Bluetooth and multi-room - Google Chromecast 2015

Straight to it, I have two questions, looking for a technical or marketing explanation:
1) Since the Chromecast has BT hardware, and it is likely not hardware disabled since some report it showing up on their BT scans, why doesn't Google enable BT functionality?
2) The Chromecast V2 and Chromecast Audio have the same internals but different sports. Assuming processing power isn't the issue, why can't Google enable multi room for audio streams on Chromecast? GPM, SoundCloud, YouTube, etc. Or make one video and one audio. Or even let you do a V2 + and Audio.

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[Q] Routing Audio over HFP instead of A2DP?

I wonder if it would be possible on a rooted Android phone to play audio (music, navigation) through a HFP-enabled bluetooth car-system.
Many car-systems don't support A2DP but just HFP or HSP.
I'm aware that HFP/HSP is not stereo and just low-quality but it would still be way better than the builtin phone-speaker.
Basically an app would have to open an HFP channel (thereby simulating an ongoing call) and then route the "normal" audio via that channel.
Any ideas? Would that work?
I am looking for something like this did you find anything?
Please use the Q&A Forum for questions Thanks
Moving to Q&A
solved in Google Play
Hey, folks!
Today, in 2014 there are many options for not rooted Android users. Just search : BTMono, BTHeadset, BT Music, Audio Router and alike...
Some are free, others paid, some trials, etc. The one I have is working quite fine: BTHeadSet
The car acts as if I were receiving a phone call and the audio is routed, sent to the car speakers.
Have a nice day ! *-*

[Q] Can't play audio when using Camcorder

I updated to the rooted/deodexed/zipalign Gingerbread RUU/ROM from HERE. Now I can't seem to play audio (Pandora, Rhapsody, Google Music, local media, etc.) while using the camcorder. I used to do this previously with both the stock stuff and after using the root method from HERE. Normally the microphone was off, but it still worked if I accidentally left it on. Now however, the audio playback pauses until the camcorder is closed regardless of whether the mic is on or off.
I really miss this functionality because I would record my car travels while listening to tunes. I drive in one of the worst road quality / driver ability areas in MA, so it comes in handy in case of an accident. Is this a 'new and improved patch' for the phone, or do I have some setting messed up? I cleared the cache & data for the camera app, but that didn't work. I couldn't find any setting to allow audio in the camcorder app, either.

