Why can't I hear my Bluetooth a2dp headphones?

[Paul in Maryland]

I can't get my XV6800 to send sound to my new HP GW470AA stereo noise-reducing headphones. This is my first experience with BlueTooth. I made sure the phone was fully charged, then used the HP setup procedure, in which I temporarily turned ON the phone's pairing switch. The phone shows up in the list of recognized Bluetooth devices, where it is told to provide stereo sound. I've turned BlueTooth ON in both devices, as verified by the blue flashing LED on each. But sound continues to come through the 6800's built-in speaker. What have I overlooked? Is there a setting somewhere that tells the 6800 "Don't automatically switch sound to a Bluetooth device"? If so, where?

Is there a port setting I'm to set somewhere? No ports show up in the BlueTooth field that lists ports.

For what it's worth, I may have messed up during installation by specifying a short password when asked if I wanted to do so. I tried to repeat the install-and-pair process, to no avail. I can't seem to get the phone to forget the original pairing.

The phone works when connected via USB.

Help!

[rasmith3530]

First, undo everything that you did to get back to square one.

Please realize that I don't know how your HP Stereo Bluetooth Headphones get put into pairing mode, but connection of a Bluetooth headset to a phone is initiated on the phone.

Go into Settings and select the "Connections" tab.

Tap on the Bluetooth icon and then go to the "Mode" tab

Tick the box that reads, "Turn on Bluetooth."

Now, go to the devices tab, put your headset/headphones into pairing mode, and tick on "Add new device..."

When you see your Bluetooth device show up, select it. You will be asked for a password.

The standard Bluetooth pairing password is simply four zeros (0000).

Select Connect and you should be done.

Good luck!

Rob Smith

[Paul in Maryland]

I tried to follow your advice, Rob, but I had no luck:

First, undo everything that you did to get back to square one.
How? I couldn't find anywhere where I could delete or undo the "HP headphones" that I had already "paired" (or thought I had paired).

Please realize that I don't know how your HP Stereo Bluetooth Headphones get put into pairing mode, but connection of a Bluetooth headset to a phone is initiated on the phone.
The instructions cover pairing with Windows XP and Vista...but not with a portable device!
Go into Settings and select the "Connections" tab.

Tap on the Bluetooth icon and then go to the "Mode" tab

Tick the box that reads, "Turn on Bluetooth."
Shouldn't I also select, "Make this device visible to other devices"? I did so.
Now, go to the devices tab, put your headset/headphones into pairing mode, On my phones, that means that not only must the Bluetooth switch be turned ON, but a second switch, too, used just for pairing. When I turn on the second switch, the phones' bluetooth LED flashes more quickly.

and tick on "Add new device..."

When you see your Bluetooth device show up, select it. You will be asked for a password.
Nothing new shows up; just the pre-existing "HP headphone," the name I had given it.
The standard BlueTooth pairing password is simply four zeros (0000).Unbelievable. How are 99 percent of users supposed to know this? I don't recall whether I was prompted for this the first time around. If I was, and put in nothing or something else (1234), what I be seeing "HP headphones" in the list of available devices? If I wasn't, does this suggest I never got far enough?

Select Connect and you should be done.I've never seen the Connect option.
My best hope, it seems, would be to undo my first attemptl. But how?

[rasmith3530]

1. Go into Bluetooth Connections in Settings, select your device by holding down the stylus on its name. A menu will pop up, and one of the choices will be "Delete." Select that one!

2. Although I cannot guarantee it, I am guessing that pairing your HP Bluetooth headphones to the phone is pretty much like pairing any Bluetooth headset with a phone. Of course, the thing that makes me curious is why you want to pair "headphones" to a phone rather than a "headset?" For a phone, you'd probably be better off with something like Motorola's HT820 that allow you to not only listen to audio files, but also allow communication, which is after all, the main reason for having a "phone!"

3. No, you do not need to make the device visible to other devices. That setting is for when you want to pair your device with a computer to perform a Bluetooth ActiveSync.

4. Yeah, you'll want to crank on both switches to put your headphones into pairing mode. The phone's LED flashes more quickly because it is "seeing" the headphones.

5. See item number 1 above. It should not be in the list anymore. You should only see "Add new device..." unless you have previously paired other devices. In my list, in addition to "Add..." I see Motorola HT820 and Motorola H12, the two headsets that I have paired. You might see something similar.

6. The pairing code is generally written in the instruction sheet that comes with your Bluetooth accessory. As I stated, it is generally four zeros, but that doesn't prevent a manufacturer from using something different, so check the documentation that came with your device.

7. As I said, undo by following what I wrote in item 1 above.

Good Luck!

Rob

[Paul in Maryland]

Rob,
Thanks again. I was able to delete the existing instance, using your instructions. I was prompted for the passcode, and entered 0000, the passcode for Vista. This password turned out to be incorrect, so I'll go hunt down the directions for XP; I recall that it differed.

[Paul in Maryland]

It works!!! Can't thank you enough.

[rasmith3530]

Glad I could help.