Dell Axim X5 incompatible with Billionton Bluetooth CF

[Francis]

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem.
Today I just bought a brand spanking new "Billionton Compact Flash Bluetooth Adapter" for $50USD but it doesn't work on my Axim!!!!

The driver for the bluetooth card installed without a hitch (except it couldn't be installed into built-in storage which was annoying). BUt when I put the card in, the blinking light would never blink more than once.

I tested the card on my laptop and my old iPaq and the card was recognized and the green indicator light blinked continously to show it was working properly.

Has anyone experienced this? Guess the card is just not compatible with the Axim!

[Francis]

I'm wondering if anyone else has had this problem.
Today I just bought a brand spanking new "Billionton Compact Flash Bluetooth Adapter" for $50USD but it doesn't work on my Axim!!!!

The driver for the bluetooth card installed without a hitch (except it couldn't be installed into built-in storage which was annoying). BUt when I put the card in, the blinking light would never blink more than once.

I tested the card on my laptop and my old iPaq and the card was recognized and the green indicator light blinked continously to show it was working properly.

Has anyone experienced this? Guess the card is just not compatible with the Axim!

[Janak Parekh]

Did you contact their support? It's possible they need to update their driver (or that they already did...)

--janak

[Francis]

I already contacted them. They said there is a dell specific driver and they gave me the link, but after installing it there's no difference. As I said before, without any driver installed it should have still had a blinking light to indicate the bluetooth card had power. Anyway, its status quo after installing the new driver.

[Vincent M Ferrari]

Slightly off-topic, but along the same lines:

Why is it that the Dell PPC's seem to have so many issues with drivers and software? It seems like everyday someone posts something about a piece of hardware not working. Is it just that the hardware is that much different than all the other handhelds?

It's one of the things keeping me away from the Axim... I'm kinda nervous about hardware not being supported...

[TheBacklash]

I think that for the most part you hear *new users* to the PPC arena having Problems with the Dell.

The only problems I have heard that is dell specific are the Card above, and certain older programs not working with the graphics chipset in the dell. and of course the Memory issue since Dell has dual slots, AND built in memory, which certain programs address the memory wrong... including MS software... annoying. Not Dell, but an OS issue that was never thought out. And I can see some day MSputting out a patch for PPC2002 to change programs like Inbox to read and use memory correctly on devices with Built-in and dual slots available for memory..

Alot of the problems that People assosiate with Dell, I had on my iPaq, and can re-create them easily...

As for drivers, alot of them are being released to work with the dell. Third party support is growing, but remember this is Dell's first jump into the PPC arena. The third party companies are taking their time in getting their products "Dell ready"

Out of the box the Pockettop keyboard don't work with the Axim, on their website they have the updated driver. and can use it without the keyboard to put your Aximin LS or flipped view.

But beyond that, there is bound to be "issues" with the first axim line. And with Dell getting such a large chunk so fast... It may take longer for all the bugs to be cought and worked out.

I wouldn't let the few issue's hold you back from buying one.

[TheBacklash]

Originally Posted by Francis

The driver for the bluetooth card installed without a hitch (except it couldn't be installed into built-in storage which was annoying). BUt when I put the card in, the blinking light would never blink more than once.

The first thing that comes to mind after re-reading this... the Dell has a Dual slot configuration, along with Built-in memory. Inbox Word, and others that are PPC 2002 built-in programs, have a problem with addressing all three.
Example: you can't save your inbox attachments to the SD card, sure you can *tell* Inbox to do so, but it stores it to the Built in memory instead. you have to edit a few Reg entries to make it work.

Maybe this is yet another memory issue, the card can't find the program...
If thats the case, it's not Dell, it's PPC2002 itself.

[gdaswani]

fix below.

[gdaswani]

Here's a FIX for those Bluetooth users using the WIDCOMM Stack (Billionton, Bluetake, Brainboxes, CC&C BT CF Cards).

Download

this driver if you have the CFBTCE-B.

this driver if you have the CFBTCE-N.


Steps in installation..

1) Plug in Bluetooth Card

2) Install the Driver (run setup.exe) - make sure it's installed on RAM.

3) Download a REGISTRY EDITOR for PPC

4) Set

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Widcomm\BtConfig\Seria lTransport\Port

make sure it's "7"

5) Soft Reset your PPC and enjoy

Also works on the A02 DELL's - your DELL should be able to find the Bluetooth card now.

[rrypma]

Hi, How did you learn of this fix? Is this a Dell-specific update? I don't see it posted on Billionton's site. Yes, I originally had problems installing the card, but after 2 tries, I got it to work. I recently purchased a BT GPS, and it frequently disconnects. I don't really know what to blame it on, as there are the mapping software, the GPS, and the BT CF card. Thanks!

[gdaswani]

Originally Posted by rrypma

Hi, How did you learn of this fix? Is this a Dell-specific update? I don't see it posted on Billionton's site. Yes, I originally had problems installing the card, but after 2 tries, I got it to work. I recently purchased a BT GPS, and it frequently disconnects. I don't really know what to blame it on, as there are the mapping software, the GPS, and the BT CF card. Thanks!

I installed the card on another PPC and did a registry diff on the WIDCOMM key.. it only seems to do it on the Dell..

The rest was simple..

As for the BT GPS, is it the socket bt gps? Did you install the latest drivers I referenced above?

There are two different drivers, you have to pick the right one for your cards P/N

check out http://www.billionton.com/extra/download.htm

As for installing it, make sure it's fully uninstalled from your PPC and Windows - then plug the card in, leave your PDA synched up then run the setup.exe

What software are you using for GPS? I'm able to use the Socket BT GPS (Pair code = 0183) just fine with Mapopolis (you have to explictly tell it to what com port to use, don't let it autodetect).