Have you ever bought a monitor or audio device and wished later on that it came with Bluetooth connectivity? Perhaps you got a pair of Bluetooth headphones at a later date and wished you could use it for all the devices in your home. Thankfully, you can; if your device has a headphones port, you can add Bluetooth functionality without modifying its hardware!
How Bluetooth Transmitters Work
Doing so is very easy: get yourself a Bluetooth transmitter that can plug into your audio output. These are special devices that listen to what’s coming down the line, then broadcast it using a Bluetooth chip inside. Because it handles all the Bluetooth connectivity, you can turn any non-Bluetooth device into a Bluetooth-enabled one.
One thing you do need to take into account is that transmitters typically require a power source to charge them up. As such, it’s smart to double-check if you have spare plug sockets nearby that you can charge them with. At the very least, you can charge them up somewhere when they’re not in use, then bring them back to your audio system when done.
Of course, these little gadgets don’t tend to have screens, which makes pairing your audio devices with them quite unintuitive. They tend to communicate with you via flashing lights to let you know when they’re charging, pairing, paired, or low on battery. As such, it’s a good idea to keep the devices in sight during use so you can see what they’re trying to tell you.
What About Bluetooth Receivers?
If you do a cursory search for Bluetooth transmitters, you’ll also find receivers mixed in with the results. You may even find devices that can act as both a transmitter and a receiver!
These devices are like the opposite of transmitters. While transmitters send data from a non-Bluetooth device to a Bluetooth-enabled one, receivers receive data from Bluetooth-enabled devices to non-Bluetooth ones.
For example, if you have a non-Bluetooth speaker and a Bluetooth-enabled computer, you can attach a receiver to the speaker. When you pair up the computer to the receiver, the computer will send its data to the receiver, which goes into the speaker’s audio input. Congratulations, you just made a speaker smarter!
How Expensive Are Bluetooth Transmitters and Receivers?
For instance, as was mentioned above, some transmitters also have a receiver mode to cover both bases. Some can support multiple devices, and some have media player controls on the devices for when you’re driving.
No Longer Blue About Bluetooth
If you have a Bluetooth device but want to use with non-Bluetooth systems, you need not despair. With a Bluetooth transmitter, you can turn any audio output into a wireless connection. Moreover, you can even send signals to a receiver if you want to ditch the cables.
Are Bluetooth transmitters and receivers the gadgets you were looking for all this time? Let us know below!
Simon Batt is a Computer Science graduate with a passion for cybersecurity.
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