Music cutting out every 15 seconds

[Halpertal]

On my first run today with my paired Bluetooth headphones, and while I able to listen to music just fine while warming up, as soon as I started the Running app, every 15 seconds I would get a "lost connection" message, then it would start playing music again. 

I couldn't really handle all the interruptions and took my headphones off. I'm guessing my bargain basement headphones may have low fault tolerance, OR the fitbit is doing something else like checking in on GPS every 15 seconds and drops the Bluetooth all together?

I'm using an IONIC. 

[26Mickey]

I finally got the music on (this was an ordeal).  My bluetooth headphones cut out every three seconds, so it's like listening to a skipped record.  Also, the playback speed/pitch of the music is wrong.  It's high, sounds slightly chipmunky.

This is my first Fitbit and I'm very unimpressed.

I am having the same exact issue!

[Crowagner]

Their big solution is to wear the watch on the other wrist. A major pain in
the butt doing this every time I take the dog for a walk. I notice that the
colder it is outside the worse my Bluetooth is between watch and headphone.

I have also read that your headphones need to be 3.0 Bluetooth standard.
Nothing fit bit tells you when you buy this watch.

[MrKC]

My solution was using Bluetooth 4.0 headphones. Now I'm happy to enjoy my music but disappointed not to be able to use my nice Jabra Sport+ earphones anymore .....
Can someone @Fitbit please confirm that these older Bluetooth 3.0 headphones will never work properly with our Ionic?

[Crowagner]

Good luck getting fit bit to reply, they are useless when it comes to
issues with the Ionic.

[Sjohnson026]

So why is it that you can use your phone with Bluetooth headphones and go to the other end of your house and no issues with sound or connection...but when you are using the iconic and it’s on an opposite wrist it cut out...not physics poor signal strength coming from the iconic 

[POTATOEMAN]

1. When you are in your house, or outside next to you house, or garage or any structure, the radio signal (Bluetooth) can bounce of the floor, walls and ceiling, extending it's range.  I tried this with my Ionic and the signal went all the way across my house, and from my basement to my 3rd floor attic, if I stood in the right spot. Did you test this with the Ionic, or only your phone ?

2. When you are outside running, the signal doesn't have walls to bounce signal off of, and the signal has to go in a straight line from the Ionic to the headphone receiver, usually where the controls are on your headphones. if parts of your body block this line, the signal will cut out.     I tested this with my almost new Motorolla G5S-plus phone, went out into the middle of the street, and if I used my thigh to block the signal, it would cut out from my phone as well.

3. ANY phone is going to have a stronger/bigger Bluetooth signal than ANY watch, because the antenna on the phone can be 6-8 inches long, and the antenna on Ionic is limited by the length of it's case, about 2 inches long. It's a lot harder to completely block a phone from your headphones, with your body. Easy to do with Ionic.

[Jasondemeter]

I've had the same issue BUT eventually it stops cutting out. It happens about 10 min in which is also when I'm starting to sweat. I wonder if the sweat is either facilitating the connection or allowing the watch to move enough to uncover the antenna.

Also, only works on right arm. Left arm has too much body interference with the signal.

[JDubbaYo]

I have the same problem as reported in this thread, I believe it’s a weak Bluetooth radio in the watch.  I use a pair of Anker Soundbud Slim BT earphones.  The receiver is on the right side.  I wear my watch on my left wrist.  Walking, with my arm at my side, my music will cut in and out, it’s so annoying I stopped using it and use my phone  instead when walking.  Jogging, with my arm held up at chest level, no interruptions, so I can still use the watch music on jogs, although if (when) I stop to walk it goes spotty again and becomes annoying.  As an experiment, I held my phone in my left hand and walked normally, and had no interruptions to my phone music player.  Switched back and forth a few times between phone and watch and it was clear that the watch was the problem.  I don’t know how well they monitor these threads, and I don’t see too many staff posts so I think not very well, but hopefully there’s a way to strengthen the BT radio signal via firmware.

[JDubbaYo]

Update:  went for a jog this morning and the music player really didn’t work worth a carp.  No matter where I held me arm, headphone reception was terrible; ultimately just turned it off and jogged in silence.  Really regretting buying this thing now; would not buy again, and will probably go give it a one-star review on Amazon.

[itspeter]

Hi there, sound interesting what Bluetooth 4.0 headset did work for you?

[Halpertal]

My initial issue has been solved. As soon as I unpaired my phone from my headset my issues went away. I haven't had any problems, and have now had two different headphones. It's clearly not a bluetooth signal issue for the ionic.

[JDubbaYo]

I tried that, and unfortunately it didn’t work for me.  Since my last post I’ve had one run where it worked okay; I’m experimenting with battery level now.  I believe it will go spotty when the watch battery level goes below about 80%, maybe 70%.  Will report my findings.

[AirMurdock]

THIS FIXED IT FOR ME!   (Update:  No it didn't...)

