I have been experiencing some frustrating audio stuttering or skipping while using A2DP Bluetooth stereo. After a lot of web searching and experimentation, I seem to have found a solution and thought I would pass it along just in case it may be of help to others.
First, the problem. I am using a Sprint Samsung Moment Android v 1.5 phone and an Altec-Lansing/Plantronics Backbeat 903 bluetooth stereo headset. This combination has generally been working great so long as I am indoors or in my car. Oddly, though, as soon as I start moving around, especially outdoors -- and especially in a downtown area -- I would begin to get persistent drop outs, stuttering, skipping, etc.
Research on a number of websites suggested two potential general sources for problem:
1. A2DP uses most or all of the bluetooth bandwidth and a fair amount of processor; this can create a problem of insufficient bandwidth and/or system resources. A number of sites and posts suggest various approaches based on this notion, most of which involve turning off or shutting down as many resources as possible including wifi, gps, unnecessary applications, or even restarting the phone to clear out such processes. I already do most of this just to try to keep my battery alive through the entire day. But there was one item I had not turned off and it seems to be making a significant difference: Wifi notification. (Menu --> Settings --> Wireless controls ==> Wi-Fi Settings --> Network Notification.) I have run across several theories as to why this would work. Some suggest that when you are walking outdoors (especially in an urban area), the wifi notification function encounters (moves in and out of) a lot more wifi networks and that the stuttering occurs when it is sampling or processing each of these new networks. In any event, turning this feature off seems to have made a significant difference. This seems to make a difference even if you already keep wifi turned off.
2. The other line of potential causes could be a problem with signal strength. One post suggested that bluetooth signals are stronger (or are reflected back) indoors or in a car -- but simply dissipate when you are outdoors. The suggested fix for this (as odd as it may seem) is to simply move your phone to the other side of your body. The purpose here is to avoid the bluetooth signal having to travel through your body. It turns out that Altec-Lansing actually makes this same recommendation on their support page. To my surprise, this also seems to work. The bluetooth receiver on the Backbeat headset is apparently on the left side. Being right handed, I have always preferred to carry my phone on the right. But moving the phone to my left side helped to dramatically reduce the stutters and drop outs I was experiencing with the headset.
These two steps have really helped to solve this problem for me. Using my bluetooth stereo headphones has become a real joy instead of an ongoing source of frustration. I hope this experience can be helpful to others.
First, the problem. I am using a Sprint Samsung Moment Android v 1.5 phone and an Altec-Lansing/Plantronics Backbeat 903 bluetooth stereo headset. This combination has generally been working great so long as I am indoors or in my car. Oddly, though, as soon as I start moving around, especially outdoors -- and especially in a downtown area -- I would begin to get persistent drop outs, stuttering, skipping, etc.
Research on a number of websites suggested two potential general sources for problem:
1. A2DP uses most or all of the bluetooth bandwidth and a fair amount of processor; this can create a problem of insufficient bandwidth and/or system resources. A number of sites and posts suggest various approaches based on this notion, most of which involve turning off or shutting down as many resources as possible including wifi, gps, unnecessary applications, or even restarting the phone to clear out such processes. I already do most of this just to try to keep my battery alive through the entire day. But there was one item I had not turned off and it seems to be making a significant difference: Wifi notification. (Menu --> Settings --> Wireless controls ==> Wi-Fi Settings --> Network Notification.) I have run across several theories as to why this would work. Some suggest that when you are walking outdoors (especially in an urban area), the wifi notification function encounters (moves in and out of) a lot more wifi networks and that the stuttering occurs when it is sampling or processing each of these new networks. In any event, turning this feature off seems to have made a significant difference. This seems to make a difference even if you already keep wifi turned off.
2. The other line of potential causes could be a problem with signal strength. One post suggested that bluetooth signals are stronger (or are reflected back) indoors or in a car -- but simply dissipate when you are outdoors. The suggested fix for this (as odd as it may seem) is to simply move your phone to the other side of your body. The purpose here is to avoid the bluetooth signal having to travel through your body. It turns out that Altec-Lansing actually makes this same recommendation on their support page. To my surprise, this also seems to work. The bluetooth receiver on the Backbeat headset is apparently on the left side. Being right handed, I have always preferred to carry my phone on the right. But moving the phone to my left side helped to dramatically reduce the stutters and drop outs I was experiencing with the headset.
These two steps have really helped to solve this problem for me. Using my bluetooth stereo headphones has become a real joy instead of an ongoing source of frustration. I hope this experience can be helpful to others.
