Pair your BT Kestrel with Mac-Heres How!

[flounderv2]

All,

Ive seen a ton of posts about paring your BT kestrel with Mac and wanted to post this quick HowTo. I know allot of people are somewhat disappointed that they cant connect their kestrel to their mac but we both know that is not a Kestrel or AB problem. I got my AB kestrel today and I thought you might like to know that there is an easy $10-$15 workaround so you can use the AB Profile loader software and updates on your mac. The other plus is that you could keep a flash drive with the BT drivers, AB software and the BT dongle with you and could pair your kestrel with anyones laptop or system.

Im sure you guys already knew this but, just in case you didnt.

1. Purchase a USB BT Dongle from Amazon. I got the Kinivo BTD-400 for $14 from Amazon Prime
2. Run a Windows Virtual Machine on your Mac. - - VMware Player or VirtualBox is free
3. Install or download a copy of windows as a virtual machine to run inside VMware Player or Virtualbox
4. Download the AB Profile software and extract it in the running Windows VM as normal.
5. Plug in the USB BT dongle and connect it to the Windows Image when prompted and install the drivers on the Windows VM (Comes on CD with the Dongle or easily downloaded from the company support site)
6. Open the Bluetooth driver software you just installed and pair it with your Kestrel
7. Open the AB Profile loader software and connect to your AB Kestrel.

DONE!!

Just as easy as doing it natively in windows.
The little black thing you see at the bottom right side of the Kestrel plugged into the USB port is the Dongle I referenced above.

 

[nwilling]

Great writeup! Has anyone else had problems using the built in BT on their mac? I run VMWare Fusion and have no problem using BT without a dongle.

 

[Lowlight]

That is not what people are complaining about, they are talking about their iPhone ...

Hell for nothing more than the cost of Windows, you can dual boot your Mac and Run Windows from Boot Camp for free. on Start up, hold the Option key down, select to boot from Windows. No dongle, install it and go...

The issue people are having is, with iPhone Apps to link the Kestrel.

 

[flounderv2]

Great writeup! Has anyone else had problems using the built in BT on their mac? I run VMWare Fusion and have no problem using BT without a dongle.

I didnt even try it without the dongle but thats another route. I had this laying around from some other things at work so I figured what the heck.

 

[flounderv2]

That is not what people are complaining about, they are talking about their iPhone ...

Hell for nothing more than the cost of Windows, you can dual boot your Mac and Run Windows from Boot Camp for free. on Start up, hold the Option key down, select to boot from Windows. No dongle, install it and go...

The issue people are having is, with iPhone Apps to link the Kestrel.

I know what you mean about the iPhone Frank. I also came across a number of posts specifically about the Kestrel AB version and Mac due to the AB profile loader software which is the main reason I posted this.

 

[Lowlight]

My experience with VMWare was not very good, it's a system drain or it was, it was better to dual boot if you want to use your Mac.

Honestly the best answer is to spend the money and get a Surface Pro and use that. It's small, portable, full blown windows.

 

[nwilling]

That is not what people are complaining about, they are talking about their iPhone ...

Hell for nothing more than the cost of Windows, you can dual boot your Mac and Run Windows from Boot Camp for free. on Start up, hold the Option key down, select to boot from Windows. No dongle, install it and go...

The issue people are having is, with iPhone Apps to link the Kestrel.

Yeah I was just curious because the OP mentioned using a dongle, just checking to make sure I didn't have a freak of nature iMac

 

[flounderv2]

My experience with VMWare was not very good, it's a system drain or it was, it was better to dual boot if you want to use your Mac.

Honestly the best answer is to spend the money and get a Surface Pro and use that. It's small, portable, full blown windows.

It will drain a battery quicker but other than that, its definitely the way to go over dual booting. Dual booting is a PITA and I cant do the work I need to do since I need multiple OS's running at once and all talking to each other.

 

[Lowlight]

That is your issue, it's cheaper to Dual Boot and honestly you spend all of 5 minutes in the AB Software loader... a very short amount of time. You can boot in windows, work your AB Loader and be out never having to return until you plan on adding another gun or profile.

VMWare is $60, plus you need Windows if I am not mistaken on top of that, and how many people need to be running OSX and Windows at the same time... very few. For those who do, they have options like you, but for the average Mac User... Dual Booting is much easier.

Honestly if you're a mac guy and want to run any ballistic stuff not an App, get a dedicated Windows machine, like Surface Pro... use it as an entertainment device with perks.

Your solution works, but it's not the best or easiest. We can skin a cat 10 different ways with this.

 

[Layton]

You do have to purchase a Windows license if you want to stay legal.

edt: as for running it in a VM remember it will consume the same resources if you let it as it does as a real install on any PC so it can slow everything down a bit.

L