I hate all technology take me back please
August 4, 2021 2:37 PM Subscribe
I have these expensive bluetooth headphones from Bose and I was wondering why if there's a reason why it can "connect" to both my phone and my computer at the same time, but not actually get audio from both sources at the same time, what is the utility of letting it connect at all? If I can only get audio from one at a time why even allow it to connect to 2 sources?
The headphones are always telling me "Connected to (Name of computer) and (Name of phone)" which I thought, well that's nifty. But then I go to listen to music on my phone and I can't hear it until I disconnect from my computer. OK fine so the technology can only receive audio from one point at a time, that makes sense, then why allow it to make more than 1 connection if I can't use a different connection?
The headphones are always telling me "Connected to (Name of computer) and (Name of phone)" which I thought, well that's nifty. But then I go to listen to music on my phone and I can't hear it until I disconnect from my computer. OK fine so the technology can only receive audio from one point at a time, that makes sense, then why allow it to make more than 1 connection if I can't use a different connection?
What model are your headphones? In general Bluetooth audio is always fiddly and awkward, but it may be that there's some functionality you're missing that lets you manually choose the source to listen to without disconnecting. It does seem unlikely that it would be possible to connect to both only to have neither work.
posted by spielzebub at 2:44 PM on August 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
posted by spielzebub at 2:44 PM on August 4, 2021 [1 favorite]
check out this reddit thread:
https://www.reddit.com/r/bose/comments/4srwul/hows_your_experience_with_multiple_devices_with/
I have similar headphones from sony (WH-1000XM4) and if I connect it to my laptop and phone I can play music on my laptop, pause the music, start music on my phone, and it works without me having to do anything.
You're right that you only get one audio source at a time, the "feature" is that you can swap between them without disconnecting and reconnecting.
posted by hermanubis at 2:50 PM on August 4, 2021 [10 favorites]
https://www.reddit.com/r/bose/comments/4srwul/hows_your_experience_with_multiple_devices_with/
I have similar headphones from sony (WH-1000XM4) and if I connect it to my laptop and phone I can play music on my laptop, pause the music, start music on my phone, and it works without me having to do anything.
You're right that you only get one audio source at a time, the "feature" is that you can swap between them without disconnecting and reconnecting.
posted by hermanubis at 2:50 PM on August 4, 2021 [10 favorites]
Yeah, the alternative is to have to re-pair the headphones from scratch whenever you switch devices. BT wasn't designed to handle multiple audio streams.
posted by GuyZero at 2:52 PM on August 4, 2021 [6 favorites]
posted by GuyZero at 2:52 PM on August 4, 2021 [6 favorites]
What is Bluetooth multipoint, and why isn’t it more popular?
posted by flabdablet at 2:53 PM on August 4, 2021 [3 favorites]
posted by flabdablet at 2:53 PM on August 4, 2021 [3 favorites]
That's the expected behavior. The "problem" being solved is that you don't have to re-pair the device every time you switch from PC to phone. I've never heard of any bluetooth device that could play two sources simultaneously.
One of the features of Apple Airpods is that they switch very quickly without any manual intervention when audio starts playing on a connected Apple device, but they're still only getting audio from one at a time.
posted by tiamat at 2:55 PM on August 4, 2021 [3 favorites]
One of the features of Apple Airpods is that they switch very quickly without any manual intervention when audio starts playing on a connected Apple device, but they're still only getting audio from one at a time.
posted by tiamat at 2:55 PM on August 4, 2021 [3 favorites]
Response by poster: That's the expected behavior. The "problem" being solved is that you don't have to re-pair the device every time you switch from PC to phone.
Except I will have to re-pair with my computer because I had to disconnect it to get my phone to work. It's like I have to just get another pair of headphones to only use with my work computer if I want to not be terminally annoyed every time I need headphones for something.
posted by bleep at 2:59 PM on August 4, 2021
Except I will have to re-pair with my computer because I had to disconnect it to get my phone to work. It's like I have to just get another pair of headphones to only use with my work computer if I want to not be terminally annoyed every time I need headphones for something.
posted by bleep at 2:59 PM on August 4, 2021
I always have one or two phones and my laptop connected to my Jabra speaker on my desk via Bluetooth. I don‘t have to do anything to go from music on my phone to a Teams call on my laptop. So check your manual and find out what your headset is supposed to do. I will note that in my car I have to switch my Bluetooth connection from one device to the other manually.
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:01 PM on August 4, 2021 [2 favorites]
posted by koahiatamadl at 3:01 PM on August 4, 2021 [2 favorites]
Best answer: Except I will have to re-pair with my computer because I had to disconnect it to get my phone to work. It's like I have to just get another pair of headphones to only use with my work computer if I want to not be terminally annoyed every time I need headphones for something.
There should be a button to press or flick, or a tap command that allows you to switch between paired devices. This is how the Bose overear headphones work, and it’s pretty useful. Check your manual.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:45 PM on August 4, 2021 [4 favorites]
There should be a button to press or flick, or a tap command that allows you to switch between paired devices. This is how the Bose overear headphones work, and it’s pretty useful. Check your manual.
posted by His thoughts were red thoughts at 3:45 PM on August 4, 2021 [4 favorites]
Response by poster: Thank you everyone this whole thread was very helpful!
posted by bleep at 3:51 PM on August 4, 2021
posted by bleep at 3:51 PM on August 4, 2021
Best answer: Have you seen this on the Bose website?
https://community.bose.com/t5/Headphones-Archive/Multiple-bluetooth-sources-at-one-time/td-p/250997
posted by tman99 at 6:32 AM on August 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
https://community.bose.com/t5/Headphones-Archive/Multiple-bluetooth-sources-at-one-time/td-p/250997
posted by tman99 at 6:32 AM on August 5, 2021 [1 favorite]
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by Obscure Reference at 2:42 PM on August 4, 2021 [5 favorites]