1. chinesecatt's Avatar
    First off, this was not something I expected it to be. Yeah, we heard about it -- I even posted infos about this accessory here, before anybody posted anything about this device on the web. But with me, I'm always curious about what RIM has come up with, in regards to their accessories. So here it is...

    Let's meet the
    BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway (Music Audio Gateway)





    The BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway is designed to enable you to wirelessly transmit music from your BlackBerry device to your home or portable stereo. This stereo gateway does not use a battery, so you need to use your BlackBerry Travel Charger (white cable) in order to power this device, as shown in above photo.

    When paired successfully with your BlackBerry device, you will notice a fast flashing blue light, as shown in photo below. (Sorry photo not animated so you won't see the flashing blue light )





    How Does This Accessory Works?
    The BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway uses Bluetooth technology to establish a wireless connection with your BlackBerry device. After you pair the BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway with your BlackBerry device, you can connect to the BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway when it is within range of your BlackBerry device. So keep in mind that for this Gateway to function, your BlackBerry device and or music players must be A2DP Bluetooth enabled via an A2DP profile. If not, you can always buy an A2DP adapter -- but that is another review if you want me to make one

    So What's Inside the Box?
    It comes with an Audio Cable with 3.5mm stereo plugs
    An Audio cable with RCA type connectors
    BlackBerry Music Gateway

    How Do I Configure This?
    When using your BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway, you need to verify a few things before you can successfully use it. Yes, it is a no brainer that we need to turn on a Bluetooth Connection in order to pair it. Make sure that your BlackBerry device runs on version 4.2.2 or later. And since this does not run on battery, you need to have a Travel Charger to power it. And finally, make sure that your stereo or home system has a 3.5mm auxiliary input jack or RCA auxiliary input jacks, as shown in photo below.







    Make sure that your stereo is set to detect auxiliary input to stream your music successfully.

    As shown in photos above, I used the 3.5mm auxiliary input jack to connect one of the plugs to the BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway. Once everything is all set, all you need to do is tap the Remote Stereo Gateway to power it on. Click Manage Connections > Bluetooth Connections, the select BlackBerry Stereo Gateway and click Connect.

    Now let's play some music!
    Last edited by chinesecatt; 03-22-08 at 02:04 PM.
    03-22-08 01:50 PM
  2. jimmers's Avatar
    Very good explanation/illustration
    03-22-08 02:20 PM
  3. gregory_opera's Avatar
    Don't take this the wrong way, but your review isn't really a review - you've told us what the product is and how to set it up (information that can found within minutes using Google or this forum), but you haven't actually reviewed anything!

    Whilst I can't speak for everyone on here, I know I for one would like to hear what you actually thought of the product...

    Was the audio and build quality any good? Did you encounter any problems/issues (including design issues) and did it meet you expectations?

    Have you tried this with AD2P-compatible devices that aren't made by Research in Motion (RIM)?

    Would you recommend this to other people and if so/not, why so/not?

    That sorta stuff...

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    03-23-08 06:12 AM
  4. chinesecatt's Avatar
    Whoa there cowboy! Slow your horses
    No I wouldn't take your comment the wrong way. In fact, it got me laughing at you.

    As for my "thought of the product", I thought my review clearly said that it is pretty easy. Just plug and manage connection and tap to play. Or do you want me to say "It is really easy, I like it"?

    As for the audio and build quality -- Ahhhhh, I think you confused this for something else. This does not play audio. It is a device we use to plug into our stereo or home entertainment to streamline music from our BlackBerry. So if you have a cheap crappy system at home, you get a crappy sound. Good Stereo system = Good music. Has nothing to do about the Remote Stereo Gateway.
    You got me going like this when I read your comment.

    As for quality? What do you expect from RIM? They never make anything less. That is a statement that doesn't need to be stated, but I guess I need to.

    As for other AD2P enabled devices, if and when I do, I will let you know.

