Bluetooth Stereo Headset - choppy audio only with OSX

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Level 1

4 points

Bluetooth Stereo Headset - choppy audio only with OSX

I just purchased a Motorola S9-HD headset and it works flawlessly with my phone (Android, HTC hardware). On my MacBook Pro (Core 2 Duo) however, audio is complete garbage. The audio chops - a second or 2 of sound then silence, then another second or two of sound. If I let this go on for a minute or more the audio speed starts increasing along with the chop. It's totally un-listenable.
I've seen suggestions that this is an issue with the headset, but it is not. The headset performs perfectly with other devices. And just to be sure I trashed my Bluetooth preferences on the MacBook Pro, rebooted, removed all Bluetooth devices and re-paired the headset. With the headset as the -only- Bluetooth device connected to the MBP, audio was just fine. No chopping, no speed strangeness, perfect performance.

The moment I pair and connect my Magic Mouse the headset audio goes all wacky again. Clearly the MBP can't handle both Bluetooth devices at once so I'm left with the decision of using either my Magic Mouse OR my headset. I can't use both at once.

Any suggestions?

I've seen this thread as well - http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?messageID=10946202&#10946202 - but it's both closed and for older model MBP's. None of the fixes suggested there actually work. The only thing that does is to disconnect and not use my Magic Mouse.

MacBook Pro Intel C2D w/ 4GB RAM, Mac OS X (10.6.6), Mac Mini Intel C2D 1.8ghz

Posted on Feb 11, 2011 1:40 PM

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Answer 1

lzanatta

Level 1

4 points

Feb 11, 2011 7:37 PM in response to Decavolt

Same problem with my iMac (magic mouse + BT Keyboard)....
It works perfect with my macbook-air, iPhone4 and iPad :S
Tomorrow i'll try with usb mouse & keyboard...

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Answer 2

Feb 23, 2011 9:23 PM in response to Decavolt

I have developed exactly the same problem when streaming audio from my MacBook Pro via bluetooth to my Sony HiFi system. The music starts of fine and then dissolves into a choppy mess that sounds like it is gargling or trying to play underwater. The music becomes unlistenable until i disconnect and reconnect, but this only rectifies the problem for a short time and the same occurs again after a few minutes.
The only solution i have found is by totally turning off the wifi while listening to music, but this then stops me using streaming services.
Unbelievably annoying problem that im sure could be resolved somehow. It just seems like wifi interference or something.

Its driving me mad!!

Any suggestions???

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Answer 3

mmigdol

Level 1

0 points

Mar 24, 2011 1:43 PM in response to Decavolt

One more unhappy customer here. Happens on both my Rocketfish headset as well a my Creative remote speaker.

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Answer 4

eMac'r

Level 1

8 points

Mar 26, 2011 3:16 PM in response to mmigdol

This worked for me:

I'm using the Motorola S9 Bluetooth Headphones to listen to iTunes (v10.2.1) on my iMac (Aluminum / OS X 10.6.7)

Music stutters and lags through the S9 Headphones. I discovered the problem to be with my Bluetooth Magic Mouse. Once I switched off the Magic Mouse, the problem went away. My advice to anyone with choppy playback through Bluetooth headphones is to turn off all other Bluetooth devices. I'd be interested to see if it works for you too.

Don.

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Answer 5

Apr 3, 2011 2:18 AM in response to Decavolt

I have a temporary solution that I hope will apply to you as well, but ultimately this issue will need to be fixed by Apple's software engineers.

I have a pair of Sony DR-BT21G Bluetooth Headphones, and use them regularly with an 11" Macbook Air. I noticed the same issue here, and narrowed it down to a Bluetooth conflict (of some sort) with my aluminum Apple bluetooth keyboard.

To get them both functioning at the same time, I discovered a method that seems to work consistently: Keep the keyboard connected. Remove the Headphones from the list of BT Devices in System Preferences. Then re-add the Headphones again from scratch, and enable them from the Bluetooth Menu Item.

This allows me to use them both as was intended, until I close the lid of the laptop or turn the headphones off... at which time I know I'll have to repeat the process again the next time I want to use them. It's a pain, I know, but at least you won't have to live in silence.

I hope this helps.

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Answer 6

bobc5571

Level 1

0 points

Apr 9, 2011 5:58 PM in response to Decavolt

Thanks for the tip. My new Sony DRBT 50 works fine with bluetooth connections on my i pad 2 and on my I touch 3 but not with my MacPro. I also have a magic mouse and a bluetooth keyboard. I will disconnect them when I want to use the headset. Bobc5571

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Answer 7

judas_s

Level 1

5 points

Apr 11, 2011 11:20 AM in response to Decavolt

I am experiencing a problem like this one.

