PC connection VIA bluetooth

[roysh]

Hi guys,

wasn't the last update for the PC software suppose to include support for bluetooth connection to PC? 

i installed the new version but couldn't connect via bluetooth.

any ideas?

thanks! 

[nickrose]

Have you followed all the User Manual instructions ? If so, can you report back what you saw after each step ?

http://eventide.com/AudioDivision/Products/StompBoxes/H9ControlUG1.aspx

[roysh]

the nmanual is not updated, it says that bluetooth connection is relevent for IOS only.

when trying to connect the bluetooth finds the H9, but when i'm trying to pair them by entering the H9 serial H9-xxxx (with the last for digits) i get error saying "adding this device to this computer faild"

[gkellum]

The manual is updated.  Look at the section titled Connecting to Devices / Connecting on Windows / via Bluetooth (H9 only) in the link Nick posted above.

[roysh]

thanks

i looked at the manual, followed it step by step, but still not able to connect

same error. i checked with a couple of my friends and they have the same problem

[roysh]

windows finds my H9 i click the "enter device's pairing code"

when entering the code i get the following massage:

adding this device to this computer failed.

this might be due to the use of an incorrect pairing code.

my H9 software version is 4.8.0.1

PC software 1.6.2

[gkellum]

I just downloaded the latest build of H9 Control from our site and went through the steps of pairing to the H9 and connecting to the H9 with H9 Control, and everything worked fine.  You said earlier that you were having trouble pairing with your H9 in the device manager.  If I were having trouble pairing, I would first make sure Bluetooth is enabled on the H9;  a blue LED in the upper right corner of the H9 lights up when its on.  Then I'd try turning Bluetooth off and then on again by pressing the X, Y, and Z switches simultaneously to turn it off and then pressing them again to turn it back on.  If the H9 was paired with something else, it won't be able to pair with a PC.  Toggling Bluetooth off and on again will unpair it from whatever it was paired to.  If I still couldn't pair with it after all of this, I'd check the spec sheet on the Bluetooth chip I'm using to see what it supports.  The H9 is using Bluetooth 2.1…

[roysh]

ok,

my bluetooth device is 2.0 maybe thats the issue.

i'll try and replace it and update if it solves the problem

thanks alot for all your help!

[roysh]

so i changed my blutooth device and am able to pair my H9 with the computer (with the H9 pin)

however the H9 desktop software does not find it.

my software version is 1.6.2. it is the latest one right?

[alon]

im having exactly the same problem..i've managed to pair my h9 with my pc but the control app wont recognize it……spent many hours on trying to fix it but no luck…

[gkellum]

I'm sorry to hear that. v1.6.2 is the latest version. I'll have to talk to my colleague who implemented this feature about this problem on Monday,

[alon]

ok im giving up!

spent hours and hours on trying to fix it. bought 4 different BT dongles at all price ranges, tried every possible settings including direct com ports and nothing.  the control just wont connect..would to know what the developer thinks….thanks

[gkellum]

alon:

spent hours and hours on trying to fix it. bought 4 different BT dongles at all price ranges, tried every possible settings including direct com ports and nothing.  the control just wont connect..would to know what the developer thinks….thanks

Ok, we just talked about the issue. I just wanted to verify though that you looked through the instructions for connecting via Bluetooth on Windows in the user manual, went through the steps as they were described there, and they didn't work for you?

http://eventide.com/AudioDivision/Products/StompBoxes/H9ControlUG1.aspx

I think what we might do if H9 Control isn't able to find a device connected via Bluetooth automatically on Windows sometimes is give people a way to manually specify a COM port where it should look for the device just as we allow people to manually specify a MIDI port where it should look for a device.

[alon]

very happy to say the h9 control finally recognizes the h9 and is working grate. i bought another bluetooth dongle  (the 5th already ) and it added the com poets by itself.. the other times i've added them my self and it either said the target hardware those not support com ports or it did add them but still did not recognize the control… anyway it all works fine now……thanks allot for the help and for responding so quickly ….you guys are doing an amazing job there at eventide..really love the h9 🙂

[gkellum]

Great. Thanks for letting us know. I'm sorry you had so much trouble finding a working Bluetooth dongle. I had bought one from BestBuy called a Rocketfish™ – Micro Bluetooth USB Adapter, and that worked fine for me.  But BestBuy stopped selling them, and the ones they started stocking instead didn't work for me.  Could you let us know what Bluetooth dongle ended up working for you so that we can recommend that one to other users?

