A2DP Skipping - Solution?

[politby]

This subject seems to have been beaten to death in the other device forums, but I haven't seen any direct references to this in the TyTN forums, so here goes: has anyone who experienced the ( every 10-20s) skipping problem using the A2DP profile found a solution?

I've seen a couple of registry hacks in other forums which seem to have worked for others, but nothing so far about the TyTN.

I have everything working now with WMP except this and the issue with the ring tone being delayed and coming only from the headset; see my other post this morning.

So far no other problems with the TyTN.

/POL

[Stefan Mensink]

Skipping happens on my TyTN mostly when the WiFi radio is on. When turned off, the music skips only every now and then.

[politby]

Skipping happens on my TyTN mostly when the WiFi radio is on. When turned off, the music skips only every now and then.

Not in my case. Wifi is turned off, and I still get skipping every 10-20 seconds.

/POL

[sas90850]

Improvement of Bluetooth Listen Music

Find this registry : :idea:

HKLM/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Bluetooth/A2DP/Settings/UseJointStereo (Dword:1)

Change the Value to 0

Also you can add a new registry to improve the quality:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Bluetooth\A2DP\Settings

Add : BitPool [Dword : 48] Maximum is 58

[politby]

Improvement of Bluetooth Listen Music

Find this registry : :idea:

HKLM/SOFTWARE/Microsoft/Bluetooth/A2DP/Settings/UseJointStereo (Dword:1)

Change the Value to 0

Also you can add a new registry to improve the quality:

HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Bluetooth\A2DP\Settings

Add : BitPool [Dword : 48] Maximum is 58


Yes, I've done these mods which set to stereo (why on earth have mono as default?) and select audio quality, but these don't affect the skipping.

Unless lowering the BitPool value will cure the skipping - but I want to keep it at 48 at least.

/POL

[Sleuth255]

Check through my notes thread here (http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=58836). There's been some research going on with priority settings and specific bitpool min/max values. However, there appears to be more than just reg settings at work though. The entire device slows to a crawl too. My gut feeling is that this won't be addressed until HTC releases their first official update, rumored to be in a few weeks or so.

[kilowong]

i have done that but still skips every 30 secs or so.

[Sleuth255]

Interestingly, I could hear the same "tick" on my 8125 as well but it sounded like a slight scratch on a record. On the TyTN its magnified to this major dropout. I'm really thinking our only A2DP solution will be to wait for the updated ROM I'm afraid.

Let's hope they don't take the coward's way out and remove A2DP altogether as was done in several Operator's initial AKU2 release for the Wizard.

[efjay]

I think you guys should look into optimising your SD cards and trying the reg entries sleuth255 indicated. My A2DP seems to work fine with probably 99% skip free playing. I'm currently one floor above my Nokia HS-12W and am still connected to my TyTN ok in certain parts of the room. If i am right beside it or in the same room I dont get any skips at all; apart from when I lose or reaquire a GSM signal.

[Sleuth255]

well, that's encouraging news efjay! Much better results than I ever got. Btw: are you running the newer DoPod rom onto your TyTN by any chance?

edit: nevermind; I just used the Wiki to crossref. If your signature is correct then you've got the standard TyTN ROM build running.

[efjay]

Yes im running the TyTN rom. I actually had the Dopod rom but apart from a few things in the extended rom wasnt too different so i flashed back to the TyTN one. A2DP works ok now, was listening most of the day and the TyTN battery even outlasted the Nokia battery.

Another good point in the Nokia's favour is you can re-establish a stereo connection without having to go to the BT settings - just push the Audio button and it reconnects for you and the music starts.

[politby]

I think you guys should look into optimising your SD cards and trying the reg entries sleuth255 indicated. My A2DP seems to work fine with probably 99% skip free playing. I'm currently one floor above my Nokia HS-12W and am still connected to my TyTN ok in certain parts of the room. If i am right beside it or in the same room I dont get any skips at all; apart from when I lose or reaquire a GSM signal.

Some good news on my part! I've done all the mods suggested by sleuth255 - except lowering the BitPool value to 5 - I suspect that would decrease the audio quality too much - and I now have skipping only about once a minute. Much better.

