[How-to] Set up the BTD-400 on macOS

Computer BTD400 Bluetooth Adapter
#1

To set up the BTD-400 on macOS (Intel and M1), the following steps will need to be done:

  1. Unplug the BTD-400 from the Mac.
  2. Enable the internal Bluetooth adapter on your computer if your computer has a built-in Bluetooth adapter.
  3. Delete any existing pairings that exist on your previous adapter. You can do this under your Bluetooth settings.
  4. Click on Go→Utilities→Terminal to open a Terminal window; we need to have the Mac see the external adapter
  5. Run the following command sudo nvram bluetoothHostControllerSwitchBehavior=always. Type in your Mac password and hit enter. Close the terminal window.
    • To have the Mac use the built-in adapter again, open the terminal and type in the command sudo nvram -d bluetoothHostControllerSwitchBehavior. Type in your Mac password and hit Enter. Close the terminal window
  7. Power off the Mac.
  8. Plug the BTD-400 adapter into your Mac, then power it on. The BTD-400 will not show up in the list of Bluetooth devices; it takes over from the built-in adapter.
  9. Put your Bluetooth device into pairing mode and pair it to your computer using the Mac’s Bluetooth settings.
#2

Nothing on the Kinivo website says the BTD-400 works with any Mac OS after 10.14

The current Mac OS is 12.4. Monterey.

I have reset PRAM, used the sudo nvram in Terminal many times, restarted… and nothing seems to get my 2015 iMac 27" to recognize the BTD-400

Chat on this site doesn’t seem to work either.

Any advice before I send it back to Amazon?

Cheers,

JF

#3

We apologize for all the difficulties. We have tested the BTD-400 on macOS 12.4 Monterey (Intel and M1) and confirmed that it does work.

Unplug the BTD-400 Click on the Apple menu, then System Report. Go to the Bluetooth section and note the MAC address for the built-in Bluetooth adapter.

Turn off Bluetooth on your Mac. Plug in the BTD-400. Wait about 15 seconds then turn on Bluetooth. Go to the Apple menu, System Report, then Bluetooth. If the MAC address is different from the built-in Bluetooth radio’s MAC address, then the BTD-400 is being detected and has taken over from the built-in Bluetooth radio. Pair devices as usual with the macOS.

Let us know what happens.

#4

Hi Brian

I followed instructions, also reset PRAM, et all, tried the Terminal command… sudo

Attached are screen shots. whether the device is plugged in or not the Bluetooth MAC address is null.

Further down in the USB Report, your Broadcom device does show up. Turning on Bluetoothat control panel, the blue switch comes on, but no Bluetooth is activated.

The 2015 iMac’s Bluetooth chip died 5 years ago. For four years it worked with competitor’s Bluetooth USB on OS 10.13 and 10.14. After upgrading to Monterey, your chip doesn’t seem to work or get recognized as a BT device.

Any more suggestions?

Screen Shot 2022-06-21 at 7.44.51 AM
Screen Shot 2022-06-21 at 7.44.51 AM1584×504 108 KB

#5

I found an old driver with Mojave 10.14.4 on it.

Same iMac, booted Mojave, your Bluetooth worked fine.

Rebooted back to Monterey, no love.

JF

#6

I highly recommend not using it. I have had issues since OS 11 and I am trying 13 beta and still it won’t do airdrop and drops connection. Even if you don’t use airdrop and airplay I expect it will simply have it drop more often than the internal transmitter.