Bluetooth headset not working in Kodi
#1
Hello, this is my first post in this forum  Smile

I searched in many webs but I cant find a working solution. I have a bluetooth headset and is working fine in Raspbian, but when I launch Kodi there is no audio. Kodi is version 17.6 from the raspbian repository.

I tried installing pulseaudio and more packages like in this post: https://www.raspberrypi.org/magpi/blueto...erry-pi-3/ but no luck...  Sad

Any help would be appreciated.

Edit: I'm using integrated bluetooth in Raspberry Pi 3B+
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#2
Good day to you @rcp87 ,

This is my first reply, so please be patient with me.

I had the same issue as you and managed to get it to work.

First of all, I'm using LibreELEC on a RasPI 3b.  Although I am sure that the settings menu is nearly the same or easy to find.

I assume that you have activated Bluetooth as wel as paired your Bluetooth headphones to your media centre.

Next enter settings, System settings, Audio settings.

Locate the Audio output tab, select Bluetooth.

Make sure Bluetooth is selected and Exit.

You should receive the GUI sounds over your headphones now, in case that the sounds are disabled play any file with audio.

INPORTANT NOTE

Remember to reverse the settings when you need the sound output to revert back to previously selected device.

I do hope that the above will sort your issue out.

Should you find an autmatic way to change the settings please let me know.

Kind regards

Gert Fourie
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#3
Hi @GFWORX ,

Thanks for the reply. I already tried that but that option is missing, maybe is because I'm not using Openelec. Is curious that in Raspbian works fine, but in Retropie and in Kodi not, I don't know why. 
Maybe is a 3B+ thing, or maybe the headphones are not designed for this, because are simple sports headphones for mobile, I'm not sure.
Thanks anyway!!
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#4
Hi,
I am in the same condition (using KODI - version 17.6 with an native rapsbian - stretch installation on rpi2).
I also try to connect a headset through bluetooth and pulseaudio.
I successfully connect the headset with bluez. In pulseaudio, I can find my connected headset recorded as sink 1.
In pulseaudio; I forced sink 1 as the default sink.
KODI do not display an updated list of PCM. There is only on line whitch refer to pulseaudio "alsa PCM throught pullseaudio". The other lines refer to hdmi, analog and both.
So, I tried to restart KODI but no more audio line appeared.
I wonder how is created the list of potential audio output?

Thanks for your help.
regards
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#5
I'm having the same problem but for my two bluetooth speaker jbl and aomais sport ii I tried any those recommendation but didn't work any help would be appreciated.
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#6
Hello,

i have the same problem. I was using till some days ago a jack-plug headphone on my Monitor, where Kodi on my Raspberry Pi 3 B+ with Raspbian 9 Stretch played on the HDMI port to the speakers of my Monitor and alternatively to the plugged in Headphone. Some days ago my headphone broke and i bought a Bluetooth headphone which i got today. I learned fastly that i had to install bluealsa package for the bluetooth headphone to be addressable by the alsa mixer. Bluetooth itself was working out of the box with the bluetooth pairing done via terminal. When i switch on my headphone it reports a connection to my Raspberry Pi 3 B+ and i can also play on it by using aplay -D bluealsa,... command as i learned from a simple instruction manual from the internet https://www.sigmdel.ca/michel/ha/rpi/blu...connecting . In Kodi 18 i found in the audio output setting under system menu the options alsa:default, hdmi, analog for choice. I thought alsa:default option should make it and i set the bluealsa headphone as default alsa device. Testing with aplay showed my configuration correct. When i tested with Kodi18 setting it to ALSA:default (bcm...) audio output device, there was no reaction at all in my Bluetooth headphone. Instead sound still played on HDMI. It seems one simple programming error in Kodi. What a pity... I payed 38 EURO for my new Sony Bluetooth headphones and now i cannot use them on Kodi 18 with Raspberry Pi 3 B+. Looks like the Kodi programming team has some hatred against the Raspberry Pi being an up-to-date multimedia platform...
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#7
Quote:Looks like the Kodi programming team has some hatred against the Raspberry Pi being an up-to-date multimedia platform...

This looks like a great way to get your support request ignored.
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#8
(2019-02-14, 22:46)Thomas Korimort Wrote: Looks like the Kodi programming team has some hatred against the Raspberry Pi being an up-to-date multimedia platform...
Looks like such rants can even prevent users who do know wtf they are doing and have bluetooth audio working on the pi from sharing their knowledge with you.
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#9
@Thomas Korimort

Please stop using the Report button. I have read all posts and do not believe there is a problem as some of your remarks are at the same level as those by others.

I would have PM'd you with this request, but you have disabled PM's on your account.
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#10
(2019-02-14, 22:46)Thomas Korimort Wrote: Looks like the Kodi programming team has some hatred against the Raspberry Pi being an up-to-date multimedia platform...

