Poor Bluetooth reception and jerky mouse

Just a couple of things.

In talking with some of the people at Apple that have clout they have said to me things that they would not write down or email...I have asked them to do such and they would decline. I do not fault them, some of the info is speculation and so they do not wish to be held to that speculation.

BTW, for whatever reasons, I have had OVER 10 Apple case support ID numbers associated to this one problem. They expire I guess.

If I was not in wait for the new MP, I would take my new antenna and just run it outside the case and be done with it. Of course, that is not Apples's way and it would void any warranty claims.

SO, has anyone with a Early 2009 MP or LATER have total success with the MP and the MM out of the box???
I guess I am still expecting that a new MP, same specs, will have the same problem...

I have a 2009 Mac Pro which had the flaky/jerky bluetooth. After contacting Apple numerous times they replaced the entire enclosure. Bluetooth now works perfectly with my Magic Mouse.
I asked the tech what the difference was with the case, and he just told me that it is different, but wouldn't elaborate.

A tech is coming out to replace the bluetooth antenna.
I see it goes up near the rear of the machine- and if I have the mouse near the rear it works great.

If that doesn't work I'll push for a new case or new machine.
I'll post up any results.

A MP user on an Australian Mac forum who was having BT problems has had his case(enclosure) replaced,by an Applecare Tech, which solved the problem.
Is this the fix everybody has been waiting for ?
http://forums.mactalk.com.au/28/80881-magic-mouse-extreme-lag-2009-mac-pro-3.htm l

Yes, it is a true fix.
I received the new (same modle version) MP this weekend. Fired it up with the old MM and it WORKED GREAT.

So I then moved the new hd into the old MP and it would not work at all. Moved my old hd into the new case/MP and it worked GREAT. Simple as that.

Now I guess they are catching on, but who will they replace the cases for?
The cases do look identical. I will be talking with Apple about this some more soon. I still have to send the old MP back, and, fyi, there was NEVER ONCE A DISCUSSION ABOUT THE CASE BEING THE PROBLEM. They were still talking firmware or MM updates, etc. Including things like, the MM was never meant to work with a Early 2009 MP.

For me anyway, FOR THE FIRST TIME, I have a correctly functioning MM on a MP!

I am said Australian with the Mac Pro. When I first discussed the problem with someone at Apple they indicated from the start that the possible things to exchange were the 1) BT antenna, 2) BT module and as a final resort 3) the entire enclosure.

The tech came out to my office twice. The first time they changed the BT module but this did nothing. I called up my contact at Apple and he suggested that they need to order a new enclosure and that they would inform the service provider to order me a new case.
So it would seem that Apple are aware that there is a problem with this model and have revised their design in some way.

I have been following this thread since I got my MP last year, they replaced the whole unit last year for me and it was exactly the same, turd bluetooth. so last year I decided to wait for a fix, thinking there might be one soon how wrong was I. "STILL WAITING APPLE"
So recently I came back to this thread to see if we were any closer to a fix. some guys are getting things fixed some aren't. Id read if you open the side door the bluetooth works great. So I decided to open the door and have a look inside. yep my Magic mouse is much improved while the door is open.
While it was open I had a look about inside the machine. I could see black marks under the graphics card. so decided to shut the machine down and have a look at it. so while the machine was off, I removed the graphics card and nearly started crying LOL. I have no where to post these images but this machine is defo getting too hot or as been at some point. the plastic matt that sits under the graphics card (Radeon 4870) is black in places also the aluminium is black too, now this is not dust as it does not rub off. Its charred Black.
So I decided to call apple myself and explain.
After I did they where not so interested in the bluetooth problem but more interested in getting some images of this blackening issue, after they did, he was certain this is an unusual problem but may be linked to the bluetooth issue as the bluetooth module is in the same area. (Not The Cause) he had me do some capturing of system logs and such, sent that back also attached the images, and i am now waiting for the engineers to analyse the data I sent.
Jesus apple I have been complaining about my 2500 pound machine since i got it what the ****. I wanna throw 2500 bad apples at jobs head. (not really)
So I have posted this here too see if anyone else with the radeon 4870 is experiencing the same issues iv explained here as this graphics card could be the cause of all our bluetooth issues or maybe not but this card is deffo getting way too hot, and who knows what kind of poison this thing is pumping out. if I don't have a resolve by the end of this week I am taking this further. this is just unreal unreal unreal.