[alon]

sure! the one that worked for me is a "goldtouch"  version 2.0.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/ADATTATORE-BLUETOOTH-USB-2-0-DONGLE-WIRELESS-VISTA-XP-7-8-/121467218310?pt=Adattatori_Bluetooth&hash=item1c4802a986

the other ones i've tried were of higher versions and  more expesive..for some reason this cheep  crappy old version worked….i've ordered 2 more version 4.0  dongles from ebay. if you'ld like i could tell you if they work or not once they've arrived….

have a nice one. hope that helped 🙂

.

[nickrose]

roysh:

couldn't connect via bluetooth

Have you studied the UM instructions ?

http://eventide.com/AudioDivision/Products/StompBoxes/H9ControlUG1.aspx

[roysh]

Hi,

i bought the same blue tooth dongle as Alon and it fixed the problem.

thanks!

[micahbrown007]

I followed this rabbit trail trying to get my eventide recommended bluetooth dongle to see the h9 for my PC.  I have paired, connected, entered the pin, etc… but still when i launch h9 control app it doesn't see the device.  anyone have ideas out there?

[micahbrown007]

i bought the recommended startech 2.1 adapter, and have 2.1.1 version of H9 control.  I've installed the bluetooth dongle and paired it with the PC, but the h9 control app doesn't see it.  any suggestions out there?

[gkellum]

micahbrown007:

i bought the recommended startech 2.1 adapter, and have 2.1.1 version of H9 control.  I've installed the bluetooth dongle and paired it with the PC, but the h9 control app doesn't see it.  any suggestions out there?

Could you send an email to support@eventide.com?  We had another user in France with a similar issue.  He managed to solve it himself, but I'm asking myself whether we need to give Windows users who run into this problem the option of manually selecting the COM port used by their Bluetooth device.

[micahbrown007]

happy to send the email.  Yes, it always selects comm port 5, and the bluetooth dongle establishes an outgoing connection from the PC to the H9, but still no cigar.  I can't figure out how to force the Bluetooth to establish the connection with differing ports (as an experiment), and I see no place to config the comm port on the h9.  Thanks for your quick reply!

Micah

[micahbrown007]

how did this france customer solve it himself?

[gkellum]

He wrote in his last email:

THEN i realized something was wrong : bluetooth service support (in services.msc)

I searched a lot, then i applied this solution:

"Go to START icon and type in services.msc and select services.

The dialog box that opens has a long list of stuff but look for BLUETOOTH SUPPORT SERVICE. Double click to open. Make sure it is AUTOMATIC (it was for me). Go to the LOG tab. Choose THIS ACCOUNT and type in LOCAL SERVICE. A list of password (a 15-dot string) would appear. Delete all the password in the PASSWORD and under CONFIRM. Choose Okay.

(for me , it was this account but with a password of 2 dot string ?)

It will ask you to restart the service. Once restarted, turn on your bluetooth adaptor again. Put your mouse in pairing mode and add the mouse."

It WORKS PERFECTLY. I was really surprised !

[micahbrown007]

i tried the directions in that email involving modifying the service, but still won't work.  I can't beleive I've blown this much time trying to get this thing to work.  Why can't it be as simple press a button and connect.  holy cow.  Do i need to try different dongle? different software than what came with the dongle?

[LA Keys]

micahbrown007:

Do i need to try different dongle? different software than what came with the dongle?

Maybe… But also see if there's a way to see connected devices. Sometimes it's via a bluetooth icon in the window's taskbar, usually with a right click.

But also make sure that the H9 is not too far away. Most dongle will say up to 30 feet, but this is under IDEAL circumstances (never happen). In my case the H9 has to be within 5 feet of the dongle. If it's further away my PC may find it but it will be unresponsible most of the time.

LA

[gkellum]

micahbrown007:

i tried the directions in that email involving modifying the service, but still won't work.  I can't beleive I've blown this much time trying to get this thing to work.  Why can't it be as simple press a button and connect.  holy cow.  Do i need to try different dongle? different software than what came with the dongle?

