Note 4 Bluetooth "skipping" audio.

[Soreloser]

So you have differenmt kind of issue with skips than. How/where do you listen to bluetooth music ? Spotify or other online services ?

I have issues with my Note 4 when I use any of my three bluetooth headsets listening to music on my phone. The music is on the phone memory, not an SD card (although it happens if it is on a sd card as well) using Motorola Buds, LG HBS-800 or LG HBS-750. It also happens playing music via bluetooth in my 2013 Subaru Impreza. It happens about every minute or so where the is a blip of sound similar to that of a scratch on an old LP record player. The music continues during the anomaly. It is noticeable enough that my 8 year old has commented on it. If I leave the screen on it does NOT happen.

Using the headsets, it happens if I am sitting at my desk, walking throughout the neighborhood or at work. The phone can be stationary or in my pocket, it doesn't matter.

I had the phone replaced by AT&T and the second phone did the same as the first.

 

[sparksd]

I have issues with my Note 4 when I use any of my three bluetooth headsets listening to music on my phone. The music is on the phone memory, not an SD card (although it happens if it is on a sd card as well) using Motorola Buds, LG HBS-800 or LG HBS-750. It also happens playing music via bluetooth in my 2013 Subaru Impreza. It happens about every minute or so where the is a blip of sound similar to that of a scratch on an old LP record player. The music continues during the anomaly. It is noticeable enough that my 8 year old has commented on it. If I leave the screen on it does NOT happen.

Using the headsets, it happens if I am sitting at my desk, walking throughout the neighborhood or at work. The phone can be stationary or in my pocket, it doesn't matter.

I had the phone replaced by AT&T and the second phone did the same as the first.

Exactly describes my experience with my Sprint except my Subaru is 2015 Forester.

 

[Gabriel Pumple]

It happens on LG, Nexus, Sony, Xiaomi and HTC.....and Iphones iOS and Windows Phone LOL
Yes, i tried all those phones and operating systems. Bluetooth skipping problem is directly related to interferances of some electromagnetic stuff...crazy

I never experienced this problem with my T-Mobile LG G3. I had a different problem, and they gave me an S5 as a warranty replacement, it is brand new and I experienced this problem from day 1. I am running 6.0.1

 

[nahoku]

It's a hardware/build problem which contributes to RF interference. Just because some phones don't show it doesn't mean the peripheral devices (headsets, keyboards, nav systems, etc) are not part of the problem. Both devices need to "handshake" and if either device is on boarder spec or weak to begin with, interference will win out, and there goes the connection!

My Note 4 also drops out intermittently with my headsets. Luckily, I don't use my headsets that often. However, my car nav connection never drops out. I can have the phone in my belt case behind me and BT works just fine. My HTC phones also never drop out using all the same headsets.

 

[dgcrane]

Hello, I am having some slight issues that I was really helping someone could assist me with. I also am having annoying millisecond sputters when the screen is off. I decided to root my phone this evening to try the no frills cpu tool that appears to have fixed some peoples problems. My rooting process appears to have gone fine according to superSU / busy box and Titanium backup but when I try to run No Frills, I get a You must have root access error.

Does anyone know what I am doing wrong and how to resolve the problem ?

Thanks
dgcrane

 

[Distrack]

Well, I recently got a S7 Active and I can say with certainty that it does NOT do the skipping. The Note 4 does but the S7 does not. I also have a LG G4 that does NOT do it either. Only my Note 4...

I have the same problem using a Samsung Galaxy S7(Exynos) paired with Samsung Level On Bluetooth headphones. This is the first Im getting those "skips", very annoying.

 

[sparksd]

I've posted several times to this thread regarding my issues with skipping and every set of Bluetooth earbuds I own but I just went on an extended road trip and used the N4 paired with my 2015 Subaru Forester's audio system and it worked streaming music without a skip and with the screen off - I had been using it in the car with the screen on because I knew that worked with my earbuds and this was the first I tried the screen off in the car. I used the same apps that skip with the earbuds.

 

[adamek_82]

I have the same problem using a Samsung Galaxy S7(Exynos) paired with Samsung Level On Bluetooth headphones. This is the first Im getting those "skips", very annoying.

I have the same problem with S7 Edge (Samsung), so it's not that the problem is limited to Exynos. I'm using Samsung's stuff - Samsung Level U Pro BT headphones, so this stuff should be compatible with their own smartphone. It's very annoying especially it's not a cheap stuff I'm not using many third party apps and only one app that also uses bluetooth to communicate - Garmin Connect, but even when I uninstall it, the problem persists. I'm very disappointed.

I think maybe boosting priority of the com.android.bluetooth might help, but without root I guess there is no way we can do this. Has any of you had the same issue with Galaxy S7 Edge & Level U Pro and found a workaround?

 

[flanneryd]

I was having the same problems reported here. I have a rooted Note 3 running Lollipop. The suggestion to install No-Frills CPU Control and increase the minimum clock frequency above the default 300 MHz WORKED! Thank you!

