Le Pan TC970 - Apple (or otherwise) Bluetooth keyboard?

[AfterShafter]

Hello first,

First off, sorry if this has been asked, but the search turned up nothing. Two days ago I got a Le Pan TC970 and so far it is working well. It seems to dislike WPA variant networks, and my wireless was crashing like mad until I changed the network to WEP encryption. Now it is working just dandy. I do hope they fix this either way.

My current issues is, I'm trying to get it to work with an Apple Bluetooth wireless keyboard that I use frequently on an IPOD touch 4g - so I've confirmed that the keyboard isn't the problem. My Le Pan's firmware is 4431 which a few google searches suggest is the most updated. The Android OS is Froyo 2.2, Linux version 2.6.32.9-4431. This is the keyboard:

http://store.apple.com/us/product/MC184LL/B?fnode=MTY1NDA1Mg

this point, I've started up bluetooth on my tablet and gone through the pairing procedure successfully in settings. Under Bluetooth connections, it shows "dan's keyboard" as "Connected to HID based input" after a few seconds of "Paired but not connected." After that connection is up and the bluetooth symbol is showing on the bar up top, I go through the settings to "Language and Keyboard settings" and look for options to select the bluetooth keyboard. There is "Android Keyboard," "Google Pinyin," and "User Dictionary" under text settings and the menu button is non-responsive. No bluetooth keyboard shows. I've gone out and tried typing with the still successfully connected keyboard and the tablet doesn't respond to any bluetooth keyboard inputs.

What I'm wondering is, am I missing something obvious to get this bluetooth keyboard running in my browser and other areas? Is my hardware defective? Or does this bluetooth keyboard/any bluetooth keyboard not work with this tablet or operating system? I'd prefer not to root the machine, but will consider it if I someone knows that this keyboard won't work without my taking that step.

 

[AfterShafter]

In the other forum, a rather helpful mod suggested I put the term LePan in any Le Pan TC970 post for search purposes, so I figured I'd come back and do this. Convenient excuse for a bump.

 

[J515OP]

The Apple BT keyboards are a little tricky in that you have to enter the pin before you can see it typing. So you just have to type the pin in and have faith that the keyboard is registering via BT. There is a thread here someplace that deals with this. Oh yrs, and after a quick Google I forgot you probably need BlueKeyboard JP.

Try this:

 

[AfterShafter]

J5, thanks for the response - it was quite informative and it has given me a few more things to try. As it stands though, I'm having no luck with it. First off, I'd actually heard someone else suggest Bluekeboard JP and I hadn't tried it because when I ran a search on my tablet's marketplace, it didn't find anything under that name. It still doesn't - perhaps because I'm in Canada, the app store leaves some things out? Checking that website you gave me, I logged on and when I went to install the device it had my tablet listed on the "Choose device on which to install" tab (though it called it the "Matsunichi TC970") and it says that the tablet is not compatible with the app. I tried this for the pro version as well (more than willing to pay $2 for getting my keyboard working) and had the same problem.

If the device is not compatible I guess them's the breaks for this program... Any other ideas on either how I could get Bluekeyboard onto this machine in spite of the supposed incompatibility, or another possible program that might offer similar functionality?

Also, perhaps of note... On the video you linked the fellow's keyboard gets to the "paired but not connected" stage prior to him using Bluekeyboard, and he says it won't go beyond that stage until he selects the keyboard. I can't select the keyboard at any stage from any menu I've found on the bluetooth page or the keyboard page, but on the bluetooth settings page it goes from "Connected but not paired" to "Connected to HID based input" beneath the keyboard. I still can't find the damned thing though!

 

[J515OP]

Try and see if you can find the .apk (just because the Market says not compatible that isn't always the case) and side load it (put the .apk on the tab and then try and open it it should try to install).