Well, you sent an email to support@eventide.com right? I talked to a colleague about your problem yesterday, and the plan is to send you a special build that will hopefully help with your problem.

Sorry that you've been wasting a lot of time on this.  

[micahbrown007]

wow, now thats awesome customer support.  sorry for the venting.  i'll hold off on trying to buy different dongles.. thanks!

[KCStratman]

I bought the Startech USBBT1EDR2 Bluetooth dongle a few weeks ago and have had mixed success. My tower with the dongle is 4 ft. from my pedalboard. Pairing and Connecting with Windows took several tries to get all four H9s recognized by the computer. Then H9 Control takes usually two or three restarts to recognize one or two, or at the most three, but has never successfully connected to all four H9 units no matter how many restarts. H9 Control seldom connects to more than two at once. I literally spent four hours trying all settings in Windows, com ports etc. I could think of with tech support help with no improvement. Also, after renaming the H9s A,B,C, etc. an H9 Control message says the name change will be saved after next restart, but that never happens, the unit names revert to their serial numbers with every restart. Also, within H9 control when connected to a unit via bluetooth, the expression control mapping arcs around the parameter knobs are unstable, the endpoints sliding up and down the arc erratically and will not lock in to save changes. Although ET's reticence at supporting Windows Bluetooth devices has been obvious, it is still very disappointing that it is virtually unuseable for more than one unit at a time. I would really like to find a reliable, stable solution for this before investing in an advanced Windows tablet to dedicate as an H9 controller/display.

[LA Keys]

I know 4 ft doesn't seem very far but in my case this is the maximum distance in order to have a reliable connection to my H9s. Surprisingly, I also found that orientation of the H9 also affect the communications with the dongle.

Because of that, I bought an USB extension cable and put my bluetooth dongle about 2 foot from my H9s this way. I strongly suggest that you try doing the same and see if connections are better this way. USB extension are cheap, you could also buy one with a base.

LA

[micahbrown007]

there is not a connection issue.  I pair, enter the password, establlish a  connect, etc… but the H9 control software won't even see the connection, even though "BlueSoleil" software that came with the StarTech dongle shows an "outgoing connection on serial port Com5".  I think it has to do with trying different serial ports, but I have been all through Windows service ( I have a windows 7 PC), the bluetooth software, right clicking, exploring… there is no way to change the serial port as far as I can tell.  Anybody else overcome this specifically with the StarTech dongle and BlueSoleil software that came with it?

[KCStratman]

"…a USB extension cable and put my bluetooth dongle about 2 foot from my H9s…"

So, this would mean a more expensive, more hardware intensive, less reliable connection good for maybe 24 inches of wireless connectivity as compared to hardwired USB cables. Not acceptable cost / functionality.

[LA Keys]

Agreed that a direct connection with an usb cable is cheaper and more reliable, but then the whole point is about controlling multiple H9s. Unless you want to use 4 USB ports AND loose the midi ports functionality on all the the H9s it is better way to rely on Bluetooth at a SHORT distance. I never tried with four H9s, but bluetooth works very well for me with two H9s.

Also think that you will probably need the midi ports on the H9 someday if you want to set them all to the same tempo, or have them "talk" together for any other porpose. 

LA

[LA Keys]

micahbrown007:

there is no way to change the serial port as far as I can tell.

Yes, there is a way:

– Open the control panel

– write bluetooth in the search box (top right)

– Click on "View devices and printer"  (No, it is not "Change bluetooth settings", more on that later)

– You should see one H9-XXXXX for each H9 that you paired.

– Right click on the device, select properties

– Select Hardware tab, click properties

– Select Port setting tab, click advanced

– The COM port could be selected on the lower left

You may also wish to try removing the device (right click on the device, select remove device) and reinstall the device if you run into too many troubles.

About the "Change bluetooth settings": This will show you the bluetooth COM port, but you cannot change it from there. Also note that the I have the first four check box checked on the option tab. Only the "turn off bluetooth adapter" option is unchecked.

LA

[KCStratman]

Good points and not a bad way to go if necessary, but I would like to see 15 – 20 feet of reliable transmission from bluetooth. It is ironic to have to dangle your dongle a couple feet from your unit to hook up.

