XT60 connectors

After assembling my own Li-X battery packs I realised I needed a safe way to use their energy, and finally solve my fear of inverting DC polarity of my 12V power cables.

Discussions on some mailing lists I read mentioned Anderson Power Poles and XT60 pairs. I went for the latter and ordered 20 pairs, which should be enough to wire all my polarity sensitive devices.

Windows 8.1 and Bluetooth SPP

According to recorded videos from //build/ 2013 conference, Win8.1 will support (again) I/O devices. Fortunately MS offers a Win8.1 Pro preview installation ISO (lasts until January 2014), which does work on VirtualBox VM, so I could quickly test it out.

Even though I didn't spend more than 5 minutes fiddling with it, (virtualised) Win8.1 could pair with the CAT-to-BT adapter (HC-05 derivative), correctly assign two COM ports and Ham Radio Deluxe connect to the radio.

The whole process still seems a bit buggy as OS level, but at least this kind of I/O will be possible with newer computers too.

Windows 8 and Bluetooth SPP

Bluetooth-to-CAT dongles for FT-817/857/897 use the Bluetooth SPP protocol ("Serial Port Profile") which does not seem to be available on MS Windows 8. At least in the preview version I have been able to try (Win8 Enterprise build 9200).

Device is found. Pairing with PIN works, a "serial-in" and "serial-out on Dev. B" device are created but no COM port is allocated on the system, therefore the serial-over-Bluetooth device is not reachable from the PC application.

Serial-over-Bluetooth HC-05 device is found and paired. But then...

Is this a Win8 limitation. Has it been solved with newer releases? Comments (moderated) are open, please write your experience if you land on this page looking for Win8/SPP information.