[SOLVED] Bluetooth Interference

[djconner]

I wear hearing aids, which work with a Bluetooth device called the Oticon Streamer 1.3, which can connect my hearing aids via Bluetooth to a variety of devices. In this case, to my Windows 10 PC and to my Android cell phone. I think functionally this is the same as using a Bluetooth headset, but there's also a radio connection between the streamer and the hearing aids themselves. In case this is relevant, I'm posting details from the streamer manual at the bottom of the post.

So I am working from home, and connect to the PC audio and make phone calls without difficulty. Usually. But sometimes I'll be on a phone call, and the audio is very distorted, making people sound like they're using a "robot" voice filter or something. Moving myself and/or the phone away from the PC doesn't seem to help, and the interference persists anywhere in my apartment .

It clearly has something to do with the PC, because when I go to the Settings page "Bluetooth & other devices" and toggle Bluetooth to "Off", the interference goes away immediately.

Any ideas on how to prevent the interference from occurring in the first place?



The manual for the streamer reads:
Besides the Bluetooth transmitter, the Streamer contains a radio transmitter using
short-range magnetic induction technology, working at 3.84 MHz. The magnetic field
strength of the transmitter is < -15 dBμA/m @ 10m.

 

[Ralston18]

How many Bluetooth devices?

When you toggle Bluetooth off you are losing pairing/ connection with all Bluetooth devices.

Are you able to leave Bluetooth on and then bring on each Bluetooth device on (pair/connect) one at a time?

Generic troubleshooting flow:

Turn off your PC. Turn off all Bluetooth devices.

Boot the PC. Ensure that Bluetooth is on.

Set up a telephone call and ensure that the audio is undistorted.

Then as you continue the telephone call (speaker phone likely to be helpful) turn on each Bluetooth device one by one. Pair - connect as normal.

Hopefully the distortion will appear and be associated with one particular device.

You certainly know your devices and connections better so feel free to modify the troubleshooting process to fit.

Key is to narrow down the problem either directly or by elimination.