Mac Pro Bluetooth 2.0+EDR Modul in an iMac G4!

[TzunamiOSX]

Can i use a Bluetooth 2.0+EDR modul like the Bluetooth 2.0+EDR (MA687ZM/A, Part Number: 922-8233, 922-7289, 922-6784, 820-1696-A, A1115) inside an iMac G4?

The modul looks pin compatible.

System is Leopard 10.5.8

 

[CooperBox]

I could be mistaken but I don't think that would be compatible.
The p/No of the actual iMac G4 bluetooth card is 922-5661. Also required would be the the mating bluetooth extension cable 922-5808. Bluetooth was an option when ordering a USB 2 iMac G4, and from ads I've followed, rather difficult to find either installed or as aftermarket parts.
The card you indicate is shown below front/rear:



The original iMac G4 Bluetooth card below front/back:



I've just performed an intensive search for a good photo of the bluetooth card 922-5661 and unable to find one. One of my 20" iMac's has bluetooth installed. The other 20" and also the 17" USB model are both without.
I too would be interested to know if anyone has succeeded in installing another bluetooth card to a G4 iMac.

 

[dustinschings]

The proper card is easy enough to find online for under $20. Its that extension cable that you need for it that is near impossible to find, and when you do it is around $50 or more. I believe, and I don't always agree with this approach as I like OEM when possible, a USB adapter would be the best, most cost effective way.

Dustin

BT Board ($15)
http://www.powerbookmedic.com/iMac-G4-Bluetooth-Board-p-22840.html

Extension Cable (pricey, and likely not actually in stock)
https://www.impactcomputers.com/index.php?_route_=922-5808.html&path=1001_1059_1083_6556

 

[TzunamiOSX]

News for iMac G4 Fans

Today i have installed the Apple Bluetooth 2.0+EDR into a iMac G4 and it is working.

For the antenna i found a working way. You need a cable with a MHF I connector like this:

Now you have 2 solutions:
1. Solder the cable direct to the antenna, but this is a lot of work, because you must completely disassable the iMac

2. Cut of the BT connector and solder the cable with the MHF I connector to the cutted end.

I have used the 2. methode...

But there is something to say...
The range of the mouse is only around 1 meter. Looks like soldering is not a good way or the cable must be shorter (at the moment it has the full 50 cm).
Perhaps a crimp connector is better. Sometimes i will test a shorter cable and a crimp connector.

 

[manvilfer]

Hi @TzunamiOSX, I would like to know if you have made other tests with the cable. I want to add a Bluetooh board to my 17 inch iMac G4 and is almost impossible to find the antenna extension cable. I would like to know if you can share a link to Amazon or eBay for the cable you have bough. Finally, what do you think about buying a bluetooh antenna? It could work in the iMac or not? Regards!

 

[TzunamiOSX]

Hi @TzunamiOSX, I would like to know if you have made other tests with the cable. I want to add a Bluetooh board to my 17 inch iMac G4 and is almost impossible to find the antenna extension cable. I would like to know if you can share a link to Amazon or eBay for the cable you have bough. Finally, what do you think about buying a bluetooh antenna? It could work in the iMac or not? Regards!

Sorry, I don't have tested other parts, only my Apple Mouse.

You only need an cable with an IPX MHF 1 Connector
Search for IPX MHF 1 U.FL

If you buy an antenna you need a good place to glue. i have seen an iMac with third party antenna. Perhaps this works better, i dont know.

 

[netsrot39]

News for iMac G4 Fans

Today i have installed the Apple Bluetooth 2.0+EDR into a iMac G4 and it is working.

Looking really good! Thanks for sharing. I do wonder however if the bluetooth module from a Mac Pro (blue module) would work. I also have an iMac G4 (USB 2 version) and I can only use Bluetooth with an external adapter (which BTW works great OOTB and even has Bluetooth 4). Nevertheless I'd be interested in an internal solution. Since I have a spare Bluetooth module from a Mac Pro 2,1 (BT was giving me too many problems there with USB3 so I opted for a dongle), I may attempt this some day but I really do not want to take the machine apart for nothing because it isn't the easiest to work on from my personal experience.

 

[evanboonie]

I was able to successfully add internal Bluetooth to my iMac G4 17in with an "A1115" module that I bought on eBay. According to the seller I bought the Bluetooth module from, it was pulled from a 2007 iMac Core 2 Duo. It just worked out of the box after plugging it into my G4. I ended up going the route of completely disassembling my iMac and soldering a new extension cable to the antenna board. It was a huge pain taking the entire iMac apart and putting it back together again, but I don't seem to have any range issues as a result and the Bluetooth works great. A total disassembly is also nice for cleaning out the nearly 20 years of dust and dirt that G4s tend to accumulate. I'll put a basic guide on my implementation below:

I purchased a MMCX to MMCX cable on Amazon, then cut off one end of it and soldered it to the antenna board.

Next I used a U.FL to MMCX cable (also from Amazon) to connect the Bluetooth module itself to the extension. I put some heat shrink tubing around the connection to prevent it from shorting anything out. Be careful when screwing the base back onto the iMac! It is very easy to pinch a custom extension in the screw as they are generally much more rigid than the stock cable and are stubborn when being cable managed within the small case.

I couldn't figure out how to route the cable directly to the Bluetooth module, so I just ran it alongside the Wi-Fi antenna cable and punched a small hole in the plastic shield to run the cable to the module itself.

Thanks for all of the investigation everyone did in this post! It definitely gave me the confidence to try this mod.

Here are links to the cables that I purchased for this mod if anyone is curious:

1 feet RG316 MMCX Female to MMCX Female Angle RF Pigtail Coaxial Cable

1 feet RG316 MMCX Female to MMCX Female Angle RF Pigtail Coaxial Cable

www.amazon.com

JEFA Tech Pigtail: U.FL to MMCX Male R/A - 10 inches

U.FL pigtails are for connecting WiFi, Bluetooth, WWAN Cards, and similar devices to antennas. U.FL is typically found on mini-PCI cards in laptops and are also on other OEM wireless circuit boards

www.amazon.com

 

[Intell]

Those Bluetooth modules are USB. There are pads on the modules where you can solder on a USB cable and it'll work without a problem in an external USB port

 

[mik22]

I installed the 820-1696-A A1115 922-7289 module and it works well. It is a little bit bigger than the original one. So I could fix it only with one screw. The other holes for the screws are not in the same posititon. But one screw is enough. As antenna cable i used a antenna cable of MacBook 13“ A1342 that had also an MHF 1 connector. It was just cheaper than the new ones. On the other side I needed to solder it with the built in bluetooth antenna cable.