How to use the Call Button on your Bluetooth Headset to Answer Skype Calls – Part I

Three Solutions:

There are three software solutions I can find on the market that can enable Bluetooth headset users to answer Skype calls by pressing the action (call) button on the headset. They are Bluesoleil, Vitaero, and Speakables. The Bluesoleil Skype plugin software was mentioned in my Bluetake BT007SX / BT009SX review. The Vitaero will be covered in this article. And, I’ll work on the Speakables and publish my review later, including the comparison report of the three software solutions.

Vitaero Evaluation Report:

Equipments (my equipment):

• PC (HP Compaq nx6310)
• USB Bluetooth adapter (no brand name class 1 USB BT adapter)
• Widcomm (or Toshiba) Bluetooth driver (version 4.0.1.70)
• Bluetooth Headset (Plantronics Voyager 510)
• Skype (version 2.5.0.151)

 

Pre-install Checkout:

• What is the Bluetooth driver used on your computer?

Vitaero only works with the Widcomm and Toshiba Bluetooth driver. On the official website, it states that “Vitaero will not work with the Microsoft Bluetooth drivers because they don’t support audio connections to headsets.” There are two ways to check. If you are using the Microsoft Bluetooth driver, please contact the Bluetooth USB adapter vendor to obtain the Widcomm driver.

1. What’s the color of the Bluetooth icon on the toolbar?

: This is a Microsoft Bluetooth driver

: This is a Widdcom Bluetooth driver

2. Go to: Control Panel > Sounds, Speech and Audio Devices > Sounds and Audio Devices. Click on the hardware tab and find the “Bluetooth Audio” in the Devices window (you might need to scroll up and down to find the device). Left click on the “Bluetooth Audio” to make it highlighted. You can see which manufacturer’s device driver is linked to the “Bluetooth Audio”.

• Does your Bluetooth headset compatible with the Vitareo?

Check out the compatibility list at here. Most Bluetooth headsets from major brands such as Plantronics, Motorola, Logitech, and Sonny Ericsson are supported by Vitareo. (The one I’m using is Plantronics Voyager 510.)

My Installation Sequence:

1. I had the Skype, Bluetooth USB adapter, and Widcomm Bluetooth driver already installed on my computer. In order to reduce the chance of having conflict, I unpaired and turned off the power of my Plantronics Voyager 510 completely, before installing Vitaero.

2. I went to the Vitaero homepage to download the software. (Press the button at the right hand side.)

3. I ran the installer program downloaded above, and went through the installation wizard. The Vitaero was then set up on my computer.

4. The following configuration window pop up at the first time I executed the Vitaero from the “Start Menu”.

5. I set all the audio devices as “Windows default device”.

6. I press the “Connect” button at the Headset section on the Vitaero configuration window, followed the steps in the pairing wizard, turned on my Plantronics Voyager 510 Bluetooth headset to put it into the pairing mode, and made the connection.

7. 5 seconds after I finished the pairing wizard, the Vitaero icon on the toolbar turned yellow, like this: . I could start to use the Vitaero.

Main Functions / Features:

• Pick up (or hang-up) Skype incoming calls through the call (action) button on the Bluetooth headset.

• Dial the contact listed in the Contacts > Quick Dial section in the configuration window, by pressing the call (action) button. No need to initiate the call through computer.

• Auto-dial the contact listed in the Contacts > Auto Dial section, when the person is available.

• Set the user status shown online when the Bluetooth headset is presented, not presented, or in used. See the “Status” section in the configuration window.

• If the “Enable audio channel management” box in the “Heasdset” section is checked, Vitaero can automatically put the headset in stand-by mode, when it is not in used.

Important Notes:

• In the last step of pairing the headset, Vitaero might ask for the permission to turn the “my audio gateway” in the Widcomm Bluetooth panel from auto to manual startup mode, to avoid any possible interference. I did allow the change and have not seen any unwanted side effects.

• Be patient after the pairing process. The Vitaero icon on the toolbar won’t change color immediately. Wait at least 10 seconds before starting to repeat the connecting process.

• If you have difficulties in making the Bluetooth headset pairing with the BT USB adapter through the Vitaero configuration window, you can try to un-pair the BT headset, power off the headset, and delete the headset profile in the Widcomm Bluetooth panel completely. The connection is easier to be made from a fresh start.

• If you want to use the Bluetooth headset to listen to the music playing on the computer, don’t check the “Enable audio channel management” box in the “Heasdset” section. Leave the connection always on. The action of playing music won’t make the Vitaero to wake up the headset that is in the standby mode

Conclusions:

In my test, Vitaero does what it supposed to do: Pick up (or hang-up) Skype incoming calls through the call (action) button on the Bluetooth headset, well. I like the “Quick Dial” function. With the destination pre-selected, I can not only answer the Skype call, but also make a call without getting back to my computer. I had encountered some difficulties making the headset connected to the software. However, part of it was because I had no patience to wait through the processing time. (See item Notes 2.) Besides, the fresh start in notes 3 can help to improve the situation a lot.

Overall, Vitaero is a good product. If you are seeking for a solution to free you up from the computer when doing Skype and don’t want to pay for the Skype WiFi phone, go get a Plantronics Voyager 510 and Vitaero. It won’t disappoint you.

 

 

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