BlueZ5 and A2DP

A2DP stands for Advanced Audio Distribution Profile. This is the Bluetooth Stereo profile which defines how high quality stereo audio can be streamed from one device to another over a Bluetooth connection - for example, music streamed from a mobile phone to wireless headphones.

Although many products may have Bluetooth enabled for voice calls, in order for music to be streamed from one Bluetooth device to another, both devices will need to have this A2DP profile. If both devices to do not contain this profile, you may still be able to connect using a standard Headset or Handsfree profile, however these profiles will not support stereo music.

BlueZ5 configuration currently support A2DP both in server and client mode.

Please note that to correctly work, both hci interface and pulseaudio server must be up&running. Please refer to FAQ section for futher details

server mode

In server mode, you can connect the board via BT to a PC or a mobile phone and play an A2DP audio stream using on-board headphones connector.

1. Start the device in A2DP server mode, running the following command on device console

# /opt/var-bluetooth-snd-dev/bluetooth-snd-server.sh

2. Scan and connecting the external device to Variscite board over bluetooth

$ bluetoothctl
[bluetooth]# power on
[bluetooth]# default-agent
[bluetooth]# pairable on

Push the connect button in the device

[bluetooth]# scan on

Copy mac address

[bluetooth]# scan off
[bluetooth]# pair <mac address>

Approve pairing on Device if required

[bluetooth]# trust <mac address>
[bluetooth]# connect <mac address>
[bluetooth]# quit

On the client side, connect to the device VAR-A2DP and play sound through it.

For audio playback, make sure headphones or speakers are connected to the onboard headphones connector.

record from BT external source

1. Check cards availability.

# pactl list cards

2. If it's not the current profile, switch a2dp profile

# pactl set-card-profile <card #id from item 1> a2dp_source

example:

# pactl set-card-profile 3 a2dp_source

3. recording audio originated by external BT source:

# paplay -r --device=bluez_source.C8_14_79_27_F1_82 test.wav

client mode

In client mode, you can connect and play A2DP audio stream using bluetooth headphones.

connect

Into console of device:

1. Start utility "bluetoothctl":

# bluetoothctl

example:

# bluetoothctl
[NEW] Controller F8:DC:7A:07:8D:A6 VAR-A2DP [default]
[NEW] Device C8:14:79:27:F1:82 SM-T315
[bluetooth]#

2. Prepare to сonnection:

[bluetooth]# power on
[bluetooth]# agent on
[bluetooth]# default-agent

example:

[bluetooth]# power on
Changing power on succeeded
[bluetooth]# agent on
Agent registered
[bluetooth]# default-agent
Default agent request successful
[bluetooth]#

3. The first time only, to connect BT headphones, make sure they are in pairing mode. They need to show up.

4. Enable scanning

[bluetooth]# scan on

example:

[NEW] Device 68:DF:DD:5D:CF:96 malupas
[NEW] Device 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED MM100
[NEW] Device 00:07:80:41:68:15 KTS540_0000000
[NEW] Device C8:14:79:27:F1:82 SM-T315
[bluetooth]# scan on
Discovery started
[CHG] Controller F8:DC:7A:07:8D:A6 Discovering: yes
[CHG] Device 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED RSSI: -57
[CHG] Device 00:07:80:41:68:15 RSSI: -65
[CHG] Device 68:DF:DD:5D:CF:96 RSSI: -98
[CHG] Device 00:07:80:41:68:15 RSSI: -73

"[NEW] Device 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED MM100" are BT headphones.

5. Disable scanning

[bluetooth]# scan off

example:

[bluetooth]# scan off
Discovery stopped
[CHG] Controller F8:DC:7A:07:8D:A6 Discovering: no
[bluetooth]#

6. Pair the device

[bluetooth]# pair 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED

7. Connect the device

[bluetooth]# connect 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED

example:

[bluetooth]# connect 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED
Attempting to connect to 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED
[CHG] Device 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED Connected: yes
Connection successful
[MM100]#

8. Trust the device

[MM100]# trust 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED

example:

[MM100]# trust 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED
[CHG] Device 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED Trusted: yes
Changing 00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED trust succeeded
[MM100]#

9. quit from bluetoothctl console

[MM100]# quit

example:

