Turning the Bluetooth on and off
The Bluetooth function is off by default. This helps to save energy of your battery.
We recommend that you turn Bluetooth off if you don't use it. You can turn
Bluetooth on and off using the first option in the menu.
How pair a new device
•
Enable the pairing mode on your device. Some devices are in the pairing
mode by default when turned on and out of signal. Other devices have a
special key or combination of keys that will trigger the pairing mode. This is
device-specific and can be found in the manual of the device.
•
Once your external device is in the pairing mode, select the "Scan for devices"
option in the menu. The scan will take up to half a minute after which a list of
nearby devices will be presented to you.
•
A long press with one finger gesture on the selected device will trigger the
pairing process. This will generally take few seconds.
•
In some devices, usually keyboards, you may be asked to enter a verification
code. If this happens, you need to type a code given by BlindShell on your
external device and confirm it by the Enter key.
Connecting and disconnecting a device
A newly paired device should be generally connected automatically. However, this
is not the case with all devices. Sometimes it's also useful to be able to connect and
disconnect devices at will, without pairing and unpairing them.
To connect or disconnect a device:
•
Select the "Paired devices" menu item, allpaired devices will appear in this
menu
•
A long press with one finger on a device will open a menu where you can
select an operation to do with your device (connect, disconnect, unpair)
•
If you choose connect or disconnect, an attempt to connect or disconnect a
device will be made. Once it succeeds, the device will assume it's function
(the sound output will be redirected, the arrow keys on a keyboard will
become available for menu navigation)
•
If you choose to unpair a device, this device will become unavailable until you
pair it again. Some devices may require this action before they can be
connected to another phone.
Notes about Bluetooth
•
Before you can connect a paired device, you usually need to turn it on by a
switch on the device. Some devices may turn themselves off after a period of
inactivity.
•
You can use numbers on your Bluetooth keyboard for faster menu navigation.
If you press a number key while in a menu, BlindShell will jump to the
corresponding item directly.
•
There is a vast number of Bluetooth devices on the market. BlindShell cannot
guarantee compatibility with every device available. Your BlindShell vendor
might be able to give you an advice or offer you a tested model.
•
Due to possible radio interference and due to nature of the Bluetooth protocol
itself, there is no guarantee that a device will be found during the scan
procedure. If you can't see or pair your device, make sure it's still in the
pairing mode and then try the procedure again. If the problem prevails, make
sure there is no strong source of interference in your area, like another
Bluetooth device, a WiFi router or some other radio device in a close
proximity.