Anyone remember the heat issue with the audio. maybe thats some link to where this heat came from.

If anyone wants to see the pics send me an email and ill forward them too you.

higlo20@hotmail.com

Cheers for any input
Ste

The tech came out.
They didn't send the antenna, but rather a short cable for the Bluetooth module (already replaced) and the Airport Extreme card. I have no idea why they sent that- I've never even turn it on!
I did test the airport just to make sure it worked (it did).

Absolutely no difference (maybe even slightly worse) and the tech claimed the cable bolted to the case. It looked like it went up the side to me, to a bolt on unit- but I could be wrong.
Testing the RSSI with the Bluetooth Explorer told me that is where the antenna is located.
(I'm a radio tech, working with RF all the time, including interference, intermod and poor coverage for various reasons- so this is right up my alley).

I think the antenna has problems (location, type or bad cable).

Fortunately the person at Apple liked all the troubleshooting and info gathering I did, and sent me a 'Capture' application. I did all that and sent all the info I had. Rather than just toss parts at it she will get the engineers involved and try to come up with a solution (they would have sent out a logic board, but I'm not convinced that would solve it).

Hopefully in the next few weeks it can be solved.

Mark

This issue is solved. You need to contact Applecare and request to get your enclosure changed. No mucking about with logicboards, antennas, BT modules. It is the case.
I have spent a lot of time conversing with Apple and their engineers. This IS the fix.

The ATI card should not do that. I have the ATI card and it does not interfere with the BT signal either.

If the case had been replaced before and the BT problem still existed, it was replaced with one of the bad cases that still did not work.

As mentioned above, it it the enclosure/case that is the problem.

Apple is still not admitting to a problem yet, in public anyways.

This issue is solved. You need to contact Applecare and request to get your enclosure changed. No mucking about with logicboards, antennas, BT modules. It is the case.
I have spent a lot of time conversing with Apple and their engineers. This IS the fix.

I told them that, do you have a case number you could email me?
If I reference that, maybe it will speed up the process.

Ok, I guess I should have jumped to the last page or two of the thread before posting.
Although, getting a new enclosure is a big deal, so what I posted will still work until you are able to get your enclosure replaced, if Apple is actually going to do that for every Mac Pro that has BT issues.
It would seem to me that Apple would be better off with the external antenna route or offering to support 3rd party bluetooth dongles to fix this. It would be far far cheaper.

Take my machine in and leave it without being able to work for days while they replace the whole case?! No way!

Besides, my machine is out of warranty, and I don't have and would never pay for Applecare or any other extended warranty. 🙂

Really, Nobblynoel is absolutely right: you can waste time and get aggravated trying other things, or you can buy a wi-fi antenna and a U.FL Mini PCI to RP-SMA cable. Then you drill one 1/4" hole in a PCI slot cover, unplug and plug in the mini cable, screw the cable onto a PCI slot cover, and Bob's your uncle. 20 minutes at most, and if you did it again it would take 5 minutes since you'd know exactly what you were doing.

I tried three different USB dongles, and they all work well but don't wake up from sleep. Forget about that D-Link crap suggested on the Apple site; the current D-Link firmware doesn't even work with Macs.

Apple is replacing the case (enclosure).
I sent a LOT of info, documenting the receive signal level from the bluetooth module and other cases.

Since I live in the sticks and have Applecare, they are doing this onsite.

I'll post up when it is done and if it solves the issue completely.

I wonder whether they've changed the design of the case? If not I can't imagine how that would have anything to do with it; the problem is simply that the metal case is blocking the signal, and another case that's identical won't change anything.

Meanwhile I have to repeat repeat again again that simply unplugging the internal BT antenna and plugging in an external one solves the problem 100%.

If you could ask them why this solves the problem when they arrive, it would be very interesting.