    As for recommending this, I always recommend any accessories by RIM. Being a RIM accessory fanatic, I wouldn't get anything else. But I can be recommending this to you and you might say "I don't have a stereo at home", or "I'm not really into music". The review is just to show you how easy it is to streamline and I think it clearly said that.

    FYI..
    Depending on your style or ways (the cowboy way), I leave this plug behind my stereo on double stick tape. Everytime I turn on my stereo, all I needed to do is tap the Remote Stereo Device and stream my music. And yes, it is THAT EASY!
    03-23-08 07:47 AM
  5. swamp_water's Avatar
    Ok so then does it come with any software? I noticed that it says that it's compatable with the 8800 device family but they don't AD2P. So I wanted to know if you've tried it or not with a 8800 - 8830?
    03-24-08 11:20 AM
  6. Garz's Avatar
    Does anybody know how the sound quality is? Is
    03-24-08 11:24 AM
  7. CrackBerry Kevin's Avatar
    Only the 8800 and 8100 don't currently support A2DP. The 8820, 8830, 8110, 8120, 8130 and all the Curves do.

    AND..with OS 4.3/4.5 coming out, the 8800 and 8100 will then support A2DP.
    03-24-08 11:43 AM
  8. CrackBerry Kevin's Avatar
    Here's the link for more info/to buy the Blackberry Music Audio Gateway:

    BlackBerry Remote Stereo Gateway - ShopCrackBerry
    03-24-08 11:45 AM
  9. CMEC's Avatar
    Thanks Catt, great review!
    03-24-08 11:46 AM
  10. chinesecatt's Avatar
    Does anybody know how the sound quality is? Is
    As I have indicated, the audio quality is all on the type and kind of stereo system you have. The Gateway does not play music
    03-24-08 03:08 PM
  11. chinesecatt's Avatar
    Ok so then does it come with any software? I noticed that it says that it's compatable with the 8800 device family but they don't AD2P. So I wanted to know if you've tried it or not with a 8800 - 8830?
    To function as a Bluetooth Gateway, your BlackBerry device must be A2DP Bluetooth enabled via an A2DP profile. So if you do not have that profile, you will just have to wait for that OS upgrade, as Kevin indicated.
    03-24-08 03:11 PM
  12. chinesecatt's Avatar
    Thanks Catt, great review!
    Okay, I'm crapping my own thread

    Welcome back CMEC, long time no see.

    Now back to the topic....
    03-24-08 03:13 PM
  13. captcrackberry's Avatar
    I recently received my Music Gateway and it seems to buffer or just cut out ever minute or so, realllly annoying. I'm using the rim usb travel adapter and have the blackberry and gateway about 3 ft from each other. Using it on my 8830. Has anyone else had this problem?
    07-24-08 07:23 AM
  14. deztructi0n's Avatar
    I recently received my Music Gateway and it seems to buffer or just cut out ever minute or so, realllly annoying. I'm using the rim usb travel adapter and have the blackberry and gateway about 3 ft from each other. Using it on my 8830. Has anyone else had this problem?
    So it happens frequently?
    I would buy this if it were a seamless stream but if not, might as well connect the blackberry directly to the audio source with the 3.5 mm audio cable.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    07-31-08 08:17 AM
  15. captcrackberry's Avatar
    So it happens frequently?
    I would buy this if it were a seamless stream but if not, might as well connect the blackberry directly to the audio source with the 3.5 mm audio cable.

    Posted from my CrackBerry at wapforums.crackberry.com
    I fixed my problem. I was running the samecell application and it kept calling out for my bluetooth gps every 45 secs. I disabled it and it works flawlessly, great sound quality and no drop outs.
    07-31-08 08:24 AM
  16. yaczone's Avatar
    An honest review really comes from an educated user of a certain technology made by several different brands.

