Bluetooth is crazy making. But in this case it's just a red herring. If you are experiencing audio issues with bluetooth, you might want to read on. I uncovered a logic that's probably bugged a lot of folks.
If your computer has multiple audio in and out plugs, this may be the source of audio issues. The fix is simple. Here's my write up.
Background For My Fellow Geeks -> First Clue: ATAPI
Realtek Digital showed I had an "ATAPI Internal Jack. As you already know, TAPI (Telephony Application Programming Interface) started out in the dinosaur age as modem in part to handle audio transmission. So I searched for "ATAPI" and found this thread. It pointed to a video. It's amusing to watch -- rather like a silent movie when your audio is out.... ;->
Audio In and Out Multiple Jacks
To cut to the chase, my Dell workstation has both front and back audio plug-ins. That's right, two microphone inputs and two speaker plugs. Obviously this makes it easy for you to plug in your headset from the front. But it can make it tricky for the 'puter to handle multiple audio channels.
Audio Gets Lost
Intuitively I gather the routing of the audio gets lost. So the drivers aren't designed to easily thread multiple inputs/outputs. In addition, defaults are set to give every device exclusive control which just exacerbates the situation.Fix Part 1 -- Trick Basic Audio Settings
The trick is to go to the Sounds in the Control Panel. Go to each device listed - both the playback and recording. Check to see if the settings has been check marked to give exclusive control and uncheck this on each device. In addition, disable each device. Next go back to each device and the enable each and every one. No reboot required.
Part 2 -- Automatic Bluetooth Audio
It gets easier, way easier. I thought I was still a few steps from my goal to enable audio on my Bluetooth headset. But after I went through Part 1, it was all downhill. As the headset was already paired, all I had to do was watch as the computer automatically updated with a couple of drivers. One was IVT Virtual, which now shows under BROADCOM Bluetooth Device as version 6.2.49.124. The other is Bluetooth SCO Audio version 6.1.34.104 from IVT Corporation.
Testing
Skype is very handy to confirm both the microphone and speaker side works with my Motorola H690 bluetooth headset. Just run the Skype test call.Confirm New Settings
FWEIW: Device Manager confirms the following sound, video and game controllers are working:
Bluetooth SCO Audio
Intel(R) High Definition Audio HDMI
Plantronics Calisto Pro Series
Realtek High Definition Audio
Unimodem Half-Duplex Audio Device
USB Audio DAC
Perhaps Realtek Digital Output is totally in control since it is set as default. Realtek Digital Output shows driver v6.0.1.5678.
Wish me luck, I'm going to log out and reboot.....
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