How to use Hideez Bluetooth Dongle on Raspberry Pi

We tested the Hideez Dongle on Raspberry Pi and can confirm its successful operation on the following OS:

• Debian GNU/Linux 12 (Bookworm) arm64

• Debian GNU/Linux 12 (Bookworm) arm

• Raspbian GNU/Linux 11 (Bullseye) arm

• Debian GNU/Linux 11 (Bullseye) arm64

General Algorithm for Using the Dongle

1. Disabling the Internal Bluetooth:

   • Edit the file /boot/config.txt (in recent versions of Raspberry Pi - /boot/firmware/config.txt).

   • Add the following line at the beginning of the file:

     dtoverlay=disable-bt

   • Save the file, turn off the device, insert the external dongle, and boot the Raspberry Pi.

2. Adding Devices:

   • Use the Bluetooth button in the upper right corner of the screen.

Pairing Bluetooth devices via Hideez Dongle on Raspberry Pi

Alternative Method of pairing via Command Line

1. Launch the Utility:

   bluetoothctl

2. View Available Devices:

   devices

3. Pair the Device:

   pair <MAC address of the device to be added>

4. Establish the Connection:

connect <MAC address of the device>

Factors for Successful Operation on Raspberry Pi:

1. Sufficient power supply unit: The dongle connects via a USB port and requires additional power. Choose a power supply recommended by the manufacturer with sufficient power to avoid issues with connected devices.

2. Resource Usage: When working via Bluetooth, Raspberry Pi actively uses device resources (memory, processor). If resources are insufficient, device response to events may degrade (long connection times, pauses in music playback, etc.).