    I have bought this gateway and am using it now. I know its easy, its very obvious to figure it out. What we, adopters of new technology look up to mainly CNET reviewers for, is a comprehensive look on how the market competes in quality for the same device. I looked online to see if this audio gateway thing that Sony also makes, and maybe other brands do have a better quality. Your admission of recommending only one brand, RIM makes me less value your opinion. Nothing against the brand, but you're just too limited on knowledge about any type of device if you only review one brand. There is nothing to compare with and weigh pros and cons. Example: Peavy makes excellent pro audio speakers, but because of that if you ever recommend a Peavy electric guitar to a musician, they'll laugh at your face and go buy a Fender.

    One more correction. Sound quality depends on every aspect involved: processor, preamp, amplifier, A/D converters, D/A converters, cables, speakers, whether they're matched correctly, source, and yes the Gateway also. An audio gateway like that first decodes the radio signal sent by your source bluetooth device, into digital data, translates it back into a digital music stream, then uses a Digital to Analog converter to get the signal to the audio out port so an analog input on a stereo can be used. Every aspect of this controls the output audio quality.

    So if you get a chance, please review the Sony bluetooth audio gateways and tell me what you think about the difference in audio quality (if you've got the ears).
    01-02-09 12:43 AM
  17. yaczone's Avatar
    By the way, my observations:

    Good: Nice sound quality for a bluetooth device. Higher frequencies that usually go to the tweeters are still a bit distorted, but thats just what you get for sending audio over bluetooth. Wireless will never be as clean of a signal as wired connections, for anything. Every bluetooth device has that problem, but this one's pretty minimal.

    Bad: Its pretty interference prone. RIM claims possible good uses as home stereo or car if you've got an aux-in in your car. At home it works well from the next room, but you put two walls in between instead of one, it frequently drops out. This is expected, but in the car its terrible. Blackberry sitting on the dashboard, with the gateway literally inches from it, audio still frequently drops out. It got super annoying by the third song, and I changed back into a direct connection.

    Clarification: The testing at home was all well within range radius
    Last edited by yaczone; 01-02-09 at 12:55 AM.
    01-02-09 12:53 AM
  18. captcrackberry's Avatar
    An honest review really comes from an educated user of a certain technology made by several different brands.

    So if you get a chance, please review the Sony bluetooth audio gateways and tell me what you think about the difference in audio quality (if you've got the ears).
    Heres my review of the Sony Bluetooth Gateway. It Sucks Balls!

    What company would make you use a 32 digit pin code to Pair a device, come on sony! (RIM BT Gateway - pin = 0000)

    It automatically shuts it's power off after 10 mins, Sony tech support said its a built in energy saving feature.(RIM BT Gateway - stays on forever)

    It cuts off reception when your 3 feet away from the device.
    (RIM BT Gateway - I use it all over my apartment and get over 20 feet outdoors)

    Upon opening the device's circuit board I found that it actually converts the audio sample 4 times from analog to digital to binary to analog to digital.
    (RIM BT Gateway - audio ecstasy)

    Sorry yaczone, looks like someone got you a bad gift for christmas, return it and get a real bluetooth gateway. The RIM bluetooth audio gateway! Available for $20 less then sonys at the Crackberry store!
    01-02-09 09:57 AM
  19. spasmonaut's Avatar
    By the way, my observations:

    Good: Nice sound quality for a bluetooth device. Higher frequencies that usually go to the tweeters are still a bit distorted, but thats just what you get for sending audio over bluetooth. Wireless will never be as clean of a signal as wired connections, for anything. Every bluetooth device has that problem, but this one's pretty minimal.

    Bad: Its pretty interference prone. RIM claims possible good uses as home stereo or car if you've got an aux-in in your car. At home it works well from the next room, but you put two walls in between instead of one, it frequently drops out. This is expected, but in the car its terrible. Blackberry sitting on the dashboard, with the gateway literally inches from it, audio still frequently drops out. It got super annoying by the third song, and I changed back into a direct connection.