[micahbrown007]

The H9 didn't appear in the "devices" area.  But it is connected and pairs, even will reject an invalid PIN.  So I know its connected.  I went back into services, and if i start the microsoft bluetooth service, then I can right click on the StarTech icon in hardware devices, and go to bluetooth settings.  Then I find the port tab you mentioned, click on outgoing or ingoing, but all of the drop downs are empty .  there is no place to change a setting.

[LA Keys]

micahbrown007:

The H9 didn't appear in the "devices" area. 

Then there's certainly something wrong. The H9  MUST appear in the device list. Humm, go to control pane -> system -> device manager. Maybe you will see a yellow triangle somewhere indicating a driver problem. In any case something is definitively wrong with the installation.

LA

[LA Keys]

Humm, I believe that should be possible with a true (not chinese) class 1 bluetooth dongle. I'm using the common "miniature" dongle with a specified range of max 20 feet and a "real" range of about 5 feet max (with no clouds or rain).

Class 1 bluetooth are rated for up to 100 feet. Given that it should work well at 25% of the max rated distance, one could assume that a class 1 dongle will work fine under "real life scenarios" for up to 25 feet… YMMV.

LA

[voodoojeff]

I haven`t gotten my H9 to connect. It`s paired, but the Control APP will not recognize it. It did on my previous laptop, but no dice on the new one. The link above to the UG just redirects to the home page as well. I do like the H9 a lot, but I am growing swiftly disillusioned with it after owning it for a year now. I~d trade it for a 20 year old Digitech 2101 in a heartbeat. Really trying not to be pissy about it but the simplest tasks seem to be quite the headache with it, and it`s definitely not living up to the expectations I had when I got it. But hey, everyone seems to really love the thing so I suppose I~ll keep holding on to hope 😀

[LA Keys]

The link above don’t work because Eventide recently updated their website. All the download for the H9 ar now there:

https://www.eventideaudio.com/support/downloads

 

I know it’s easy to blame Eventide but believe me 90% percent of the time buetooth problems are related to something outside of their control: Osx updates, incompatible dongle, or just plain user’s mistake.

 

gkellum (from Eventide staff) is trying hard to help everyone  but you certainly need to provide a some more infromation, at the very least specify if you’re under Windows or Mac…

 

LA

[gkellum]

I haven`t gotten my H9 to connect. It`s paired, but the Control APP will not recognize it. It did on my previous laptop, but no dice on the new one.

Did looking through the user guide help with your pairing problem? If you’re still having trouble, let me know what operating system you’re on, and if you’re on Windows, what Bluetooth dongle you’re using. Windows in particular can be finicky, mainly because the different Bluetooth dongles can have driver problems on different Windows machines.

[voodoojeff]

Don`t get me wrong, I love Eventide`s products for what they are. And I~ve met a few of the people who represent the company, all pleasant folks. I~m not blaming Eventide for anything. I mistook the H9 for a multi-effect unit, which it definitely is not. I can also say that if there was a way to run two algorithms at once this would be (imo) the most usable single device in the industry without competition for under $2K. The Digitech 2101 I mentioned earlier did it on 25 year old technology and is heralded by many to be one of the best sounding pieces of all time.

Back to the topic at hand, I`m on windows 8 with built in bluetooth (brand new Toshiba. No connectivity issues with other devices). Went through the User Guide for it to no avail. It`s paired, and shows up in the device menu, but the app won`t pick it up. It`s really just a matter of convenience and getting the device to do something it`s supposed to do, but it doesn`r ruin my day to have to use a cable. The times it gets on my nerves are when I`m in the middle of a recording session and I want to change something on the H9. I only have so many USB ports and usually have to pause the session, unplug something, make the change and get back to the session. 

[gkellum]

I`m on windows 8 with built in bluetooth (brand new Toshiba. No connectivity issues with other devices). Went through the User Guide for it to no avail. It`s paired, and shows up in the device menu, but the app won`t pick it up.

Another user had trouble with a Toshiba with built in Bluetooth as well. Unfortunately, it wasn't easy for him to resolve the problem, but he explained what he did in this forum post:

https://www.eventideaudio.com/node/7044#47157

[Jesseri]

I’ve also had heap of problems with bluetooth connection on my H9. Most of the problems were solved by using active USB-hub instead of PCs USB port.The bluetooth connection was intermittent and many times H9 Control software stopped just working (connection error warning + crash). After the crash the control software didn’t find H9 without resetting all settings from the program. Some of the time there was also erratic behaviour on H9 Control GUI elements (knobs and ribbon controller) when using expression pedal. 

