- Bluetooth audio streaming between android devices
- 1 Answer 1
- Stream Audio From Phone To Windows PC Using A2DP Sink
- What is A2DP Sink?
- How to Stream Audio from Phone to Windows Computer
- Pair and Connect Phone with Windows PC using Bluetooth
- Download and Install Bluetooth Audio Receiver
- Closing Words
- Bluetooth audio streaming: Why it’s more popular than ever
- That other way to stream
- Bluetooth for audio streaming
- The advantages of Bluetooth
Bluetooth audio streaming between android devices
I made a research on the same topic and found that android devices are a2dp sources and the audio can be streamed only from an a2dp source to an a2dp sink. A2dp sink can be a bluetooth headset or a bluetooth speaker. But my question is then how the android app named «Bluetooth Music Player» works? It allows streaming from one mobile to another. So in this case the listening mobile device must act as a sink. How this is possible? Are they using some other profile instead of a2dp? Ok, that may be a different profile what they are using. Because the application needs to be installed in the client side also. But how it becomes possible to stream voice from a bluetooth microphone to an android device? Please help.
I did not understand what you need to know: sending audio from one Android to another, or sending audio from a standalone Bluetooth microphone to an Android?
Hello Sir, I need your help to steaming audio from one device to another device. Can you please give me any example code for this ? I have asked question : stackoverflow.com/questions/16789394/…
1 Answer 1
Without knowing details about the mentioned Bluetooth Music Player, it seems to use simple Bluetooth data connection, otherwise you would not need to install a client on playing/sending device.
To stream audio from microphone to another device, you can record it on your sending device and send it to the receiving device. You will need to implement a protocol for that purpose.
OR
You can implement an alternative A2DP sink service. This is, what the sink is: a device with a Bluetooth Protocol Stack with an implementation of A2DP Sink.
Edit:
For the case you detailed by your comments, the sending device should be left as-is, without installing any app. That implicitly means that your solution must make use of out-of-the-box Bluetooth functionality of that Android device.
What you can use here is therefor limited to those profiles that Android typically support, which is HSP, HFP and A2DP. Since you obviously want to stream music, A2DP would be your choice.
On the device supposed to receive the audio stream and do the playback, you have to implement a service providing the A2DP sink as an self implemented BluetoothService opening a BluetoothServerSocket on RFCOMM as described in Android documentation.
You will have to spend much effort implementing this, and I am not sure if you will need a license for this.
Stream Audio From Phone To Windows PC Using A2DP Sink
In the mood to listen to some music, but the speakers on your phone suck? You can stream music or any audio from your phone directly to your Windows computer, and use its speakers (built-in or connected) to play those sounds.
This can be achieved using Bluetooth technology. Going further into depth, a technology called A2DP is functioning at its core, which allows you to stream music from your mobile phone onto your PC.
This post shows you how to stream audio onto your Windows PC from your phone, and how it is achieved.
What is A2DP Sink?
The Advanced Audio Distribution Profile, or A2DP, is a data transfer standard for Bluetooth for wireless transfer of high-quality audio signals. It uses the Low Complexity Subband Code (SBC Codec) to compress the data sent by the transmitter (the phone) and then decodes it at the receiver (the Windows PC) with minimal loss.
Almost every smartphone supports the A2DP sink feature today, ensuring that audio data can be played on various audio-receiving devices available in today’s age.
That said, the A2DP technology was initially present in Windows 7 too. However, Microsoft removed it when Windows 8 was launched and did not include it in any of the following Windows versions.
However, later with the release of the Windows 10 version 2004, Microsoft brought back the A2DP sink feature and users were once more able to stream audio to their Windows PCs from other devices.
Let us now show you how to stream music from your phone onto your computer.
How to Stream Audio from Phone to Windows Computer
This section has been divided into 2 sub-sections:
Note: The steps and screenshots are directed towards Windows 11, but are also valid for Windows 10 version 2004 and later.
Pair and Connect Phone with Windows PC using Bluetooth
Follow the guide given below to pair and connect your phone to a Windows computer then stream audio to it.
- To start with, make sure you have either Windows 11 or Windows 10 version 2004 or later. To do so, type in winver in the Run Command box and confirm your OS version. If you have an older OS version, install pending Windows updates to upgrade the operating system’s build.