 

[Android1967]

I've found several forums talking about this issue, but none ever ended with a fix to the problem. I just got my Note 4 on Tuesday and was trying to use my Bluetooth receiver (Sony Erricson MW600) while listening to music, but it cuts out every minute or so for about a second. The music continues, so when the audio comes back on the song will be a second later than when it stopped. I tried some things that others have suggested like: turning off wi-fi, using a Bluetooth app such as "Bluetooth Auto Connect," taking the battery out and trying it again, closing "S Health," unpairing and then pairing again, and I think there may have been a few other things I tried but can't remember. My music is just being played through the "Music" app, and the files are stored on a Samsung Pro MicroSDXC.
Is there anything else that has worked for others with the same problem? Thanks for the help! Oh, and could the version of Bluetooth have an effect on the problem I'm having (like if my receiver isn't 4.1)?

I was having same annoying problems...had recently switched from Motorola to an android clone with slower CPU (1ghz 1gb RAM and Android 5.1). Your handset maybe choking...go to settings/apps/running and stop all non essential processes. It's easy to overlook that social media sites are constantly spying on user habits and chewing up CPU speed. I was surprised to see that FB and Msgr were running. I noticed a marked improvement in performance/quality once background processes were shut off...hopefully this helps!

 

[dmagikwand]

Confirmed Fix!! (for Galaxy 5 and probably Note4). I was one of the original posters on this topic with guys like Sparks.
I have been using my LG HBS 900's headphones skip free for TWO months. (I didn't wan't to jump the gun and not have a real fix that would disappoint everyone). Previously, the only workaround for me was the app that kept the screen on that was discovered by another poster.
-I did this in this order
- Go to the real Samsung website Official Samsung Support
-Pick your phone from a list or follow the pictures.
-Download the USB drivers that match your phone (mine was Sprint)...you can find your model number or just click on phones
until you find yours.
-Install the USB drivers on your PC BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE-(dont think you have to uninstall Kies...I have both on PC)
-Download and install Samsung Smart Switch if you don't have it (I was running Kit Kat 4.4 because I didn't care for Lollipop....Smart Connet took me to 6.0.1..I like it after a bunch of tweeks with the notications).
-Plug in to USB and make a backup of your data if you are running OK (besides the BT issue of course).
-Unplug phone from USB on PC and do a factory data reset (hold down power + home + volume up until you letters at top of screen (maybe says entering recovery mode....let go of buttons. Use the Up and Down lever to move around and the power button as the enter. Select Factory Reset and reboot.. If the phone sticks on the carrier logo you will have to pull the batteryThis should get you past the Sprint screen. (I went back and repeated and cleared the cache partition...don't know if it is necessary though. Select reboot again
Turn your phone back on
Let your phone go back to the factory data to the main screen after all answering the the brand new phone question.
Plug phone in immediately after you finish this (didn't happen to me but I didn't want any OTA downloads happening...Smart Connect will take care of them)
You might have to unlock your device or it will say device not responding...just plug back in, it will find it.
Pick the restore you want to go back to (if you have more than one!!!!! BACKUP PEOPLE)
The restore process takes about 25 minutes with USB 3.0.
You can disconnect USB when Smart Connect says it is done.
After it is done and you've answered all the phone setup questions, the Play Store will begin updating all your apps.

You will get your contacts, music and pictures back, but all your little app tweaks you will have to go back and redo (worth it to me).
Best I can figure is Samsung tucked some Bluetooth fix in there in one of last few updates.
There might be a skip every 20-30 songs but this is just probably part of the technology and just sounds like a record player skip. My device has beautiful bluetooth sound now unless I'm 25 feet away and blocking the antenna on my headset.

No more screen stay awake for me! If questions I will try to pay attention to this website for the next couple of weeks.

EDIT: This was done on an unrooted phone, and I used all formats of music....stock factory that was saved on the device, music from the flash card, Pandora, Audible, I heart radio...they all work!!!

 

[Astral69]

I can confirm this doesnt work. Music still skipps when you're in close range of other electrical devices. Screen on is an old fix known at least from 2013 and it never worked for me
There is only 1 hope, BT 5.0 coming soon. Then we will see.

 

[sparksd]

I can confirm this doesnt work. Music still skipps when you're in close range of other electrical devices. Screen on is an old fix known at least from 2013 and it never worked for me
There is only 1 hope, BT 5.0 coming soon. Then we will see.

Galaxy S8?

Samsung Galaxy S8 to be among the first to adopt Bluetooth 5.0 - GSMArena.com news

 

[sparksd]

Well, I've been part of this thread for a long time and also initiated the Google problem report on it but I'll be signing off it as I have a fix - a new phone. I got a Galaxy S7 Edge (Sprint) and I can confirm that (for me at least) this issue doesn't exist on it using the same Bluetooth earbuds - JayBird BlueBuds (to avoid skips with these, I had to leave the screen on when using these with my Note 4). All around, the S7 Edge is an excellent phone and I'm real pleased with it.

