Comments on: AIRcable Host XR Long-range Bluetooth Dongle http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/09/03/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle/ Gadget reviews and news by Julie Strietelmeier and friends since 1997 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 14:27:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=abc hourly 1 By: Dj Show me http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/09/03/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle/comment-page-1/#comment-41131 Dj Show me Tue, 18 Aug 2009 11:48:43 +0000 #comment-41131 Hi. Can I do advertising with this thing. I need to send messages to sell phones in range of 500 meters.And, more important, where can i buy this thing?Tnx Hi. Can I do advertising with this thing. I need to send messages to sell phones in range of 500 meters.And, more important, where can i buy this thing?Tnx

]]> By: davidk http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/09/03/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle/comment-page-1/#comment-28968 davidk Tue, 06 Jan 2009 10:17:52 +0000 #comment-28968 the 9db is not a directional antenna its simply a omni-directional antenna with gain, directional antennas are ones that you have to point in certain directions. put that 9db gain bluetooth antenna on in the attic or on the roof i guarantee you will have 5-10X the range the 9db is not a directional antenna its simply a omni-directional antenna with gain, directional antennas are ones that you have to point in certain directions. put that 9db gain bluetooth antenna on in the attic or on the roof i guarantee you will have 5-10X the range

]]> By: Julie http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/09/03/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle/comment-page-1/#comment-24411 Julie Tue, 04 Sep 2007 02:09:04 +0000 #comment-24411 Manuel: I was actually doing the review with the AIRcable headphones ;) I had reviewed them quite a while ago: <a href="http://the-gadgeteer.com/review/aircable_hifi_bluetooth_headphones">http://the-gadgeteer.com/review/aircable_hifi_bluetooth_headphones</a> Just to be clear, I didn't have the issue with going upstairs while I was using the Host XR. I only had the problem with the stock Bluetooth that my iMac provides. The Host XR allows me to use the headphones all over my house and even 75 ft outside and down the road ;) Thanks for your comments. Manuel:

I was actually doing the review with the AIRcable headphones ;) I had reviewed them quite a while ago:

http://the-gadgeteer.com/review/aircable_hifi_bluetooth_headphones

Just to be clear, I didn’t have the issue with going upstairs while I was using the Host XR. I only had the problem with the stock Bluetooth that my iMac provides. The Host XR allows me to use the headphones all over my house and even 75 ft outside and down the road ;)

Thanks for your comments.

]]> By: manuelnaranjo85 http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/09/03/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle/comment-page-1/#comment-24410 manuelnaranjo85 Mon, 03 Sep 2007 23:04:32 +0000 #comment-24410 Hi, good review, even though you had been a bit too tough with the device. Let me firstly tell my story. About a year ago I bought one of those HIFI headphones AIRcable sells. It has a very good sound quality, as good as my best headphones, and it doesn't require WIRES :D, just amazing. But the dongle they were providing was not very useful. Lucky to me it was compatible with Linux (my favorite OS :) ), but the connection length wasn't very good, I was getting 3 meters maximum if I was lucky (that means 0% of humidity not very hot not very cold). About 2 months ago I received my Host XR with a little antenna, not the big one you bought, but an antenna of 5dBi which is about 20 cm long. And wow that was a change, now I can go all through my house and keep listening to the music my pc was streaming. The only problem was the BlueZ (Linux Bluetooth Stack) wasn't compatible with the headphones... yet ;) so I could only use it under Windows :'( About 3 weeks ago I updated my bluez version and WOW those guys made a great work, now I can use my long rage bluetooth headphones with no problem :D, now I'm only missing Skype to work and I'm complete. Which is just a matter of time. It's amazing beeing next to the pool (which is at about 20 meters from my pc listening Music with no wires) About your problem of connection regarding going up a couple of flors. I'm studying electronics engenieer and I had studied antenas a bit. If you see how the antena distributes energy from above you will see a perfect circle but... as I said you see a circle, not an sphere. The only way to get an antena that generates spheres of energy is to have a dot with no wires, no nothing, just a dot transmitting.... Not very practical though (almost impossible to build). The kind of antenna you have bought (and the one that I have too) produce a kind of egg of energy if you see it from the side. You will see that the horizontal plane (from the top of the antenna) has a lot more of energy (which means longer range) than the rest of the places. Of course, you have another problem too. In order to really get the ranges this guys says you need to have 2 devices that can transmit that long range. AFAIK the only company that has does that is AIRcable and there are only 2 products that can do it Industrial XR and Host XR (if you haven't noticed I'm the kind of guys that are in love with gadgets). So there's no way you can get such a long range with your headphones, PDA, cell phone, etc. The reason is quite simple, bluetooth antennas from those devices SUCK :x About the bluetooth stack problem. I called to the support guys a couple of days ago, they were gonna include BlueSoleil soon. Anyway you will only need to buy a bluetooth stack if you are running Windows. And let me tell you that if you use Windows, then you don't know how to use a pc ;). Windows XP SP2 includes a bluetooth stack, same happens with Bad Vista, sorry I meant to say Windows Vista. If you are running Linux, Free BSD, OpenSolaris or Mac OS you all ready have a bluetooth stack. Wow I almoast wrote a full review :D, Cheers, Manuel Hi, good review, even though you had been a bit too tough with the device.

