[pr1970]

Question is in 2023 why is Bluetooth still a pain to use.
I’ve been trying a few ear buds recently and I thought I’d go for 5.3 Bluetooth and purchased usb dongles to use this.
I tried 3 from Sony, JBL and Nothing with usb dongles from ugreen , TP-Link and another unknown brand. It’s incredible how many issues I had either paring or connecting or having them stuck in headset mode rather than in headphone quality. Headset quality is pretty poor for voice calls.
Audio is ok but still get drop outs occasionally. I spent hours uninstalling drivers/devices and restarting trying other brands of dongle. Just feel like things haven’t progressed in the few decades we have had Bluetooth.
I wish there was a better easier way.
End of moan

 

[dunring]

There's a phone app called Wifi analyzer that can show how many 2.4ghz networks you have competing with Bluetooth. If you turn that off on your router and limit wireless keyboards and mice it can help. Just try turning off any devices for a minute that use 2.4ghz and see if it smoothes out Even the magnetron in your microwave oven goes off at that frequency, and every phone, smart tv, Firet stick, etc. can step on BT playback.

 

[pr1970]

There's a phone app called Wifi analyzer that can show how many 2.4ghz networks you have competing with Bluetooth. If you turn that off on your router and limit wireless keyboards and mice it can help. Just try turning off any devices for a minute that use 2.4ghz and see if it smoothes out Even the magnetron in your microwave oven goes off at that frequency, and every phone, smart tv, Firet stick, etc. can step on BT playback.

Thanks, yeah that could be my downfall , have 32 devices on my network. That includes 3 wifi mesh devices, ring and nest products, 4 phones, 3 wireless keyboards/mice, flood sensors, fire alarms, smart lights,etc
So should i forget bluetooth audio really in my house? Saying that I just had a call on my Nothing ear 2 and i walked downstairs to the back of the house and it only dropped for a second and then was fine. Not sure if headset audio is using lower bandwidth. I can go downstairs ok with it as a headphone and its fine until i move into another room downstairs.

 

[Roseval]

Not sure if headset audio is using lower bandwidth.

It does.
HSP (Headset Profile) uses 64 kbps.
A2DP ( Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) uses 320 kbs most of the time.

until i move into another room downstairs.

Bluetooth is low energy by design. 10 m max free field is common.