[SOLVED] Choppy sound using Bluetooth (Zero 2 W)

[citro]

Hi,

I'm not getting clean sound when I use Bluetooth Speakers.

My working configuration is:
- QNap NAS with music library
- router
- Raspberry Pi Zero W 2
- USB soundcard (dongle)
- speakers
- moode audio 8.0.2

The RaPi is connected to Wifi and the USB soundcard is connected to the microUSB port using a OTG cable. In this configuration, Moode works fine.

If I try to connect the Pi to a Bluetooth speaker, I get choppy / crackling sound.

There are some reports that same thing happens with previous Raspberry Pi versions - like B 3+(they are not Moode related), and the solution seems to be a separate WiFi dongle. The causes are mostly speculations:

- wifi / bluetooth interference
- wifi / bluetooth coexistance issues
- bugs with wifi / bluetooth drivers


Can anyone share with me a success story involving Moode Audio + Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W + wifi streaming + bluetooth?

[Crackerjb]

This sounds very similar to my issue with low BT output - I wonder if the WiFi and BT radio services on the Pi are interfering with each other ?

[citro]

This sounds very similar to my issue with low BT output - I wonder if the WiFi and BT radio services on the Pi are interfering with each other ?

I don't know, I am not savvy on this issues.

You can Google similar issues.

[TheOldPresbyope]

@citro

Very interesting, this. Following my tests for @Crackerjb in his thread I repeated with 64-bit moOde 8.1.1 on a Pi Zero 2 W (or W 2; it seems to get called both). The target was again my JBL Flip2 Bluetooth speaker.

Shazam! Where I was getting clear audio from the Pi3As, I get choppy audio from the Zero 2 W.

It isn't clear to me what's going on here. All my test boards are out in the open and have exhibited no problem with WiFi and BT communications up to now. I may try later to see if the same issue exists with the 32-bit build.

I'll have to think about this. In the meantime maybe someone else is already working it out.

Regards,
Kent

[citro]

I SSH-ed the Pi (Moode 8.0.5) and run:

Code:

dmesg | grep "Firmware: BCM43430"

The output was:

Code:

[   10.712728] brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM43430/1 wl0: Feb  5 2021 12:49:07 version 7.45.96 (r745790) FWID 01-71817851 es7

If I'm reading this right, the firmware date is quite old - before Raspberry Pi Zero W 2 was launched. Could it be a firmware / driver issue ?

Also, running:

Code:

dmesg | grep "error"

Gives:

Code:

[   10.454035] brcmfmac mmc1:0001:1: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac43436s-sdio.raspberrypi,model-zero-2-w.bin failed with error -2

[TheOldPresbyope]

I SSH-ed the Pi (Moode 8.0.5) and run:

Code:

dmesg | grep "Firmware: BCM43430"

The output was:

Code:

[   10.712728] brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM43430/1 wl0: Feb  5 2021 12:49:07 version 7.45.96 (r745790) FWID 01-71817851 es7

If I'm reading this right, the firmware date is quite old - before Raspberry Pi Zero W 2 was launched. Could it be a firmware / driver issue ?

=====

Possibly not. For moOde 8.1.1 the same test returns

Code:

[    9.601383] brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM43430/2 wl0: Mar 31 2022 17:24:51 version 9.88.4.77 (g58bc5cc) FWID 01-3b307371

which is a year newer.

=====

Also, running:

Code:

dmesg | grep "error"

Gives:

Code:

[   10.454035] brcmfmac mmc1:0001:1: Direct firmware load for brcm/brcmfmac43436s-sdio.raspberrypi,model-zero-2-w.bin failed with error -2

=====

I'm far from being an expert on Raspberry Pi OS vis-a-vis firmware for the various Pi models, but I note that similar observations posted to the Raspberry Pi Forum have received responses of the form

It's a non-issue. It appears that the driver looks for a board-specific firmware blob (which doesn't exist), and then falls back to a more generic one (which does).

Besides, I get the same error message on other Pi models such as the Pi3As I was exercising earlier today.

Regards,
Kent

[citro]

Possibly not. For moOde 8.1.1 the same test returns

Code:

[    9.601383] brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM43430/2 wl0: Mar 31 2022 17:24:51 version 9.88.4.77 (g58bc5cc) FWID 01-3b307371

which is a year newer.

You might have a different revision of the board. According to this - https://github.com/RPi-Distro/firmware-n.../issues/23 - there are 2 versions of the wifi chip. Mine is /1, yours is /2.

For now, it looks like I'll have to install 8.1.1 and check there, too.

[TheOldPresbyope]

@citro

Well spotted. Maybe tonight I'll have time to explore that.

Regards,
Kent

[TheOldPresbyope]

Possibly not. For moOde 8.1.1 the same test returns

Code:

[    9.601383] brcmfmac: brcmf_c_preinit_dcmds: Firmware: BCM43430/2 wl0: Mar 31 2022 17:24:51 version 9.88.4.77 (g58bc5cc) FWID 01-3b307371

which is a year newer.

You might have a different revision of the board. According to this - https://github.com/RPi-Distro/firmware-n.../issues/23 - there are 2 versions of the wifi chip. Mine is /1, yours is /2.

For now, it looks like I'll have to install 8.1.1 and check there, too.

Well, after reviewing the github issue, I've concluded it's likely a red herring.

1) Yes, my Zero 2 W has the /2 chip but the issue addresses a specific form of WiFi communication that I'm not using.
2) According to the output from the iw command, my board with 64-bit moOde 8.1.1 installed supports the "missing" 4way-handshake offloading.
3) I'm experiencing the same staccato Bluetooth audio you are.

The mystery goes on.

Regards,
Kent

[Tim Curtis]

Same on 32-bit?