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Help Data-related Interference Noise

M

mcknigs

Member
I've searched and am surprised not to have found any mention of this here or on the web.

When I'm using 4G rather than wifi, my Bionic puts out some sort of interference that is being picked up in audio cables. This reminds me of the noise from GSM data phones getting into PAs, guitar amps, etc., but instead of making the GSM "dit-da-dit-da-dit," it's just an intermittent buzzing. If I'm in airplane mode or connected to wifi it goes away. When it's happening it's a problem that more less makes it impossible to use the phone as a music player connected to the car amplifier (unless in airplane mode) and has ruined some takes when I've been recording music with the phone nearby.

I never had this problem with my Droid 1. Makes me wonder if it's something about 4G.

Has anyone else had this problem? Is it a 4G issue? In a related question, I see people talk about choosing between 3G and 4G but I haven't found where one makes that choice. How can I run the phone in 3G?

TIA,
-Scott
 
If you are Gingerbread still go into settings-wireless-network and select cdma only. That will turn the 4g off and leave you on 3g only. See if that clears the noise up.
 
I play guitar through a Diezel VH4 and haven't had noise through that and I set my phone between the amp head and cab when I play, but the VH4 is built exceptionally well.

That aside, yes! I have noticed this noise when only using 4G in other equipment. Especially if it is doing something like a download.
 
dfib said:
If you are Gingerbread still go into settings-wireless-network and select cdma only. That will turn the 4g off and leave you on 3g only. See if that clears the noise up.
Click to expand...

Got it, thanks. I had seen that and wondered if that was the way to switch 3G/4G but not actully tried it.

And yes, that shuts off the noise.

This has sent in me in search of a 3G/4G toggle widget. It looks like the Market (Play Store) has widgets that toggle all data on/off but that the OS is written in a way that the only "widget" to switch from 3G to 4G is a shortcut to the settings page where one makes the switch. Does anyone know otherwise?

Re: quality of amplifier and resistence to interference: I've had the Bionic a couple months now and didn't notice the noise with electric guitars and amps I've used. I first noticed it playing acoustic through a Fishman Aura DI into a Focusrite preamp into a laptop. Later I heard it using the same guitar and DI into a different laptop. It's also a big problem in the car with a cheap Chinese power amp.

Thanks folks. :)

-Scott
 
dfib said:
If you are Gingerbread still go into settings-wireless-network and select cdma only. That will turn the 4g off and leave you on 3g only. See if that clears the noise up.
Click to expand...

Settings | Wireless & networks | Mobile networks | Network mode and set CDMA only

... Thom
 
do you think it could possibly be the device?

if any of your friends have verizon 4G phones invite them over and try it from there.
it would be even better if one had a bionic.

just test and try it out and that should narrow your issue to either 4G, or the phone itself.
 
On our recent vacation I noticed that my Bionic was making the cheap clock radios in the hotels we were staying at go crazy.
I simply unplugged 'em and didn't think anything more of it.

I haven't seen much interference otherwise though. I'll keep an eye on that.
 
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