[IDEA] BlueZ - Bluetooth Configuration

[Wheel_nut]

Rather than risking hijacking the other thread in Support, I am bringing this discussion here for consideration as an idea for a future release.

I had asked - Two questions:

1. Can I have BOTH the Local and Bluetooth streams live at the same time? I suspect the answer is No  
   
2. I seem to get stuck in the BlueZ config screen illustrated below after switching back from Bluetooth to Local devices. How do I get back from this screen to the Library or Main display screen?
   

On Question 2., I found that the only way to escape from the "Bluetooth Active" warning screen was to de-activate the Bluetooth Transmitter.

What I would like to be able to do is:

• Keep the Bluetooth Transmitter configured and active
  
• Keep the BlueZ option active in the Main Menu (Currently, it only appears if Bluetooth is the active output Stream)
  
• Use the BlueZ option in the Main Menu to easily (quickly)  switch the output stream between Local and Bluetooth. Currently, this switch is quite click-intensive as it requires the Bluetooth transmitter to be re-activated and paired each time.  I would like the ability to leave the Bluetooth transmitter configured, active and paired and then simply switck using the BlueZ functiom in the MoOde Dropdown  Menu.
  

I hope this is reasonably lucid. I am discovering MoOde as I go and am enjoying the journey as well as the Music. - Robin

[Tim Curtis]

#2 There should be a back-arrow at the top left of the BlueZ Config screen. When clicked it will return to either Audio Config or to Playback screen depending on where it was launched from.

#1 Not possible to have both Local and Bluetooth out active at same time because Bluetooth hogs the audio output. See below

Bluetooth (like Spotify) is a connection oriented protocol which means that the presence of a Bluetooth connection either between client and moOde or moOde and speaker hogs the audio output whether or not something is playing. This is unlike Airplay which is a session oriented protocol. It maintains the connection to moOde but releases the audio output after ~10 secs if nothing is playing.

You should be able to switch between Local and Bluetooth in BlueZ Config via the DISCONNECT button.

I'll do some testing this afternoon.

[Wheel_nut]

Hi Tim, Just to clarify my Use Case:

If I leave the Bluetooth Connected (not Disconnected) and direct MPD Audio Output > Local and press Change, then pressing the Back Button at the Top LHS of the screen recurcively takes me back to the BlueZ Config screen that I screenshotted before.

The only way out of this loop is to Disconnect the Bluetooth Connection.

Is this working as intended?

Robin

[Tim Curtis]

Are you connecting to a Bluetooth speaker or are u connecting a Phone or other client to moOde?

[Wheel_nut]

Are you connecting to a Bluetooth speaker or are u connecting a Phone or other client to moOde?

Connecting to a Bluetooth Speaker or Headphones. - R

[Tim Curtis]

Ok what typically happens when you first turn the Speaker or Headphones on is:

1. It will automatically connect to Moode Bluetooth
2. The "Bluetooth Active" overlay screen will appear
3. Click "BlueZ Config" button
4. Select "MPD Audio output -> Bluetooth"
5. Click CHANGE
6. Click back-arrow and return to Playback screen
7. Start playback to the Bluetooth speaker or Headphones

If you want to resume MPD playback to the locally attached audio device then:

1. Open BlueZ Config
2. Select "MPD Audio output -> Local" but don't click CHANGE (although clicking it just adds an unneeded step)
3. Click DISCONNECT which will also incorporate the change
4. Click back-arrow and return to Playback screen
5. Start playback to the locally attached audio device

There is also one other Bluetooth capability in moOde and thats Bluetooth Speaker sharing. It's an option in Audio Config. that enables multiple connected Bluetooth clients to share the audio output. Apple iTunes clients had some sort of notification mechanism that would show a popup when a particular client wanted to use the audio output. I don't know how other clients would behave. In fact I haven't tested this feature in years.

[Wheel_nut]

Hi Tim,

That explains the behaviour I am seeing. The reason that MoOde kept throwing me back to the BlueZ Config screen is that I was trying to switch to Local but leave the BlueZ Config without Disconnecting the Bluetooth connection. I realize now that this is an unnatural act. Perhaps MoOde should force the Bluetooth disconnection when the Output Stream is changed to Local but it is not a big deal.

Now, the ability to simultaneously feed multiple Bluetooth Headphones is an interesting feature. The vision of blissfully silent teenage parties flashed before my eyes! However, my wife has Bluetooth enabled Hearing Aids including a BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Aid) on one side and may benefit from this feature if I can convince her to let me fiddle with them.

Thank you for testing this and providing me with the detailed explanation of the function. I am really enjoying the journey ... and the Music.

Robin

[Tim Curtis]

Doing this "force the Bluetooth disconnection when the Output Stream is changed to Local " makes sense. I'll add to the TODO list to investigate.

[Wheel_nut]

Doing this "force the Bluetooth disconnection when the Output Stream is changed to Local " makes sense. I'll add to the TODO list to investigate.

If you decide to implement that change, would it also make sense to automatically "Connect" when the Output Stream is changed to Bluetooth?

[Tim Curtis]

Maybe. I'll have to think about how those two options play together.