[Q] Bluetooth Audio Delay

I know there are many BT/Wifi problem threads but even with wifi disabled and running a sync test file from the internal storage I have a 400ms delay when using Bluetooth headphones. Is this a sign of a defective unit or is there fix or a possible future OTA patch?
The delay does seem to get a little worse when there is heavy wifi usage. I love my prime despite other minor glitches, but this one is really bugging me.
robtheslob said:
I know there are many BT/Wifi problem threads but even with wifi disabled and running a sync test file from the internal storage I have a 400ms delay when using Bluetooth headphones. Is this a sign of a defective unit or is there fix or a possible future OTA patch?
The delay does seem to get a little worse when there is heavy wifi usage. I love my prime despite other minor glitches, but this one is really bugging me.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I have had many a bluetooth audio device and it is more the exception than the rule for there to not be any streaming "lag".
Your issue is likely caused by the headphones and not the TP. Try another BT receiver (i.e. BT Speakers, or your computer, etc) and try another BT Source (i.e. phone or ipod touch).
I've used the headphones with several other BT devices with no lag. I can try to whip together another receiver to test.
I've always had a slight lag with Bluetooth audio. My Prime, Nexus One, and my Cowon S9 all have it, so it's not exclusive to the Prime or Android. Kinda lame, but it is what it is.
Every phone/BT device I've had that streams audio via A2DP generally always has a lag. I know this because I have movies playing in my car sometimes and to make things work, I have to offset the audio by x amount of seconds to ensure everything is synced.
Basically, it's perfectly normal.
My evo 4g & evo 3d never seemed to have any lag, but I know BT is not perfect. I use MX player because I like the UI on tablets, but video player would you recommend to be able to set the audio delay?
I plan on trying one of my plantronics headset with the prime soon , the speaker is definitely not that loud.
If anyone could suggest a media player that allows you to set the audio delay/offset, it would be greatly appreciated. I've tried a few different players and can't find one that has this feature... anyone?
Thanks in advance.
Dice player . I have no lag with my bt headphones with this player
aahz123 said:
Dice player . I have no lag with my bt headphones with this player
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Click to collapse
Are you running Honeycomb, or Ice Cream Sandwich.
Also, any idea if this is for s/w decoding or h/w? (does it make a difference for you?)
I tried Dice Player, like the program, but it still lags on BT audio.
Funnily enough, I've seen audio streaming lag in every scenario including external bluetooth speakers, bluetooth in car, prime, phone, but there is absolutely no lag when pairing my bluetooth headset to my prime or phone.
I guess it really varies, but audio lag via bluetooth is nothing new.
This was asked earlier in this thread but with no answer. Does anyone know of a video player that has an adjustable video/audio delay to compensate for bt delay? Or can anyone who has not got a delay when playing through bt headphones say what make of headphones they use? Thanks.
jdudb said:
This was asked earlier in this thread but with no answer. Does anyone know of a video player that has an adjustable video/audio delay to compensate for bt delay? Or can anyone who has not got a delay when playing through bt headphones say what make of headphones they use? Thanks.
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Click to collapse
I use Jabra Halo's paired with dice player. I am streaming both avi and mkv from my NAS from esfileexplorer. It has also been fine using buble upnp to do the streaming. In all cases it says it is hardware decoding. I have another set of bluetooth headphones. I'll check these soon.
aahz123 said:
I use Jabra Halo's paired with dice player. I am streaming both avi and mkv from my NAS from esfileexplorer. It has also been fine using buble upnp to do the streaming. In all cases it says it is hardware decoding. I have another set of bluetooth headphones. I'll check these soon.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks. I am sure in my case it is the heaphones because it does it with other computers as well.
BUYMECAR said:
Funnily enough, I've seen audio streaming lag in every scenario including external bluetooth speakers, bluetooth in car, prime, phone, but there is absolutely no lag when pairing my bluetooth headset to my prime or phone.
I guess it really varies, but audio lag via bluetooth is nothing new.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What headset do you use?
BT lag
I have two bluetooth headphones, from nokia, the BH-505 (2.1) and a BH-501 (2.0). With my phone a LG Optimus 2x i have no lag at all. With the previous transformer (the first) i had no lag, Dice player included. On Transformer prime, with honeycomb i had no lag either, but since i upgraded to the ICS there's a lag with both BT headphones...
i've tried MX player and Dice player and both lag
Did anyone manage to sort this?
It's frustrating that I can switch immediately from my Prime to my Razr Maxx, with the same source video and the same BT Audio device (Jambox) and have nearly-imperceptible lag on the phone, but the supposedly more powerful Prime lags behind almost a half second.
What's Motorola doing correctly that Asus isn't/can't?
It depends on BT profile in use
I've been researching BT audio lag quite a bit, because I game a lot. Latency for playing music means nothing. For watching video, well you can compensate (like with suggested with Dice player). But for gaming, lag is a big deal.
I've tried a ton of device combos. Everything, *EVERYTHING* I've tried has >400ms lag. $400 BT headphones (Zik, mm500x), with computers, laptops, running different OSes (win/linux), BT audio gateways/dongles, PS Vita, Samsung, HTC and Motorola smartphones; you name it. Lag is there every stinkin' time.
From what I can tell, it has to do with the default compression scheme used by A2DP (SBC something). The delay is the encoding and transmitting of that encoded audio to your headphones.
When reading posts about this, for those who report no lag, when I dig deep I find one of two things: Either they were just using music or video as their test case, or they /are/ playing a game, but with the /headset/ protocol. The headset protocol (not A2DP) is for when you're making calls. A call being a two-way interactive thing, you need minimal lag. The problem is that the audio quality for the headset protocol is horrible. It's optimized for human voice. Sure you can play game using it, with no lag, but it'll sound like hell.
Some have mentioned that BT 4.0 can help. First, I can't find any true BT 4.0 headphones. But, in researching this, it seems the main thing that BT 4.0 brings to the table is low-power consumption. BT itself is a lower-level communication protocol. What we're after here is a level or so up, in the BT profiles.
Finally, I found mention of a proprietary audio compression codec, by CSR, called aptX. It can compress high-quality audio more, will less loss, and does it fast. This appeared to be the answer. I now have a pair of Sennheiser MM500x BT headphones, which support this, and a phone that supports it too (Evo 4g LTE/HTC One X). No dice.
The problem I'm finding now is that there is two ways to utilize such a codec: a) you can compress that same quality audio down into almost nothing, so there's less to transmit to your headphones, which can minimize lag. Sounds like a winner, but...you can also b) use even higher-quality audio, which is a lot more data, and compress that down to about what you had before, then transmit it. So, the transmission takes the same amount of time (>400ms) but you end up with audiophile quality sound over BT.
Unfortunately, it seems that aptX was made for the latter. Audio professionals wanted BT to be able to be used for super quality audio, beyond what we typically see with A2DP's SBC.
And, that's where I'm at now. Googling for "low latency bluetooth audio for gaming" has yielded very little relevant information.
Apparently I'm alone in wanting to use BT headphones for gaming.