[MM100]# quit
[DEL] Controller F8:DC:7A:07:8D:A6 VAR-A2DP [default]
#

play test sound using MM100 headphones

1. Check cards availability.

# pactl list cards

example:

# pactl list cards
Card #0
       Name: alsa_card.platform-sound
       Driver: module-alsa-card.c
       Owner Module: 6
       Properties:
               alsa.card = "0"
               alsa.card_name = "wm8731-audio"
               alsa.long_card_name = "wm8731-audio"
               device.bus_path = "platform-sound"
               sysfs.path = "/devices/platform/sound/sound/card0"
               device.string = "0"
               device.description = "wm8731-audio"
               module-udev-detect.discovered = "1"
               device.icon_name = "audio-card"
       Profiles:
               input:analog-mono: Analog Mono Input (sinks: 0, sources: 1, priority: 2, available: yes)
               input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Input (sinks: 0, sources: 1, priority: 60, available: yes)
               output:analog-mono: Analog Mono Output (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 200, available: yes)
               output:analog-mono+input:analog-mono: Analog Mono Duplex (sinks: 1, sources: 1, priority: 202, available: yes)
               output:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Output (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 6000, available: yes)
               output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo: Analog Stereo Duplex (sinks: 1, sources: 1, priority: 6060, available: yes)
               off: Off (sinks: 0, sources: 0, priority: 0, available: yes)
       Active Profile: output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo
       Ports:
               analog-input-mic: Microphone (priority: 8700, latency offset: 0 usec)
                       Properties:
                               device.icon_name = "audio-input-microphone"
                       Part of profile(s): input:analog-mono, input:analog-stereo, output:analog-mono+input:analog-mono, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo
               analog-input-linein: Line In (priority: 8100, latency offset: 0 usec)
                       Part of profile(s): input:analog-mono, input:analog-stereo, output:analog-mono+input:analog-mono, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo
               analog-output: Analog Output (priority: 9900, latency offset: 0 usec)
                       Part of profile(s): output:analog-mono, output:analog-mono+input:analog-mono, output:analog-stereo, output:analog-stereo+input:analog-stereo

Card #6
       Name: bluez_card.00_06_F7_B3_E9_ED
       Driver: module-bluez5-device.c
       Owner Module: 37
       Properties:
               device.description = "MM100"
               device.string = "00:06:F7:B3:E9:ED"
               device.api = "bluez"
               device.class = "sound"
               device.bus = "bluetooth"
               device.form_factor = "headset"
               bluez.path = "/org/bluez/hci0/dev_00_06_F7_B3_E9_ED"
               bluez.class = "0x240404"
               bluez.alias = "MM100"
               device.icon_name = "audio-headset-bluetooth"
               device.intended_roles = "phone"
       Profiles:
               headset_head_unit: Headset Head Unit (HSP/HFP) (sinks: 1, sources: 1, priority: 20, available: yes)
               a2dp_sink: High Fidelity Playback (A2DP Sink) (sinks: 1, sources: 0, priority: 10, available: yes)
               off: Off (sinks: 0, sources: 0, priority: 0, available: yes)
       Active Profile: headset_head_unit
       Ports:
               headset-output: Headset (priority: 0, latency offset: 0 usec)
                       Part of profile(s): headset_head_unit, a2dp_sink
               headset-input: Headset (priority: 0, latency offset: 0 usec)
                       Part of profile(s): headset_head_unit

We are interested in Card # 6.

2. If it's not the current profile, switch a2dp profile

# pactl set-card-profile <card #id from item 1> a2dp_sink

example:

# pactl set-card-profile 6 a2dp_sink

3. play wav file from pulse subsystem to bluetooth headphones

# paplay -p --device=bluez_sink.XX_XX_XX_XX_XX_XX /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav

Where:

XX_XX_XX_XX_XX_XX - bd_add from item 1 /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav - is the file to be played

example:

# paplay -p --device=bluez_sink.00_06_F7_B3_E9_ED /usr/share/sounds/alsa/Front_Center.wav

FAQ

1. The sound doesn't play using headphones connector (board in server mode) or BT headphones (board in client mode).

ALSA may be configured incorrectly, use this command:

# amixer set 'Output Mixer HiFi' on

Pulseaudio server may be not started, use this command:

# pactl list cards

HCI interface may be down, use this command:

# hciconfig hci0 up