Now the bluetooth connection is rock solid, no more erratic behaviour and dropped connections if my other Eventide stompbox is not connected with USB. H9 Control software doesn’t find the H9 on the first time, but when the app is restarted the H9 pops out immediately.  

But when the Space is connected at the same time, the havoc breaks. If Space is connected, the control software doesn’t want to find H9 at all. If H9 is found for some reason, it doesn’t work too long. Most of the time H9 ends on a freezed state. The sound processing works, but H9 doesn’t register any button presses or anything else. Only option is to remove a power from it. 

I have Asus USB-BT400 bluetooth dongle on Windows 8.1 (custom build pc).. 

[gkellum]

But when the Space is connected at the same time, the havoc breaks.

We’ll have to see if we can reproduce this. I can’t remember if we specifically tested connecting H9 Control to an H9 via Bluetooth while a Factor pedal is connected via USB on Windows.

[voodoojeff]

I finally got the H9 to connect to my Toshiba laptop via bluetooth. It controls it without a hitch from across the room. All I did was go and download the newest Intel BT drivers, remove and re-pair the H9 and Voila`, success. There`s a whole new level of usability with it both in my home studio as well as with my new live rig.

[Michelle911]

I’ve been trying for the last 8 hours or so to get my new h9 to connect via bluetooth with no luck.  I have win7 64pro,  I bought the kensington (didn’t work) got the startech, and it pairs and accepts the pin, all good…. but the device isn’t listed in Devices and Printers, nor is it listed anywhere in device manger, also no yellow ? for an unknown device.  I already know it shows up there cause I’ve seen it when hooking up with a USB cable (but, sadly, there’s a ground loop there).  I’ve seen where you can set it manually with a com port, but which?  I didn’t know so I tried them all,  none of them work but enough trying and H9 control crashes.

this is already my second h9, amazon screwed up and sent me a used one first.

what else…  yeah, I’ve tried power cycling and making sure the bluetooth is on on the h9,  I’ve also gone so far as to test this on a windows tablet with win10  (all works perfectly there)

I’m at my wits end….. the joy of finally getting the holy grail of effects processors has gone away 🙁  I just want this thing to work… or be done.  is there any help?

 

[gkellum]

Michelle911 wrote:

got the startech, and it pairs and accepts the pin, all good…. but the device isn't listed in Devices and Printers, nor is it listed anywhere in device manger, also no yellow ? 

So, you went through the steps described in the H9 Control manual of choosing to 'Add a device', you selected the H9, you entered the PIN, and after completing the process, no new device appears in the list of Devices and Printers representing your H9?

[Michelle911]

yes…

 

gkellum wrote:

Michelle911 wrote:

got the startech, and it pairs and accepts the pin, all good…. but the device isn’t listed in Devices and Printers, nor is it listed anywhere in device manger, also no yellow ? 

So, you went through the steps described in the H9 Control manual of choosing to ‘Add a device’, you selected the H9, you entered the PIN, and after completing the process, no new device appears in the list of Devices and Printers representing your H9?

[JCR]

I am using an Asus USB-BT400 bluetooth 4.0 dongle, but could not get it to work with the supplied Broadcom bluetooth stack. Deinstalled the bluetooth stack and used the “Bluetooth Driver Installer” utility and that did the trick for me. It’s worth a try…

You can find the Bluetooth Driver Installer on http://bluetoothinstaller.com. Select the 32bit or 64bit installer based upon your system.

[Michelle911]

I just noticed something, I kept my bluesoleil bluetooth places window open, it shows my paired connection to the H9, its icon is blue when not connected and green when it is connected… anyhow, I kept and eye on that while trying to get h9 Control to connect to serial/com port 8,  and the icon turns green!  it’s just the h9 control still doesn’t see it.  if I try it again the program crashes.  either way, if I quit the program or it crashes the green h9 icon returns to its non-connected blue state.

also this made me think, so I tested my bluetooth dongle by connecting a controller and playing a game, works!  so at least I know that my BT device does not have to be listed in the Windows Devices and Printers!  the Bluesoleil frontend seems to be a total replacement for Windows.  now if I could somehow apply what I’ve just learned lol

another thing, I see the question asked when I google, but with no clear answer… is it possible to lift a ground on a usb cord?

thanks fpr the help by the way

 

[voodoojeff]

sounds exactly like what mine did. I updated the BT drivers and everything worked….once. Eventually I discovered that the app would connect just fine with the midi in cable unplugged. (yes, midi, not USB. We already know it priorotizes usb). 