How do I go about optimizing the (micro)SD card?

/POL

[politby]

I think you guys should look into optimising your SD cards and trying the reg entries sleuth255 indicated. My A2DP seems to work fine with probably 99% skip free playing. I'm currently one floor above my Nokia HS-12W and am still connected to my TyTN ok in certain parts of the room. If i am right beside it or in the same room I dont get any skips at all; apart from when I lose or reaquire a GSM signal.

Some good news on my part! I've done all the mods suggested by sleuth255 - except lowering the BitPool value to 5 - I suspect that would decrease the audio quality too much - and I now have skipping only about once a minute. Much better.

How do I go about optimizing the (micro)SD card?

/POL

Forgot to say that this time I actually listened to music for about 10 minutes and the device does indeed slow to a crawl. Pretty much non-responsive, actually.

/POL

[efjay]

I think you guys should look into optimising your SD cards and trying the reg entries sleuth255 indicated. My A2DP seems to work fine with probably 99% skip free playing. I'm currently one floor above my Nokia HS-12W and am still connected to my TyTN ok in certain parts of the room. If i am right beside it or in the same room I dont get any skips at all; apart from when I lose or reaquire a GSM signal.

Some good news on my part! I've done all the mods suggested by sleuth255 - except lowering the BitPool value to 5 - I suspect that would decrease the audio quality too much - and I now have skipping only about once a minute. Much better.

How do I go about optimizing the (micro)SD card?

/POL

Check out this guide from Menneisyys

http://www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=17921

Or the short version - get SK Tools (trial version should be ok, if not it costs $13) and format your card but make sure the backup FAT table is disabled.

I used it with the default cluster size values and also have other registry tweaks applied and A2DP works; I am even able to browse via GPRS when streaming music.

[politby]

It became obvious to me today that using a stereo Bluetooth headset while connected via WiFi is a non starter. Continuously skipping audio and the device hangs after a few minutes and needs a restart.

There goes my dream of listening to Internet radio over a WiFi connecIttion. It works over a UMTS connection but since my carrier doesn't have an unlimited data plan, that's an expensive proposition.

Didn't HTC test such an obvious scenario?

Bummer. :(

[Sleuth255]

@efjay:

Ok, so I'm now up to speed on SD card optimization having read through Menneisyys' post on this. Now to the nitty gritty... I have a 2gig SANDisk card so FAT16 is pretty much out due to the huge cluster size that it would create. I'm going to eliminate my FAT backup, go with FAT32/8k cluster sizes. I forget how many entries a FAT32 table can have but if that won't give me a full 2GB then I'll bump the cluster size up to 16K.

One A2DP note however: I did test with an mp3 file located in main memory and there was no improvement in skipping, so I came to the initial conclusion that SD card access speed wasn't an issue.

[efjay]

@efjay:

Ok, so I'm now up to speed on SD card optimization having read through Menneisyys' post on this. Now to the nitty gritty... I have a 2gig SANDisk card so FAT16 is pretty much out due to the huge cluster size that it would create. I'm going to eliminate my FAT backup, go with FAT32/8k cluster sizes. I forget how many entries a FAT32 table can have but if that won't give me a full 2GB then I'll bump the cluster size up to 16K.

One A2DP note however: I did test with an mp3 file located in main memory and there was no improvement in skipping, so I came to the initial conclusion that SD card access speed wasn't an issue.

Let us know how it goes. I am still getting skip-free playback via A2DP. If it doesnt work maybe the additional reg tweaks I applied to the system cache are what is making the difference.

[politby]

@efjay:

Ok, so I'm now up to speed on SD card optimization having read through Menneisyys' post on this. Now to the nitty gritty... I have a 2gig SANDisk card so FAT16 is pretty much out due to the huge cluster size that it would create. I'm going to eliminate my FAT backup, go with FAT32/8k cluster sizes. I forget how many entries a FAT32 table can have but if that won't give me a full 2GB then I'll bump the cluster size up to 16K.

