Bluetooth headset <-> laptop signal glitch - Swift SF514-55GT

anukhe · November 2020

Hello guys,

I have a brand new Acer Swift 5, and it's having issues with the signal with Bluetooth headsets. When sitting right next to the laptop - sound is fine, but not always, and when I stand up and move 1.5 - 2m away, or move rapidly, the sound starts breaking up. No barriers/walls/doors between me and the laptop...

System information:

System Model Swift SF514-55GT
OS Name Microsoft Windows 10 Home
Version 10.0.19042 Build 19042
SMBIOS Version 3.3

Troubleshooting so far:

Tested with 2 different brand/model Bluetooth headsets (Sony, JBL) on the Acer laptop - issue exists with both headsets
Tested both headsets on 2 other devices (non-Acer laptop, Android mobile device) - issue does not exist with either headset, and either device
Installed all Windows updates to the latest version
Installed Bluetooth driver from the Acer support page
Reset Windows back to the default & installed all updates again (because installing the Acer Realtek Audio driver actually broke the speaker device and could not be fixed via any troubleshooting....)
Paired/unpaired the headsets multiple times following MS manuals to ensure proper installation (initial pairing issue with the Sony headset, but issue does not exist with the non-Acer laptop)

I am a bit apprehensive of attempting the BIOS update, given how well the Realtek Audio driver installation went.

Any suggestions? Has anyone had the same issue, and how did you solve it?

Thanks in advance.

billsey · November 2020

How well does the WiFi work? Any issues there with distance from the router? My thoughts turn to hardware, with the possibility that one of the antenna wires has come loose. The antenna wire routing is chosen such that there's not much chance for electrical interference along the wire, so that issue would be very unlikely, but the sockets at the end of the wire is really tiny and it doesn't take much to have it loose.

anukhe · November 2020

billsey said:

How well does the WiFi work? Any issues there with distance from the router? My thoughts turn to hardware, with the possibility that one of the antenna wires has come loose. The antenna wire routing is chosen such that there's not much chance for electrical interference along the wire, so that issue would be very unlikely, but the sockets at the end of the wire is really tiny and it doesn't take much to have it loose.

The Wi-Fi works just fine, no hiccups whatsoever with it.

billsey · November 2020

OK, darn it. It's always easier when the obvious hits.

Bluetooth signal strength and clarity are tied together and if we assume there's not an antenna issue we need to look closer at the software used to decode Bluetooth signals. You have done a software reset to the OS, have you tried yet fully wiping the Bluetooth drivers off the system and then reinstalling from the ones on the Acer support site?

anukhe · November 2020

billsey said:

OK, darn it. It's always easier when the obvious hits. Bluetooth signal strength and clarity are tied together and if we assume there's not an antenna issue we need to look closer at the software used to decode Bluetooth signals. You have done a software reset to the OS, have you tried yet fully wiping the Bluetooth drivers off the system and then reinstalling from the ones on the Acer support site?

Yes, I uninstalled the Bluetooth device and installed the Acer drivers. Before that tried just uninstalling the device and rebooting so the automatic driver installs.
I just did it now, again, with the Acer drivers for good measure. Sadly..... no change again

billsey · November 2020

OK, I'm out of ideas... Contact Acer support and we'll see what they say.

anukhe · February 2021

billsey said:

OK, I'm out of ideas... Contact Acer support and we'll see what they say.

so, took me a while to actually contact Acer Support and send them the laptop, because... uh, life, I guess, and not a priority ;D
- I actually bought a Bluetooth dongle, because, why the heck not, and that solved the issue until I got around to shipping my slightly buggy mist green beauty for repair.

They replaced the wifi/bluetooth card, and the signal is now working perfectly fine. It was indeed a hardware issue all along. I did consequently notice WiFi was getting disconnected from time to time, too, but my router is a bit... old, so I did not view that as conclusively pointing to the laptop's hardware being at fault.