Bluetooth Speakers?

[Matthew]

Bluetooth speakers, with integrated DAC/amp/speakers, are starting to appear on the market. LMCE already has some BT integration, using a profile that lets some Symbian phones operate an Orbiter for remote control. If I want to use some BT speakers instead of, say, a Squeezebox for audio distribution, where would I start in the LMCE source code? Anyone have any experience coding to deliver audio to devices like BT speakers?

[hari]

you can drive your speakers with alsa and bluez. The slimserver provides an audio stream via :9000/stream.mp3.

best regards,
Hari

[Matthew]

you can drive your speakers with alsa and bluez. The slimserver provides an audio stream via :9000/stream.mp3.

best regards,
Hari

When I try to connect to my LMCE server, say with (curl 'http://192.168.0.10:9000/stream.mp3') , I see there's no server listening to that port. Maybe I didn't configure a slimserver in my LMCE when I installed it? How can I turn it on? Do I just start up the BT speakers near the LMCE after inserting the BT dongle into the LMCE?

[PeteK]

Slimserver is installed and configured when it detects a squeezebox currently, I think.  YOu may have to add it manually if you're not using a squeezebox.  There is a template for it, so you should just have to add it under the core.

-PeteK

[Matthew]

Slimserver is installed and configured when it detects a squeezebox currently, I think.  YOu may have to add it manually if you're not using a squeezebox.  There is a template for it, so you should just have to add it under the core.

-PeteK

Does the LMCE host with the BT dongle have to be a core server, or can it be some other mode? I'd like to see what is the cheapest (therefore weakest) machine I can use to drive the BT speakers, like maybe an iPaq or similar (low wattage, silent, slow, cheap, but good enough).

[PeteK]

The slimserver should be installed on the core, but I think you can use any MD/PC to run the squeezebox emulator software.

[Matthew]

The slimserver should be installed on the core, but I think you can use any MD/PC to run the squeezebox emulator software.

Do you know if a single core can individually address multiple separate BT speaker pairs, each in a separate room, or how I config separate PCs each with a BT dongle to address its own BT speaker  pair (all accessing a single unified LMCE media library)?

[hari]

The slimserver should be installed on the core, but I think you can use any MD/PC to run the squeezebox emulator software.

Do you know if a single core can individually address multiple separate BT speaker pairs, each in a separate room, or how I config separate PCs each with a BT dongle to address its own BT speaker  pair (all accessing a single unified LMCE media library)?

this depends if the bluetooth chip on your core can handle multiple connections at a time. I would prefer a dongle on each md, so u get a unique ip in the slimserver device selection box.
But you have to try this out, i don't think anybody is using this combination yet..

much luck,
hari

[Matthew]

The slimserver should be installed on the core, but I think you can use any MD/PC to run the squeezebox emulator software.

Do you know if a single core can individually address multiple separate BT speaker pairs, each in a separate room, or how I config separate PCs each with a BT dongle to address its own BT speaker  pair (all accessing a single unified LMCE media library)?

this depends if the bluetooth chip on your core can handle multiple connections at a time. I would prefer a dongle on each md, so u get a unique ip in the slimserver device selection box.
But you have to try this out, i don't think anybody is using this combination yet..

What about a USB hub filled with BT dongles, one for each speaker set, on a single core? Do you think bluez and the other BT SW can handle that? If not, do you know what is the specific name of the "multiple device connections" feature that the BT dongle must support, or some models that do support it?

I like the simplicity (and cheapness) of a single PC serving multiple terminals throughout the home.

[hari]

The slimserver should be installed on the core, but I think you can use any MD/PC to run the squeezebox emulator software.

Do you know if a single core can individually address multiple separate BT speaker pairs, each in a separate room, or how I config separate PCs each with a BT dongle to address its own BT speaker  pair (all accessing a single unified LMCE media library)?

this depends if the bluetooth chip on your core can handle multiple connections at a time. I would prefer a dongle on each md, so u get a unique ip in the slimserver device selection box.
But you have to try this out, i don't think anybody is using this combination yet..

