Sony Two-Way Bluetooth Adapter for iPod and MP3 Players

 (138 customer reviews)

This is a very cool gadget, that adds a Bluetooth interface to anything with either audio-in or audio-out jacks.

For example, receiver side of this device will connect your home/car/boat stereo to your Bluetooth-enabled MP3 player (like the one built into the RAZR V3xx and V3i mobile phones) allowing you to play your MP3s through the stereo's amp and speakers.

The transmitter side makes it possible to listen to the TV over Bluetooth headphones, just plug this thing in to the audio output jacks (found on most cable converters, DVD players, etc.)

In short, it makes your older audio devices available via Bluetooth, in just about every way you can imagine.

A couple of quick usage notes:

1.) To put it into pairing mode you must hold it's ID button for 7 seconds while it is powered *off*. You can hold it all day long after it's powered on, without changing a thing.

2.) The female audio jacks built into it are pretty stiff,...Read more

I've read through some of the other reviews and find a few of them shouldn't really be targeted at this particular unit. If you are a potential buyer, then there is a good chance you are familiar with Bluetooth, yet may not know much about the A2DP profile.

Bluetooth, is by far, not a flawless means of communication; for that matter, neither wired or wireless formats are flawless. This must be kept in mind when choosing which is right for you.

Bluetooth has quite a few limitations: range, compatibility between versions, and profile support, to name a few. A2DP is a fairly new profile, so there are hiccups and bumps along the path.

A2DP stands for Advanced Audio Distribution Profile. It is able to stream stereo sound from one device to another. In order for it to work properly (or at all), both devices you are attempting to pair together (ie: you want this unit to work with your music phone or laptop) must support A2DP. The Sony HWSBTA2W supports A2DP...Read more

Because I hate the static-ridden 900MHz technology, I purchased an expensive set of cordless infrared headphones. Everything was okay until I purchased a 50" plasma television. Everytime a white or yellow screen appeared, I either lost the sound signal or it became annoyingly intermittent. Unfortunately, the plasma screen seriously interferes with infrared transmission.

My answer was to buy a quality pair of Bluetooth headphones with a stereo transmitter, and I could not be happier. The SONY DR-BT50 headphones and the SONY HWS-BTA2W transmitter/receiver combination are an excellent solution. I highly recommend these products.