Question Audio issues with Bluetooth 5 Headphones (Motorola Escape 220) with Bluetooth 4 Laptop (Toshiba Satellite L50-C)

[sebastopol]

The issue is the audio cuts in and out, same with my voice when on a Zoom or video call. So, I have tried literally everything possible from online forums and others' advice:

1) Updating bluetooth drivers, reinstalling, restarting laptop after each time

2) Purchasing Bluetooth 5 AND 4 dongles to see which would work (surprise! neither: 5's diver had an error with my bluetooth 4 laptop and 4's dongle couldn't pair/connect with my bluetooth 5 Escape 220)

3) Go into settings of headphones like set headphones to default, check where audio is playing out of, turning off audio enhancements, turning off handsfree telephony, etc)

4) I also got a bluetooth 4 earbuds thinking that was the final solution, but the same problem occurs (choppy audio playing and when capturing my voice)

5) I tried turning off my phone's bluetooth and removing the headphones pairedness from it in case that was causing interferance. Also tried turning off wifi on my laptop to see if that was the cause, no help. My router uses 5GHz anyway

6) I'm forgetting some other things I tried...

7) My headphones work great with my bluetooth 4 smartphone and the headphones are supposed to have backwards compatibility.

I'm at my wits end! Haven't been able to participate in class on Zoom for a week and my university's IT said they don't offer tech support for students' personal laptops

As to why I don't:

1) Use a wired headphone/earphone: I stood up real quick with my earphones still in the laptop audio jack and damaged them. It won't record my voice anymore..

2)Take it to the shop, I am in the middle of a high demand part in my job and classes, so I can't afford to go without my laptop for a couple days even on weekends. Campus is closed so can't use desktops there. Can't buy a new laptop just yet either...

Any help?

 

[sebastopol]

I have an older Toshiba Satellite L50-C laptop that I now know has Bluetooth 4. Despite my Motorola Escape 220 Bluetooth 5 headphones being backwards compatible (they work perfectly with my Bluetooth 4 smartphone), they don't work well with my laptop. It connects and pairs, but the audio cuts in and out and I have to lean in at an angle for it play alright.

What could be the issue? How can I solve this?