Using Bluetooth audio devices (speaker, headphones, earbuds) with FreeBSD

[rotaecho]

just got a sennheiser btd600, works like a charm

Can confirm on a Framework 16 with FreeBSD 14.2

 

[Stefan2]

Here is an update on my experience with the Avantree DG80 Bluetooth 5.3 Adapter.

The update to FreeBSD 14.2 seemed to bring multimedia improvements. Both my Sony and my JBL bluetooth headphones work like a charm on my FreeBSD
laptops now! No interference with wifi on my HP Elitebook 840 G6 anymore and my JBL headphone pairs with the Avantree DG80 immediatly without any issues!

 

[cederom]

Here is a quick report for CREATIVE BT-W6, cost ~$50, but it does NOT work well out of the box and is unreliable:
* although it detects correctly the sound is not produced on some machines (BSD), on other machines sound is playing for some time and then noise only until sound source stops.
* microphone does not work over bluetooth, it has two profiles audio and headset, when headset is used overall sound quality drops dramatically even on receiving part.
* it needs dedicated windows application to setup and update.
* some actions can be performed with button sequence (i.e. pair, reset, mute mic, auracast, etc) so in theory it should be possible to operate it without dedicated application.
* i reported problem to creative and hinted them it could be the best device for open source platforms on the market but they replied they do not plan to support open source platforms.
* in theory it is the most modern device out there, supporting BT5.4 and lots of codecs, also AURACAST, but in practice it does not work on FreeBSD :-(

Maybe christos could help here?

May 11 21:20:17 octagon kernel: ugen1.21: <vendor 0x0a12 product 0x4010> at usbus1
May 11 21:20:17 octagon kernel: uhub15 on uhub9
May 11 21:20:17 octagon kernel: uhub15: <vendor 0x0a12 product 0x4010, class 9/0, rev 2.00/21.16, addr 22> on usbus1
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uhub15: 4 ports with 0 removable, bus powered
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: ugen1.22: <Creative Technology Ltd Creative BT-W6> at usbus1
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: usbhid5 on uhub15
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: usbhid5: <Creative Technology Ltd Creative BT-W6, class 0/0, rev 2.00/10.00, addr 23> on usbus1
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: hidbus5: <HID bus> on usbhid5
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: hcons1: <Creative Technology Ltd Creative BT-W6 Consumer Control> on hidbus5
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: hidraw5: <Creative Technology Ltd Creative BT-W6 Raw HID Device> on hidbus5
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: usbhid6 on uhub15
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: usbhid6: <Creative Technology Ltd Creative BT-W6, class 0/0, rev 2.00/10.00, addr 23> on usbus1
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: hidbus6: <HID bus> on usbhid6
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: hidraw6: <Creative Technology Ltd Creative BT-W6 Raw HID Device> on hidbus6
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2 on uhub15
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: <Creative Technology Ltd Creative BT-W6, class 0/0, rev 2.00/10.00, addr 23> on usbus1
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: Play[0]: 96000 Hz, 2 ch, 24-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x4ms buffer. (selected)
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: Play[0]: 48000 Hz, 2 ch, 24-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x4ms buffer.
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: Play[0]: 44100 Hz, 2 ch, 24-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x4ms buffer.
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: Record[0]: 48000 Hz, 1 ch, 16-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x4ms buffer. (selected)
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: Record[0]: 32000 Hz, 1 ch, 16-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x4ms buffer.
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: Record[0]: 16000 Hz, 1 ch, 16-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x4ms buffer.
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: Record[0]: 8000 Hz, 1 ch, 16-bit S-LE PCM format, 2x4ms buffer.
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: No MIDI sequencer.
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: pcm9 on uaudio2
May 11 21:20:18 octagon kernel: uaudio2: HID volume keys found.

Update: Tuning some sysctls can make things a bit more stable, particularily dev.pcm.7.play.vchanmode=adaptive and it supports 24-bit 96000Hz play natively:

dev.pcm.7.rec.vchanformat: s16le:2.0
dev.pcm.7.rec.vchanrate: 48000
dev.pcm.7.rec.vchanmode: fixed
dev.pcm.7.rec.vchans: 1
dev.pcm.7.play.vchanformat: s24le:2.0
dev.pcm.7.play.vchanrate: 96000
dev.pcm.7.play.vchanmode: adaptive

Microphone over bluetooth works, just initial setup using windoze applications is required - microphone should be enabled, and auto-microphone should be disabled. Then microphone can be enabled/disabled by hand pressing 4x button on the dongle. When microphone is enabled then play sound quality drops noticeably (but acceptably to talk) but this is also good indicator if the headset or hadsfree mode is selected.