|
|
probs using Skype with Bluetooth headset
About Truespace Archives
These pages are a copy of the official truespace forums prior to their removal somewhere around 2011.
They are retained here for archive purposes only.
probs using Skype with Bluetooth headset // Hardware
Post by Alien // Jan 31, 2006, 8:51am
|
Alien
Total Posts: 1231
|
I'd heard plenty of hype about how great & useful Skype was, & figured I wouldn't mind saving on my phone bill, so I went & ordered a bluetooth adapter & a bluetooth headset. Not having had any major probs with new hardware in quite a long time in terms of compatibility, etc, I naively expected it to work straight away, without any fuss. If only!
The 1st adapter I got didn't work at all, & it turned out it was from a bad batch, so sent it back & got sent a slightly newer model. This time the adapter seems to be ok [I don't have any other BT devices to test it with], but I can't seem to get the headest working properly. I've tried that Skype sound check thing numerous times, & a couple of times I've heard what the recorded voice said, but usually it's very crackly [when there's any sound at all], & I think once it recorded my voice, though not very clearly.
The adapter is a Belkin F8T013 (http://catalog.belkin.com/IWCatProductPage.process?Merchant_Id=&Product_Id=254153) & the headset is a Logitech Mobile Freedom (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/products/details/GB/EN,CRID=2193,CONTENTID=11069). Anyone got any ideas? |
Post by Blackcurrant // Jan 31, 2006, 11:25am
|
Blackcurrant
Total Posts: 4
|
Hi
First try with simple El Cheapo wired mic, if its ok.
Sometimes when I have heavy DL on on my router it don't get the bandwith and result is crackly sound. Can you install skype on computer on same location and try again.
Skype is fine here and almost never fails me, not hype at all. And the plus thing is that you can change camera on fly, stop camera and select your capturecard and start again while keep on talking. You can use your radio (line in), or other device too. So do you see your devices listed on Tools\ Settings\. |
Post by TomG // Jan 31, 2006, 11:56am
|
TomG
Total Posts: 3397
|
Loads of things to check unfortunately. I've found bluetooth audio gateways to be surprisingly messy.
1. Check the signal strength. This should be found somewhere in the info about your headset on the PC. I cant for the life of me find my signal strength as I write :) EDIT: Found it! Not under the little icon in the tray, but under My Bluetooth Places.
Usually better signal strength is found by using a USB on front of your machine rather than at the back (where metal and things seems to interfere much more with the signal)
2. Check your audio devices - sometimes it sticks to using something other than your bluetooth. Control Panel and your audio devices are the thing ot check here
3. Sometimes my bluetooth device (a belkin) just get all hung up and I can't stop and start it. I've seen it conflict with a Windows default bluetooth device sometimes. When that happens, I have to reboot, and it goes back to normal.
4. I find I have to use the same USB port each time, otherwise it runs the windows default and not the belkin.
I find that I have no recording volume control at all with my set up. Playback volume I set using the headset itself, not sure if the windows volume control works for the bluetooth.
Rather than test with Skype, where you introduce something else that might not be working, test with playing back audio files etc. That way you know if its the bluetooth or skype. Sound Recorder is useful to test your mic too.
Also, I assume you were succesful with getting the bluetooth adapter to recognise the headset as an audio gateway? And the headset recognised it too? |
Post by Alien // Jan 31, 2006, 2:00pm
|
Alien
Total Posts: 1231
|
Hi
First try with simple El Cheapo wired mic, if its ok.
haven't got 1, well I have, I think, but I haven't the faintest idea where it is.
Sometimes when I have heavy DL on on my router it don't get the bandwith and result is crackly sound. Can you install skype on computer on same location and try again. Nope, tried it with nothing else sending or receiving any traffic at the time, & I only have the 1 computer at the moment.
Skype is fine here and almost never fails me, not hype at all. And the plus thing is that you can change camera on fly, stop camera and select your capturecard and start again while keep on talking. You can use your radio (line in), or other device too. So do you see your devices listed on Tools\ Settings\.I wasn't casting doubt on Skype, I already knew from Norm that TomG had managed to get Skype working with BT, I know it's something to do with the BT side of things.