So in my case, I have the Fitbit Ionic (Adidas edition) and a set of bluetooth Jaybird X3 earbuds.  First run I was horrified at the music, super choppy, cutting in & out, just a TERRIBLE experience.  Tried updating the Jaybird X3 firmware, which did need an update.  Well no difference, same result.  That led to an internet search which led to this forum.  Tried Potatoeman's solution - totally worked, but I don't want to wear the fitbit on my right hand, I want to keep it on my left hand - so....

My Solution:  The Jaybird X3's by default have the volume/power control buttons on the right side of my head.  With the Fitbit on my left wrist, obviously my cranium blocks the bluetooth signal.  So instead of changing wrists, I simply popped off the "wings" from the Jaybird X3 earbuds, switched the right wing to the left, and the left wing to the right (swapped sides) and PRESTO - my Jaybird X3 volume/control buttons are now on the LEFT side, same side as my FitBit Ionic.  Perfect signal, just finished my first successful run today, a nice 5k with not one signal drop, just great smooth tunes.

Bottom Line:  The FitBit must have a reasonably clear line-of-sight to your headphone bluetooth receiver (which for the Jaybird X3's is the volume/control button part).  Seems ridiculous that your own head can block a bluetooth signal, but that's exactly what happens.  Keep the Fitbit on the same side as the headphone receiver, and all is good.

UPDATE:  I spoke too soon.  Had 2 good runs where it worked well, but now the music cuts in & out again every time my arm moves beside/behind my torso.  I briefly tried to modify my jogging style, and held my fitbit arm (left arm) in front of me, but had to stop doing that as I was frightening other people, running with my fist in front of me like a jousting lance  

So bottom line is that the Bluetooth signal is very, very weak from the Ionic, and that IS A PROBLEM.

[Crowagner]

Informative and funny post. It's just a weak signal. Hope they can fix.

[Halpertal]

Strange, I don't have this problem at all. Could it be that the ear buds
don't receive well? I'm using some knock off brand and have my watch on the
opposite side of the earbuds dongle and it works fine. I haven't had a
problem since I no longer pair my phone with the same ear buds that I use
with my ionic.

- Alex

[RCA219]

So this issue was reported almost a year ago and still has not been resolved.  I have a brand new Ionic and I have the same dropped music issue.  They haven't fixed the problem in the past year - I can't believe they continue to market this as a function of the Ionic watch!

Is there an actual response from an actual software engineer regarding resolution of this issue?    If the answer is 'we just cant fix it' then I want a partial refund on my purchase.

[POTATOEMAN]

It's not an actual software problem. 

[Stick7]

I have run into the same situation....on multiple occasions it was either low battery level on my earbuds, or I had to reset my Ionic as per the manual.

[CdnBcn1]

DON"T WASTE ANY MORE MONEY OR TIME TRYING TO FIND A SOLUTION TO THIS ISSUE!

I thought I would share my experience and see if it sounds familiar so others can save money buying new headphones and/or wasting time trying to find a non-existent solution.

I bought this watch in September of 2018 specifically to be phone free while listening to music while running and working out at the gym.  I experienced the dropping connection within the 1st week but thought I could work through the issue.  I found out that the problem was described in the forums but had no solution other than moving it to the wrist closest to your headphone receiver.  I tried this just to lower the frequency of drops from every 3-5 seconds to whenever my arm was extended which igranted helped but definitely didn't stop the issue.  I tried other bluetooth headphones (higher end over the ear style) which gave me the same disappointing result.  I lived with it for months until I had enough drops one day and decided  to try a better set of true wireless ear buds that have Bluetooth 5.0 (latest most stable connection) - these were $200 and it made it worse.  I contacted the fitbit support and followed the standard reset protocol...no change.  All I got from the "elevated fitbit support" was final response that they could not find a solution and they will get back to me later...sounds like a great way to close the open support ticket and not acknowledge there's a fundamental design flaw.  This is an issue that has been on the forum for YEARS - look back at dates on these posts in multiple threads and you'll see 2017 or earlier.  This tells me that the issue is in the hardware and they can't resolve with the current ionic model so all they can do is keep pushing people off so they don't have to give anyone money back...stop thanking me for bringing you my issue and acknowledge the problem.

I'm done with Fitbit and following others to Garmin or Samsung...

[RCA219]

Yep.  Clearly there's a hardware issue.    I opened up my own ticket with tech support and despite all of the information I've provided them regarding the various things I've tried to get this to work, their only response is that they are aware of the problem and can they close my ticket.    It's very funny that I got a spam mail today from FitBit advertising the music feature on the Ionic fitness watch.    I don't understand how they can continue to market this feature that clearly doesn't work.  Or is there a group of users out there with functioning wireless headset capabilities?

I have a 99.9% failure rate trying to play music from my watch.   The really crazy thing is that it worked ONCE on a three mile outdoor run  -  it never dropped the music at all!    But that was the only time and I was never able to re-create the success.  Must have been relatively humidity, phase of the moon or solar flares that allowed it to work just once.