Can't output sound to bluetooth speaker (JBL flip)

no wonder microsoft has its reputation. off-the-wall.

absolutely useless answer, as usual.

Hi there,

I have a JBL flip portable bluetooth speaker which works fine with my smartphone etc.  My laptop (Samsung, windows 7) connects with it and identifies it as a bluetooth headset, however I can't play any music through it at all.  The laptop doesn't recognize it as a "playback device" or a piece of hardware in the "sound" section of the control panel and I can't seem to get it to work at all.

Any ideas anyone?

Many thanks

Mike

https://www.bluetooth.org/tpg/showPICS.cfm?3A000A5A005C504D565D5614403B0C0D0E2405022413010E57503F202A5A765C544357

Dear Microsoft: I too have the same issue.  Wonderful JBL FLIP, portable wireless stereo speaker.  Your help desk is capable of clicking on the above link to determine compatibility .  I have told your Microsoft answer desk premium support that I'm using a DELL Inspiron 1720 , Wireless 355 module w/Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR technology. Windows 7 32 bit.  What is the straight answer, Microsoft?  I paid $99 to find out from your answer desk, but they did not "answer".  Hoping to find the answer here.....

Having had the same problems, try to tinker it a little bit, hope this help.

This is for those who have paired but haven't got the "Bluetooth Hands-free Audio" appeared in the "Sound" > "Playback" Tab options.

1. Check whether the Microsoft Bluetooth Enumerator (MBE) is Enabled or not, if it is not Microsoft's, check whether your Bluetooth device is enabled - it's from Device Manager > Bluetooth Radios.
2. Try to re-pair the JBL Flip, right click to the device's icon in the "Devices and Printers" section in Control Panel, choose Properties. (skip-able)
3. Go to the Services Tab, mark all, or just mark those services options you need, but in my case, I particularly mark "Audio Sink" and "Headset" options.
4. Get back to the Device Manager, look at the "Sound, video and game controllers" section, and again, in my case, there will be "Bluetooth Hands-free Audio" - Enable it.
5. And again back to the Devices and Printers, right click at the JBL icon, you could see the "Control" button, choose that, try to connect it, if it is successfully connected, you are a step away from being able to use the JBL Flip. If not, look for the explanation below.
6. Go to Sound option in Control Panel, and voila, there goes the "Bluetooth Hands-free Audio" choice in the Playback tab. Enable it (if not available, Connect first - but it should be available after Step 5 is done), and set as the default device (disabling your previous default speaker is also advised).

I tried to enable the speaker not in a respective steps, in the first step, after enabling the MBE in the Device Manager setting, there are devices being installed (shown by the notification icon), then I checked the "Sound, video and game controllers", saw that the "Bluetooth Hands-free Audio" is disabled - I enabled it - then there were other devices being installed. Then, after finished installing, the "Control" option after the right clicking of the JBL icon in Devices and Printers became available. tried to connect it, it couldn't be connected. Then after knowing that the "Audio Sink" in step 3 is not being marked, I tried to mark it and the device magically could be connected in the Control option, then I just followed step 6, and it was ready to be used.