Again, it might have to do with entering the pin for the Apple keyboard. Check out this tread for some more info. Hopefully one of these hints will get you going.

http://www.androidtablets.net/forum/nook/12574-bluetooth-keyboard-cyanogenmod-7-spider-e-series-e-btkb-b001-wont-pair.html


JP

 

[AfterShafter]

Just wanted to do a follow up... I am currently typing this on my Le Pan using my Apple Wireless Keyboard! BlueKeyboard ended up being what did it. I had forgot to mention that I had already done the pairing using the blind pin input on my keyboard. I had to track down the APK file for Bluekeyboard from the net though, since I could not access it from the market. Was tricky to find, with a lot of se eming risky to visit.

The keyboard is slugging in this text box and I am having to type at half speed or it comes out garbled. Will test elsewhere. Perhaps move this thread to the Le Pan forum? Might be helpful to other Le Pan users.

Thank you J5!

 

[J515OP]

AS, I'm glad you got it working. It is a good feeling the first time you connect a BT keyboard even if it is laggey. Hopefully you'll get some better performance out of it as you start using it in other apps.

JP

 

[AfterShafter]

Yeah, performance was much better in g-mail and google docs. Still a tiny bit slow, but I was typing at 90% speed and it was working just dandy. Ironically, the android table forum seems to make my tablet chug a bit in general - only forum I've encountered so far that does.

Also, one other note I should put in. Initially, after installing Bluekeyboard JP, the keyboard was still unresponsive. It only connected properly after powering down and powering up the keyboard after the install, and it is working fine since then.

Looking forward to more tinkering in weeks/months to come. Thanks again, and good luck with the tablets all!

 

[ffred]

FWIW, As I understand it, Froyo will not accept input from HID (Human Interface Device) but will pair with SPP.

From another thread, another forum: "This class [of device]will only work with SPP keyboards, not standard HID keyboards. If it doesn't say it supports Bluetooth SPP then it will not work. There are only two known SPP models (also available on eBay or Amazon): Freedom Universal Bluetooth keyboard Freedom Input iTech Virtual Keyboard (SPP only) Celluon Virtual Keyboard - A laser projected full-sized virtual QWERTY keyboard Note: This class is currently only tested with Freedom Universal...."
Keyboard (leJOS NXT API documentation)

Until someone can port a higher version than Froyo to the Le Pan, I think you'll have to spend the bucks for an SPP keyboard. Somewhere else, there was some chatter about Blackberry keyboards working with Froyo, but I cannot vouch for any of it.
At my typing speed, I've never typed as fast as I am now with SlidiT. I don't think I'll bother with a keyboard unless someone gives me one.
I was all set to buy an ASUS Transformer, but now I'm very happy with what I've got.

ffred

 

[ffred]

Here's morefrom the same forum)
There are two type of bluetooth keyboards. One uses HID (Human Interface Device Profile) protocol, the other uses SPP (Serial Port Profile). Today, most of android devices normally support none of these bluetooth keyboards, no matter what version Android(1.6, 2.1 or 2.2) they are using. Besides of a few of devices using CyanogenMod (CM) roms, most of android phones or tablets need additional software to connect to bluetooth keyboard.
SPP Bluetooth Keyboards and Android

Bluetooth keyboards with SPP are often used with Blackberry phones. You can install KeyPro for android on your android device to make SPP Bluetooth Keyboard compatible.
It costs $9.95, but you can try it with a free trial version first. (Trial version will insert version info between input te

 

[ffred]

Maybe I should have included this: (also from o-learn.com)