Loads of things to check unfortunately. I've found bluetooth audio gateways to be surprisingly messy.Please tell me headsets work ok with mobile phones? At least that way this won't have been a total waste of money, as my friend is hopefully giving me his old Motorola V3 in a couple of weeks.
1. Check the signal strength. This should be found somewhere in the info about your headset on the PC. I cant for the life of me find my signal strength as I write :) EDIT: Found it! Not under the little icon in the tray, but under My Bluetooth Places.Yeah, it was a pain in the arse to find, but I found it eventually. It started off wobbling back & forth between good & about 1/2 way between good & no signal, but then I waved the headset towards the computer & it went to good & stayed there, even when I moved it back to where it was when it was being iffy.
Usually better signal strength is found by using a USB on front of your machine rather than at the back (where metal and things seems to interfere much more with the signal) That's what's weird. It's supposed to have a 10 metre range & I've never tried to use it more than 1.5 away. Strangely enough, it picked up someone else's mobile - presumably the guy in the flat below mine, & there's a heavy duty concrete floor between us, not just wimpy floorboards. :)
2. Check your audio devices - sometimes it sticks to using something other than your bluetooth. Control Panel and your audio devices are the thing ot check hereNo, it behaved itself on that front, I set it to BT & it stayed on that, even after restarting Skype.
3. Sometimes my bluetooth device (a belkin) just get all hung up and I can't stop and start it. I've seen it conflict with a Windows default bluetooth device sometimes. When that happens, I have to reboot, and it goes back to normal.Yikes! Haven't had that happen, well, not since I got the replacement adapter anyway.
4. I find I have to use the same USB port each time, otherwise it runs the windows default and not the belkin. well, it is plugged in the back, but I did try moving the headset within sight of it [so as to avoid the hassle of plugging it in a front socket, which I want to keep free, & also I'd have no-doubt had to fart around with it to get it on the Belkin drivers again] but that didn't make any difference.
I find that I have no recording volume control at all with my set up. Playback volume I set using the headset itself, not sure if the windows volume control works for the bluetooth.TBH it never even occurred to me to try the windows volume for anything - I tend to leave it maxed out & use the volume control on anything that's attached to my computer.
Rather than test with Skype, where you introduce something else that might not be working, test with playing back audio files etc. That way you know if its the bluetooth or skype. Sound Recorder is useful to test your mic too.Yeah, tried that, & it sorta worked once or twice, very quietly, even though I turned the volume up on the headset.
Also, I assume you were succesful with getting the bluetooth adapter to recognise the headset as an audio gateway? And the headset recognised it too?The adapter recognises the headset, shows up as Logitech HS02-V07 & the Audio gateway icon goes green. As for the headset recognising the adapter - sometimes it gives me this ringing melody which the manual said it would do, but other times it doesn't, & even when I press the button to answer [as the manual says I should] it beeps to acknoledge the button's been pressed & does the correct LED flashes.
I really wish I'd never bought the sodding thing now! I could have bought a USB headset [I don't want to use 1 via my soundcard, as I use my computer for listening to music & would have to keep unplugging & replugging] which would have cost me about £25-30, instead of the £40 or so I spent on the adapter & headset. Still, if the headset works with the V3 I'm getting it won't be a total loss. |
Post by Alien // Feb 1, 2006, 7:22am
|
Alien
Total Posts: 1231
|
In the end I decided to order this headset (https://www.komplett.co.uk/k/ki.asp?sku=308135&view=detailed). Hopefully, as it has a lead I shouldn't have any probs. |
Post by TomG // Feb 1, 2006, 11:56am
|
TomG
Total Posts: 3397
|
The headset should work fine with phones I believe, never tried it myself. I find it amazing that it is impossible to get cordless headsets for PCs - you get them for the Xbox etc, but for a PC? Nah.
Hence the bluetooth solution, which to me seems a little messy as I noted. I have it working so that's good, but it was really hard to set up (as compared to "plugging in a headset" which is instant!).
Wish I knew more suggestions - do you get anything playing back through the headset, to determine whether this is Skype or headset? Do you get Skype playing through your speakers? Those tests might isolate where the cause is along the torturous chain ;)
HTH!
Tom |
Post by Alien // Feb 1, 2006, 1:36pm
|
Alien
Total Posts: 1231
|
The headset should work fine with phones I believe, never tried it myself.
