[PROBLEM] Moode 5.0 - Bluetooth device won't pair

[dillman]

@dillman

connecting to my car with just plain old Raspbian OS, it connected to my cars bluetooth, and my steering wheel controls were able to change audio tracks.

That's a huge clue.

1) that it connects when moOde doesn't is a puzzler since in both cases the Raspbian Bluez subsystem is doing the discovering, pairing, and connecting. With the plain old Raspbian you could use bluetoothctl and related tools to analyze the handshaking process.

2) what is the Raspbian app in which the controls "were able to change audio tracks"? I wonder what it's doing to receive and interpret the AVRCP profile packets, assuming that's the profile in play. 

The general programmer's dilemma with Bluetooth is that it is a crufty big-as-houses spec with many details left to what we in the standards business used to call "implementer agreements". As well, it provides for some 30 different profiles which define how it can be used in specific cases. The Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) used in moOde is just one. The Audio/Video Remote Control Profiles is a different one, but then there's also the Human Interface Device Profile (HID), the Hands-Free Device Profile (HFP), etc. Different software is needed to implement the different profiles.

To mangle a popular analogy, the Bluetooth spec gets you in the right church, a Profile might get you in the right pew, but the implementer agreements get you singing in the right key.

Regards,
Kent

I'll reply to this one, since your question and TIm's are pretty much the same.  The player I was using was VLC from the Raspbian desktop gui when the steering wheel controls changed the tracks.  I'm using the latest Raspbian Buster version.  I've installed so many things in playing with this, its no longer a "controlled' environment.  I install some things, and run out to the car, and test.  I've been simulating the bluetooth connection while in the house, with a little pudgy white dude with dark glasses, a "iHip Lil Dude" bluetooth speaker.  I've gotten sound out of the little dude, but nothing you would want to listen to.  The best result so far has been with "mpg321" playing a file from the command line thru little dude.  its slow, and slightly garbled.

When I went out last night for the last time. I couldn't get anything to go right.  I think I've installed so many different things now, it doesnt know what to play with...or through..I'm going to test again in a few minutes.  Problem is I only have this little 3.5" touchscreen, and an ink pen for a stylus..lol..and most of VLC's dialog boxes are noit properly sizeable..very frustrating and hard to get anything done right..  

Interesting analogy..that I almost understood, Kent..lol.. :-)

I will certainly post any additional findings that could assist. 

Peace,
Lynwood