 

[jagmad]

Hi all my first post and not tech savvy at all really so bear with me.
I was looking for a fix to a problem which is related to this but not BT.
I use my S5 as my music player but not through BT or Aux.
I use a Fiio E17 headphone amp connected through the usb port and
incur the same clips/glitches as on here with BT. It doesn't happen
when amp is connected to the Aux using the phones DAC but when
using the amps DAC it's just how you describe. It's defo not the Amp
as it doesn't do it with my other sources. (lap top etc)
Tried leaving the screen on works a treat but don't really like that idea
as I listen to my music a lot for long periods. And there's no way of
charging the phone at the same time as having it connected to the amp
as it uses the same connection. I tried wireless charging a while ago and
it interferes with the sound quality.
The other weird thing is I don't have the problem when connected to my
vans BT (no amp) well not that I've noticed. I'll be more critical next time I'm in it.
Also just trying the free countdown timer fix and although it ain't perfect
it's removed about 80% of them.
I'm running 6.0.1 although I haven't done latest update as I have read to
many scare stories.
I have just picked up a Note 4 running exactly the same version and will
try that to see if it's the same.
Just thought it maybe helpful,
Peace and happiness to all.
Pies.

 

[Greg-H]

I seem to have found the solution. It is a combination of two apps, Keep Screen On (Open App Info) and Music Player Pro (Zentertain). The player is special anyway, it takes control over the lockscreen, and the other app probably disables the CPU clock or whatever, I am not an expert. You need to activate the screen on option for the player. Both apps are free. You do not need to actually keep the screen on, that's the funny thing.

 

[floydnut]

Android Nougat has brought about enhanced power saving, making the Doze feature first seen in Android Marshmallow even better... However this can have adverse affects; especially if using apps with the screen off or in the background such as Spotify.

You can customise which apps are affected by this doze feature by following the steps below:

1. Open the Settings app on your phone (Pull down the notifications shade, and tap the gear in the upper right corner, or find “Settings” in the App Drawer.)
2. Tap Battery.
3. Tap the menu button and choose “Battery optimization.”
4. Tap the dropdown menu at the top of the screen and select “All apps.”
5. Scroll down to Spotify - tap it and select "Don't Optimize"

Now Spotify will not be controlled by the Android system's power saving enabling it to run in the background.

 

[usr420]

Hello, I've been tracking original bug report on google forum for years now (participating quite few times too) and today I've read this whole topic that I googled and at the end also signed-in to share my thoughts.
I have Note 4, but it was happening with other brands I briefly had either (LG, Xperia, other Samsungs).
First of all: it is true that only thing that helps is keeping screen on. Which is strange, since then locking CPU on higher frequency should do the same, but apparently is not.
I've tried every existing proposed solutions: apps in background, setting CPU higher, many different audio players, streaming music, playing music from internal or external memory, different equipment (headphones, speakers), editing blob, turn off battery optimization for my apps - didn't help. I went even further to check software side - I flashed every big exising rom and every kernel I have found on xda, I've flashed many different radios. I would say alltogether I did more than 100 flashes. I also tried totally stock android 5 and 6. No changes, nothing helps.

There are mixed atleast two different kind of problems that we are having here (which is bad for troubleshooting).
One is plain electromagnetic interference - music skipps rather frequently ex. when in the city with huge numbers of hotspots and gsm/lte beacons or when phone radios are covered and your head with headphones is in rather unlucky position. Here, I believe can help us only a better technology. New bluetooth standards, which are optimized for such electromagnetic polluted environment. I did tests with hardware equipped with up to bluetooth 4.1 on both sides. And after having a look on bt changelogs I believe it could be fixed with it's 4.2 iteration. Someone should test it. I will too, but maybe in months from now (will be getting Bang & Olufsen H9, while phone decision still being open).

Second problem - more subtle, but this is the main one - those music micro stuttering/skipps appearing every minute or few. And this is happening with music played through external DAC (Digital to Analog Audio Converter) too, not only bluetooth (!), as confirmed by our colleague few posts earlier. It exists in android 4.4.4 through 5.X, 6.X to 7.1.2 as I tested. Not having older or newer for my Note 4.
In both cases (DAC and BT) music is being decoded by android daemon and sended in digital form to DAC (let it be build-in to headphones or the external one). In my opinion it's there where it gets compromised - while decoding by android. And it's not something from the outside (all radios are off in plane mode). Maybe some libraries that kernel is using are conflicting with it, maybe CPU doing some faulty work while counting. I am no engineer, nor low-end programmer.

My two cents.
Sorry for my bad english, it is my third language.

 

[grimister]

I have had a note 4 since they came out, the same one. AT&T version and it has always had a skip during BT playback no matter what BT device i am using. Every version of the OS since the beginning. I think it's safe to say the note 4 has a hardware BT problem that's too old to fix. I;m not worring about it, I just keep playing it anyway till I get a new Google phone. No more Samsung.

 

[sparksd]

I have had a note 4 since they came out, the same one. AT&T version and it has always had a skip during BT playback no matter what BT device i am using. Every version of the OS since the beginning. I think it's safe to say the note 4 has a hardware BT problem that's too old to fix. I;m not worring about it, I just keep playing it anyway till I get a new Google phone. No more Samsung.

As I mentioned earlier, I don't see this issue on my S7 Edge.