Note 4 Bluetooth signal/range issues?!

[Berry_Bold]

Anyone else seeing significant issues with the Bluetooth signal/transmitter on their new Note 4?

For example: I stream music from my phone all the time. at home, i transmit to a Blackberry bluetooth music gateway. I also transmit to a Logitech UE bluetooth speaker when i'm travelling. And finally, i transmit to my car when driving, and wireless BT headphones when i'm at work.

On my Galaxy S4 (what i'm coming from), i could hold that phone any way and the music streaming over bluetooth never cut out at all. my phone prior to that - the Droid Razr Maxx - was not so forgiving, in that if i held it in my hand in a certain way, the sound would cut out...one of my biggest pet peeves with that device. I eventually had to get used to where to avoid holding it when streaming music.

also with the S4, i could have the phone at the farthest spot away from my BB Stereo Gateway in my apartment, and the sound never cut out. same with my UE speaker - i'd have to be very far away for the music to cut out while heavily using my GS4 for other things.

Now to the problem - i've only had my Note 4 since Thursday, and immediately I noticed the problem - i could be 5 feet away from my BB Stereo Gateway or UE speaker, and the sound starts cutting out - just bits of silence in between where the music should be. but if i put the phone down on a table or move closer to the receiver, it comes back.

So... Has anyone else experienced similar - that it seems like there's a problem with placement of the transmitter in the design, wherein your hand constantly blocks the signal, resulting in BT music or voice cutting out?? Or anyone noticed coming from a GS4 that the bluetooth transmitter in the Note 4 is significantly weaker?

I have to decide this week coming up if i want to return this device for something else, so I could really use everyone's input. I'd like to hear from others if it seems to be the way this phone is designed (which would suck), or if maybe i just got a bad one.

Thank you!

 

[Almeuit]

I haven't experienced this. It works in my gf's car and I use a Bluetooth headset at work and I can walk all around my desk / to the sink near my desk and it doesn't hiccup at all.

 

[theoretically]

No issue here. Range is good

 

[Berry_Bold]

Thanks for the replies so far.

I probably should've clarified a bit more that I've only noticed it while streaming music over bluetooth - i haven't noticed it over voice yet, which may make sense, since music is a continuous stream vs. voice where people are talking at both ends or there's no one talking at times...even if voice did cut out, i'd probably default to thinking it was a cell reception issue.

also, you wouldn't notice when streaming music in the car because the phone is so close to the receiver in your car, and you're also not likely holding the phone with your hand in the car.

Anyway...just wanted to clarify my original post. If anyone out there uses the phone for streaming music a lot (other than to a car stereo), please let me know if you're having any issues like me!

 

[Almeuit]

Thanks for the replies so far.

I probably should've clarified a bit more that I've only noticed it while streaming music over bluetooth - i haven't noticed it over voice yet, which may make sense, since music is a continuous stream vs. voice where people are talking at both ends or there's no one talking at times...even if voice did cut out, i'd probably default to thinking it was a cell reception issue.

also, you wouldn't notice when streaming music in the car because the phone is so close to the receiver in your car, and you're also not likely holding the phone with your hand in the car.

Anyway...just wanted to clarify my original post. If anyone out there uses the phone for streaming music a lot (other than to a car stereo), please let me know if you're having any issues like me!

Well at my desk I can walk 10-15 feet away (haven't tried more since the sink I use is about that far) with my bluetooth headset listening to music and I don't have an issue -- I only stream my music (nothing on the phone) from Google Music. I listen to music about 4-6 hours a day at work .. So far I have been listening to Google Music since 8 AM and I have walked around with my phone just sitting on my desk.

 

[Berry_Bold]

Well at my desk I can walk 10-15 feet away (haven't tried more since the sink I use is about that far) with my bluetooth headset listening to music and I don't have an issue -- I only stream my music (nothing on the phone) from Google Music. I listen to music about 4-6 hours a day at work .. So far I have been listening to Google Music since 8 AM and I have walked around with my phone just sitting on my desk.

Thanks for the info!...sorry, when you said headset earlier, i assumed you meant a voice-only BT device. good to know. i'm wondering if there's something wrong with mine then :-(

 

[beerhound]

I've had bluetooth issues too and googled for threads like this. So far it has been hit or miss, a few of us have problems with bluetooth cutting in and out at much shorter range than you would expect from BT4.x (more like BT1 10 to 15 ft max range for me). Most don't seem to have any trouble at all.

One thing I'm curious about, I've seen that the N4 is built in different countries. T-Mo and Sprint are from Vietnam, ATT is from Korea and Verizon is from China. Let's all list where our phone is made along with whether or not we have bluetooth issues, that might help narrow the field for who is having trouble. The label on the bottom of the box will say color, carrier and made in xxxxx, etc.

I have a black note 4 on verizon, made in china.