I certainly hope so, wouldn't want to end up having to drop my internet speed from 2Mb to 1Mb just to save some money.
I find it amazing that it is impossible to get cordless headsets for PCs - you get them for the Xbox etc, but for a PC? Nah.
What connection do they use on the Xbox? USB, or the controller port? [which, AFAIK, is also just USB, but with a different connector] Assuming you're talking about the old Xbox, I know even less about the 360 than I do about the original, which is not a lot. I was just thinking that if it is USB, maybe they'd work on a PC, possibly with a different connector. Not that I'm gonna bother experimenting to test the theory. just wondering...
Hence the bluetooth solution, which to me seems a little messy as I noted. I have it working so that's good, but it was really hard to set up (as compared to "plugging in a headset" which is instant!).
Yeah, that is 1 advantage consoles have over PCs.
Wish I knew more suggestions - do you get anything playing back through the headset, to determine whether this is Skype or headset? Do you get Skype playing through your speakers? Those tests might isolate where the cause is along the torturous chain ;)
HTH!
Tom
The sound comes out my speakers fine, I'm pretty sure it's not Skype. I'm really greatful for your input, don't think I'm not - but I've kinda run out of patience with this headset, & don't see the point in any more experimenting as that other headset should arrive either tomorrow or Friday.
As I said, I'll hopefully be getting that V3 soon, so [hopefully] I can make use of the bluetooth headset with that [not that I use my mobile that much anyway, but... :) ].
Also, if that OLED keyboard I mentioned in another thread doesn't come out soon I might get myself a Logitech MX5000, which is supposed to be pretty good, & you can use it as a bluetooth hub or whatever, & maybe the logitech headset will be more compatible with that...? :confused: |
Post by Alien // Feb 11, 2006, 5:54am
|
Alien
Total Posts: 1231
|
Well, there's a new development. Seems it wasn't just because I was using a bluetooth device. I got that USB headset & it has probs too. I can hear sound fine, but if I try & record anything [doesn't matter how, tried MS Sound Recorder as well] it comes out crackly & garbled.
It would seem my system doesn't like capturing sound via USB, which is weird, as it's USB2 on all ports, & I even tried plugging it into 1 of the main 1s on the back panel - no difference. :( |
Post by TomG // Feb 13, 2006, 3:45am
|
TomG
Total Posts: 3397
|
Hmm that's very weird - could it be a hardware problem of some sort? Is there anything about USB and sound capture on the net for that particular motherboard? Definitely an odd problem, but nothing jumps out at me as being the cause - does USB sound still get passed to the sound card at any point, could there be a fault there?
HTH!
Tom |
Post by Alien // Feb 13, 2006, 2:22pm
|
Alien
Total Posts: 1231
|
Hmm that's very weird - could it be a hardware problem of some sort?
I'm starting to think it might be. :(
Is there anything about USB and sound capture on the net for that particular motherboard?
It's an Abit AN7, & not that I can find, no.
Definitely an odd problem, but nothing jumps out at me as being the cause - does USB sound still get passed to the sound card at any point, could there be a fault there?
As far as I know, it doesn't have anything to do with the sound card. I even tried uninstalling the drivers for my Audigy to see if that would make a difference. Sound [via Winamp] still played fine through the headset, but recording was still bad. :(
I just posted a message about it on the Abit forum, maybe someone there may be able to shed some light on this. |
Post by jamesmc // Feb 13, 2006, 4:36pm
|
jamesmc
Total Posts: 2566
|
Try this USB website. I found it most helpful in the past.
http://www.usbman.com/ |
Post by Blackcurrant // Feb 15, 2006, 9:41am
|
Blackcurrant
Total Posts: 4
|
This is very trivia, sorry, but I do sometimes forget switching Control Panel /Sounds and Audio Devices/ Default Device.
Now I do have to switch between usb device and card sometimes as they operate as separate devices. On Skype Tools / Settings you can switch them too but Control Panel is your main source if you don't see your usb device there you most likely are in HW trouble like you are assuming. I have two usb devices on two boards working fine with Skype, though all software like my DVB-T cards tuner can't use usb audio devices.
If you switch either Skype Audio Settings or Control Panel Sounds and Audio Devices you have to reboot Skype, video source you can change on fly.
I know this might not be the sollution for you but taken how long you have suffered this I give it a try. |
|