[Q] Bluetooth headphones with Prime and Phone at same time

I've read that some newer bluetooth headphones can be paired with two devices at once. I'm curious if the following scenarios are possible:
1) While listening to music on my Prime with the headphones, a call on my phone will ring through on the headphones. I can then use the headphone controls to answer or drop the call, after which the music on my Prime will continue.
2) While listening to music on my phone, I can start a Youtube video on my Prime, which pauses my phone's music and begins the Youtube audio on the headphones. Once finished the music on my phones resumes.
Is anyone using their bluetooth headset with both their phone and Prime?
Yes you can it os possible
Hit the thanks Button if i Helped
Butbonly on newer headsets
Hit the thanks Button if i Helped
What your looking for is commonly called MULTIPOINT. Most higher or even mid end bluetooth headsets will let you connect to two or more devices at the same time. Consider if you are paying more than, say, $50 for a half decent headset it SHOULD have it. If it doesnt have at least multipoint 2 i wouldnt get it.
To stream music you are looking for A2DP or AVRCP.
A2DP is your basic music streaming. Much higher quality than your standard voice protocols, keps the music from sounding too tinny.
AVRCP is more fancy, my car stereo has this where i can use media buttons (forward, back, pause, etc.) to control the music. Depending on the device it may also display track information.
Now that we got the hardware side down, lets move on to your scenerios.
You can have media connected to ONE device and voice connected to ONE device for most quality bluetooth headsets. You can play music and if you get a call it will PAUSE the music to notify of the incoming call. Easy.
The second scenario is a bit more complicated. You can only stream music from ONE device at a time. If i have my bluetooth connected to my phone and my computer at the same time for audio i can play movies from my computer to the headset then play audio from my phone to the headset but if i have ANY audio coming from the computer the headset wont accept music from the phone. In most cases i find it easier to turn off bluetooth on my laptop when i want to hear music from my phone, or at least turn off all media players and wait ~30 seconds before switching devices.
In all, yes it can be done, much how others have said, but now hopefully you know what to look for. I remember how difficult it was for me jumping into this blind, maybe my information can help you buy the right hardware. Good luck!
Additionally, which headset are you going with?
pileot said:
Additionally, which headset are you going with?
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Through research I believe the Samsung HS3000 is a good option. It has a new bluetooth music codec called Apt-X which is supposed to be higher quality than A2DP if both the headset and phone/tablet support it.
If I go that route I'll try to upgrade my phone to a Samsung SIII or HTC One X which both support Apt-X. The Transformer Prime unfortunately does not, but I'll only use it to watch quick internet videos while browsing in this case.
for primairy use of listening to music / movies, that should be decent. The mic placement makes me think that it would not be as good for calls as a headset you wear on your ear but it depends how often you use it.
Never heard of Apt-X, will have to research it probably part of bluetooth 3.0, different frequency, more bandwidth. should be interesting!

[Q] multi-channel USB audio

I'm experimenting with writing an app that uses AudioTrack to play audio (for purposes of testing, sine waves generated within the app) from my Verizon Samsung Galaxy Note II to my ESI U46XL USB audio interface. It works perfectly in stereo mode, but when I initialize AudioTrack with CHANNEL_OUT_5POINT1 and attempt to feed it a 6-channel stream, the sound that plays back doesn't sound anything like that stream.
I'm suspecting that the USB audio driver is the problem, since anything higher-level would also impose its limitations on the HDMI audio, wouldn't it? Google says that "Android 4.1 supports multichannel audio on devices that have hardware multichannel audio out through the HDMI port." But can anyone confirm my suspicion? I was also thinking maybe the 16-bit interleaved PCM format isn't used for > 2 channels, but I've tried every other format I can think of with no luck.
I'm hoping the problem is anywhere except for the USB audio driver, because then I can bypass whatever it is one way or another.

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