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AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

jeffgeerling.com

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Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#111

Post by m0zg »

I figure the audience is right on this site, so here's my question: for someone used to pretty decent over the ear and in-ear headphones (Sennheiser, AKG, Etymotic), are AirPods passable at least, or total trash like Apple's wired earbuds? What's the quality differential?

This is the thing I don't get about Apple. They sell $1.1K phone and include these crappy $3 earbuds in the box. Can they do better? At their production volumes and profit margins, I have no doubt. Even Samsung includes a decent pair of AKGs.

Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#112

Post by voltagex_ »

dexterdog wrote: post #110
voltagex_ wrote: post #88

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I will pay upwards of $1000AUD for a headset that correctly implements the 5.0 spec with a reasonable (read: more than SBC) set of codecs. Then I've just got to find a source that can drive it... Edit: removed incorrect stuff about the Note 9 - it's listed as Bluetooth v5.0 (LE up to 2 Mbps).

Are you sure about that? Even the S8 has 5.0

I sit corrected.

Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#113

Post by loosetypes »

csours wrote: post #66
freshhawk wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My reaction to reading that this happened when the microphone was turned on was also a mental "well yeah, welcome to Bluetooth". I have literally shifted my rating scale for crap technology completely to make room for Bluetooth to be far enough below everything else. The nice part is a monkey brain interprets that as everything getting better, so I am generally more content with software and tech in general. So, than…

Guess what the number one car infotainment complaint is... I don't have a public source, but for some vehicles bluetooth problems are the number one complain OVERALL.

I rented a car from National and drove cross country last week.

I don’t know if it was for the reason you mention (to mitigate complaints?) or just to upsell it being bundled with the satellite radio/ gps package, but I was surprised to find that Bluetooth on the infotainment console of the 2018 Camry had been completely disabled.

As in there, but all options grayed out.

An aux connection worked, but I was more frustrated by the idea of disabling basic functionality than anything.

Would they charge to use turn signals if they could?

Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#114

Post by dcmorton »

tedunangst wrote: post #44

A dozen comments that this happens because the microphone is turned on, but nobody is asking why vagrant is turning the microphone on?

My solution/fix for this was downgrading VirtualBox back to 5.2.18; seems like something in Virtualbox 5.2.20+ seems to initialize the mic when the VM is booting. Guessing is an unintentional change since there's nothing in the changelogs specifically calling it out.

There's likely some fiddling with the VirtualBox VM settings to prevent it from occurring, but things like Test Kitchen in Chef destroy/create new VMs constantly so any changes get quickly lost.

Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#115

Post by Slix »

DiabloD3 wrote: post #35

I will also repeat what has been said about twelve times thus far: Enabling microphone makes Bluetooth headsets turn into pure shit. Guess what 5.0 finally allows as per spec? You can use any codec you want for telephony mode, including 44.1 stereo + 44.1 mono SBC. Guess what Apple does not implement, and guess what every 5.0 headset I've seen so far also does not implement? Sigh. Bluetooth is 20 years old this year,…

I absolutely hate the terrible audio when using my Jabra Elite Active 65t to talk over VoIP. It should be crystal clear HD audio, but I have to listen to scratchy voices.

I have trouble processing audio, so it makes calls really difficult. I've started resorting to cheap earbuds to hear people for really critical calls like interviews.

Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#116

Post by nsomaru »

Slix wrote: post #115
DiabloD3 wrote: post #35

I will also repeat what has been said about twelve times thus far: Enabling microphone makes Bluetooth headsets turn into pure shit. Guess what 5.0 finally allows as per spec? You can use any codec you want for telephony mode, including 44.1 stereo + 44.1 mono SBC. Guess what Apple does not implement, and guess what every 5.0 headset I've seen so far also does not implement? Sigh. Bluetooth is 20 years old this year,…

I absolutely hate the terrible audio when using my Jabra Elite Active 65t to talk over VoIP. It should be crystal clear HD audio, but I have to listen to scratchy voices. I have trouble processing audio, so it makes calls really difficult. I've started resorting to cheap earbuds to hear people for really critical calls like interviews.