You could also try LibreELEC instead of a patched Kodi version from debian.

After you got LibreELEC installed, you might want to look at:

https://libreelec.wiki/pulseaudio#blueto...ng_default

And stop blaming Kodi developers for things they aren´t responsible for.
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#11
(2019-02-14, 22:46)Thomas Korimort Wrote: i have the same problem.
Your problem is that you should not press constantly the Report button like a 5-year old. Grow up, please.
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#12
(2019-02-21, 14:34)DaVu Wrote: You could also try LibreELEC instead of a patched Kodi version from debian. 
Raspbian Kodi version has only the same patches as LibreELEC, the ones from popcornmix. And LibreELEC has more that are not on the oficial github Kodi branches + more to system files.

In another thread, which the same user is complaining about the same thing, I told him how he could make Bluetooth devices work via ALSA (Raspbian does not come with PulseAudio installed), despite Kodi does not support ALSA plugins. I also give him the option to install PulseAudio and how to use it instead.
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#13
ok, cool
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#14
rascas: you gave me advice about this problem in https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=340860 . There you also pointed out one thread in the Raspberry Pi forum https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewt...8&start=25 , that discussed the topic ALSA and Kodi. On Pulse Audio you gave the advice listed below in the quote:
Quote:Well, first I don't think this is really a bug, more like something that never was implemented in Kodi. There is only support for bluetooth devices in Kodi with PulseAudio. And Raspbian does not ship with PulseAudio installed anymore, they now use ALSA with patches to work with bluetooth devices.
So in Raspbian, you have 2 options:
-Use ALSA and patch/workaround Kodi with it.
-Install and use PulseAudio.

-For ALSA, you have a thread here on how you can make it work:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/forums/viewt...8&start=25
Follow my (rascas) advices, it will work.
-For PulseAudio, I don't now how it is now, I don't use bluetooth devices, so I can't test this frequently, but I think you just need to install PulseAudio. And start kodi with this variable:
KODI_AE_SINK=PULSE kodi
(This is because Kodi on Raspbian uses ALSA by default, you must force PulseAudio for it to work correctly)
Sorry for the little information, I just don't remember this much.
I implemented your suggestions for ALSA and got ALSA working with my up-to-date Raspbian (Debian 9.xx stretch armhf) including Kodi 18.0 Leia. I checked my Bluetooth headphones connecting it with my Raspberry Pi and playing some sounds on them. Bluetooth seemed to work flawlessly with the ALSA and bluealsa solution. As i adjusted the advancedsettings.xml file according to https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=340860 to play over ALSA:bluealsa the previously available option for choosing ALSA:default/HDMI/Analog/Both as playback device vanished from the System->Audio settings menu. Also making the Bluetooth headset the default ALSA playback device did not direct the Kodi output to the ALSA driver it seems. I also tried your advice of starting kodi as "KODI_AE_SINK=PULSE kodi" to use PulseAudio instead of ALSA, but still the menu entry for System->Audio ALSA:default/HDMI/Analog/Both neither Bluetooth was working with Kodi 18.0 Leia. Switching on and off my Bluetooth headphones clearly reported that it got connected and disconnected to my Raspberry pi with Kodi 18.0 Leia installed on and running, but Kodi 18.0 Leia did not make use of it. I tried also to make the menu entry reappear by undoing my changes to advancedsettings.xml, but still it did not bring back the menu entries. Looks like by changing advanced settings or putting bluetooth to be default ALSA playback device i triggered something in Kodi 18.0 Leia to switch that menu entries off.

As you mentioned that Kodi 18.0 Leia (now also included in Raspbian) is same like OpenELEC/LibreELEC Kodi, so why should one have Bluetooth on LibreELEC and not on Raspberry Pi (armhf)/on any other platform? Looks like Kodi 18.1 can be extrapolated to be closed-source and commercial again (just suppress that it is released under the GPL!! who cares anyway?). That is the same like producing overexpensive handies with 6 GB of RAM and OctaCore state-of-the art processors and then letting them run on Android operating system instead of Debian Gnu Linux 9 stretch for making it really useful as a full desktop replacement in let us say a slimlined cool and well-designed docking station. NO ONE needs desktop-like hardware for Android operating system. 2 GB on a 130 EURO Android 7+ smartphone are pretty much the most you will ever need for any possible use and application of Android-operated devices.
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#15
(2019-02-22, 08:23)Thomas Korimort Wrote: Looks like Kodi 18.1 can be extrapolated to be closed-source and commercial again (just suppress that it is released under the GPL!! who cares anyway?).
I think I can name a few people who will be quite annoyed when that will happen. So no, that will not be a good idea.

I also think that it is best to keep the whole Android/Octacore/RAM and hardware preferences out of the equation. Managing Kodi itself is hard enough as it is already.
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