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Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

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Re: Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

#222

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No. The FCC definition of harmful is easily searchable but it is basically the same as the Canadian (Industry Canada) definition - the FCC definition is more specific about safety-related systems including radio navigation systems: "endangers the use or functioning of a safety-related radiocommunications system, or significantly degrades or obstructs, or repeatedly interrupts, the use or functioning of radio apparatu…

The whole reason that these systems (Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and unifying) use 2.4GHz is because it’s unregulated. So if one Bluetooth device interferes with another, but not other bands, then it won’t be breaking any laws. But it might be breaking a contract about the use of the Bluetooth or Wi-Fi logos.

The whole point of 2.4GHz band is to be a "dump" band due to interference from microwave ovens, and happens to be a global band because of microwave ovens on airliners.

Re: Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

#223

It's not just Logitech's use of bluetooth. My Airpods also caused me lose wifi connectivity on my Macbook when using 2.4Ghz wifi (802.11n to an old Buffalo WZR-HP-AG300H/WZR-600DHP running OpenWRT [1]). The issue only happened when using the airpods, and only when using the 2.4Ghz network. Switching to 5ghz solved the issue, and I've since switched to wired. I was kind of stunned that Apple's own wifi was incompatibl…

Extra rant: I can't find my favorite keyboard, the MS Sculpt, in wired version, and have already had to replace it once due to, I suspect, wireless issues. I like its ergo layout, key feel, and key travel distance [1]. I just bought a new one after the last one would become unreliable on keypresses, and I can't shake the feeling that it was just wireless performance issue, not actual key detection issue. There appear…

Believe it or not, it's a known issue that USB-3/USB-C devices can interfere with the 2.4ghz frequency, which is what the Microsoft dongle uses: https://www.usb.org/sites/default/files/327216.pdf. As another answer stated, plugging the dongle into a hub positioned away from the USB-3/USB-C connection usually sorts the problem.

Another thing you might want to check is that your mobile phone is not near the keyboard or dongle, I find this can also cause key dropping/sluggishness.

It's a shame they insist on using this proprietary dongle, as like you say, it's a great keyboard otherwise – another bad thing about it is that if you lose the dongle, you have to replace the entire set as they are paired in the factory. I'm on my third Sculpt because keys eventually fall off, but it gets pretty heavy usage so I don't feel too hard done to and the last one was replaced under the 3 year warranty.

Re: Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

#224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Thank you ! A lot of people mistake how this band seems to work. Its not that the device can't create interference, its that it must ACCEPT interferance.

As opposed to what? Reflecting it? (Honest question.)

Essentially ISM band rules are that "this band is garbage and you do not get to complain if the noise is so high you cannot put a signal through even at max allowed transmit power"

Re: Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

#225

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My favourite part about wires is that there's never interference or poor connectivity. Aux headphones, ethernet cables, wired mouse and keyboard - all so much more painless.

I used to be able to tell I was about to get a GSM text message by the way my (wired) computer speakers would make a distinct quiet staccato crackle sound.

That's the beat frequency between the ring channel and the call channel. The channel widths and separation were such that the beat frequency was order 1KHz and therefore audible.

Re: Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

#226

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I used to be able to tell I was about to get a GSM text message by the way my (wired) computer speakers would make a distinct quiet staccato crackle sound.

Why did that stop happening? I remember back in the early 2000s you might even come across a live concert where an incoming text message got caught in the PA and broadcast to the entire audience.

Because we moved from GSM and its original set of frequencies to 3G and (usually) a new set of frequency bands. The noise was caused by a beat frequency between the ring channel and the call/data channel. Changing either the coding scheme (so you don't get anything like a tone as the beat) or the channel separation (so the beat isn't in audio range) causes it to go away.

Re: Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

#227

What fortuitous timing to see this post. I bought an MX Master 3 for Mac mouse for my Silicon Mac Mini about a year and a half ago but quickly shelved it because the cursor would frequently make irritating little jumps. I replaced it with an Apple Magic Touchpad (I don't love the Magic Mouse) because, at least at the time, I was under the impression that the jumpiness was due to a OS-level bug affecting all non-Apple…

Logitech Unifying and Logi Bolt are incompatible. Both them, classic Bluetooth, Bluetooth Low Energy and almost all other input-devices with dongles all use the 2.4 GHz band, and all these types of devices can interfere with one-another — but there are no rules against that!

Logi Bolt is actually a proprietary layer on top of Bluetooth Low Energy. Logitech claims that it should suffer less in face of congestion on the band compared to regular BLE, but they have not revealed how: I wonder if they make it worse for other devices by transmitting on more BLE channels.

Re: Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

#228

I encourage only US owners of both the defective Logitech products and of AirPods, to write a complaint to the FCC reporting the problem as you experience it and asking the FCC to respond. https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/requests/new (Interference; Unlicensed.)

What do you assume that will accomplish? It’s your own Part 15 devices interfering with each other because of some shitty spec (Bluetooth) - I don’t think there’s any FCC rule breaking involved here. I’m all for using the federal agency complaint process but this is dumb.

You're right it's possible they haven't done anything but it's not for certain.

Options that are what's wrong:

They are breaking the rules of the ISM band (the free 2.4GHz band). Transmitting too strongly or with too much leakage. This is the easiest way to cause the problems listed and would get them in the most trouble (because it's trouble with the FCC), but is unlikely.

In spec Bluetooth implementation and in spec ISM band, but logitech are using Bluetooth in a way that's causing a problem for airpods. If this were the case it would be arguably an airpod problem, but it's unlikely because no other device manages to achieve this.

Out of spec Bluetooth implementation, close enough in protocol to do Bluetooth like things (and get a link through) but something like to wide a rolloff on the Bluetooth channels so it interferes with other BT devices in a way it shouldn't. Without getting out a spectrum analyser this is to me the most likely explanation of how you could achieve the described behaviour. Interestingly this doesn't get you in trouble with the FCC, it gets you in trouble with the Bluetooth SIG. The way Bluetooth IP works is that you are only allowed to use it if you use it correctly and are certified. Presumably Logitech fudged some radio tests.

Re: Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

#229

To summarize: If you use a Logitech bluetooth device, it creates enough interference that high-bandwidth products like the Airpods will not function correctly. If you switch the Logitech device to use their "unifying" adapter, which doesn't use bluetooth but a different proprietary wireless protocol, the problem goes away. Logitech acknowledged the problem about six months ago but thus far have deflected any further…

Is this a flaw/weakness in the Bluetooth spec, or is one of these products misbehaving in a way that means it should have its Bluetooth qualification revoked?

Bluetooth is designed for devices backing off in response to congestion for scalability, not devices trying to shout louder than other devices.

Re: Logitech MX Products are incompatible with AirPods

#230

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They used to be common on USB cables, especially USB A to B cables for printers. Not sure why they disappeared.

Those are ferrite cores? I thought it was covered solder joint or something.

Nope, clipped or glued ferrite, you used to also get them on power cables for certain devices
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