I prefer wires in almost every situation (just upgraded to a 16 port switch because I have enough wired devices in the house for it now), especially for audio... but in this case I’m in meetings a lot, I listen to songs sometimes in between, and I move around my office quite a bit. I struggled with a decent USB headset for a while, but after five or so times almost breaking my computer from moving my arm and catching the cord (thus yanking the computer off the desk), I started a journey down the path of many different Bluetooth options.
Yeah. I have some bluetooth gear. I so very rarely use it, but like you, there are times, right?
I just do not expect much. If it pairs and does anything, cool. Get it done, ditch it quick. When it works well? Total fucking bonus!
I have that gear due to a couple well meant gifts. Like most things, it goes in my road bag. I have a very wide variety of bits in there accumulated over 20 some years. Can handle a ton of odd scenarios. Built it up one fucked scenario at a time. (Like a lot of us probably have)
Edit: New venture, and it is more service related. I am building up a new bag. Lots of new tools instead of bits of tech. Fun!
Every time I go to trim the fat, something comes up. Last time it was some poor tech, early in his career setting up the demo from hell for a trade show. They stuck the guy with some low grade monitor. The combination of the product graphics sub system, it's OS and that screen just would not play well with digital video, which he was equipped for.
Tech support told him analog VGA... the look on his face was hilarious! He thought he was doomed. I went to my room, got the cable and gave it to him.
"WTF?"
I said, "this is how it starts brother, good luck, and keep the cable."
(Yeah, I did replace that one. It is not over yet where analog video is concerned. Soon though. Soon, I keep saying...)
That road bag goes to shows and other engagements where who knows? Worth carrying it.
A lighter version exists in my back pack. Mostly adapters, other bits. Lean and mean. I am mobile enough to warrant some kit or other.
Blutooth has saved my ass a few times. Both kits have a couple basic Blutooth devices, and some USB ones too.
To me, it is like that VGA cable, or odd gender changer, or dongle, USB device, world power brick with tips, etc. An option, and sometimes a welcome one, but not a daily driver.
My dailies are super simple, very robust, ultra low hassle. I just do not have the time and energy. Save that for the tough gigs.
I'll be very sad when analog video dies - I've just been fighting with getting the Nintendo Switch to output via an unofficial dock (because the official one is too big to travel with).
In terms of general use, digital is nice. Movies, my laptop and phone screens.
For games and other things I like to do, analog all the way! Ideally on a CRT, and I have a couple really nice ones.
In my embedded type fun mostly hobby activity, analog is just great. It uses fewer resources, is easier, takes as little as one pin to drive a monochrome HDTV display (use the Y component input), and is generally more tolerant and or can be reasonably abused.
Yeah, I will miss it. Won't die with me for a very long time yet.
Analog audio just is not the same sort of beast. Great gear from the 70's is still entirely relevant in ways that video gear mostly isn't.
This no headphone jack thing is a major annoyance. Going digital in video has advantages. No worries. I get that, and am happy to play along. Besides, I can still do a lot of analog for my own purposes, even if that means signalling into some adapter chip or other.
So far, and some smart people could change things, but so far, digital audio to replace analog out, basically invalidates otherwise relevant gear, and offers next to nothing besides no wire in return. Gott xharge it, dongle it, pair it, configure it, just fuck it.
(One could do no wire with analog means, even optical ones in some cases)
It is a real mess for something largely transparent my whole life. Ugh... hate it.
