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Looking for a bluetooth transmitter?  This one might be good for you.

I enjoy listening to podcasts using my N810 Internet Tablet and my bluetooth headphones (Creative CB2530 wireless headphones).  To use bluetooth headphones, you will need a bluetooth transmitter connected to the source, in my case connected to the N810 tablet. This post is a review of the bluetooth transmitter and some tips on how to repair one of its failure modes.

Jensen WBT420 Universal Bluetooth Wireless Transmitter

I  have been really happy with the Jensen transmitter.

Repair

Today for the first time, the transmitter had trouble.  The sound went from stereo to mono.  I could hear sound only from one side of the headphones.  Sound was going to just one ear.  If I wiggle the jack, the stereo sound comes back, but only if I keep pressure on the jack.

If I push down on the jack, the sound is in stereo.  As soon as I let go, the sound goes back to mono.  This failure mode happens on all kinds of electronics, so I thought I would share my tips on how to fix it while also giving a review of this Jensen trasmitter.

This is a simple fix and just requires a new solder joint.

First open the plastic case.  No screws.  Just use a small screwdriver to gently pry it open.

Again, there are no screws, so just lift the circuit board out of the case.  There is some tape sticking the battery to the case.  I gave it a slight tug and the tape released itself from the black case.

In the next photo, you can see how the headphone jack is connected to the circuit board.

I hit the solder pad with a soldering iron and a tiny bit of new solder.

The sound came back in stereo!  Good as new!  Pretty easy repair.

It’s easy to put it back together, too.  One last tip:  Make sure the on/off button on the circuit board gets inserted into the case’s switch before you close it up.

Price and Source

Bought through eBay for $17 total to have it shipped to my house.

Purchase date:  November 2007.  Here it is now March 2011 and it worked flawlessly until today.  That’s over 3 years of almost daily use and sometimes rough handling.  I’ve dropped it on the floor many times and moved it around with me, getting placed on counters and tables, getting rattled many times.

Battery Life

The battery is good quality and appears to be Lithium ion.  The transmitter always lasts as long as the N810 tablet, so I recharge both devices at the same time.  The transmitter has pretty good battery life for such a tiny battery.

Range

I wish the range were a little better, but can’t blame Jensen as they have to comply with FCC rules.  The FCC limits the range of radio transmission and bluetooth is simply a specific kind of radio transmission.  I can leave the Jensen bluetooth transmitter in one room of the house and walk to another room and still pick up the audio.  If I leave the transmitter in the kitchen and go into the garage with the doors closed and walls separating me from the transmitter, I can still pick up the audio but depending on where I stand in the garage I get some amount of static.  If you plan on staying in the same room as the transmitter, then it the reception is good.

Similar Models

This specific item appears to have been discontinued, so I’m glad I was able to fix this since it might be hard to buy a replacement just like it.  You might find this model used or as old stock.  Looks like Jensen got bought by another company. How that impacts their business or product line?  Maybe they don’t make these transmitters any more.

WBT430 – This model might be newer and is in stock at some websites as of today’s date but I think it is also a discontinued model.

More bluetooth transmitter choices:  http://www.brighthub.com/electronics/mp3/articles/119365.aspx

Conclusion

I recommend the Jensen WBT420 Universal Bluetooth Wireless Transmitter and it’s pretty easy to repair the audio jack, if needed.