Bluetooth Headset mic records static sound only

I am sorry but I am quite skeptical about what you are saying. Are you sure you really did these tests? If yes, then someting in your environment must be quite unique.

On the other hand I could try to upgrade my old PowerBook G4 to Leopard (currently running 10.4.11) to verify this, but I don't think it is worth the effort. I have many people in my Skype list using bluetooth with Leopard (latest release) on G4 and G5 Macs, and none of them has this problem.

By the way, I now remember something else: I have a good friend with an older MacBook Pro (second generation), he runs 10.4.11 and still has the same bluetooth problem. So again, it does not seem to be the software, doesn't it?

There is another issue: Apple is surely aware of the problem, they could have solved it quite a while ago. They didn't simply because they can't: they would have to recall maybe millions of Macs to replace the bluetooth module.

I find it interesting that the old G4's seem to do fine. I used to have a Powerbook G4, and it worked fine with a bluetooth headset...used it everyday. I don't have it anymore, but I do have a 24" iMac, and can confirm that it has the static problem. It's not just limited to MB's and MBP's. Perhaps it's a combination of the new hardware and the software?

Add me to the list of the disappointed. My wife bought me a Moto H555 for my birthday to use for WoW chat, as I've been using an old beat up USB headset that came with the original SOCOM game for the PS2. Neither one of us ever suspected that a BT headset would have problems with a BT-enabled Mac, but I get the full blast pulsing static through the mic just like everyone else. My Mac shipped with OS 10.5.2, but I'm really loathe to go back and downgrade/reinstall an older OS - especially when I don't know if that will help or not.

The one thing I haven't seen on this thread is whether anyone ever submitted an actual bug report to Apple, through the ADC or otherwise. I really don't want to go spend more money on a dongle (which will cost more than the headset) to get a feature to work that should be operational; as I already paid the extra whatever-it-was to have a BT module installed in my Mac when I ordered it. We have to keep hounding them for a fix, and hold our breath/cross our fingers/wish upon a star every time an update appears in the hopes that this will be the fix we're all waiting for.

I spoke to apple UK customer support on the phone and they told me that apple were aware of the problem and working on it, but that's as much as I got out of them.

Is this a PPC or Intel iMac? PPC iMacs should not have this issue, but if it's an Intel iMac, then it confirms the rule.

So what's the secret to getting the Plantronics dongle to work with the Macs? I have a Plantronics 655 headset which will pair with and work with the BUA 100-BT adapter if I'm running XP under VMware but under OS-X it's dead. If I push the little button briefly I get the low pitched or high pitched tones that indicate connection and disconnection but no audio to or from it. Is there a Mac driver I need? If so where do I find it?

Thanks

When I use the plantronics dongle, I plug it into my usb port and the light blinks purple while it waits to find a device. I then turn on my plantronics headset and they find each other and the light on the dongle glows solid blue. Finally I have to press the button on the headset again as if I was answering a call, then the connection is activated and the dongle blinks blue and I get audio in and out. Maybe you need to do the last step with your headset?

Yes! That does the trick. It works exactly as you describe. Thank you very much indeed!

A.J.

Same issue here, my Jawbone works fine on my Intel Imac 2 GHz core duo with Tiger, my macbook air with leopard has the static.

I am pretty annoyed by this. I am hoping for a fix soon, even though I am not holding my breath.

I'm new here. Given that this is an apple site, and that this is clearly an apple problem rather than a headset problem, how come no one from apple comments to say that they're trying to sort it out?

Like others, I only found this after buying a new headset in an attempt to solve the problem. Turns out that my aging headset was just fine. So the money I spent on the new one is down the drain.

It would be great to know, if apple is ignoring us or working hard to fix it. I have bad feeling that since problem occurs mostly on macs with intel, not PPC, it would be HW related, maybe someone was "cutting corners" to save 50¢ on cheaper chip for bluetooth and then doomed whole set set of products. Shame on him.

Also, I bought the Plantronics .920 headset with USB dongle ( http://www.plantronics.com/northamerica/enUS/products/computer/laptop-headsets/audio-920 ) which partly solved the problem, but it is extremely inconvenient, because I use it for skype only and it does not switch itself of to standby, so one has to recharge it every 3-4 hours which *****.

Is there something I missed? Any trick which can be done to make it more automatized?

I actually played with that myself as well.

If I activate the headset and just check sound preferences, I can talk as lo ng as I want. However as soon as I activate Skype, within few seconds I get the static. OK I thought its a skype problem maybe.
But then I tried to use Ichat, and few seconds after launching ichat static started as well. I dont think its a hardware issue but an issue with the underlying OS. I don't know if the log below helps but it shows an issue with bluetooth right around when the static started.

Feb 21 19:27:11 joern-kalters-macbook-air ntpd[14]: time reset +0.423913 s
Feb 21 19:27:50 joern-kalters-macbook-air [0x0-0x1e01e].com.apple.iChat[346]: socket() failed (48)
Feb 21 19:28:31 joern-kalters-macbook-air kernel[0]: E:[AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController][IsochInReadHandler] error e00002eb isoch pipe
Feb 21 19:28:31 joern-kalters-macbook-air kernel[0]: [AppleUSBHCIController][HandleIsochData] Got error - e00002eb
Feb 21 19:28:31 joern-kalters-macbook-air kernel[0]: E:[AppleUSBBluetoothHCIController][IsochInReadHandler] error e00002eb isoch pipe
Feb 21 19:28:31 joern-kalters-macbook-air kernel[0]: [AppleUSBHCIController][HandleIsochData] Got error - e00002eb

I wish I could get away with that solution. I have an air and am stuck with one USB that sometimes is used for the network connection.

I don't am not sure if it is hardware. If you check your sound preferences withlout starting any application that is using the headset you will see that it seems to be working fine. If you start an actual App, I tried Skype and Ichat the problem occurs. Since its tied to the start of an "applecation" it makes me believe that this is OS related. Also some reported that it worked on prior versions.

@ Apple: This is really painful for me and one of the top things I need to have fixed. I travel international and beeing able to make calls on skype is such a benefit.

This is not an ideal solution, but you can get small, cheap USB hubs. I use the plantronics USB dongle connected to my macbook air through a small non-powered USB hub and it works just fine. This should allow you to have the ethernet adapter and the plantronics dongle plugged in simultaneously.

I know - another piece of hardware you shouldn't have to buy, but it is one solution until apple fixes this.

Add 1 more to the list of people who are getting screwed by this---How long do you think we'll be waiting though? There are posts of problems since 10.5.0 was released. I've tried both my plantronics and Motorola headsets and both just pick up static. I have a Mac Pro 2008 edition with the built-in Bluetooth. My mac BT keyboard works fine of course as does audio output through the headsets. I originally thought it might have something to do with the USB bus since in the Mac Pro the BT module is clearly connected to through it (I had a malfunctioning USB device that locked up the whole USB bus and my BT stopped working completely, after unplugging all my USB devices 1 by 1 I was able to isolate the bad device and BT in my Mac Pro immediately started working again) but I tried using only my BT keyboard and mouse and nothing plugged into USB on the Mac Pro but the problem still occurred. I don't know what else to try.