Bluetooth Connection Failure for Kodak P500

Most non-postscript print drivers on OS X were written using Carbon, and the author gets to specify exactly which comm ptotocol the driver is for (mostly USB ONLY). OS X is capable of using Bluetooth if the driver was written for Bluetooth, OR, if you have a CUPS third-party driver available (because CUPS drivers can use all the comm protocols included in Printer Setup Utility). I don't think you will be able to print using Bluetooth.

All the 3rd party CUPS drivers I know about are here:
http://www.linux-foundation.org/en/OpenPrinting/macosx
http://www.printfab.net

MAC has decided not to allow certain Bluetooth Devices?

Kodak has chosen to provide a USB-only driver. Some USB-only drivers may work with USB Bluetooth devices. CUPS print drivers work through a built-in CUPS Bluetooth driver - the Bluetooth choice in More Printers section of the Add Printer Dialog.

HTH

I should have asked this before - does the manual give instructions for printing from OS X via Bluetooth? The specs at Kodak only refer to USB for printing.

And the manual says:
The on-board Bluetooth radio uses Bluetooth 1.1 technology, allowing you to print from compatible Bluetooth technology enabled devices, including many personal digital assistants (PDAs) and wireless mobile telephones.

I am in the same boat, trying to set up a Kodak P500 to print via Bluetooth.

The Gutenprint project has a driver for "Kodak Easyshare-Printer-Dock".
http://gimp-print.sourceforge.net/MacOSX.php3
The driver works fine with the Kodak P500 over USB.

However, neither Bluetooth Setup Assistant nor Printer Setup Utility will allow you to use it for Bluetooth printing. Bluetooth Setup Assistant recognizes the Kodak P500, but fails saying it can't find a driver. Apple did not provide a way to manually select a driver.

Likewise, Printer Setup Utility sees the printer (grayed out) when More Printers>Bluetooth is selected, but won't let you select it.

I have had similar problems setting up other printers in OS X. I do not understand why there is not always a manual option. On a few occasions I have been able to trick OS X by setting up another printer which uses the same path (USB, IP, etc.) then later changing the printer type (i.e. the driver) with Printer Setup Utilities Get Info window.

So maybe if you can find another Bluetooth printer which OS X will let you set up you can use that to give you an entry in Printer Setup Utility to edit to the Kodak printer. Given Bluetooth's security protocols this probably will not work as it would with a network printer.

Good luck.

- Winston

On Kodak's site I found instructions which allow the Kodak P500 to be paired with a Mac. Interestingly, part of this is NOT specifying that you are pairing a printer:
http://www.kodak.com/eknec/PageQuerier.jhtml?pq-path=7476/7742/7269&faqKnowledge base=157en&faqTopic=12&faqQuestionId=666&pq-locale=en_US&requestid=7539

This got my Kodak P500 recognized by Bluetooth. It shows up in Bluetooth Preferences as a device, and I can "browse" it.

But I still can't get Printer Setup Utility to let me add it. Argghhh.

- W

A kludge, but it works to print (I have only tried one photo):

1. Install the Kodak photo printer 500 (aka P500) as a Bluetooth device per the instructions on Kodak's site (see link above).

2. From the Bluetooth menu select "Browse Device..." Blluetooth File Exchange will open with a window titled "Browse Files".

3. Select the Kodak photo printer. On my Mac it is listed as "KodakP500-201". Either double click on it or click on "Browse".

4. A second window will open titled "Browsing..." , showing "KodakP500-201".

5. Drag a photo (or photos?) you want to print into the "Browsing..." window. Then click "Send..."
The photo will be sent to the P500, and then print.

Bluetooth File Exchange does not appear to be able to view or copy photo files on a memory card inserted in the P500. Looks like the P500 can't be used as a card reader over Bluetooth.

So if this works, why can't Printer Setup Utility figure this out?

Good luck.

- Winston

Bluetooth File Exchange can send photo files directly to the printer. This is easier than using the Browse window. It looks like you can send more than one photo, or a folder, but I don't know how the printer would respond to this (I have only sent an individual photo).

Bluetooth File Exchange
1. File>Send File...
2. Select the file you want to print, click "Send"
3. Select the P500 as the device, then click "Send"

Interestingly, this method does not appear to use any print driver - the printer just takes the photo file (JPEG) and prints it.


- Winston

I found the manual online at Kodak's site. I think they are trying to tell you - don't expect it to work from computers.