• Registered: 2008-05-17
  • Posts: 10

Topic: Bluetooth?

Is Bluetooth Possible
In File Browser found bluetooth.ko in drivers so...

  • Duane
  • Duane
  • Blue Octy
  • Offline
  • From: San Diego, CA
  • Registered: 2006-08-24
  • Posts: 8,199

Re: Bluetooth?

Well, there's no bluetooth hardware in the device, however, you might experiment with a USB bluetooth dongle.

What exactly are you expecting the chumby to actually *do* with Bluetooth?

Duane's Website

  • From: Bristol, UK
  • Registered: 2008-03-02
  • Posts: 96

Re: Bluetooth?

I find it mad how this, and the other bluetooth thread are right next to each other in the forum at the moment.

see here - http://forum.chumby.com/viewtopic.php?id=301

My idea for BT on the Chumby was poor man's RFID

velkrosmaak's Website

  • Registered: 2008-05-28
  • Posts: 6

Re: Bluetooth?

Duane wrote:

What exactly are you expecting the chumby to actually *do* with Bluetooth?

The #1 thing that'd be useful for me is, you know those bluetooth wristwatches that you pair to a phone, and when a call comes in the caller ID info shows up on your wristwatch?  Imagine a desktop version of that integrated with a rolodex with photos attached to the contacts.  I'm at my desk, my phone rings in my pocket, I glance at what a moment ago was my desk clock, and I can see who's calling, and use that info to decide whether to bother fishing the phone out of my pocket.  Or if I have a bluetooth headset nearby, I can just use that.

The #2 thing that'd be useful for me is a Salling Clicker client.  This is a little app that can drive Windows or MacOS boxes by sending commands over bluetooth.  I've used the J2ME version and the PalmOS version already, and it's dandy for driving presentations without sitting in front of a computer, or controlling iTunes playback, or whatever.  This could be good on a conference table in a room with a PC attached to a projector, and this could be good in a home setting with a multimedia computer attached to an HDTV.

The #3 thing that'd be useful for me is, if there were a client for browsing bluetooth-shared filesystems, that'd be a way for me to have the Chumby play audio or display photographs that are stored on my cameraphone.  Today, I can fire up a browser on a computer, say "connect to that phone over there via bluetooth", and see a filesystem full of media files that I can then download.  It'd be neat if the music/photo library on my phone became available to the Chumby just by placing my phone on my nightstand next to the device.

Keyboards and mice are obvious.

Hands-free device for bluetooth phones is also obvious, and could work well in conjunction with PIM software on a desktop in an office.

When we move from "useful" to "fun to mess around with"... imagine what'd happen with a Chumby paired with a WiiMote, or Wii Balance Board...

  • Registered: 2008-06-21
  • Posts: 2

Re: Bluetooth?

DUN pairing with a mobile phone would be \m/

*A

  • ihf
  • Chum
  • Offline
  • Registered: 2008-03-21
  • Posts: 62

Re: Bluetooth?

Personally, I would find an IR emitter/receiver more useful than Bluetooth.  Being able to control the Chumby with a remote and being able to use the Chumby to control IR-ready devices would be a nice (and I think relatively inexpensive) addition.

  • Registered: 2008-03-22
  • Posts: 5

Re: Bluetooth?

There are very inexpensive Bluetooth dongles available that would be barely noticeable when plugged into the Chumby such as this one:
http://www.dealextreme.com/details.dx/sku.11825

Has anyone run across a bluetooth to IR extender?  That would allow you to place the IR "blaster" near your home theater equipment, but not require line of site from the Chumby to that location.  I would also be interested in a widget that could listen to my cell phone on bluetooth, then when a call comes in I could see the caller ID.  If I choose to answer the phone, tap a button to send a mute command out the bluetooth which gets converted to IR and silences the audio so I can speak on the phone.

I like the suggestion for a Salling Clicker Chumby Widget.  That could be used to control iTunes running on my HTPC.  Nice idea.

I also continue to watch for universal remote and home automation control widgets...

  • Registered: 2008-02-21
  • Posts: 526

Re: Bluetooth?

then theres always the issue with the BT stack itself... The chumby would need a copy of a BT stack ... Bluez would probably suffice but similar to issues in other forums.. You might run up against Broadcomm... who is notoriously Linux unfriendly.