Bluetooth 4 usb dongle info please

[devonwoody]

T o me its a bit of new IT technology .

The 4 usb does that mean you need a usb 4 at my PC or does it operate on 2 & 3?

It appears Wacom have a new stylus and tablet that works with a dongle and no wires!

 

[Racers]

All usb is backwards compatible so it will work.

Pete

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks for info. The cost of this dongle varies from £6 upto £65 and Wacom are recommending the £65 version named BT 4usb dongle.

 

[Tasky]

Wacom are recommending the £65 version named BT 4usb dongle.

Ah... That means a USB dongle that has BlueTooth Class 4.
We haven't got to USB4 yet!! :wink:

Class 4 is just a more energy efficient standard of the BlueTooth technology. It uses less power, basically. Read the back of the packet (or the website description) and make sure it has BT4 or higher.

Also, in case you're interested:
USB these days is mostly 2 or 3, sometimes 3.1 and refers to the rectabgular socket it plugs into. Basically 3 transfers data much faster than 2, and 3.1 is really fast. USB2 sockets have a black plastic bit inside, while 3 and above have a blue one.
You can plug a USB 3.1 into a 2 socket, or the other way around and it will still work fine. Even a USB1 socket will work. You just won't get 3.1 speeds unless you use a 3.1 plug in a 3.1 socket, is all.

You have four basic types (shapes, really) of USB socket.
The standard one is the big rectangualar shape and most devices, dongles and anything computer related will be this type. Easy to recognise, no worries.
You also have Mini- and Micro-USB, which are both sort of trapezoidal shapes and smaller than the standard USB. Most modern mobile phones have either a mini or a micro USB socket for the charging lead.

The last kind is USB-C, which is pretty new and not much is using it yet.
This is more like a round-cornered rectangle and, unlike the other USBs, it doesn't matter which way up to plug this into things. It's double-sided, basically.

Hope that was helpful, and/or interesting.... I certainly enjoyed it!

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks Tasky, I thought there was a bit of tech. I had not grasped when I went to Amazon and saw the varieties on offer.

 

[Eric The Viking]

You mention Wacom, John. I have one of their tablets (for drawing and as a mouse replacement) It came with its own Bluetooth dongle (a tiny thing that plugs into a USB socket on the host PC). Doesn't yours have one? I don't think mine has any ability to link to ordinary Bluetooth, but it does have a mini-USB socket, which I usually use, and that also charges its onboard battery.

As others have said, don't worry about the type of USB for a graphics tablet: older = slower, but mice, tablets, keyboards, etc., are far to slow (in the rate at which they send data) to be bothered by even the slowest USB - any USB connection should be good enough. And I think the number 4 above is simply instead of "for" -- it's the way today's yoof send their text messages, etc., as it's fewer characters to type.

 

[devonwoody]

ETV. I understand your reply.
Wacom have brought out a new tablet (January this year 18 and it is a genuine Bluetooth operation if the PC is compatible or this BT4 dongle if the PC is not Bluetooth specification.
At the present time I am using an old Bamboo Wacom device because I have conflicts with Wacom Intuos versions, and Amazon have refunded twice on those expensive models. (£350+)

 

[Eric The Viking]

No it is NOT a "BT 4" dongle - there is no such thing.

The product name you have been given is "BT 4 USB" which is supposed to be an abbreviation of "Bluetooth for USB" (well, it's my educated guess!).

Bluetooth is an add-on for almost all desktop PCs (but common on laptops, phones and tablets). All it does is act as a wireless communication system (one-way or two-way), and it can be used for a whole raft of things, tablets/mice being just one example.

Think of it as simply a wireless replacement for a cable. So as far as the PC is concerned (mostly), it's talking to a USB-connected Wacom Bamboo, and doesn't care about the Bluetooth bit of the link. Big simplification, but that's pretty much it.

I suspect Wacom have tested the Bamboo with the one they are recommending. Tablets are slightly trickier than mice or trackballs, as they do send a lot more information (I have an Intuos Pro, and I know the system is pretty complex!). It is possible that cheap Bluetooth adaptors ("adapters" in the USA) may not work properly with them, but...

... Amazon have a good returns policy. Given that 65 quid is a lot for a mere Bluetooth adapter, I think I'd try a cheaper one and see, on the basis I could return it.

Most operating systems, including Windows 10 ought to automatically recognise the presence of the Bluetooth adapter, if it's plugged in. I doubt you should need a special driver, but you probably WILL need the Wacom one for the Bamboo tablet (different set of problems). And you will need to get the BT adaptor and the Wacom to talk to each other (it's called "pairing" and there should be full instructions on this with the Bamboo and/or the Bluetooth adaptor for the PC).

I can understand why it's confusing if you're not used to it. When you get the adaptor and plug it into a USB port, it should then all begin to make a bit of sense...

HTH, E.

 

[devonwoody]

Thanks again ETV
See this link
https://uk-store.wacom.com/Catalog/Pen-Tablets/new-
I contacted Wacom with my past history problems and they replied only with “a BT 4 usb dongle would it work”
I think BT4 usb is a trade model name

 

[Tasky]

Googling for "BT4" brings up a whole host of USB dongles that have Bluetooth v4.0 networking interface.

For example:
http://uk.farnell.com/lm-technologies/l ... Fbluetooth

 

[Eric The Viking]

Good catch.

That's very similar to the one Wacom supplied with my tablet (2016 version). I can't see that the 4.0 spec makes a difference (energay saving protocols, as older BT is jolly thirsty for battery-powered devices), but it looks like Wacom have "supported" DW ambiguously.

If that's the case John, my apologies for misleading you.

E.

 

[Tasky]

I can't see that the 4.0 spec makes a difference (energay saving protocols, as older BT is jolly thirsty for battery-powered devices), but it looks like Wacom have "supported" DW ambiguously.

Primarily, it alleviates the need for proprietary sensor technology and is aligned with industry standards, meaning less trouble communicating with the massive variety of PC configurations and apps, so fewer software conflicts and fewer helpline calls to try and wade through.
Plus BT4 transmitters save power at the peripheral end, so your wireless keyboard/mouse/tablet/whatever will last much longer and not crash out on you in the middle of a project/document/game, etc.

Wacom seemingly just require something with BlueTooth v4.0 or above, which is quite plentiful.

 

[devonwoody]

Eric , when I first put up the thread I thought there was a usb4, and eventually I realised after consultation with Wacom that I was going up the wrong path as well.

I am sticking with my old Bamboo for the time being, I have a DVD to reinstall Bamboo when things go wrong. Wacom Intuos models do have a bad history re drivers and Windows updates for going haywire.

 

[Robbo3]

Sorry to come in late on this thread .... I've just checked my Bluetooth dongle & it's marked as Bluetooth 4. The brand is CSR (I think), but that doesn't really matter. It was the cheapest one I could find in the Uk at the time (£2.64) & it works fine.