What about a USB hub filled with BT dongles, one for each speaker set, on a single core? Do you think bluez and the other BT SW can handle that? If not, do you know what is the specific name of the "multiple device connections" feature that the BT dongle must support, or some models that do support it?

I like the simplicity (and cheapness) of a single PC serving multiple terminals throughout the home.

bluez should run fine with multiple hci devices (tested two at a time some time ago). I think the newer dongles should all support multiple connections. Ask your preferred dealer for model information..

regards,
Hari

[Matthew]

bluez should run fine with multiple hci devices (tested two at a time some time ago). I think the newer dongles should all support multiple connections. Ask your preferred dealer for model information..

I think the real problem will be in the LMCE GUI, when both dongles detect the same BT speaker at the same time, and request pairing with them, needing the GUI to pick a dongle to which to assign the speakers to. Especially if the dongles can pair to multiple devices, that GUI could become complex. But really it shouldn't matter, because multiple dongles or a multidevice single dongle should just present the core BT interfaces as a pool, perhaps reassigned more precisely in an admin setting, with the BT speakers assigned to a room rather than the network HW supporting it. I doubt the current LMCE works that way, but I'll try it and find out.

[Matthew]

Slimserver is installed and configured when it detects a squeezebox currently, I think.  YOu may have to add it manually if you're not using a squeezebox.  There is a template for it, so you should just have to add it under the core.

I just got an "Insignia" brand Bluetooth "MP3 Speaker" ($79 at BestBuy) that I'm trying to use under 0710b2. If I have the (DBT-120) Bluetooth dongle in my Hybrid, and I plug in & turn on the Insignia, nothing happens. If I leave it on, then plug the BT dongle in/out, the Hybrid's Orbiter reports:

Code: [Select]

I detected a new plug & play device:
Manufacturer: Unknown Category: Unknown Bluetooth ID: NS-
BTS21 (00:15:71:70:D4:91)
Should I use it?
But the list of devices to use it as is just "Symbian Series 60 mobile", "Windows Mobile Smartphone", "Windows Mobile Smartphone 2005" (other than "no, don't use it once/always"). How do I add this device to that list? When I go to the Adminsite Home -> Wizard -> Devices -> A/V Equipment , I'm not sure how to add the Insignia speakers as a device. Or how to add Slimserver as a device, then get Slimserver to stream to the speakers. Any help?

[hari]

select "don't use" and install some alsa/bluez/sco stuff (as already stated by my first response). This will give you a sound device. From there on you can pretend they were cabled speakers with an amp and a soundcard.

best regards,
Hari

[Matthew]

select "don't use" and install some alsa/bluez/sco stuff (as already stated by my first response). This will give you a sound device. From there on you can pretend they were cabled speakers with an amp and a soundcard.

Well, I'm intrigued by the ability to use the speakers as if they were a SqueezeBox. The wiki says that when a SqueezeBox connects to DHCPd, LMCE's DHCPd monitors detects and identifies the SqueezeBox by its MAC address, then starts the SlimServer. The Insignia BT speakers don't make a DHCP request, and I see that there's no SlimServer running at http://dcerouter:9000/stream.mp3 (even while I'm playing audio stored on the harddrive through the Hybrid's alsa PCI soundcard). But I'd like to trigger that SlimServer startup at that address, and make maybe madplay on an LMCE node pipe data from the SlimServer (curl | madplay, I suppose) to the Insignia speaker set (some madplay/bluez invocation that I don't know). I'd need to know what the DHCP monitor triggers to start the SlimServer, so my curl/madplay/bluez/whatever wrapper can trigger it. I can probably get bluez to detect the speakers and register them (ultimately in the DB), but I might need some help getting them registered in a room, which should probably be done by the floorplan.

Bluez cluez, pleaze?

[hari]

I'd need to know what the DHCP monitor triggers to start the SlimServer

Some scripts parses the output from the DHCP server and sends a dce message with the MAC to the DHCP plugin. That looks into the table DHCPDevice and adds the appropriate devices.

For bluez you probably want to use snd-bluez-sco or snd-bt-sco.

regards,
Hari