Bluetooth Headphones/Mike on Mac Mini?

krs · Jul 17th, 2005, 12:09 PM

Hi,
One of the uses of my wife's Mac mini will be to learn another language.
I bought the language program on a CD - the program includes some capability to improve ones accent by speaking the foreign word and comparing ones pronounciation to that of a native speaker.
Problem is that the Mac mini does not have a mike input - also, the line output is already used to drive a set of external speakers.
My initial plan was to buy a USB Headset/Mike combination to use with the language program. However, the choices for that were somewhat limited, so I then decided to go for the imic adapter which would allow me to use any standard audio headphone and mike - it also would have a future use to put some of my older vinyl records on CD's.
However, yesterday, I was browsing in a few computer stores in Montreal and came across a selection of bluetooth haedphone/mike combinations from Logitech, HP, Macally and others. Most of these specifically stated that their intended use was for a bluetooth equipped cellphone...one talked about compatibility with a bluetooth equipped "device"
My question......could I use one of these bluetooth headphone/mike units with the language program on the mac mini; ie would it funcyionally be equivalent to a USB headphone/mike? The salesperson at the store didn't really know other than to tell me it should work.
If it does, this would be great since it saves one of the USB ports on the Mac mini.
Any comments? Is anyone using a setup like that?
BTW - My mac mini has both bluetooth and wireless LAN installed.

dona83 · Jul 17th, 2005, 12:14 PM

As long as u have bluetooth or a bluetooth dongle on your computer, yes you can use the headset for input and output, but it's quite low quality, don't expect to play music out of it but it's more than enough for voice communication.

Vexel · Jul 17th, 2005, 09:15 PM

I don't trust BT personally.. save yourself some time and money and buy a USB Hub. This will allow you to run quite a few more USB devices and actually get a USB headset

MBD · Jul 17th, 2005, 09:49 PM

I used my jabra bt headset on the Mac but it's a big pain in the butt to set up and right now I've left it for use with my cellphone as I intended. I use the iMic and headset and I really like it so my advice is to stick with the iMic plans and get a decent quality microphone since you won't get the "native speaker" rating if your microphone sucks. Ahhh I remember practicing a language this way.

What software are you using? I should get a version for OS X and start learning again.

Good luck! I hope your wife likes the mini and the software!

krs · Jul 17th, 2005, 11:03 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by Vexel
	I don't trust BT personally..

Is this just your gut feel (nothing wrong with that) or are you speaking from a specific experience you had.
A wireless headset/mike combination has certain advantages...but there is also the downside of the extra weight and the batteries.

	Quote:
	save yourself some time and money and buy a USB Hub. This will allow you to run quite a few more USB devices and actually get a USB headset

I have been looking for a USB hub as well - a real flat one that is powered and that I can attach out of sight on the back of the LCD monitor. I hate having all these separate little boxes kicking around. Someone just brought out a USB hub in the mini shape that mounts underneath the mini - I'll take a look at that but I still like the idea of a really flat four or even seven port USB hub that I can mount on the back of the monitor.

krs · Jul 17th, 2005, 11:15 PM

	Quote:			Originally Posted by MBD
	I used my jabra bt headset on the Mac but it's a big pain in the butt to set up and right now I've left it for use with my cellphone as I intended. I use the iMic and headset and I really like it so my advice is to stick with the iMic plans and get a decent quality microphone since you won't get the "native speaker" rating if your microphone sucks. Ahhh I remember practicing a language this way. What software are you using? I should get a version for OS X and start learning again. Good luck! I hope your wife likes the mini and the software!

Very good point re the quality mike and also headphone to get the 'native' speaker fidelity.
Can't remember the software i bought (I'm not at home right now) but it was a five CD set for about $40.-
I find that there are a lot of language programs that work with both OS X and Windows.
The wife has been using my G4 Mac for many years; she really likes the mini (size does matter in this case!) but she doesn't like OS X...she finds that OS 9 was more intuitive and easier to use and I must agree. For some reason Apple decided not to implement (on OS X) a lot of the nice features that OS 9 had...some are slowly coming back...I haven't played a lot with Tiger yet but I find the Mac OS is heading in the 'Windows' direction - lots of sizzle and little steak.