Does your Ionics GPS cause your music to dropout / skipping / pausing

[Glennsfit]

I'm having a lot of issues with my Ionic with the music dropping in and out while running. Its not all the time which makes it frustrating but seems to be getting worse. I tested the watch on 2 sets of Bluetooth headsets and the problem was their with both my Plantronics back beat Go2 and backbeat fit. On 2 separate occasions the music was dropping out on every backswing of my arm which made me think it was a sensor interfering with blue Bluetooth and also because if I held the watch/arm up flat/horizontal the music had good connection. But in saying this, I could go for a 20min run and it would play up on the first 10min and be fine for the next 10min. The drop outs can vary, be every 1 or 2 seconds to 1 or 2 every 30sec.

 Today I finally went for a run with the GPS turned off (and at a time it was playing up) and the problem was gone! BUT this will need to be tested on a few more runs to confirm its the issue. I also just noticed my watch battery is at 30% and do wonder if that interferes with the Bluetooth strength as well.

Any Help and Feedback would be greatly appreciated 

Glenn

[Glennsfit]

Thought Id give an update on my issue. the music on the Ionic did skip a few times with the GPS OFF but was pretty good over all on a short walk and run with the battery at 89% too. I then turned the GPS ON and was not to bad either but definitely got more skips but wasn't a lot. BUT I think I can confirm that with the GPS being ON does weaken the Bluetooth signal because I would almost instantly loose connectivity when I pressed the watch face up against my leg while the Ionic is on my left wrist .But with the GPS OFF it would take longer to loose connectivity and get less skipping of the music.

I will be on a longer run tomorrow and I will test it a bit more, but I am interest to see if it plays up more with a lower battery again.

[Minkah]

Hi, the skipping is happening to me too, it's almost nonstop and I'm pretty furious about it. I went for a run with GPS and my Samsung Level headphones. EVERY song skipped about EVERY 20 seconds (I counted). It was just about unbearable. I cannot understand how they sold a $300 tracker touting on-board music and GPS functions when in reality we can't even go for a simple run and use these features without serious disruptions. I have a 9 year old Sansa MP3 player that has been with me through rain, shine, and snow below zero temps, that MP3 has never skipped and still works to this day.  What is wrong with you Fitbit? Any suggestions to fix this? I bought the iconic specifically for GPS and on-board music.  Another let down or is there a fix someone knows about?

[Minkah]

Just trying to bump this issue a bit...is there a moderator or anyone who has any ideas how to fix the terrible skipping when playing music from ionic??  I can't imagine another 5 mile run with constantly skipping music so really hope someone out there can help! Thanks!

[Minkah]

Here's the update today, taking @Glennsfit advice I went for a run without  using the running app/GPS to test if the music would play without skipping.  At first the music was skipping exactly as before, about every 20 seconds. So I stopped and deleted my headphones from the ionic then paired them again.  That worked and I had a pleasant run listening to an uninterrupted playlist. However, I did not get to use the running app and track all the extras like pace, splits, and mapping, so I feel there's not much to celebrate. Ionic is supposed to have these features so if I can't use them together I'm not getting what I paid for. Also, I hope I do not have to delete and reset bluetooth headphones every single time I want to use them. Tomorrow I'll try again to use the running app and thr music at the same time.  I wonder how sales would be if Fitbit was honest about all the errors when they launch these devices...."Ionic has GPS and music! Oh, but sorry, you can't use them at the same time!" From reading the forum I'm confident they absolutely know all these problems exist before launching sales.

[FastEddy-]

Hi @Minkah,

Sorry to hear you have problems with playing music from your Ionic.

I can't really help you with this. I can only say that I am listening to music while using the GPS all the time, with no problem. On my 50 minute run today I noticed not a single music drop-out. So I don't think it is a general Ionic problem.

regards,

  Edwin.

[Glennsfit]

Hi @Minkah I'm currently talking to tech and they have started a case for me. They have continued to tell me it is all 3 of my bluetooth headsets but I have notice it is the watch for the following reasons. 