    Clarification: The testing at home was all well within range radius
    This is EXACTLY what I wanted to hear in a "review." Telling me product specs. is not a review. Thanks yaczone for the commentary...I have a Clarion head unit in my car with built-in Bluetooth and was a little dismayed when I first tried it to stream music that, as you pointed out, high frequencies tend to distort a bit. Disappointing as I was hoping if it were piping the audio digitally that it would just stream a bit-for-bit copy to whatever device and while I admit I don't know a ton about Bluetooth protocols, was hoping some sort of error correction or whatever was built-in to compensate and give me a seamless path to the music wirelessly.

    Granted, I have no doubts that every device, or at least brand, performs differently depending upon software and the hardware horsepower that's responsible for streaming, as well as the DAC's included and other codecs, etc. that are all entwined in the mix. Various combos will give you various returns as well I'm sure. But to realize that high frequency distortion is, to a degree inherent in A2DP, while disappointing, it is somewhat of a relief to know I didn't invest in sub-par hardware and it's just a matter of pushing the tech to its limits.

    So that being the case, I'll save my $ as hooking this to my Onkyo/Polk setup in my living room will probably leave me a little disappointed. I realize mp3's are already killing the fidelity of the music, regardless of bitrate, but to add additional distortion and impurities would drive me nuts. I'll stick to wires for now. Too bad, cause that BlueAnt powered speaker looked like a neat gadget for parties and such although I guess you wouldn't notice the distortion as much in those environments.
    03-13-09 01:37 AM
  20. just_luc's Avatar
    I just got one of these, and it seems to work well with my bold, but I have been unable to successfully pair it with my laptop. it finds it, display's the address, but won't retrieve the device name or pair.. has anyone else experienced this problem? any solutions?
    05-04-09 06:47 AM
  21. steevereeno's Avatar
    I just got one of these also. I'm impressed with the ease of use and the sound quality through my home theater speakers. I was able to wander about 30 feet or so away from the device with no connectivity issues at all. Also, for those of you looking for a deal, I purchased mine from a seller on ebay. He's selling them for $36.99 plus $4.99 shipping. I got mine very quickly and he's very responsive to emails. I can't post links yet since this is just my 1st post, but simply search for "blackberry bluetooth gateway" on ebay and you'll find the auction I'm referencing.
    05-08-09 04:11 PM
  22. elfaure's Avatar
    To function as a Bluetooth Gateway, your BlackBerry device must be A2DP Bluetooth enabled via an A2DP profile. So if you do not have that profile, you will just have to wait for that OS upgrade, as Kevin indicated.
    Where is this information shown in the device. I can't find it in bluetooth options. I have an 8330 running OS 4.5.0.131. Does it have this profile? I don't think so.
    05-22-09 10:59 PM
  23. elfaure's Avatar
    Heres my review of the Sony Bluetooth Gateway. It Sucks Balls!

    What company would make you use a 32 digit pin code to Pair a device, come on sony! (RIM BT Gateway - pin = 0000)

    It automatically shuts it's power off after 10 mins, Sony tech support said its a built in energy saving feature.(RIM BT Gateway - stays on forever)

    It cuts off reception when your 3 feet away from the device.
    (RIM BT Gateway - I use it all over my apartment and get over 20 feet outdoors)

    Upon opening the device's circuit board I found that it actually converts the audio sample 4 times from analog to digital to binary to analog to digital.
    (RIM BT Gateway - audio ecstasy)

    Sorry yaczone, looks like someone got you a bad gift for christmas, return it and get a real bluetooth gateway. The RIM bluetooth audio gateway! Available for $20 less then sonys at the Crackberry store!
    ************************
    (RIM BT Gateway - pin = 0000)

    So this is where that code for my Freedom keyboard pairing comes from, interesting. Good to know. True for all bluetooth devices requiring an unsecured access to the BT gateway, right? Because secured access requires the keystore password. Or is that just for data transfer?
    THKS
    05-22-09 11:13 PM
  24. mad_vtak's Avatar
    Has any one ever try to mod this?
    06-02-09 03:58 AM
  25. slowpokeberry's Avatar
    this is a sweet product by RIM...Great review btw thanks
    06-02-09 05:40 PM
57 123
LINK TO POST COPIED TO CLIPBOARD