I have a Motorola DC800 A2DP gateway and a Magic Mouse. Music sounds perfectly until I connect the mouse through BT: at this point, audio will only sound for 1 second and then it will stop and remain silent.

I have tried resetting preferences, etc. and now I know there is a conflict between these devices: as soon as I disconnect the mouse, music starts coming through again.

This is very very annoying...if anyone knows of a workaround so I can use them both simultaneously I would really appreciate if it is posted here.

Thanks,

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Answer 8

Decavolt Author

Level 1

4 points

May 10, 2011 1:01 PM in response to Decavolt

Madcap Studios' reply above works but only if I don't touch the mouse. The moment the mouse moves the audio chops.

Unplugging the mouse altogether and using my wired mouse works, but that's obviously not a solution. I'm pretty disappointed that I can't use my Magic Mouse at all if I want to use my bluetooth headphones and vice versa. This is a pretty major flaw.

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Answer 9

eleedom

Level 1

0 points

Jul 17, 2011 5:44 AM in response to Decavolt

Same issue with Voiis Stereo Wireless Music Gateway. Again "fixed" by disabling my bluetooth mouse. Not terribly impressive.

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Answer 10

Tenck

Level 1

0 points

Aug 9, 2011 12:47 AM in response to eleedom

Same problem here with a Voiis Stereo Wireless Music Gateway and my BT mouse and keyboard on a Mac Mini (early 2009). I have been trying to fix the problem by changing WiFi channels, since BT and WiFi sometimes interfere with each other. It made it less choppy, but still choppy nontheless. Since I live in an area with a lot of WiFi access points (20+) I also suspect they are interfering.

Has anyone tried OSX Lion to see whether this has been fixed?

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Answer 11

bmidgley

Level 1

0 points

Feb 14, 2012 12:16 PM in response to Decavolt

This choppy behavior while listening to audio is exactly what we encountered in the bluez team in developing bluetooth audio for linux. It happens if the bluetooth host adapter was allowed to switch to the slave role.

Ideally, the host adapter keeps the master role, forcing the bluetooth headphones and mouse etc to be slaves in a single piconet. If the mouse or headphones are allowed to become master, then the host adapter has to switch between two piconets. This accounts for total lack of communication with the headset for a period of time while it has switched to the other piconet.

I've looked to see if there's a workaround to force the issue but I haven't found anything. The app "blueutil" is a command-line utility for power/discovery mode setting but doesn't do anything advanced like set role policy. I wrote to the author to see if he has seen any API for setting policy.

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Answer 12

Decavolt Author

Level 1

4 points

Feb 14, 2012 12:30 PM in response to Decavolt

I recently updated to Lion and it looks like the issue might be gone. I have only used my BT headset a few times so far and haven't had the choppy audio issue yet.

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Answer 13

Jun 3, 2012 8:21 PM in response to cattell92

This doesn't sound like the same problem, since it's WiFi and not Bluetooth. With WiFi, it's probably just radio level interferance (which nonetheless *****). With Bluetooth, the issue is deeper, since the devices should all one same network, and thus not interfering with each other.

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Answer 14

Jun 3, 2012 8:24 PM in response to Decavolt

It's not gone for me in Lion. I have the issue when using Magic Mouse + Jawbone Jambox on a 2010 MacBook Air. Without the Magic Mouse, it sounds awesome. When using Magic Mouse, the quality is aweful. (I noticed it a few years back with a Bluetooth headset, but didn't think much of the problem at the time since I don't use the headset very often).

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Answer 15

May 15, 2013 8:44 AM in response to Decavolt

I also am having this issue with a Rocketfish headset. In addition to the choppy audio, the mouse pointer motion will get jerky/non-responsive and occasionally the headset will just disconnect.

Obviously spectum contention is going to be an issue with bluetooth, but it seems like this is either an issue with priortization at the computer side and/or the mouse not playing nice when transmitting.

I'm running:

Mac Mini i5 16GB 1333Mhz DDR3

Mac OS X 10.8.3 (12D78)

27" Thunderbolt Cinema Display

Apple Bluetooth Magic Mouse

Logitech K750-mac wireless keyboard (with dedicated USB transmitter)

Rocketfish Headset (Not sure the model. Behind the head stereo-type)

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