- Joined
- Nov 9, 2010
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Hey guys. I recently setup my Core i7 860 Hackintosh and everything is working great. I wanted to post my trials with some Apple internal bluetooth to USB conversions and see if anyone can give any input or at least so no one else wastes their time with this.
I work an Apple Authorized Service Provider so we have lots of spare parts laying around.
I found a PowerMac G5 bluetooth module and figured it must have a relatively simple USB pinout. After some trial and error I figured it out (with the help of a friend). We plugged it into a test PowerBook G4 (just in case it decided to fry the USB Host ) and it showed up in Apple System Profiler. Success! we thought.
I then plugged it into my Hackintosh. Nothing. So I plugged it into a G5 iMac with no built in bluetooth. Success. Bluetooth showed up in System Preferences and wireless mouse worked. I thought maybe Apple removed the KEXT for this bluetooth module in Snow Leopard since it was only in PPC machines.
So I grabbed a bluetooth module from one of our Intel iMacs with snow leopard on it. Wired up a USB cable (this one was even easier to solder as the PCB was better laid out). We plugged it in to the PowerBook Success. Into the G5 iMac. Success. Then into the Hackintosh. Nothing. Into the same Intel iMac that the bluetooth module came from. Nothing. Plugged it into a working Mac pro and nothing.
All we can figure is that Apple must have programmed something into the Kext on intel machines to accept these modules only if they are on an internal USB bus? We have no idea. Does anyone else have some insight?
I've attached an image with the wiring diagram. The G5 bluetooth part number is 820-1449 The Intel Bluetooth part Number is 820-1696
As far as the reason I am trying this hackery instead of just getting a BT module is because I wanted the module to be fully integrated into Apple's software. Also, we have them laying around.
I don't know if anyone has advice as to how we can get around this strange limitation that affects Intel macs but not PPC macs.
I work an Apple Authorized Service Provider so we have lots of spare parts laying around.
I found a PowerMac G5 bluetooth module and figured it must have a relatively simple USB pinout. After some trial and error I figured it out (with the help of a friend). We plugged it into a test PowerBook G4 (just in case it decided to fry the USB Host ) and it showed up in Apple System Profiler. Success! we thought.
I then plugged it into my Hackintosh. Nothing. So I plugged it into a G5 iMac with no built in bluetooth. Success. Bluetooth showed up in System Preferences and wireless mouse worked. I thought maybe Apple removed the KEXT for this bluetooth module in Snow Leopard since it was only in PPC machines.
So I grabbed a bluetooth module from one of our Intel iMacs with snow leopard on it. Wired up a USB cable (this one was even easier to solder as the PCB was better laid out). We plugged it in to the PowerBook Success. Into the G5 iMac. Success. Then into the Hackintosh. Nothing. Into the same Intel iMac that the bluetooth module came from. Nothing. Plugged it into a working Mac pro and nothing.
All we can figure is that Apple must have programmed something into the Kext on intel machines to accept these modules only if they are on an internal USB bus? We have no idea. Does anyone else have some insight?
I've attached an image with the wiring diagram. The G5 bluetooth part number is 820-1449 The Intel Bluetooth part Number is 820-1696
As far as the reason I am trying this hackery instead of just getting a BT module is because I wanted the module to be fully integrated into Apple's software. Also, we have them laying around.
I don't know if anyone has advice as to how we can get around this strange limitation that affects Intel macs but not PPC macs.