Let me firstly tell my story. About a year ago I bought one of those HIFI headphones AIRcable sells. It has a very good sound quality, as good as my best headphones, and it doesn’t require WIRES :D , just amazing. But the dongle they were providing was not very useful. Lucky to me it was compatible with Linux (my favorite OS :) ), but the connection length wasn’t very good, I was getting 3 meters maximum if I was lucky (that means 0% of humidity not very hot not very cold).

About 2 months ago I received my Host XR with a little antenna, not the big one you bought, but an antenna of 5dBi which is about 20 cm long. And wow that was a change, now I can go all through my house and keep listening to the music my pc was streaming. The only problem was the BlueZ (Linux Bluetooth Stack) wasn’t compatible with the headphones… yet ;) so I could only use it under Windows :’(

About 3 weeks ago I updated my bluez version and WOW those guys made a great work, now I can use my long rage bluetooth headphones with no problem :D , now I’m only missing Skype to work and I’m complete. Which is just a matter of time. It’s amazing beeing next to the pool (which is at about 20 meters from my pc listening Music with no wires)

About your problem of connection regarding going up a couple of flors. I’m studying electronics engenieer and I had studied antenas a bit. If you see how the antena distributes energy from above you will see a perfect circle but… as I said you see a circle, not an sphere. The only way to get an antena that generates spheres of energy is to have a dot with no wires, no nothing, just a dot transmitting…. Not very practical though (almost impossible to build). The kind of antenna you have bought (and the one that I have too) produce a kind of egg of energy if you see it from the side. You will see that the horizontal plane (from the top of the antenna) has a lot more of energy (which means longer range) than the rest of the places.

Of course, you have another problem too. In order to really get the ranges this guys says you need to have 2 devices that can transmit that long range. AFAIK the only company that has does that is AIRcable and there are only 2 products that can do it Industrial XR and Host XR (if you haven’t noticed I’m the kind of guys that are in love with gadgets). So there’s no way you can get such a long range with your headphones, PDA, cell phone, etc. The reason is quite simple, bluetooth antennas from those devices SUCK :x

About the bluetooth stack problem. I called to the support guys a couple of days ago, they were gonna include BlueSoleil soon. Anyway you will only need to buy a bluetooth stack if you are running Windows. And let me tell you that if you use Windows, then you don’t know how to use a pc ;) . Windows XP SP2 includes a bluetooth stack, same happens with Bad Vista, sorry I meant to say Windows Vista. If you are running Linux, Free BSD, OpenSolaris or Mac OS you all ready have a bluetooth stack.

Wow I almoast wrote a full review :D ,
Cheers,
Manuel

]]> By: Julie http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/09/03/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle/comment-page-1/#comment-24409 Julie Mon, 03 Sep 2007 22:59:39 +0000 #comment-24409 So instead of having the antenna pointing up like I do in the review, you'd have it laying down flat? So instead of having the antenna pointing up like I do in the review, you’d have it laying down flat?

]]> By: AIRcable http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/09/03/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle/comment-page-1/#comment-24408 AIRcable Mon, 03 Sep 2007 21:55:38 +0000 #comment-24408 These long antennas actually are directional antennas, even though they are called omni-directional. They produce a donut shaped transmission around the pole of the vertical antenna. Basically, it means that they don't transmit to the floor and to the sky and direct the energy horizontally. This is where you get the amplification. The transmission power difference between the short and the long one is around a factor of 4 (yes, 4 times, or 6dBi). But you get that increased range only on the horizontal plane. If you go to the second floor you have to tilt the antenna to get the "donut" pointing at you. Then you would probably see about twice the range with your stereo headset. Hope that explains it. AIRcable Technical Support These long antennas actually are directional antennas, even though they are called omni-directional.
They produce a donut shaped transmission around the pole of the vertical antenna. Basically, it means that they don’t transmit to the floor and to the sky and direct the energy horizontally. This is where you get the amplification. The transmission power difference between the short and the long one is around a factor of 4 (yes, 4 times, or 6dBi).
But you get that increased range only on the horizontal plane. If you go to the second floor you have to tilt the antenna to get the “donut” pointing at you.
Then you would probably see about twice the range with your stereo headset.
Hope that explains it.
AIRcable Technical Support

]]> By: Julie http://the-gadgeteer.com/2007/09/03/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle/comment-page-1/#comment-24407 Julie Mon, 03 Sep 2007 21:40:55 +0000 #comment-24407 Post your comments on the AIRcable Host XR Long-range Bluetooth Dongle review. <a href="http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle">http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/review/aircable_host_xr_long_range_bluetooth_dongle</a> Just click the POST REPLY button on this page. Post your comments on the AIRcable Host XR Long-range Bluetooth Dongle review.

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