause any trouble to each other? The very short answer
would be a clear-cut
NO, Never!
To elaborate slightly, your lamp does not interfere with your radio,
does it? You can have them both turned on simultaneously. Same goes with
infrared and Bluetooth equipment. They are two completely different
technologies, and will not complicate each other.
Some might have experienced that too many different technologies are
interfering with each other. In a sense, the air can only hold so many
signals at one moment. Smiles. The reality though is, that often their
computer only can handle so much work at once. With modern computers, it
is usually not a big issue.
As if all of this was not enough, let me just tell you this. There does
exist, on the market, pure headphones that transfer music wirelessly, by
means of either infrared or FM-radio signals. They are not common on
computers, and they would usually run on slightly different frequencies,
why I have not been dealing with them here.
Furthermore, when people talk about their wireless network, often
refered to as WIFI, it has got nothing to do with either of the
technologies here discussed. It is a whole chapter on its own, and
should not be confused with either of the other technologies we here
have been discussing. In all general, there should be no interference
between your WIFI net, and neither the infrared, nor the Bluetooth
equipment.
I just wanted to bring things out, since you told you already have a
wireless keyboard. It might be an infrared wireless one, or it could be
a Bluetooth model. You refering to it as wireless, tells little about
the factual technology in question. And infrared wireless equipment does
have its own setup routine in Windows. To use both infrared and
Bluetooth on your computer, it will have to be equipped with both
technologies. For both, if your computer is not already built with the
stuff on board, you can get tiny dongles, often refered to as NANO or
MINI, which are plugged into an available USB port, and only sticking
out from the computer case something like half an inch or less. Since
the Infrared will need free flow of the signals, you will need that one
plugged into a front panel USB - if you don't want to simply run it on
an extension cable, and tape it up on the wall. For the Bluetooth, since
it is not depending on open flow, it can be placed anywhere, and if I
got you right, your new computer has it alrready built-in onboard,
somewhere inside the computer, so you don't need worry about any extra
dongles.
Sure, this turned out a long story. Techie things often do. And the fact
there does exist that many different versions and ways of solving an
issue, often does serve to confuse rather than straighten out. Sorry if
you find my information overwhelming or complicating your decision
making. That was never the intension. If you - after deciding exactly
WHAT you want and need - still feel you need some help in finding the
exact product, let us know. Many on the list might know where to get
things, or what exactly to search for. But it is a bit hard, long as we
don't know exactly what you want. Smiles. Sure, you started out asking
for a wired headset, and we end up confusing you with the wireless
alternative. Was never meant as a confuser, rather just wanted you to be
aware the modern alternatives, which might fill some people's need the
better.
Hope you get things sorted out the best way, and you find a product that
really will serve you for a long time. When comes to pricing, whichever
solution you go for, might pretty much turn out the same. One small note
to make at the end, comes to Bluetooth headsets. Since they are mainly
made for mobile usage, they are typically In-Ear, or Ear bud models.
Some might be of the type Clip-on, which sort of hangs over your ears.
HTH,
On 12/31/2017 2:21 AM, Carol and Roger via Talk wrote:
Hi Rod,
I believe this is what runs my mouse and keyboard.In my case, it looks
like a small thumb drive. I am using my old keyboard with my new
computer. The keyboard is wireless. The original mouse is also
wireless and connects to the same dongle. It does not, however, work
on the new PC. I do have a new wired mouse if anyone needs to use it.
Carol
On 12/30/2017 8:02 PM, Rod Hutton via Talk wrote:
Hi Carol,
It is a tiny dongle which fits into a USB port and very little sticks
out, and it is a Bluetooth transmitter/receiver, also known as a
Bluetooth antenna.
In this case, the word nano itself just means small.
Some Bluetooth dongles are directly paired with a single headset, and
so are called dedicated Bluetooth dongles, whereas others are like
the ones on cell phones or tablets, like iPhones, iPads, or iPods,
with which many Bluetooth devices can be paired.
Best,
Rod
-----Original Message-----
From: Talk
[mailto:[email protected]] On
Behalf Of Carol and Roger via Talk
Sent: December 30, 2017 3:35 PM
To: [email protected]; Window-Eyes Discussion List
<[email protected]>
Cc: Carol and Roger <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: USB headphones with microphone
Hi Olusegun,
What is a nano-USB? I assume there is a USB cable that goes from the
headset to the USB port. How long is the cable? You mentioned
BlueTooth. Does that connect with the computer, or is that for
connecting with other BlueTooth items? Thanks.
Carol
On 12/29/2017 10:13 PM, Olusegun -- Victory Associates LTD, Inc. via
Talk wrote:
David, I am a happy camper with Logitech's H800 headset with
microphone. It
comes with a nano-USB plug. Plug this into a USB port on your
computer and
forget it. Battery lasts about six hours; it can be used whilst
charging.
Battery is replaceable. I have had mine for well over five years, no
regrets. In fact, I have not had to replace its battery in this
period of
time. If I do, I shall take it to the trusty Batteries Plus here in my
village, I find the company to be extremely reliable on anything
battery
related.
The headset also supports bluetooth; however, I didn't set it up
for
bluetooth usage because I don't want to deal with having to type in
a pare
code. I have other bluetooth headsets that DO NOT require paring
codes,
they just fine their stack on my computer or smartphone, I tap on
PARE and
the business is done.
Sincerely,
Olusegun
Denver, Colorado
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