What’s the reasoning on the cheap earbuds

Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#117

Post by ebrewste »

voltagex_ wrote: post #94
pfranz wrote: post #74

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I wouldn't be surprised, but my frustration is a poor implementation or unintuitive implementation. Quite a few cars go into USB-mode as soon as you attach a phone--almost 100% of the time they just want to charge their phone and already have things set up via Bluetooth or the radio. iPhones won't let you play through the phone if you have an attached audio device. Some cars seem to be able to do album art and track…

You can cut the data lines in a cable and it should solve some of the issues with unwanted behaviour. The album art and track progress I don't really care about (eyes on the road!) but via Bluetooth that's AVRCP and there's a stack of standards for people to butcher there, too.

I was wiring in a charge only USB port in my car today and found out that cutting the data lines limits the charge rate to a uselessly low rate. You need to tie the data lines together to put it in usb bc1.2 mode. Or 2.7 v on each line for 2.4 a iPhone charge or other modes. It isn’t simple. Simpler than Bluetooth, but not “hook up ground and 5v” simple.

Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#118

Post by voltagex_ »

ebrewste wrote: post #117
voltagex_ wrote: post #94

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You can cut the data lines in a cable and it should solve some of the issues with unwanted behaviour. The album art and track progress I don't really care about (eyes on the road!) but via Bluetooth that's AVRCP and there's a stack of standards for people to butcher there, too.

I was wiring in a charge only USB port in my car today and found out that cutting the data lines limits the charge rate to a uselessly low rate. You need to tie the data lines together to put it in usb bc1.2 mode. Or 2.7 v on each line for 2.4 a iPhone charge or other modes. It isn’t simple. Simpler than Bluetooth, but not “hook up ground and 5v” simple.

Jeebus. Might be easier to wire in a 12V compatible USB charger in that case.

Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#119

Post by ddingus »

voltagex_ wrote: post #102
ddingus wrote: post #91

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah. I have some bluetooth gear. I so very rarely use it, but like you, there are times, right? I just do not expect much. If it pairs and does anything, cool. Get it done, ditch it quick. When it works well? Total fucking bonus! I have that gear due to a couple well meant gifts. Like most things, it goes in my road bag. I have a very wide variety of bits in there accumulated over 20 some years. Can handle a ton of…

I'll be very sad when analog video dies - I've just been fighting with getting the Nintendo Switch to output via an unofficial dock (because the official one is too big to travel with).

Me too.

In terms of general use, digital is nice. Movies, my laptop and phone screens.

For games and other things I like to do, analog all the way! Ideally on a CRT, and I have a couple really nice ones.

In my embedded type fun mostly hobby activity, analog is just great. It uses fewer resources, is easier, takes as little as one pin to drive a monochrome HDTV display (use the Y component input), and is generally more tolerant and or can be reasonably abused.

Yeah, I will miss it. Won't die with me for a very long time yet.

Analog audio just is not the same sort of beast. Great gear from the 70's is still entirely relevant in ways that video gear mostly isn't.

This no headphone jack thing is a major annoyance. Going digital in video has advantages. No worries. I get that, and am happy to play along. Besides, I can still do a lot of analog for my own purposes, even if that means signalling into some adapter chip or other.

So far, and some smart people could change things, but so far, digital audio to replace analog out, basically invalidates otherwise relevant gear, and offers next to nothing besides no wire in return. Gott xharge it, dongle it, pair it, configure it, just fuck it.

(One could do no wire with analog means, even optical ones in some cases)

It is a real mess for something largely transparent my whole life. Ugh... hate it.

Re: AirPods get stuck in low-quality 16 kHz audio mode when starting a VM

#120

Post by Rjevski »

DiabloD3 wrote: post #35

I will also repeat what has been said about twelve times thus far: Enabling microphone makes Bluetooth headsets turn into pure shit. Guess what 5.0 finally allows as per spec? You can use any codec you want for telephony mode, including 44.1 stereo + 44.1 mono SBC. Guess what Apple does not implement, and guess what every 5.0 headset I've seen so far also does not implement? Sigh. Bluetooth is 20 years old this year,…

Another problem with Bluetooth is that most devices cater to the lowest common denominator which means even though there are ways to make it better, most devices stick to older protocols to make sure it works with old, outdated garbage.
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