What Are Bluetooth Profiles?

Bluetooth is a wireless technology found in many of today's electronic devices. However, Bluetooth devices do not all work in the same way. One Bluetooth device may not work with another (such as a Bluetooth phone with a Bluetooth computer, a Bluetooth headset with a Bluetooth music device, etc.) This is because there are a number of Bluetooth profiles, and not all devices use the same profiles.

Plantronics headsets (with the exception of the Pulsar 590) support only the Handsfree (HFP) and Headset (HSP) profiles. Most Bluetooth phones support these profiles as well. However, most computers and audio devices do not. You cannot use a Plantronics Bluetooth headset with any device that does not support both the HFP and HSP profiles.

Some companies sell Bluetooth dongle adapters for laptops and audio devices. An adapter may allow other Bluetooth devices to work with our headsets. However, the adapter will need to support both the HFP and HSP profiles and be compatible with the other Bluetooth device.

Our Pulsar headsets support the A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) in addition to HFP and HSP. For more information about the Pulsar 590 headset, please click here.

More information about Bluetooth profiles can be found below, or at http://www.bluetooth.com/bluetooth/.

HSP – For voice and mono music, e.g. Skype: (Headset Profile)

This is the most commonly used profile, providing support for the popular Bluetooth headsets to be used with mobile phones. .

HFP – More advanced version of HSP (Hands Free Profile)

*Allows Voice Dialing Activation + Redial + Call transfer + call answer/end capabilities

A2DP - For stereo but no voice: (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile)

Also referred to as the AV profile, it is designed to transfer a stereo audio stream like music from an mp3 player to a headset or car radio. This profile relies on AVDTP and GAVDP.

AVRCP - For remote control: (Audio/Video Remote Control Profile)

This profile is designed to provide a standard interface to control TVs, Hi-fi equipment, etc. to allow a single remote control (or another device) to control all of the A/V equipment that a user has access to. It may be used in concert with A2DP or VDP.

General Audio/Video Distribution Profile (GAVDP)

Provides the basis for A2DP and VDP.

Looking for a good Bluetooth headset?

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