Bluetooth keyboards with SPP are offen used with Blackberry phones. You can install KeyPro for android on your android device to make SPP Bluetooth Keyboard compatible.
It costs $9.95, but you can try it with a free trial version first. (Trial version will insert version info between input texts)
There is a list of SPP Bluetooth Keyboards (by no mean this list is complete, leave a comment if you know any else):
* Amzer SmartKeyboard
* Chainpas SmartKeyboard
* Freedom Pro Keyboard (with SPP/HID switch)
* Freedom Universal Keyboard I & II (with SPP/HID switch)
* Freedom Blackberry Keyboard
* HP Bluetooth Foldable Keyboard FA287A
* i.Tech Virtual Keyboard
* MSI BK100 Universal Bluetooth Keyboard
* Snap-N-Type Keyboard
* ThinkOutside Shasta Keyboard
* Xema BlueKeyboard
HID bluetooth Keyboards and Android

Bluetooth keyboards with HID are more commonly used. They can work with Symbian, Windows Mobile, PC, Mac, Netbook etc... So, besides the few I list above, most of Bluetooth Keyboards on the market come with HID Protocol.
To make a HID bluetooth Keyboard work with your android phone, you can use bluetooth utilities (you need to root your device first), or you can install a third party software, like BlueInput, or BlueKeyboard JP.
BlueKeyboard JP is coming from Japan. It comes with a Japanese IME, but you can leave it alone and use English IME only. It is a free software, but can pay for a Pro version for less than $2 to remove ads.
As more and more Android Tablets are coming out, I think connecting to a bluetooth keyboard may become a more popular need. I hope android engineers will bring us a easier way to do it.

 

[J515OP]

Hi ffred, the situation isn't as dire as your post makes it seem (maybe I'm just reading the wrong tone, hard to tell sometimes). Many people are successfully running bluetooth keyboards on Android devices without any issues or special keyboards. Yes, you may need an app like KeyPro or or Bluekeyboard JP to help establish the connection but it isn't really a big deal and is invisible once you have done the setup. I wouldn't worry too much about finding a special key board and if you are concerned about it you can get tablets with docks such as the transformer that have a specific keyboard made for them to attached to.

The only issue you may have using a bluetooth keyboard with a tablet is some lag depending on the device and your typing speed.

 

[AfterShafter]

ffred - first off, thanks for the help. Gave me a ton of stuff to read/research up on, and I did a few tests. Luckily, I've found a working solution for my original keyboard, the Apple bluetooth one. The Blueinput app has it running pretty seamlessly - the odd hiccup, but well within acceptable parameters, and typing at 50+ wpm. One slight oddity is that if you pair and connect your keyboard under the regular bluetooth settings, it doesn't want to connect in blueinput then - so you've got to de-pair it from the generic bluetooth settings then pair it using blueinput. After that though, works wonderfully.

So yeah - Blueinput is well worth the 10 euro cost, and has a trial version should anyone want to see if their bluetooth keyboard works well with the TC970.

 

[AfterShafter]

I'm afraid I jumped the gun a little bit. With the Apple bluetooth keyboard, blueinput does have some issues. Not sure if it's just this keyboard or others, but...

It sort of hangs every once in a while, and then repeats whatever keypress you just clicked multiple times. As in, possibly hundreds of times, with nothing you can do about it. Also disconnects sometimes. When it works, it works well, but the hang with repeated keypress things is a *big* problem. I'd originally typed this message on my Le Pan with the keyboard, then hit backspace to correct and error - and it repeated the backspace keypress until the entire message was deleted.

Basically, the search continues. Will try and test with some of the other keyboards Ffred suggested. If anyone else has any insights or personal successful (or unsuccessful, for that matter) experience, let us know. Personally, I want to know if anyone has tried the Le Pan with a non Apple keyboard. Apple products have a way of being utter crap when paired with non-Apple products when they really have no reason to be, I find, so I'm hopeful that maybe another keyboard will work better. Just don't want to invest in one not knowing.

 

[just2crafty]

Hi I have the exact same problem, I got a quxxi apple bluetooth keyboard, I have tried all the above. I am still stuck at "connected to HID based input". I am trying to get bluekeyboard but just like you, it says it is not compatible with my le pan. Can you please send me the APK, I can't find it. email = [email protected]. Thanks a lot