06-10-2004, 10:00 PM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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New Bluetooth Spec Increases Speed to 2.1Mbps
The Register are reporting that a new version of the Bluetooth specification called Bluetooth Enhanced Data Rate (EDR) is being developed by the Bluetooth Special Interest Group. The biggest change to the current specification is the speed increase from 712Kbps to 2.1Mbp, caused mainly by increasing the compression ratio of the data packet sent.
"The SIG says EDR will consume less power than the current version - it reckons EDR devices will eke out battery power for twice as long as Bluetooth units do today. And the new specification also provides improved facilities to use several functions or devices simultaneously, due to more available bandwidth. The Bluetooth SIG expects the EDR specification to be finalised this coming Autumn. Products based on the specification are set to ship some time in 2005."
The official Bluetooth press release is here. Bluetooth EDR should be backwards compatible with current Bluetooth devices, which is jolly decent of them. A tripling of speed is welcome, but it does not quite match the 480Mbs on offer with Wireless USB. Still, it looks like more and more devices are coming with Bluetooth built into them these days. Who was it again that said Bluetooth is only needed in Europe? Of course, not everyone is convinced. :wink:
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06-10-2004, 10:20 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 270
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This is good news. It will be easy for companies to migrate their products to the next generation Bluetooth and I am sure there will be some backwards compatibility.
I do predict Wireless USB is many years away. If you read link on Wireless USB in this article it show the following
"An introduction to Wireless USB (WUSB) by Rafael Kolic (Feb. 21, 2004)"
"The Wireless USB Promoter Group is chartered with defining the wireless USB (WUSB) specification. "
That means it will be a year before a standard is defined and another year before it is implemented on silicon. Then OEM�s have to start adding it to there devices. It�s been almost 4 years since Bluetooth was announced. It went through the typical design cycle and look were it�s at today. Harris Semiconductor showed early versions of there Prism Chip Set used in most WiFi designs 8 years ago in Melbourne FL. It took longer for WiFi to take off then Bluetooth.
Another standard that is being defined is UWB. I am sure we will be seeing a lot of press on that in the near future.
Sean
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06-10-2004, 10:38 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 8,228
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Awesome. I am sick of my bluetooth connections taking so long to fail because of their pokey speeds. Now, they will crash nearly instantly, allowing me to initiate soft resets and start deleting/recreating profiles much faster.
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06-10-2004, 10:44 PM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ed Hansberry
Awesome. I am sick of my bluetooth connections taking so long to fail because of their pokey speeds. Now, they will crash nearly instantly, allowing me to initiate soft resets and start deleting/recreating profiles much faster.
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:rotfl: Very good.
I'm going to have to get me a bluetooth device so I can experience all that joy myself. :wink: I understand that when BT works, it works very well, but when it has problems..........
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06-10-2004, 10:53 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 270
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I do not own a PDA with Bluetooth yet either. I am waiting for a unit with VGA, BT and WiFi to start shipping. I do use Bluetooth a lot with the cell phone and it works great. The wireless Logitech headset connects to the phone in less then 1 second. The IBM T40 laptop with built in Bluetooth connects to the phone over Bluetooth, dials the AT&T access number and connects to the Internet over GPRS/EDGE all in less then 2 seconds.
Sean
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06-10-2004, 11:18 PM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jonathon Watkins
I understand that when BT works, it works very well, but when it has problems..........
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...boy, does it have problems!
Fortunately, the number of BT sessions I've had problems with is far, far outweighed by the number of sessions with no problems. And most of the problems I've had were to do with wandering out of range of the BT-connected desktop.
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06-11-2004, 01:07 AM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,041
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I've been pretty happy with my Bluetooth devices. Using my T610 phone and my iPAQ has been great. Good Bluetooth headsets tend to work very well.
The additonal speed could help for getting better stereo audio products.
Or how about sunglasses with built-in HUDS that allow for transmission of data or graphics to them via the Pocket PC? It could work with a faster Bluetooth speed. Please don't use them while driving :wink:
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06-11-2004, 03:08 AM
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Theorist
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 270
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by ctmagnus
Fortunately, the number of BT sessions I've had problems with is far, far outweighed by the number of sessions with no problems. And most of the problems I've had were to do with wandering out of range of the BT-connected desktop.
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Once you pair two Bluetooth devices together they should work over and over for ever. What do you mean by sessions?
Bluetooth is a PAN (Personal Area Network) the range is 10 meters in a wide open area without walls. That is 33 feet or less, or 15 feet with walls and other obstructions. I have never had an issue if I stay with in those limits. If you need a network that spans farther then 33 feet try a wireless LAN (WiFi) that is good for about 150 feet or try a GPRS connection that covers most of the major cities in the US.
Sean
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06-11-2004, 03:19 AM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by SeanH
Once you pair two Bluetooth devices together they should work over and over for ever. What do you mean by sessions?
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A typical session: Turn on BT on the iPaq and connect. Come to think of it, all BT issues I've had were on the desktop I connect through, ie the machine gets rebooted for whatever reason and there's noone there to ok the prompt when I connect.
Quote:
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Bluetooth is a PAN (Personal Area Network) the range is 10 meters in a wide open area without walls. That is 33 feet or less, or 15 feet with walls and other obstructions. I have never had an issue if I stay with in those limits.
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I used to be able to get ~30ft through walls, but now I get ~20ft (I suspect one of the neighbors has something running at 2.4GHz). No more surfing via BT from the deck for me! But I still have excellent Wifi coverage.
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06-11-2004, 04:16 AM
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Sage
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 779
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My Bluetooth connections from iPAQ to Sprint phone and iPAQ to GPS have been pretty trouble-free (and I'm really happy with them); if the higher speed would make stereo headsets for music possible that would be great.
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