Program to toggle BT Devices Quickly?

[PolloLoco]

I just upgraded my car stereo to a head unit with bluetooth. A Sony mex bt2007 to be exact. And it works great - but I'm finding it annoying to transition between my headset to the stereo and back again. Specifically for stereo - if I have both on in bluetooth settings, then it seems neither the headset nor stereo can control the phone. If I turn one off, then I can control the phone and listen to music as expected.

The problem is that I have to go into Windows, Settings, Connections, Bluetooth - pick one device and turn it off, then pick the other device and turn it on. Is there a program that can automatically switch the selected stereo device? Or is there at least a shortcut (an exe) that will take me right to the screen where you select bluetooth devices?

Thanks in advance - I'd appreciate any help.

[dahlem]

I use acbToggleBT . . .

[dishe]

acbToggleBT is not at all what the OP is asking for, dahlem. That app is used for routing all audio to a headset in handsfree profile quality (read: poor phone-conversation quality, not the A2DP used for streaming music).

Pollo, I actually have the same problem with my Sony in dash stereo and my jabra headset. When both are on, they fight for the connection. So, what I do when listening to music is flip off the headset on my ear. Then, if I want to have a private conversation (ie, not on my car speakers) I hit the eject button on my removeable faceplate, effectively shutting off the stereo for the time being. I push it back when I'm done and want to listen to music again.

A more powerful BT manager would be AWESOME, but sadly no one has made one yet. As far as a direct link- you can do this and even create a .lnk for it, but I don't remember the exact syntax for the command. Qmenu has a BT tab, that gives you BT on, Off, discoverable, and config right from the start menu. Config gives you the screen in question here. That's what I usually do, but I admit its not the best solution.

[PolloLoco]

Thanks for the info dishe. It sounds like we have a similar, if not the same, setup . I'm using Jabra BT8010's.

Right now - after some experimenting, my only issue is with the current setup is that my headset can't take back the stereo connection after using the car stereo. The car stereo, on the other hand, seems to always take over when I want it to.

I often walk to my car listening to an audiobook or music using the stereo setting with my jabra headset. When I get to the car, I turn off the headset - turn on the stereo, and press the bluetooth and play buttons. That automatically controls my phone and I start listening over the car speakers.

The problem (besides being unable to use my headset) - is that when I leave my car and turn off the stereo - my headset won't retain stereo use. I turn on my headset, and press the music button - then PLAY. The phone starts to play music, but not over the headset. So then I have to change the headset bluetooth settings via the long, involved process I described before.

I'd be happy if I could just toggle from one item to the other via one button press, or even if I had a quick shortcut to get to the device page under bluetooth settings.

I'll keep your suggestion about using the eject button in mind, I assume you turn off the stereo, turn on your Jabra headset - then continue the conversation you just started?

[dishe]

Originally Posted by PolloLoco

I'll keep your suggestion about using the eject button in mind, I assume you turn off the stereo, turn on your Jabra headset - then continue the conversation you just started?

Basically, yes. I don't really use the Jabra for a2dp much since its in only one ear... in fact, I think I would actually hate it if it enabled a2dp automatically every time I turned it on, since it would grab all the audio from my handset without warning (ever get those, "how come my sound isn't working" moments?).

I do, however, have a Lubix stereo headset pendant that I wear, and whenever I turn that on it grabs the A2DP as expected, without fail. Maybe Jabra isn't designed to connect A2DP at startup for people like me, who just want it for phone conversations?

[PolloLoco]

Originally Posted by dishe

Basically, yes. I don't really use the Jabra for a2dp much since its in only one ear... in fact, I think I would actually hate it if it enabled a2dp automatically every time I turned it on, since it would grab all the audio from my handset without warning (ever get those, "how come my sound isn't working" moments?).

I do, however, have a Lubix stereo headset pendant that I wear, and whenever I turn that on it grabs the A2DP as expected, without fail. Maybe Jabra isn't designed to connect A2DP at startup for people like me, who just want it for phone conversations?

My Jabra BT8010 allows me to connect an extra speaker piece for stereo whenever I want. However, I flow a2dp to the mono headset quite regularly when walking to and from my car. The nice thing with the Touch Pro - is that I've never missed calls due to a2dp - unlike the 6700, rings still come through the speaker. Also - unless the car is involved, I can always invoke stereo by pressing the music button on my headset. In fact, if I just have it set as a mono headset with no programs open, pressing music then play will open wmp (I no longer use TF3D) and start playing whatever I had going. The synergy between the Jabra BT8010 and the Touch Pro is awesome - much better than my 6700.

However, as soon as the car gets involved, my headset can't get back control unless I get into bluetooth settings. The best I can do is 3 clicks at that point - by putting the Comm Manager on my Today Screen. I press Comm Manager, Settings, Bluetooth.

After an extensive search, I've been unable to find anything which puts me right at the bluetooth settings page.

[Nagual]

I am having a similar problem to what you folks describe here and wonder if anyone has any new information, insights or workarounds.

I just got a replacement TP - a refurb with slightly newer software, etc.

My old TP could have my Samsung WEP200 (in-ear mono headset for talking) and Jabra BT3030 (stereo A2DP music player for headphones or car) coexist. As long as I turned the Samsung on first, then the Jabra, I could play music through the Jabra (although not use its player controls) and use the Samsung to interrupt and place or take calls.

But with this new TP, I can't get them to coexist - either the Samsung doesn't allow the Jabra to function at all, or the Jabra will work on its own but nothing happens if I then turn on the Samsung.

I've tried just about every combination in BT settings by now - deleted and re-paired them in different orders, unchecked and re-checked their different profiles under "Edit" in the device lists, but they just won't mesh. What is it about the difference between this one and the old TP that's changed and is there anything I can do?