Just bought a Big Jambox - sounds brilliant through my phone (Bluetooth'ed) or through the PC (via 3.5mm audio cable), but Bluetoothed through the Win 7 PC sounds rubbish like the speakers are about to blow. I'm using a cheapo Bluetooth dongle off eBay.
Anyone else had this? Would buying a new Bluetooth dongle help (and if so which one), or could it be a native Windows issue, or what?
Thanks!
Possibly the cheapo dongle is only running Bluetooth 1, wheras a phone is probably rocking Bluetooth 3 or even 4 which have far better audio quality.
Windows sound enhancements typically cause problems like this. Look in the speaker config in the control panel for settings about normalisation/dolby etc and turn them all off.
The reason the sound quality is bad is because Win 7 is not using the A2DP profile which allows for high bitrate 2-channel stereo audio stream. Instead, it defaults to using a hands-free profile which is meant for microphone headsets.
You need to use the A2DP profile if you're using bluetooth audio on your PC. Install the driver disc that came with your BT dongle and use the included bluetooth stack and driver program.
If you don't have one, then see
http://windowsforum.com/threads/how-to-add-a2dp-support-to-w…
or
http://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_7-h…
You guys rock my world. I'll try the software solution and report back.
Through experimentation it does seem as though antenna reception is a big part of the issue, even within a few feet of the PC.
Regardless, I tried the cheap option (software solution) which did not work - it's a CSR chip and I couldn't find suitable drivers that worked, and I've lost the install CD. So I dusted off my wallet and splurged a few bucks on a new Bluetooth 4.0 dongle off eBay to try. If that doesn't work adequately I may just go and get one of those dual wireless-Bluetooth cards with the antennas on the back, for max range and power.
http://www.gigabyte.com.au/microsite/306/images/wifi.html
Drivers are not the same thing as profile. You don't need to change the hardware support, just what information Windows is pushing over it.
Note that some hardware may not support a2dp anyway.
Internal bluetooth may or may not be any better. Note that Bluetooth is described as a 'personal area network' and is not meant to cover any notable distance (typically devices within your reach).
I'm on the edge of my tech knowledge here but… it seems like all the links scrimshaw posted were for drivers?
How do I change the "profile" without the drivers?
Reading those links it looks like it is only included with third party drivers which is strange (those links also indicate it was standard with XP).
Perhaps there is some odd licensing issue why this is the case?
Anyone, sorry to lead you off track, this stuff shouldn't be like this, the whole point is standard interfaces is to take out this stupidity.
Aye!
However thanks to your response I was able to follow up more thoroughly; I found some other links which I will try. Apparently MS decided not to include something important in Win7. Quite a lot of things, actually, but this in particular!
bluetooth doesnt mix well with me and my computer.. tends to freeze things when I change settings.. Also using a cheap dongle from ebay
Can't see how the dongle would make any difference, sounds like a software issue to me.