1. Hi I have had my watch for 2 months now and I am still getting very poor Bluetooth connection to my head set(all 3 head sets that I have) The music constantly drops out/ breaking up intermittently. I have found it is NOT the headsets but the Ionic itself because of the following reasons. During listening to music..

   1. The problems occurs when... auto run/walk starts and I manually turn it off.

   2. when pressing the left button to take you to clock face.

   3. scrolling through the app pages and I have had it twice where the scrolling would become jerky and freeze at the same time the music started dropping out.

   4. feeling a vibration from a notification

   5. and there are others that I havnt noticed

   FIXES I HAVE TRIED

   1. During the issue happening I can get a temporary fix by pressing and holding top right button that takes me to the shortcut music page. BUT this can take several goes before it work. This is the best fix I can get but doesn't last all that long sometimes.

   2. I never have my phone with me on my runs and connect outside away from the phone. Also disconnect Bluetooth on phone just in case. 3 unpair and repair devices, this can fix but issues come back when trying to use the watch eg above 1.2.3.4.5 causes the preblems. 4. Reset the watch(many times), no luck 

   5. Factory reset many times

   6. Have the latest update The biggest thing I have noticed it seems to loose strength of connection or lowers the quality of connection because when I am having the issue with it I can hold the watch close to my head and it works fine but drop my arm down and when it swings behind me the music will cut out. I have also noticed if I am running in the open area then pass a wall/ building I temporarily get a good connection but when I pass the connection will be crap again

[Minkah]

Hi @Glennsfit that is encouraging news. Since you first posted have you done anything to troubleshoot the issue or did it just kinda stop on its own?  I'm going to try again tomorrow to use the gps and music and really hope it works! Thanks for your update!

[Glennsfit]

@Minkahall the trouble shooting Ive done is in message 7 of mine. The issue is worse than ever for me 😞 and the Temporary fix I used pressing the top right button that took you to music home page, rarely works now. Also I recommend try pausing for a few seconds on the Ionic, that also works some times . 

 If you have the same issue as me you will fine the Ionic will work well indoors but as you walk outside in an open space it will loose connection / dropouts and then become good again when you walk back  inside AND even if you are next to a wall outside, this is because the bluetooth signal is enhanced by bouncing off the walls which increases strength.

 I believe the bluetooth looses strength when the issue is occurring from a software or hardware change on the Ionic being set off by a running app/GPS/motion sensor/ vibration alert etc from the Ionic or the user making changes.

hope this helps, I recommend talking to tech and get a case started for your self. more people complaining about the issue will help get a quicker fix. I will keep you updated

[SunsetRunner]

Hi,

I've had some issues with my bluetooth as well.  I have a pair of backbeat fit headphones from Plantronics.  What worked for me was switching from my left to right wrist.  I suppose the receiver/transmitter for my headphones is on the right side of my headset.

Maybe you have already tried that, but if you haven't, may want to give it a shot.

[Glennsfit]

Unfortunately that fix didn't work for me and I don't think we should have too change wrists every time we go for a run either. I just went for a run and I had no problems this time as I didn't have GPS running or run detect on and did not touch the Ionic at all, if I did use the Ionic in some way the issue would of started for sure. I believe its a defective product for this reason and I'm hoping is software related and can be fix but I would of thought many more people would have the issue if that's the case so it could be hardware related.

[Glennsfit]

@FastEddy-what brand and model of earphones do you use?

cheers

[Minkah]

Hi @Glennsfit thanks so much for that update, sorry to hear the issue persists! I mentioned you by mistake before thinking you posted saying the issue was solved, glad you cleared it up.  I think your outdoor theory is spot on, when I'm indoors music plays fine, I can use my M5 bowflex and flap my arms all I want and the music works great. However, outdoors is a different story, the music skipped nonstop while using the app. Without the app it worked but whats the point of having the Ionic if they dont work together! Tomorrow I plan to try the app and music again, but with GPS off. Just wana see what happens. If it works I can't really be too happy bc, again, I bought the ionic based on these advertised features. It's typical Fitbit. I've owned several: flex, alta, charge, and now ionic, EACH one had issues. I'll also take your advice to open a case. Thanks to all of you for the info! Sorry to hear @SunsetRunner is also having issues, I'll update this again after I run tomorrow, and if you have time I'd be interested in updates fromantic your end too whenever you feel like it 🙂

