Cable Forum - Skype, Bluetooth and headsets

I thought it might be helpful to share my experience of Skype, Blue-tooth and Headsets I had when I strayed into the side of life. Now Skype (www.skype.com) is one of many I guess that Allows you to chat to people Via voice Instead of typing everything (ala MSN). I know MSN allows Voice chats but only on a One-2-One basis and chuck in routers and its generally don't work anyhow.

SO I have been using Skype for a long time now, often have a conference going with 3 people (not Including myself of course). What I liked about skype is no setting up of a Server etc (like Team speak etc). I used a Wired Headset and chatted to people while at the PC, which is fine as I normally also Play games online at the same time anyhow.

After buying a New mobile with Blue-tooth, I thought why not get a BLueTooth headset for both Phone use and PC, then I can chat to people one Skype while walking about the house instead of been Fixed to my PC all the time. My first mistake was to buy a Belkin Bluetooth Dongle (10M range) - if you have Windows XP SP2 installed, prepare for some trouble that's for sure. You see the problem with the MS Drivers it installs is that it does not support Headsets at all - slight problem there for Skype eh.

When you do get the right driver on - the Belkin One complains about a Invalid Licence file - after much searching and a Russian Site later, there is Patched files about that gets around this problem. From what I am to understand, all use the same driver but each Manufacturer has a licence file - so one driver wont work with another type thing.

So armed with a Bluetooth Headset (BlueTek G2 - ÃƒÆ’Ã†â€™ÃƒÂ¢Ã¢â€šÂ¬Ã…Â¡ÃƒÆ’Ã¢â‚¬Å¡Ãƒâ€šÃ‚Â£28) and Belkin 10M Dongle, off to testing we went. The frist thing you wil notice is that the voice in your head is not as clear or loud, this been down to the speaker of course in the headset right? But using the same headset on my Mobile was a lot louder - wierd. me Speaking also was fine but not as loud and background noise came into play. Now this sort of makes sense as the Wired Headset is 2 x Speakers and bigger plsu Mic is right in front of your mouth. Bluetooth on the other hand is only one tiny Speaker as well as Mic almost near your ear.

The next problem - Range
I live in a pretty Standard 3 Bedroom house, PC is in a bedroom UpStairs and me walking downstairs is fine until I go into the Kitchen for some reason. After much walking about I come to conclusion it is a Line with the kitchen door, def not 10M away from my pc anyhow. To make sur eit was Range that was the problem, I moved the PC from one end of desk to another, I can now reach the Kettle - so def either USB Dongle or Headset.

I ordered a new dongle (there cheap enough) - this one was from SCAN - It has a quoted range of 250M (wow) and is a lot cheaper then the Belkin one by Far. Software (driver etc) install's fine, not a single problem at all like the Belkin one, worked out of the Box with SP2 once I hadf pointed the driver to the right place.

Testing
My first test was to play some Mp3 while wlaking around the house and even into the Garden - not a single problem, no breakup of sound etc. FLushed with this sorted I called someone on Skype and Damm, Just before Fridge he coudl hear me clear then soon as I stood next to Fridge, I was Garbled. The wierd thing with Bluetooh is that it does not get steadily worse, its either On or Off.

I worked out what was happening, although the DOngle could reach 250M, the headset is only rated as 10M. So if your thinking of using Bluetooth and Skype as a Alternative to Wierd Headset, think twice before you do this tbh.

What is really needed (though impossible to find in the main Stream) is a Wireless Headset + Mic that Plugs into your SPeaker Sockets and you can roam around the house (as WiFI does not seem to have the same Issues as Bluetooth tbh). If your a Inventor - get this to market and you will be rich I tell you..