WishList: BlueTooth

[samwaltz]

So, I was hoping to see a Bluetooth model. There are more and more bluetooth peripherals - mice, keyboards, VoIP phones, etc., and I'd like to be able to use them without tying up a USB port.

The physical size is tiny. Does FitPC not have one yet becase of a power consumption issue, or is it a price issue? Assuming is able to switch off BT at any time, power consumption would drop again.

Thanks,

[MattW]

Checkout this USB Bluetooth dongle: http://www.focalprice.com/detail.aspx?pid=412



It's crazy small.

I know you said you don't want to take up a USB slot, but there are already 2 on the front and 4 in the back. What's 1 slot?

Heck, you could superglue this in place in case you were afraid of it falling out or someone swiping it.

[fluffycloud]

That is so cool! I never knew these things were that small until you posted and I went to check myself... Here's one that doesn't overhang the usb slot by anything, making it impossible for it to interfere with other usb plugs.



http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.a ... 6833242001

-Fluffy

[MattW]

Wow, Fluffy: Nice find!

While it *is* considerably more expensive, it's probably a better build/design. And as you pointed out, it doesn't block any adjacent USB ports.

Might just have to pick one up.

[yogev_ezra]

I would like to have BlueTooth possible to add into mini-PCI-express slot instead of WiFi card (or even a card that has both BlueTooth and WiFi functionality). I already had customers requesting bluetooth and no wifi, or bluetooth together with wifi, and although I did tell them that USB dongles are quite cheap, they insisted on internal and not external cards, for various reasons (one of them being theft protection in public places).

[belcat]

There's even cheaper:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11866

[nicholaspark]

This is an WiFi+Bluetooth combo card (mini PCI-E type).
I am already using it in fir-PC2.
It works fine in Windows XP but a little bit problem (bluetooth sound...) in Windows 7.

[yogev_ezra]

Hi Nick,
Can you please tell where do you buy it? And what are exact details?
I see many cards on eBay that look like yours but users complaint that drivers are only in Chinese or that the card is not working at all.
Are you satisfied with your own card?

[nicholaspark]

i bought from China.
i tested it with fit-PC2.
they supply win xp and win 7 driver.
it works well in the fit-PC2.
many user's complaint are because they are using it with their laptops.
i think some problem is present when using with laptops.
after buying it i supply it to some customer using laptop.
some model was ok but some was not working.
i think it's because of compability...
they coudn't recognize card at all.
if you want i can suppy that i have.

[yogev_ezra]

I was able to find some details of this card. On eBay it sells for about 20$ USA including Worldwide shipping. What prices can you get?

Note: Syntek Semiconductor appears to have the same card (their model number is STA-PB-A0031), and the logo on the chip matches the logo of Syntek, so they are the original manufacturer.

I also wonder what is the latest revision of this card available? Most pictures on the internet show revision 0837 (that should be 37th week of year 2008), your photo shows 0911 (11th week of 2009), and I was also seeing 0920 (20th week of 2009). Are there any improvements with each next revision?

STA-PB-A0031_0920.JPG (91.52 KiB) Viewed 22642 times

I also found that this card has 2 chip versions - one is BLUEW2310-U (BlueTooth is using USB interface), and the other is BLUEW2310-X (BlueTooth is using PCI interface). So I wonder will both cards work or only the BLUEW2310-U version? The photo you posted is exactly the card you use or it is a little bit different?

BLUEW2310-X.JPG (47.51 KiB) Viewed 22637 times

Bluetooth Network Card
General Features:
1, Single-band 2.4GHz 802.11b/g with up to 54Mbps data rate
2, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR compliant
3, Single user interface for both WIFI and Bluetooth device configuration and operation
4, Single installation package for both WLAN and Bluetooth device setup
5, Programmable DSP based solution easily upgradable to future standards as well as supporting additional wireless technologies such as High-speed Bluetooth , ULP Bluetooth, 802.11n

WiFi Key Features:
1, IEEE 802.11b/g standard compliant
2, Support of 64/128 bit WEP encryption and WPA2
3,RF Modulation: OFDM, CCK, DQPSK, DBPSK
4,Data Rate: up to 54Mbps
5,Range : Up to 100 meters(indoors), up to 300 meters(outdoors)
6,This product has the following Wi-Fi Certifications: IEEE802.11b/g

Bluetooth Key Features:
1,Connections within ranges up to 328 feet(100 Meters)
2,Connections up to 7 devices in a Piconet
3,Data Rate : 3Mbps
4,Class I Bluetooth radio
5,RF module sensitivity : -85dbm at 0.1% Bit Error Rate(BER)
6,This Product Design has passed the Bluetooth Qualification Process"
Product Support Microsoft Windows 2000/XP/2003/VISTA

System Requirement:
1,Windows 2000 and its service pack 2 or above, Windows XP/Vista
2,An 802.11g Access Point(for Infrastructure Mode) or another 802.11b/g adapter(for Ad-Hoc Mode)
3,CD-ROM drivers
4,PCI port

Dimension: 96*28*11 mm (L*W*H)
Weight: 20g

Package Content:
1, WiFi and Bluetooth 2-in-1 PCI Network Cards
2, Driver and software installation CD