 

[Baby_Doc]

......
One thing I'm curious about, I've seen that the N4 is built in different countries. T-Mo and Sprint are from Vietnam, ATT is from Korea and Verizon is from China. Let's all list where our phone is made along with whether or not we have bluetooth issues, that might help narrow the field for who is having trouble. The label on the bottom of the box will say color, carrier and made in xxxxx, etc.

I have a black note 4 on verizon, made in china.

You make a very good point.
There seem to be build differences based on more common complaints with different carriers. Verizon even has its microphone in a different place. Besides bluetooth reception complaints, some people have focusing issues, some have bad sounding speakers, and some have display defects, that could be more common with one factory or with one carrier than another. People posting their hardware complaints should mention their carrier, at least, to see if their is a pattern to the source of these problems.

Posted via Android Central App

 

[Soreloser]

I have an AT&T made in Korea. Using the Motorola Buds Bluetooth stereo headset for music and calls and experiencing a lot of cut outs in the music. I carry the phone in my front rain jacket pocket while working so it is about 12 inches from the headset. I did not have the trouble with my HTC M7. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Berry_Bold]

I (O.P.) have a black Note 4 on Verizon.

 

[Berry_Bold]

Update: I just got off an hour-long conference call, using a Plantronics bluetooth earpiece for voice only, and there's definitely a problem with Bluetooth in general on this device, IMO. I had the phone two feet away from my right arm (about 3-4 feet away from the earpiece on my left ear) - it was just sitting there flat on the wooden coffee table, no obstructions - and everyone on the call sounded garbled. I then picked the phone up and held it about a foot away from the earpiece, and it sounded perfect. i repeated the process with the same unfortunate results.

i also put the phone in my right pocket and walked around - garbled! took it out and held it at neck height - perfectly clear. the range on this thing is horrible / definitely a problem.

i'm thinking of going into the verizon store, hoping they have a Note 4 on display, and bring some of my bluetooth accessories and try the same tests there. this will at least tell me if mine is a lemon or if they're all like that...should save me the effort of exchanging the device for another one with the same exact problem. i'll let you all know if/when i'm able to try this!

Please keep your feedback coming!! Thanks.

 

[tarpon6]

Yeah that is a good idea. You definitely want to rule out that you have a lemon while you can still return / exchange. I have to test my Sprint N4 BT range with headphones.. In the car it's perfect.

 

[mhunter6378]

I have an AT&T model made in Korea. I use a Motorola Boom BT headset while driving and also have a Gear 2. During my use of the headset I have not experienced any issues. While driving my phone is in a waistband pouch and I have used the headset at times when I need hands free around the house. At those times I have ventured 10 to 15 feet from my phone without any disconnects or loss in call quality. My Gear 2 maintains connection within the working range of Bluetooth and I've not had any disconnects. I don't listen to music over Bluetooth so I can't offer any comments in that regard. Hope you can get it worked out.

 

[Soreloser]

A little more info for me. I have not noticed any trouble with music streaming via Bluetooth in my car (2013 Subaru Impreza), only with my wireless headset, specifically the Motorola Buds which I use almost exclusively. In trouble shooting this issue, I pulled my older Sony MW600 out of the drawer and gave it a try with very similar results to the Motorola Buds...intermittent blank spots in the music stream. That's all I have for now.

AT&T made in Korea.

 

[Bruce Skousen]

I too have Motorola Buds and have little hiccups in bluetooth, something I never had with the Note 3.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[tarpon6]

With my Plantronics Backbeats I am getting a solid 25 feet. Sprint version.

 

[Statastic]

Definitely experiencing some bluetooth issues on my LG tonepro headet. On my G3 I could go a solid 20 feet and converse with no problem. On my Note 4? 5 feet max before it starts cutting in and out. Oh well, still love the device though.

Posted via the Android Central App

 

[Berry_Bold]

Statastic: What carrier are you on? Just wondering, since i've heard (here, and elsewhere) that the hardware is slightly different on the GN4 by carrier.

 

[Berry_Bold]

Definitely experiencing some bluetooth issues on my LG tonepro headet. On my G3 I could go a solid 20 feet and converse with no problem. On my Note 4? 5 feet max before it starts cutting in and out. Oh well, still love the device though.

Posted via the Android Central App

Statastic: What carrier are you on? Just wondering, since i've heard (here, and elsewhere) that the hardware is slightly different on the GN4 by carrier.

 

[Johnnyangel16]

I have issues with the audio cutting out (if anyone is old enough to remember a skipping discman, that's what it sounds like) on my Note 4 whether I'm streaming spotify or Pandora or just playing music off the memory card, and only through Bluetooth. It does it whether I'm using the Cue system in my Cadillac, a Monster iClarity speaker, or the Bluetooth headphones in my motorcycle helmet. It's not a signal issue, since it does it when I'm sitting still and when I'm on WiFi, not just when I'm driving. Have any of you had any luck so far getting it figured out, before I go to AT&T to see about a replacement? My fiance has a Note 4 as well, and hers doesn't have this problem with any of the devices I use. Thanks!