[Bootcamp Windows 10] Bluetooth Headphones Stuttering

Question

Level 1

8 points

[Bootcamp Windows 10] Bluetooth Headphones Stuttering

When I connect my bluetooth headphones to my Macbook Pro, the audio comes out like a badly scratched CD. The problem worsens when I also connect my Apple bluetooth keyboard. I've tried multiple fixes and nothing seems to work. Details follow.

Set up and devices:

Machine: Macbook Pro 2019, see attachment for details (no serial)
OS: Windows 10 Enterprise Version 1909 (OS Build 18363.720), installed using Boot Camp Assistant
bluetooth headphones: Beats Studio3
bluetooth keyboard: Apple Keyboard (no number pad) Model No. A1314
bluetooth mouse: Logitech M720 Triathlon

Process of elimination points to keyboard. In trying to isolate my issue, I tried connecting many subset combinations of the three bluetooth devices and my WiFi. I tried in various orders, with WiFi both on and off, and with both media streaming over WiFi and stored on my local hard drive. In every situation there was usually *a small amount* of stuttering, and connecting the keyboard *always* made it much much worse. No other device seemed to affect the stuttering.

Other posts seem related, still don't solve my problem. There are many posts on this and Windows forums about shotty bluetooth. I'll link two I found most helpful:

Most relevant and most recent: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250188342
Most detailed: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/8650388

The main thing I learned from these is that this faulty bluetooth issue has to do with old, bad Windows drivers AND the fact that Windows appears to prevent other drivers from being installed. In particular, most information I found points to the issue being with the driver for the Broadcom 802.11ac Network Adapter; some drivers do not allow for a setting called "bluetooth collaboration". This is true of the driver on my system, that setting does not appear on the Advanced tab. A picture of the driver's version on my system is attached.

The fixes recommended in the articles I read did not work. The common suggestions is to use Boot Camp Assistant to reinstall the Windows Support Software, per this page: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204923. This has no effect, the driver version remains the same (even before I restart Windows). I learned that upon restarting, sometimes Windows will reinstall the bad driver, which it thinks is best. I tried to address this by turning this feature off as in: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/2500967/how-to-stop-windows-7-automatically-installing-drivers.

Even if I could fix the Broadcom Network Adapter, this doesn't mesh with my diagnosis: keyboard. Could the problem be with the driver Windows has chosen for my keyboard? It is from 2006!!! See attached image.

If anyone can help me get to the bottom of this, I would really appreciate it. I would love to use my headphones when I log onto the Windows side of my computer.

Thanks you!

MacBook Pro 13”, macOS 10.15

Posted on Mar 25, 2020 10:00 PM

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Answer 1

Jazzywine Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 26, 2020 6:30 PM in response to Loner T

Loner T! Your many comments and posts on this issue really helped me understand what's going on with the drivers. Soon after I posted I came across another thread where you helped out, this one is even closer to my situation:

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/250537560

I understand your comment in this thread about how the problem is the driver for the Broadcom Network Adapter even through the symptom gets worse with adding the bluetooth keyboard. Do you know if these drivers (the 7.35.x.x series or more specifically 7.35.118.73, as you suggest in the linked thread) will work with my 2019 Macbook? I would be willing to try but I wasn't able to find them on Broadcom's website.

If I did find them, how would I install them manually? I can do this via the Device Manager (a la https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/windows_10-hardware-winpc/how-to-install-and-update-hardware-drivers-in/a97bbbd1-9973-4d66-9a5b-291300006293), but I am guessing Windows will not allow me to install the old driver -- or will update when I restart, as you have mentioned on other threads. Any resources on installing drivers you can recommend? I'm have basic familiarity with using the command line.

Finally, thank you Loner T for sharing your time and expertise on these boards. I would really be at square one without all the answers you posted on this issue over the last few years.

If none of this works (for me or others) perhaps I'll start complaining to Apple. I'll update this post if anything comes out of it.

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Answer 2

Loner T

Level 9

59,513 points

Apr 25, 2020 3:00 PM in response to DillonC

DillonC wrote:

This has been a very helpful thread as I research the exact same issue on my 2018 15" rMBP. Trying to run Windows 10 and experiencing choppy audio playback in my Bluetooth headphones.