One A2DP note however: I did test with an mp3 file located in main memory and there was no improvement in skipping, so I came to the initial conclusion that SD card access speed wasn't an issue.

Let us know how it goes. I am still getting skip-free playback via A2DP. If it doesnt work maybe the additional reg tweaks I applied to the system cache are what is making the difference.

I've found another issue with the wireless stereo profile - sometimes when a call comes in, pressing the call button on the headset will answer the call, but there is no sound (caller can't hear me and I can't hear the caller). To get the call going, I have to "disconnect handsfree" from the call in progress menu and then press the headset button again.

Anyone else seen this?

/POL

[GiffordHesketh]

joint stereo is merely a way to improve compression efficiency -- and can even be used with lossless (stereo) codecs

[Mashe]

so is there any progress? I have the same trouble with my Anycom BSH-100 .. it is skipping every 30-50s

thx

[Chris The Ninja Pirate]

I was wondering for the people suffering skipping with wifi turned on whether turning off the encryption temporarily cures the problem? Might indicate whether it is a CPU load problem caused by decoding the mp3, recoding the A2DP and trying to decode packet data?

[Sleuth255]

no relation to encryption, sorry. The AP I tested with is open.

[quiescent]

I'm using a DS970, is it me or it doesnt really skip with WMP? *crap*, it just skipped.

lol, so its a phone issue?

[Farsquidge]

I think you'll find that it's due to not having EDR (Enhanced data rate) on the BT as stated in all the bumph for these units.

Anyone got an idea how to enable it or is it a hardware proble? :?

[Sleuth255]

Some headsets are not affected by the problem though. I just changed out my HP iPaq (Logitech) headset which skipped badly for a nokia HS-12W and my skip problems have disappeared.

[Farsquidge]

I have tested three sets of BT stereo headsets that worked perfectly on my HTC Wizard..
Creative CB2530, OK but scratchy.
Promate PM-2006, Drops out every 10secs for 1sec period.
ITECH clip S35, Works fine!!!

Considering that both HTC AND iMate show in brackets on their respective brochures for the BT on the Hermes/TyTn JasJam that No EDR is present its safe to assume they had a hardware issue at HTC in production and disabled this to save face???

iMate Jas Jam(Jar)
ROM Vers. 1.20.305.3
ROM date. 07/21/06
Radio vers. 1.07.03.10
ExtROM vers. 1.20.305.104

[Sleuth255]

I've heard about the Itech clip too.

It would seem then, with the original TyTN ROM, you need an Itech S35 or Nokia HS-12W and the following reghacks for skip free A2DP on a TyTN:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\Builtin\Wavedev]
"Priority256"=dword:00000080 (128)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Bluetooth\A2 DP\Settings]
"UseJointStereo"=dword:00000000 (0)
"BitPool"=dword:0000003a ( 58 )
"MaxSupportedBitPool"=dword:00000050 (80)
"MinSupportedBitPool"=dword:0000000e (14)

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Drivers\Builtin\BtA2dpSnd]
"Priority256"=dword:0000003c (60)

[Farsquidge]

The good thing about the iTech clip as that you can plug in whatever headphones you want into its 3.5mm jack socket!! :D :D :D

[Sleuth255]

Or... plug it into the aux input on any stereo and control the tunes from your TyTN. Too bad it doesn't seem to be available in the US :cry:

[Farsquidge]

I have tested three sets of BT stereo headsets that worked perfectly on my HTC Wizard..
Creative CB2530, Ok but scratchy.
Promate PM-2006, Drops out every 10secs for 1sec period.
ITECH clip S35, Works fine!!! [/quote]


Yep, looks like its the lack of EDR thats causing all the problems.
Checked out the tech spec of the iTech clip and it does not support EDR whereas my other two headphones do probably the size of the headphone internal buffer memory determines how badly/frequently it skips.
There is a definite reduction in quality againt lack of skipping.

The lack of EDR reduces the datarate to the headphones and if the Herm starts any internal task (most noticable on sync) you get the delay due to slow transmission rate. Maybe someone can assist with a hack to increase transmit buffer size?? :wink: