Using Android tablet as Bluetooth speakers

Voldemort

Hi,
I have set up RuneAudio on a RPi2B and it is all working great; I'm very impressed in as far as I have been able to take it so far. Essentially I have wired the output from the RPi into a small amplifier connected to quad speakers; really good sound quality!
I would now like to extend this to provide a music server for the whole house (or at least a few more rooms); my amplifier provides an option of providing Bluetooth output as an alternative to speakers and I have been trying to get my android tablet to connect to the amplifier Bluetooth. I can get the Bluetooth to pair OK but don't seem to get anything transmitted over to the android, (possibly because I am not understanding or using an appropriate app on the android!).
I sure this is not a direction unique to me, has anybody done something similar and can advise an app/hardware combination that will work and facilitate? Possibly I need to put a Bluetooth adapter on the RPi rather than rely on the amplifiers inbuilt Bluetooth but then presumably I would need an appropriate app for the android tablet? Any thaoughts much appreciated. Thanks

englishtim

Hi Voldemort,

I'm not sure that it's possible to do what you want via Bluetooth - it all depends on the Bluetooth Profiles that each device supports, the direction in which the audio's being transmitted, and what the receiving device expects. In the scenario you describe I suspect that your tablet is probably handling the incoming audio from the amplifier as though it's from a hands-free phone microphone, which of course isn't what you want.

More info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bluetooth#Bluetooth_profile

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Bluetooth_profiles

There are several threads elsewhere on this forum about the Raspberry Pi's Bluetooth feature - just do a search.

I hope this helps,

Peace and friendship,
englishtim

janui

Hi Voldemort,
In theory, all the software components which are required for Bluetooth are pre-installed on both versions of RuneAudio 0.5b. Due to other priorities we have done very little testing and no integration of Bluetooth features. We have successfully connected Bluetooth mouse and keyboard to a Pi Zero W, but have not done anything with audio. I have also tried to get Bluetooth working on a Pi B3, but have had no success. Again, I must add that I have spent very little time on this.
janui