This is a very messy problem area. Updating drivers from WHQL and Apple Software Update is a never-ending process.

One question - where did you find the 100/101 series drivers for the Broadcom 802.11ac Network Adapter? I'm ready to try just about anything to get audio working smoothly.

Download and install Windows support software on your Mac - Apple Support will give you the original BC drivers. You can check Bootcamp.xml for the exact version details.

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Answer 3

Loner T

Level 9

59,513 points

Mar 26, 2020 7:33 PM in response to Jazzywine

For 2018/2019 Macs, the 7.35.x.x and 7.77.x.x drivers should not be used. They are for older Broadcom cards. For example, I use 7.35.118.83 on a 2013 rMBP.

The 100 series and 101 series drivers support the 2018/2019 Macs. This is what I have on a 2018 13-in rMBP. There are known issues between these drivers and 802.11ax routers. If you have a 802.11n/.11ac router, these are fine. I use the Apple Time Capsule/Extremes which are dual-band 11n/11ac capable.

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Answer 4

Loner T

Level 9

59,513 points

Mar 26, 2020 3:07 PM in response to Jazzywine

The Broadcom drivers for WiFi/BT on 2018/2019 Macs are not good. I have stopped using BT on Windows on these, because of the issues.

I use BT/WiFi regularly on a 2014 iMac, running Sierra and W10, with older drivers, and they seem to work very well. These are the 7.35.x.x series drivers. Even the 7.77.x.x. driver does not seem to work for every one.

The part that is interesting is that the same hardware on macOS side behaves much better. You have done done what a consumer can reasonably expected to do.

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Answer 5

Jazzywine Author

Level 1

8 points

Mar 27, 2020 9:48 AM in response to Loner T

Ah, thanks for the clarification for newer MBPs.

I do not have a 802.11ax router, I have a Netgear Nighthawk from 2016 that uses 802.11n/ac dual band (even "tri band"?). As in my original post, I am running one of the 101 series for my Broadcom driver and as you say, it works fine -- except for the bluetooth stuttering issue. My 101 series does not have bluetooth collaboration. Does the driver you pictured above (100.10.200.18) allow you to enable bluetooth collaboration?

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Answer 6

DillonC

Level 1

8 points

Apr 25, 2020 2:10 PM in response to Loner T

This has been a very helpful thread as I research the exact same issue on my 2018 15" rMBP. Trying to run Windows 10 and experiencing choppy audio playback in my Bluetooth headphones.

One question - where did you find the 100/101 series drivers for the Broadcom 802.11ac Network Adapter? I'm ready to try just about anything to get audio working smoothly.

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Answer 7

DillonC

Level 1

8 points

Apr 25, 2020 5:58 PM in response to Loner T

Thanks LonerT -

Yeah, I've been down that road. Apple's Bootcamp Asst only gave me driver versions 7.3.5.118.83 and .68 as options on the USB stick. I am running up-to-date Mojave still (too many 32-bit apps I can't live without yet) - I found a few posts that showed Catalina in screen shots with the 100/101 series. Any chance there's a connection there?

Any other source you can think of?

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Answer 8

Loner T

Level 9

59,513 points

Apr 26, 2020 5:25 AM in response to DillonC

You should not get the 7.35.x.x/7.77.x.x drivers for a 2018 MBP. Are you using BC Assistant Action -> Download, or a different method? Can you post the Model Identifier of your Mac from About This Mac -> System Report?

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Answer 9

DillonC

Level 1

8 points

Apr 26, 2020 6:24 AM in response to Loner T

Oops. It looks like I've had this machine longer than I remember - it's a 2017 MacBookPro14,3. Does that shift me back to the 7.x drivers as the prescribed solution? In which case, I need to start looking into other solutions for the audio glitching.

I built the Windows Support USB in BC Asst with the Download action like you mention.

Then I boot back into Windows and run the WinSupport/BootCamp/Setup.exe from the USB. Should I be manually uninstalling the old drivers from Device Manager first?

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