woodbourne firmware and connection problems.

maxwelloau

HI.
I recently purchased a s/h Polk Woodbourne as my ultimate bluetooth player but i am having some trouble getting reliable bluetooth connections even though i achieved this one time ok.
I have the bluetooth symbol slow pulsing and it is visible on my phone which is a Samsung S8 that connects with many other bluetooth devices just fine ie Senhieser headset, car audio several types. I removed the pairing and re-pair and it then works again.

1) My main question is the www firmware page referred to in the manual has nothing on it at Polk.com.
My firmware is S9519.3.0 . Instructions pdf refer to s9519.12.0
So there is a later firmware. How can I obtain the latest for optimum operation?

2) I see several manuals available in the forum for various products but not for the woodbourne. As a technician since 1971 (old one admittedly) and currently working in broadcast television i just love having manuals for my products. Is there any possibility of getting a proper service manual?

thanks for help and so far enjoying the quality sound the woodbourne provides, when i can get it connected.

Maxwelloau

maxwelloau

Further to the above. It is clear the woodbourne bluetooth is sending "i am available" messages but the already connected previous connection can NOT connect. The only solution is to delete the pairing, then re-pair and it connects in a few seconds.

also here is a weird ting. Samsung S8 PIe version 9 has this intermittent random loss of sync sometimes. I also get this in one of my vehicles. Anyway after trying 100 different things the setting in bluetooth advanced meant for dual device playback actually fixed all bluetooth problems of stabilty and playback reliabillity.
Now its only the woodbourne that connects one time, then wont ever again until the bluetooth pairing is disconnected and reconnected.
Mani wish there was someone who could get the latest firmware! any chance?

Maxwelloau

mdaudioguy

I found some instructions that say you need to update firmware using Ethernet. Link is in this thread.
https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/comment/2432066

maxwelloau

thanks for the info. very much appreciated.
At first I could not see anything different from what I already knew, so i blew up the pdf and went over and over it to see if there was anything I had missed.

AHA.

on the ethernet page there was a VERY FAINT "more" button not visible on my old PC monitor (to say nothing of old person eyes!) so only when that is pressed I can then see the address "firmware.polkaudio.com" to download the firmware update and complete it from a local pc.
Currently the file is "AirplaySpeaker_B9519_H4_D18M12_BSL_Dec18_UART.FW"
The file download is from a hidden directory path that contains the name WOODBOURNE so it was worth downloading. then viewing it with a hex editor the name WOODBOURNE appears many times. So looks like worth a bash to actually do it.

Which I was then able to apply with success

Wacky doodle all good and instead of s9519.3.0 we now have s9519.4.0.
Brief elation is now a down in the mouth look, as NOTHING has changed that i can see (or hear)

Still I need to REMOVE the bluetooth connection before being able to reconnect to the device. Tried several times and same result. If there is an existing connection via bluetooth then either unit or device disconnects then all are powered up again there is no way for the existing bluetooth connection to re-connect. Cannot connect we get the error message. Forget the connection and the device pops up instantly as an available device, connection then is created and established.

Seems a real dud of a FW and product not meeting basic bluetooth functions in my opinion. Every vehicle and cheap arse bluetooth speaker i have tried once the connection is performed will automatically re connect when detected.

Still confused why the pdf instructions show a s9519.12.0 firmware. Unless its what they call advertising puff, or in aussie language we call ****!

Such a great pity that they make superior hardware let down by substandard software and a lack of real support that i am gathering from these forums.

Aptly i am now listening to Eilen Jewell "over again" for penance in getting my hope up for REAL change and support.

maxwelloau

Hay I just had a thought! Can i use a usb plugin bluetooth adapter to provide the sound? wonder if anyone has used these?

maxwelloau

very disappointed POLK woodbourne as a Bluetooth connection. It pulses off every few minutes with a 1-2 second audio drop out. Samsung s8 phone fully updated and NO problems on Bluetooth with ANY other Bluetooth device. ie multiple car audio play, Bluetooth senheisers. Tried setting developer options to other Bluetooth standards and modes but same thing. FW updated again to AirplaySpeaker_B9519_H4_D18M12_BSL_Dec18_UART.FW which is the only one to be available. Why not solve what is a pretty average performance i what is supposed to be high end.

I regret now buying a feature filled high end device. My JBL (just barely loud enough) flip 3 has an ultra reliable and working bluetooth connection at a fraction of the price.
I have experimented with many Bluetooth developer modes and it looks like APTX (which works with senheiser headphones PXC550 fine and car audio Isuzu MUX and Isuzu D-Max, and Holden Cruze) wont work with Polk Woodborne. Turning APTx back to SBS as the transmission codec does make an improvment, but not perfect.
Occaisionally need to turn off bluetooth and on again to work.

maxwelloau

after along time discovered that going back to the android sBC codec and not using high def andtroid driver seems to have resolved by bluetooth problems.
At least the bluetooth is stable and the unit works well.
Does anyone have a proper service manual?

deronb1

I have had no issues with the bt on my Woodbourne. That said, not using a HD driver. The sound is good, but not near as good as using the toslink input. There might be something online.

maxwelloau

Tried an external bluetooth adapter usb plugin with 3.5mm audio and its rubbish, buzzy and poor sound. Unusable. then tried a "high quality small rectangular box which can be receiver or transmitter and that's rubbish too. So back to bluetooth experiments. changed apps and then got into developer options, and have been trying the bluetooth options there. some minor succsess with going back to SBC and other bluetooth versions at the latest there is. No later Woodbourne Firmware seems to hav been released. Every time i want to use it i have to forget the bluetooth connection and recconnect otherwise it never reconnects by itself. All other bluetooth devices connect automatically once paired. Oh well.

deronb1

Definitely sounds like a software issue. Have you played something through toslink or RCA to ensure the drivers and amps are working properly?

jonicont

If it has one, try doing a factory reset and then download the firmware

maxwelloau

After using the new laptop hp x360 Bluetooth extensively with out problem i am now convinced it is the samsung S8 problem of very random and intermittent short bluetooth glitch causing the problem. After many many times using developer options for more bluetooth settings and trying everything it appears to be working with out a problem. Whether this was also related to the latest security ??? update its all a bit weird. However can only say very happed to get a resolved problem that allows perfect playback on the Woodbourne.

1 problem remains and that is once connected by bluetooth and move away or got work, come home and no way will bluetooth reconnect EVER! only option is to remove and reconnect. However in the scheme of things this is a small inconvenience!