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Bluetooth Skipping

Discussion in 'Prime Audio, Electronics, and Infotainment' started by Piwacet, Dec 4, 2017.

  1. Piwacet

    Piwacet Junior Member

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    Anyone having audio skipping (brief interruption in playback) when playing music over bluetooth? I have an android phone (droid turbo) that did not have this issue at all when playing music in my previous car (and same phone). Skipping frequency can range from rare to once every few seconds, making listening to bluetooth audio intolerable. Nothing on the phone seems clearly related - happens with spotify, google play music, phone screen on, screen off, android auto on or off (using the android auto app on my phone...). It happens when no music is playing as well - for instance if I have android auto on and google assistant is talking to me, there may be some skipping as she talks.

    I've read that audio skipping seems to vary by car/phone combo and when I've googled it seemed it would be difficult to track down. So as I did not have this problem with this phone and my previous car was curious if others had this problem too.

    Thanks!
     
  2. Lucifer

    Lucifer Senior Member

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    Guessing your phone is being interrupted by various apps that have permission to interrupt, email notifications, text notifications, etc, as Bluetooth audio is working flawlessly for everyone... or everyone would be seeking answers.
     
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  3. ct89

    ct89 Active Member

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    I've seen this with my iPhone. Usually I disconnect and reconnect the phone. That has worked for me.
     
  4. bhtooefr

    bhtooefr Senior Member

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    There's been reports of this happening with Toyota head units for a while now.

    Try shutting bluetooth off, and back on, on your phone.
     
  5. lx.josh

    lx.josh Junior Member

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    I have an open case with Apple on this. It specifically started after I updated to iOS 11. For now, the fix that seems to work “most” of the time for some odd reason is to open the entune app and be logged in. That seems to eliminate the skip issue.


    iPhone ?
     
  6. SteveMucc

    SteveMucc Active Member

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    sad to say... it all works perfectly on my windows phone. And yes, i'm probably the last person in the world with a windows phone. it works flawlessly with the unit... or likely would if there was a damn entune app for it. but everything else works just fine (no crashes, skips, etc.).
     
  7. Piwacet

    Piwacet Junior Member

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    Thanks all. I'll try those things. My phone is 3 years old and maybe it's just not up to the task anymore.
     
  8. lx.josh

    lx.josh Junior Member

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    It’s not the phone. It’s the iOS. I’m running the iPhone 7 Plus with the same issue. Try to run the entune app and see if that fixes the issue! I did for me...for the most part.


    iPhone ?
     
  9. eluo

    eluo Member

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    I have experienced this bluetooth audio skipping on my 2017 Prime Premium since I first drove it off the dealership lot (May 2017). The Entune Pandora app worked a lot better but not perfect. I investigated this issue today and found that it is an incompatibility with my Nexus 5x (Android) phone. When I switched to an older iPhone 5s, the bluetooth audio was perfect; no skips. The problem reoccurs when my Nexus is connected to my Prius Prime; even when the iPhone 5s is streaming music. Problem goes away again when I turn off the bluetooth on my Nexus phone. Strangely, I have no bluetooth audio issue with my Nexus phone connected to other bluetooth audio devices (Phillip bluetooth speaker, various bluetooth headphones, 2007 Prius). Hope this helps other in determining their bluetooth issue.
     
  10. pilotgrrl

    pilotgrrl Senior Member

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    Android 6 (Marshmallow) has a number of issues with Bluetooth connectivity and vehicles. You might want to check with your carrier and see if there are any updates.

    If you're using a 3 year old device, there may be compatibility issues, check the compatibility list on Toyota's site.

    BTW, it happens with many different makes of vehicle, it happens with aftermarket head units, and it's not exclusive to any specific phone brand.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
  11. SaraBBrown94

    SaraBBrown94 Active Member

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    Shutting off wifi fixes this for me. My android OP3 phone tries to connect to every xfinity hotspot as I'm driving and it causes the Bluetooth to freak out and skip on random occasions.
     
  12. RuthlessTactics

    RuthlessTactics Junior Member

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    The problem I'm having on mines is for some reason when my iPhone is connected via Bluetooth, the music seems to slow down (lthe BPM slows down) and then return to normal. A bit annoying. I've only had the car for a week. I'm not sure if its because of the cold weather being a draw on the battery or something else. Strange...
     
  13. possiblymaybe

    possiblymaybe Junior Member

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    Yes!! I'm experiencing that as well! I have an iPhone X, and I get both the Bluetooth skips as well as occasional slowing of songs, which shifts the frequencies of tuning down slightly. It's dreadful, I'm musically inclined and in a band, so my ear zeroes right in on those errors. I haven't tried disconnecting and reconnecting again, but that's on the agenda for the morning's commute.
     
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  14. lx.josh

    lx.josh Junior Member

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    Opening the ToyotaEntune app and signing in to it completely solves the issue for me.

    Can anyone else confirm?

    The only drawback is that the ToyotaEntune app always logs me out after a few days!


    iPhone ?
     
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  15. LoliKami

    LoliKami Junior Member

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    On my car with iPhone X also which just started recently. It’s very annoying now with USB problem that Toyota cannot fix.
     
  16. possiblymaybe

    possiblymaybe Junior Member

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    I will try this and get back to you! Thanks for that tip!
     
  17. eluo

    eluo Member

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    The audio skip problem went away for me with my Nexus 5x. I'm now running Android 8.1 Oreo. It may also be that my 12v battery died and the car rebooted itself when I charged it up. 12v battery died due to me not driving my Prime for over a month.
     
  18. possiblymaybe

    possiblymaybe Junior Member

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    Making sure the Entune app was open totally solved this problem, thankfully!
     
  19. RuthlessTactics

    RuthlessTactics Junior Member

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    Same here. I just launch the app and it works too.
     
  20. theegg

    theegg Junior Member

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    I am having the same problem and the skipping is maddening! I have an iPhone 8 which I use in both my 2017 & 2018 IV (has 11.6" screen). When I play any music in the 2018, whether it is saved on my phone or streaming through Amazon Music or Pandora, it skips every 60-62 seconds. Yes, I literally sat there and timed it. Using the same phone in the 2017, I have absolutely no problem. So it makes me wonder if it has something to do with audio that is part of the 11.6" screen interface. I didn't have any problem when I used an iPhone in my 2016 either. I also tried using a Galaxy S5, still skipped. I have done every gyration of disconnecting the phone, removing the device from the device list in the car, restarting the phone, yadda, yadda, yadda. My husband works for a Toyota dealer. So, I even tried my iPhone in another 2018 Prius IV (which has the larger screen) there at the dealership, and it skipped in that vehicle also. And it apparently doesn't have anything to do with the JBL system as I have it and the other I tested did not. The service department hasn't heard of this issue but tried doing some kind of audio system reset. That didn't fix it either. So, they are "forwarding the issue" to somewhere. Folks here have mentioned the Entune app. I have the app set up for my 2017, though I don't use, but haven't set it up on my phone for the 2018. Frankly, I haven't thought of that since I don't actively use it in my 2017. At this point, I am willing to try anything. Will report back. A side note: I ain't crazy about the 11.6" screen and you can't get a IV Touring without it, which sucks.