Audio latency on K6TU remote

James Eastham

I'm running the K6TU remote app on an iPad Air controlling my 6700 via a wifi with excellent signal strength on the iPad. I'm enjoying it immensely particularly since a recent leg injury has put me in the Lazy Boy recliner quite a bit over the last month. I have noticed that when I am using a Logitech wireless Bluetooth headset with the iPad I experience a rather high amount of receive audio choppiness. The choppiness goes away almost entirely when I use an Apple earbud/mic plugged into the iPad or when I use the built in mic on the iPad. Is anyone else using a Bluetooth headset/mic with the K6TU remote with similar results? I should note that the Bluetooth headset was manufactured for the iPad specifically by Logitech and has been discontinued. Audio reports on the Bluetooth mic were good with no reported audio breakup on transmit. The problem seems isolated to receive audio only. Jim NX3Z

Stu Phillips - K6TU

James,

The likely problem is that your Bluetooth headset is interfering with your Wifi connection.  Even though your WiFi signal is reported with good signal strength, the relative signal strength of your BT headset is going to be significantly higher in dBm and signal to noise terms.

There is a free iPad app (from Apple no less) called Airport Utility (its designed for configuring Apple's Airport WiFi gear which is excellent BTW) which you can turn into a free WiFi scanner to see what channels are in use, relative signal strengths, SSIDs etc.

This following link shows you how to do this...

http://community.arubanetworks.com/t5/Technology-Blog/Apple-iOS-8-WiFi-Scanning-Returns/ba-p/203015

This is really nifty because it scans at whatever rate you set it and it shows all the SSID's, channel assignments etc.  Very useful!

BT uses the same 2.4 GHz unlicensed spectrum used by WiFi (as does your Microwave oven BTW)...  so if possible use the 5 GHz radio in your WiFi.

Apple describes the problem and some of the possible solutions here:

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201542

Sorry to hear about your injury and hope you are on the mend.

In the meantime, the wired solution might be easier than improving the signal strength of your Access Point.

Stu K6TU

KY6LA_Howard

Which specific headset are you using?

Rob N4GA

Forget about the bluetooth headset and use the white Apple earbuds. I run those exclusively now and have mine EQ'd using the TX EQ that's built in.

I get excellent audio reports and have even worked with a couple of audio snobs to EQ this on the air and they are blown away.

If you want to hear them, we can set up a QSO. (rob.mccance@gmail.com)

Also, I'm using DogPark SDR on a MacBook Air and am starting to work exclusively from the lazy boy chair in the TV room...even with two good legs!



Rob, N4GA 

James Eastham

Hi Rob. I think we spoke the other day on the air. I remember you were using earbuds with good results. Will be in touch about a possible sked. 73. Jim

Rob N4GA

Ahh yes! No, I was using a cheap Logitec USB headset at the time. (yet another experiment)

You helped me get that sounding reasonable, but then we both agreed it was just acceptable.

A few days later, I said what the heck, and plugged the Apple ear buds in and have never looked back. I get unsolicited "awesome audio" reports using those things. Sort of unbelievable but not really when you consider how a phone call sounds when using them. 

Btw, you made me a recording and emailed it but at the time, the email on QRZ for me was a old non functional one.

I was going to email you and let you know but as I recall, I could not get to your email address. Maybe I was not signed in or something.

Anyway, thanks and talk to you soon!

Rob in Atlanta
N4GA

Stu Phillips - K6TU

One possibility...  not all BT headsets are equal in the eyes of Apple in terms of the BT profile that is supported.

I developed the app and tested using a set of Apple Beats Wireless Pro - they sound awesome in stereo and support the high quality BT profile on both the headset and the built in mic.

Its possible that with a less capable BT device, you are picking up the lower rate BT audio profile that was intended for in-car hands free use on phones.  How do I put this in a PC way?  Even a pair of tin cans and a piece of wet string sounds better than that profile!

Howard KY6LA was the first tester to bludgeon BT support out of me into the app - I'n not sure which headset he uses but he's been happy with the results.  Howard is a discerning operator with some even more discerning friends.  If the audio quality passes their muster, it must be ok.

Like Rob, the included iPhone white ear buds generate amazing audio reports with only modest equalization.  The Dr Dre Beats Wireless headset does too and is quite comfortable - if not inexpensive!

Stu K6TU

Rob N4GA

Stu,

Think a lot of old Hams will be lining up to buy the Dr Dre headsets?

LOL!

Whisky Four, such n such, coming to you via my Beats by Dre headset.



Rob N4GA

Mark_WS7M

I'm a bose man myself...  WS7M via noise quieting bose headset... if I can ever find the time to do some oping...

Stu Phillips - K6TU

I guess Huey Lewis had it right...

It's hip to be square!

You are so right... the W4 would be laughed out of state!

Maybe I could detect the headset in use and then use a text to speech converter to give the OM away ;-)

You can't make this stuff up! LOL!!!!
Stu K6TU

Ken - NM9P

Unfortunately, I seem to have misplaced my white Apple earbud/mic combo. I had been keeping them in the little plastic case so that I wouldn't lose them..... Oh well....I lost them, case and all!

KY6LA_Howard

I have been using a $26 Logitech Bluetooth headset for several years now running remote..I always seem to get Broadcast Quality Audio Reports on my iPad from K6TU app, Parallels Access and COMMCAT Apps... 

BUT I must admit that I spent several hours (days) on the air with a few different local hams tuning EQ so that it sounded just right for MY VOICE for each different APP I used in remote..  Seems that the different apps needed slightly different audio profiles... Not sure why?  More likely my discerning listeners were imagining a difference that I could not hear...

The new iPad Pro mike is also getting superb reports barefoot but I tried it last Saturday to work Ken MN9P from my Son-in-Laws house (no Headset with me) and was told to stop talking over the football game...The stereo speakers on the iPad Pro  is astounding.. 

As a test I just ordered Apple Ear Buds with mike on Amazon $17.99 (Regular $29.99) - arriving tomorrow...

Ironic that you mention Beats... Spent 24th and Xmas day with my Grandson repairing his Beats.... Easy to take apart and repair (1 hr) but almost impossible (6 hours) to put back together again...impressive quality of construction compared to a Heil except that they use that copper impregnated silk wire for connections which needed really steady hands to work with...

James Eastham

Stu,  Their is no model number on the headset.  Logitech sold it back in 2012 I believe you can still get them on ebay and amazon,  here is a pic from one ad

Ken - NM9P

Looks like the one I bought last year.

KY6LA_Howard

That's the one I use too

I have been getting superb audio reports with it for years and it hears pretty well also...

I suspect that Stu's best guess is that you have a channel conflict between the Bluetooth and the WIFI is causing your issue..

James Eastham

Update, looks like the channel update solved the problem. Set the wifi access points to different channels instead of auto. Also turned off the equalizer, audio sounded the best with the audio straight from the headset mic. Better than anything I could get from Apple earbud mic or built in mic when I monitored on another radio in the shack. Thanks for the suggestions everyone 73 Jim NX3Z

Bob-N4HY

Every single device in the audio chain between you and the radio adds latency.  Every single device manufacturer of said device wants to charge you the most money and pay the least cost for building and delivering the device to you.  Logitech is a good company but they are at the bottom of my list when it comes to many types of devices because they are amongst the cheapest AND IT SHOWS.

73s
Bob N4HY