Anyone else have this Pandora problem?

**Fabrian** · 11-04-2009, 09:50 AM

I drive a lot, and I have a 3.5mm jack in my truck stereo which I use to plug the hero in to use Pandora. I'm coming from a Pre that I did the same thing with.

After a minute or so, I hear a popping/clipping sound. Changing the volume on the hero doesn't affect this noise and it only happens with Pandora. If I use the music player then no problems - audio is clean.

This really sucks because it's very annoying. I've tried turning off GPS thinking something in the background was causing it, but still no resolution.

**baycruisers** · 11-04-2009, 10:19 AM

Originally Posted by Fabrian

I drive a lot, and I have a 3.5mm jack in my truck stereo which I use to plug the hero in to use Pandora. I'm coming from a Pre that I did the same thing with.

After a minute or so, I hear a popping/clipping sound. Changing the volume on the hero doesn't affect this noise and it only happens with Pandora. If I use the music player then no problems - audio is clean.

This really sucks because it's very annoying. I've tried turning off GPS thinking something in the background was causing it, but still no resolution.

Does it happen with external speakers elsewhere? Could be RF interference from the vehicle.

**schnergun** · 11-04-2009, 10:46 AM

I was thinking the same thing. I use pandora everyday and it works great for me

**Fabrian** · 11-04-2009, 11:54 AM

I suppose it's possible when talking about the Hero in particular. I didn't have this problem with my old Pre in this vehicle nor any audio coming from my laptop - all using the same stereo port and cable.

**spatel9114** · 11-04-2009, 01:24 PM

If you have the HQ mode on in Pandora (under Settings), then it says right there that using HQ mode will cause skips in the songs. Are you using HQ mode? If so, try turning it off and see if that makes a difference.

The reason the songs skips in HQ mode (only should happen when you are in an area with low cell signal) is because you have a low cell signal and HQ mode requires a lot more data than the regular mode to be transferred, so if there is low cell signal, then the data is not transferring as smoothly and you'll get skips.

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 11-04-2009, 01:59 PM

Originally Posted by spatel14

If you have the HQ mode on in Pandora (under Settings), then it says right there that using HQ mode will cause skips in the songs. Are you using HQ mode? If so, try turning it off and see if that makes a difference.

The reason the songs skips in HQ mode (only should happen when you are in an area with low cell signal) is because you have a low cell signal and HQ mode requires a lot more data than the regular mode to be transferred, so if there is low cell signal, then the data is not transferring as smoothly and you'll get skips.

Thanks for this. You just fixed the issue I'm having running Pandora through my entertainment setup in the basement. I looked at all the difficult issues...guess i should have looked through the settings first

**Fabrian** · 11-04-2009, 02:28 PM

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's not in high quality and the problem isn't pauses or skips, it's an actual popping noise. Think of driving on the highway and a sand truck is a few cars ahead and your windshield gets tapped by a random small pebble or sand.

FWIW, I don't hear it through ear buds. I'm going to test and narrow down where the source of the trouble lies. Since it seams like it's just me, then it has to be my device or something related to my vehicle.

Originally Posted by spatel14

If you have the HQ mode on in Pandora (under Settings), then it says right there that using HQ mode will cause skips in the songs. Are you using HQ mode? If so, try turning it off and see if that makes a difference.

The reason the songs skips in HQ mode (only should happen when you are in an area with low cell signal) is because you have a low cell signal and HQ mode requires a lot more data than the regular mode to be transferred, so if there is low cell signal, then the data is not transferring as smoothly and you'll get skips.

**Jerry Hildenbrand** · 11-04-2009, 04:48 PM

Originally Posted by Fabrian

Thanks for the suggestion, but it's not in high quality and the problem isn't pauses or skips, it's an actual popping noise. Think of driving on the highway and a sand truck is a few cars ahead and your windshield gets tapped by a random small pebble or sand.

FWIW, I don't hear it through ear buds. I'm going to test and narrow down where the source of the trouble lies. Since it seams like it's just me, then it has to be my device or something related to my vehicle.

That sure sounds like RF noise. First guess (sight unseen, so FWIW) would be check the cable's shield. Wrap a small piece of speaker wire around the plug, NOT at the tip - against the plastic end, on each end of the cable and plug 'em in...or try another cable.

Next guess would be the stereo's input, as noise from the vehicles coil would sound very much like you're describing. Make sure the ground wire coming out of the unit is FIRMLY grounded. Even a little bit of "loosness" or oxidation in the connection could cause havoc.

Finally I would not rule out the input on the phone, even though it seems to work fine with earbuds. The design may just be more suspectable to RF noise, and you might have to use a higher grade patch cable.

**spatel9114** · 11-04-2009, 08:30 PM

I'm thinking it's going to be something with the vehicle set up then since you said you didn't hear the sound with headphones on, so I don't think it's your Hero..but I'm not the best with car audio details, so I'm not sure about it..

**AndroidFTW** · 11-04-2009, 08:38 PM

mine seems to work fine

**Fabrian** · 11-05-2009, 12:00 PM

I haven't concluded anything yet, but I should mention again that I don't experience any trouble at all when using the music player rather than pandora. That kinda rules out the cable, port, stereo and or stereo port. I did try another higher quality cable too.

The only things I haven't tried yet is to see if the trouble remains over wifi and plugging into some other amplified output.

Hmm.. just testing the high quality setting in Pandora while typing this. Erroneous sound is gone...

**Fabrian** · 11-05-2009, 12:58 PM

Edit..double post.

**Invisobel** · 11-15-2009, 11:39 AM

I can confirm I'm having the same problem on my 09 Lancer. It sounds exactly like little rocks hitting. And I've confirmed if I play MP3's off the SD card it doesn't occur. I'm using the CLIQ.

**Krazy_Raven** · 01-19-2010, 02:59 PM

I had the palm pre before getting my droid eris and i never heard the clicking on my pre but since i got my droid eris i get it all the time. Its not the settings in the pandora app because I've checked those about a dozen times as well.