Bluetooth Headset cannot be used as both headphones and speakers

Anonymous
2019-07-26T17:27:54+00:00

I have a bluetooth headset that does not allow me to use it as both a microphone and a headset.

I have determined that audio will play through the Bluetooth headset as long as the recording device is set to Conexant ISST Audio.  If I set the recording device to BHS-530 Hands-Free then no sound will play through either BHS-530 Playback device.

I can get audio to play while the BHS-530 Handsfree is setup as the Recording device but not while it is actively listening.  As an example my BHS-530 Stereo is selected for both my default audio and default communication device.  I start playing a YouTube video and audio works with the Playback menu is up in the Sound dialog (first screenshot), as soon as I select the recording menu (second screenshot) the audio stops.  If I switch the recording device back to Conexant ISST Audio the youtube video will continue to send sound regardless of which menu I am on.

What do I need to set so that I can use the headset for both audio and microphone (Microsoft Teams Calls)

The headset comes up as two separate devices once it connects to windows:

Playback Device

Type: Headset

Name: BHS-530 Hands-Free

and

Type: Headphones

Name: BHS-530 Stereo

Recording Device

Type: Headset

Name: BHS-530 Hands-Free

Type: Internal Microphone

Name: Conexant ISST Audio

(this is my laptop's internal mic)

Windows for home | Windows 10 | Devices and drivers

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  1. Anonymous
    2020-08-10T19:39:59+00:00

    The playback issues you describe are a core problem with the way Windows handles Bluetooth. You can't listen to high-quality audio via Bluetooth and use the Bluetooth device's microphone at the same time. 

    The way Windows handles Bluetooth headsets is by treating the "headphone" function and the "headset" function as two different devices. This is why it shows up as two separate devices on the Playback tab but only one device on the Recording tab. 

    You can either use your Bluetooth device as "headphones" with good audio quality. Or use the device as a headset and suffer terrible audio playback. Unfortunately, Windows doesn't let you have both. 

    This article explains it in detail. https://www.howtogeek.com/354321/why-bluetooth-headsets-are-terrible-on-windows-pcs/

    Until Microsoft improves the Bluetooth function of windows, Bluetooth headsets will continue to be terrible on PCs.

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  2. Anonymous
    2020-12-30T18:10:11+00:00

    This is insane... in 2020 Microsoft with its dozens of thousands engineers is unable to solve such a basic requirement...

    A great number of us listening to music while working at home since the pandemic started and now, since nearly one year, the majority of us is receiving calls on Team or Zoom. 

    This is everyday life for BILLIONS of people since one year !

    Answer from Microsoft to this : None... zero... Nada...

    Maybe they should use 0,00001% of their profit to fix a BILLION workers issue since one year...

    I think Customer experience should be part of their objectives...  in 2020?

    I personally think it is pathetic...

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  3. Anonymous
    2020-03-11T15:47:52+00:00

    Same issue with MS teams. I tink that is the software.

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  4. Anonymous
    2020-07-09T06:11:51+00:00

    I'm having this same issue with my Oneplus Bullets Z wireless. Both my Laptop and the Headphones have Bluetooth 5, so it should not be a bandwidth issue. Also when i first connected the headset they worked with stereo sound and microphone simultaniously. Unfortunately one day it just stopped working. The workarounds mentioned in here also didn't work for me.

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  5. Anonymous
    2020-04-24T14:33:04+00:00

    For a moment, this DID resolve it. After so long, it was working. About a minute or so, a loud noise was coming out and it stopped working again.

    To restate, my problem is that the hands-free speaker does not work. I either use the hands-free mic with the laptop speaker or the laptop's mic with the BT stereo.

    if I use my Android phone, it just works.

    This is happening with two BT headsets I have. As someone said, I was blaming the manufacturer of the speakers quite unfarily. This is clearly a Microsoft issue. Absolutely ridiculous.

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