[Minkah]

Hi just wanted to say I also tried switching sides bc of the transmitter, it didn't work for me either.  I had to unpair/re-pair the headset and not use the app. I also agree with @Glennsfit that we shouldn't have to switch wrists or reverse the headsets for it to work. Fitbit should just make a product that works as advertised without all these glitches and errors. I only stick with them bc I'm committed to the app, but even that failed today (I couldn't sync today and then couldnt even pair my ionic to the app). Unfortunately in my experience the fixes only work for a short while and I end up having the issues again. I'll see what happens tomorrow I guess!

[FastEddy-]

Hi @Glennsfit,

Yes , should have mentioned that, will put that in my signature as well.

I use the Fitbit Flyer. I think they are very expensive, it was a gift (from me to me ;)) and I like them a lot.

So no dropouts. I have to admit that I wear my Ionic on my right wrist.

I did experience a short dropout once and mentioned that in the Flyer forum, but this behavior didn't come back. I hope your dropout problem does'nt last as well.

Regards,

  Edwin.

[Minkah]

I just wanted to post a brief update as I've been pretty busy over the Christmas holiday and have not posted recent results.  I went running a few more times using the running app without the GPS and the music has worked well.  I'm planning to try the GPS again soon but it's so cold where I am I just don't want to go out, have the problem, and have to stop to turn it off. Once I test the GPS and music together again I will report my results. Happy holidays all 🙂

[hinkjus32]

I am also having this issue. I am using the Jaybird BlueBuds X. I go on a 3 mile run every morning and for the first two miles the connection is just fine. The last mile the headphone connection starts cutting in and out so bad I have to shut off the music. I've tried shutting off the headphones and turning them back in and letting them reconnect to the watch but that does not help any. I am not carrying my phone and am using GPS on the watch. I hope this gets fixed soon as music and gps together on the watch was the main reason I got this watch.

[hinkjus32]

Every morning I have to put up with this, the more mad it makes me. Having music was a main reason I bought the watch and by the end of my run it's cutting out so bad I have to turn off the headphones. For the first 20-30 mins of a GPS run, the headphone connection is great when walking and running. But it's like the bluetooth signal is diminishing and the signal starts cutting out after that. Turning the headphones off and on at this point does not help.

Supports answer is that this can be a problem if you aren't using the Flyers!?!?! Yea ok, so I have a broken Fitbit product and the only solution is to get another. Great business model. How is it the headphones are the cause when they work just fine for the first 20-30mins. And the problem exists just the same before and after a restart of the headphones during the GPS run. Only stopping the GPS run exercise and starting a new one fixes it. Sounds like the headphones are the cause of the problem to me....not.

And of course when I called this was the first they've ever heard of this problem. I've had to deal with support a few times now and they are less than helpful. They have done nothing but deflect and push other products. Never once have they actually gave me an acceptable solution. They cannot just own problems and say they are going to look into them and get them fixed.

[hinkjus32]

Also to note, I've dropped and repaired with no luck. I wear the watch on the same side as the antenna for the headphones. I've tried the pause and resume after 15 mins. I do not carry my phone during this. I have not tried without GPS on because that is not an option. If I cannot have GPS on then the watch is worthless to me and I will return it. I understand many of you are doing it as a troubleshooting step but since when do we have to be the product testers. Step up Fitbit and fix your issues.

[indianwin2001]

But we are product testers . This product NEVER should have been released.  I bought mine early on and realized the ionic had a lot of problems.  After 5 years of being happy with other fitbit products, I switched companies. I am v wry happy I did as I feel my new watch is accurate and their forums aren't filled with all the nonsense here. Sure they have some problems but not to this extent. I mean look at the Ionic forums,the different complaints are ridiculous