I am currently without a landline phone. I have relocated for the summer and I chose not to get a standard phone. I have high-speed Internet access, so I decided to use Skype on a MacBook Pro and I just added a Bluetooth headset so I could talk and walk away from my computer if necessary.
The Bluetooth headset I purchased is a Sony Ericsson Akono Headset HBH-608. I am unfamiliar with Bluetooth headsets in general and after my wife went through a bunch of reviews, this is the one I chose. It can be used with cell phones and VOIP, plus it was about $50 – a decent price.
Skype is offering free Skype Out calls for at least the end of the year. I’ve tried out the headset the past two days. The included documentation claims that the headset has a 5 meter range. I don’t that’s quite accurate. While the headset does function within 5 meters of my MacBook Pro, the sound quality becomes static-y. Now, I’m not sure if that is a function of the headset, Skype, or the fact I live in an area with many wireless networks.
The headset is comfortable for about an hour and half. After about that time, the headset became uncomfortable. The speaker hits a very odd spot on my ear – it hits above my ear canal and falls into a ridge (perhaps a diagram would be helpful). Otherwise, the audio quality is quite good.
It works quite well with both iChat and Skype audio chats. OS X found the headset quickly and pairing was relatively painless. The combination doesn’t completely replace a real phone, I still use my cell phone on occasion. I’d like to put together a USB device that works with Skype with a standard phone because standard phones are more comfortable for some situations. Currently, the only USB devices that work with Skype and a standard phone are compatible with Windows only. I have Parallels Desktop; I think I could have the USB device work on it or I could use my old Windows laptop.
The test has been successful for now. I use the phone for maybe an hour a day so the headset, Skype, and MacBook Pro is a reasonable solution.
I am trying to ‘pair’ my motorola mobile phone headset with my Macbook pro. The computer simply can’t find it. How did you get yours working? Matt
Hello. How did you make it discoverable I am trying the same combination but it doesn’t work… could you describe the steps? tx
Hi! Same here, trying the same combination of Skype-Akono HBH608 – Powerbook.
Possible to get help? Thank you. Jan
I too am trying to pair my MacBook Pro with a Motorola bluetooth headset. The computer finds the device but then says it’s not pairable once I enter the passcode. Does anyone know why this isn’t working or how to pair the device? Your help is greatly appreciated. Thank you, Paul
When pairing with my motorola bluetooth HS850, it wouldn’t take the 0000 default passcode, so I just changed the settings a couple of steps back to not require a passcode.
It works great with skype…even itunes, all over my apartment.
i just purchased a plantronics voyager 510 for my macbook, intending to use it for Skype. Apparently it is paired, but not connected: when i go to Preferences and look at the status of the PLT 510, it says the following
paired: yes
configured: yes
favorite: yes
connected: no
when i connect it (by pressing the ‘call control’ button on the 510) i hear a beep in the 510, and its says
connected: yes
after a few seconds, the 510 beeps again and the connection is lost again (connected: no)
I have a fully charged battery.
Any ideas on what the problem may be? I would really like to skype in comfort!!
I had the same problem with my MacBook Pro and the PLT 510. It says
paired: yes
configured: yes
favorite: yes
connected: no
So what you have to do is go into System Preferences>Sound and just change from Internal speakers to the PLT 510. You will have trouble if you try having it connected to your phone and computer at the same time. only one will work at a time.
Any ideas how I can get this thing to hear iTunes on my SLVR??
@anna
the headset is only connected when you make a call. so turn it on, call someone on skype it will connect.
(you have to set the audio preferences in skype to PLT 510 v.G for audio output, audio input (ringing is optional)).
also expect a short delay as the headset has to connect before audio starts.
gunnar is right. chris may be right. you only need to connect PLT 510 once. you don’t even need to make it a fave. once it is connected, under skype preferences>audio, you should already see PLT510 there as an option for speaker/mic. just choose those guys and everytime you make a skype call, mac will just look for the device and connect automatically, you don’t have to do anything special. if you stopped talking or hung up the phone, the connection will be dropped automatically to conserve power. ain’t that neat?
Same as above. It’s paired and set and can connect. Then I can hear the ringtone and silent. Checked both settings in system preferences and skype. Still hear silent after the first few rings. Anyone had the same experience?
William, I have the same problem as you. I could hear the phone ring through the headset but then nothing else.
I am having a problem with the bluetooth connection shutting down as Albert described. I have been trying to use my headset with vent but the connection shuts down when no one is talking. The problem is this happens frequently and I miss parts of the conversation as a result. Does anyone know if that feat can be disabled or have the time out set longer?
Thanks
Ken
I have try two different type of Motorola headset, no sucess.
I bought the JAWBONE, it works sometime…
On Skype, no way, it make the computer stall.
First time I saw that on a mac.
So I still have no solution for Skype,
Benoit
hey everyone, i had the same problem with my hbh-ds200, everything said yes except “connected: no”.
System Preferences–>Sound–>Output–>Select your headset
the headset should now act as the microphone and speaker for the computer
hope this helps
Hello,
Great post……thank you for posting this, and in such great detail. I know you answered a lot of questions that many people are uncomfortable asking!
try the retro bluetooth headset from http://www.thinkgeek.com i have paired it with a computer and it works really well. You will get the nice bluetooth and the phone comfort all in one! let me know how you like it!
I had some problems last night. Got a bluetooth headset to use in my online courses. Works fine until people stop talking. Then I get beeping in my ear and when someone talks, I miss the first second of what he’s saying. Annoying. All settings are fine and it’s connected. I guess it just figures I’m done and waits, shut off-ish with beeping.
I did find out that if I have something making noise that it doesn’t ‘lose connection.’ I fired up itunes in the background and all was good. The problem there is all the dang noise. I turned itunes down as low as I could and upped the volume on the class software (Centra) but it was still distracting.
Distracting > Missing data 🙂
I had the problem of the headset connection
solution: (before this steps you have to first add the divice to your macbook) first turn on mac bluetooth, then put the buetooth head set in visible mode, after that, go to the bluetooth icon in the top bar and search for your head set name, then put the mouse pointer on top of the name and a sub menu will appear. final selecte the option of use headphones with microphone
bluetooth headsets are very nice and very comfortable because you don’t have those pesky wires;;-
;:* I am really thankful to this topic because it really gives great information ‘`’
I had problems with bluetooth headsets also with ipad1. Finally it pairs well with Jabra extreme only.