 

And yep, you can lift the ground from a usb cable. Data is carried on pins 2 and 3. Pins 1 and 4/5 are for voltage. Since the usb cable doesn`t power the H9 you could snip the ground (pin 4 if I recall) and be just fine.

[Michelle911]

well the one that is working for me, although not with h9 control, is the startech with the bluesoleil software.  when I first installed it bluetooth wouldn’t turn on.  so I read up on that, it seems that mine has the problem that bluetooth doesn’t turn on in win7 LOL  they are on version 10 now and they want 30 dollars to update the software.  brand new dongle, really burns…. anyhow I thought I’d download it and try it.  didn’t work at all and there was a data cap on the trial.  so I uninstalled, went back to v7 and what do you know! worked! lol  well, at least it turns on and connects with all my bluetooth devices….  phone, tablet, tv, even a wii game controller… just not h9 control yet.

 

thanks for the usb tip!  I can see pics now in google…  I searched for this and was using bad keywords lol  I might try this today!

 

still really want to get BT working tho.

 

ok, thanks guys

[Michelle911]

I managed to modify the usb cable and it solved the ground loop, but there’s still a very high pitched tone coming thru when the usb is connected.  I can at least use the control app now, but unfortunately I still have to unplug it when I want to actually play.

I did some reading and looking and tried modifying my c:windowsinfbth.inf file to include my BT adapter so that ‘hopefully’ the control app would see it, seemed like my most promising solution but that failed too.

Hopefully I can learn more about this today….

[KCStratman]

Are you aware that the Bluetooth communication with H9s is only good for a distance of 1 to 2 feet? Usually only one foot. I often I have to move my H9s to within 8 to 10 inches of the Bluetooth dongle in the USB port of my tower to get Bluetooth connectivity. The only workaround is to get a male-to-female USB extension cable, plug your Bluetooth dongle into it, and place the dongle on the end of the cable. Others have tried active USB hubs to boost the signal to and from the dongle. So, even if your computer is recognizing your H9 via bluetooth, it may not transmit data back and forth farther than a few inches.

[Michelle911]

Thanks KC,

I did see that mentioned in the forums, and was able to test mine at a distance of about 1-2 feet by putting my dongle at the end of my longest cord.  inches tho… wow.  I will try that today! I actually just now got back from buying a couple of extensions and a midi interface to reach my board.  I tested last ntie with a couple of short midi cords and it’s my best option so far, it STILL adds a weird high pitched whine tho… but it’s noticeably quiter yet than my modified usb cable.

[Michelle911]

just tried the dongle at a distance of about 1 inch, but still nothing, was worth a try

[voodoojeff]

FWIW, mine connects now from across the room without issue. It always did on my older laptop, I was having problems with the new one that have been resolved. Literally, I can`t even see my H9 while sitting at my computer and it communicates just fine. I honestly think It`s just a finicky partnering, works well for some, not so much for others.

[voodoojeff]

just a BT update, maybe it`ll be of use to some of you: I was a little concerned that my BT, which has been working beautifully ltely, would suffer some kind of implosion as I, in the same day, upgraded to Windows 10 as well as updated the firmware in my H9. Couldn`t be further from the truth. It paired up almost instantly and I have full control over my H9, even with the midi cable plugged in (that was an issue at one time). What`s it worth? Well, my amp (H&K Grandmeister) is also completely midi capable, and has it`s own app as well. I can sit at my console, across the room from either, and have both apps open on the same computer. I make adjustments on either (or both) as needed, save, and have everything I just changed turned into a one button procedure. It`s a huge time saver in the recording environment and makes things possible that would otherwise simply not happen in a live setting.

 

I am not using any kind of aftermarket BT dongle. In fact, I`m using the stock BT hardware in a Toshiba laptop, a brand that at one time was known to have difficulties with the H9 app. 

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