William "Chops" Westfield wrote:
>I am wondering if a bluetooth headset (of the sort sold for cell phone
> use) can be used as a sort of low-cost low-data-rate wireless
> connection between a microcontroller and a desktop computer.  My Mac
> at least will happily detect such a headset and re-route audio to it,
> which is a good sign, but I'm wondering if I can get more data to/from
> the headset programatically:
>
> 1) Can a program use the bluetooth headset as an audio device without
> making it the default audio input/output path?  (how DO the various
> popular operating systems deal with multiple audio devices anyway?)
> My first thought was to implement some simple MODEM to send/receive
> data sent on the audio stream.
>
> 2) What about the assorted buttons on most headsets?  Can their status
> be detected programatically on the desktop side?  I guess this would
> imply a need for access to bluetooth devices at a level a bit lower
> than a simple "audio device."
>
> (PC-side bluetooth dongle: <$10, cheap bluetooth headset: <$10.
> Bluetooth "serial adapter": $55...)

I don't have an answer to your main question, but wanted to comment on your 
last paragraph. Blutooth dongles cost so little for two reasons: (1) 
economies of scale and (2) PC is doing much of the work.

If you are interested I can give you a discount code for the Roving-based 
adapter that we sell:

http://www.scantool.net/accessories/stm4100-low-profile-bluetooth-to-uart-module.html

It's cheaper than Sparkfun's.

Best regards,

Vitaliy 

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