- Once done, navigate to the following location and enable Bluetooth:
Settings app >> Bluetooth & devices >> Devices
Toggle the slider in front of “Bluetooth” into the On position.
Download and Install Bluetooth Audio Receiver
Once the phone is successfully paired and connected, you must now install the “Bluetooth Audio Receiver” app on your Windows computer from the Microsoft Store. This app allows you to stream the audio received through Bluetooth on your computer’s audio peripheral.
- Open the Microsoft Store page for Bluetooth Audi Receiver and click Get.
- Click OpenMicrosoft Store from the popup.
- Click Install on the Microsoft Store app to download and install Bluetooth Audio Receiver.
- Once installed, run the app. Here, you shall see the connected phone. Select your phone, then click Open Connection. Note: At this point, you will notice that the phone is back in the “Connected” state if it was in the “Paired” state earlier.
- You can now begin playing audio on your phone and hear the output through the speakers on your Windows computer or its connected audio peripheral(s).
You should now hear the audio output, which is controlled by your phone, but on your computer. You can also control the output. You should now be able to hear the audio output, which is controlled by your phone, but heard on your computer. You can also control the output audio device and its volume directly from the computer. / p > Audio device and its volume directly from the computer.
To stop audio streaming on your PC, you can simply click Close Connection in the Bluetooth Audio Receiver app, or turn off the Bluetooth on your PC or phone to disrupt the connection.
Closing Words
Streaming your phone’s audio through your PC might not be everyone’s first preference, but this is a useful feature to have. In case you have a faulty phone speaker, or the volume of the speakers is too low, you can play it on your high-quality computer speakers and enjoy the fruits.
This feature especially comes in handy when you wish to share the audio with the people around you, for instance, having a conference call using only one device.
Bluetooth audio streaming: Why it’s more popular than ever
When it comes to wireless technology, most people automatically think of Wi-Fi, a means of wireless information transfer that’s available in many homes and anywhere else Wi-Fi hotspots can be found such as hotels, airports, and many offices. The magical-seeming and ever-present Wi-Fi is created by wireless routers, small devices connected to modems that take the incoming signal and channel it to all available Wi-Fi-enabled devices via high-frequency radio waves. Wi-Fi networks are popular because of their ability to provide fast, wireless connections to large numbers of people.
That other way to stream
Bluetooth, on the other hand, is a wireless networking standard that allows devices to communicate with each other by means of short range radio frequencies and a shared set of protocols. The network created between Bluetooth-enabled devices is know as a Personal Area Network, or PAN. Unlike Wi-Fi networks that can extend over 90 meters in outdoor environments, devices that communicate with each other via Bluetooth can be no more than 10 meters apart.
But unlike Wi-Fi networks, Bluetooth doesn’t require a wireless router to create an access point in order to work. This means that Bluetooth enabled keyboards and PCs can easily communicate after a simple initial connection process called pairing. In the case of a mobile phone or smartphone, one usually selects “Bluetooth” in the menu and then the device one intends to connect to. This device should automatically appear. The pairing process may require a pass code, but once the two devices are paired, they will instantly recognize each other whenever they are in range.
Bluetooth for audio streaming
Time was, Bluetooth was deemed an inferior way to stream audio because of it’s lower bandwidth. Today’s advanced codecs, however, deliver audiophile-grade sound with Bluetooth transmission. A codec is a program that compresses data to allow for faster transmission and then decompresses the data once it’s received. The Bluetooth AptX codec, for instance, uses an algorithm that manages to reduce the bit rate of audio files without compromising on sound quality.
The advantages of Bluetooth
- It’s truly universal. Bluetooth works with just about any device, regardless of the manufacturer. For instance, any smartphone can be – and these days usually is – Bluetooth enabled no matter what operating system it uses – iOS, Android, or Winows.
- You can stream anywhere. The Mojave Desert, an isolated south Pacific island: all you need are two paired Bluetooth devices. Devices that stream with Wi-Fi, on the other hand, require a Wi-Fi infrastructure including an internet service provider, Wi-Fi router, etc.
- It frees up your Wi-Fi. Using Bluetooth for audio can free your Wi-Fi for other important tasks such as surfing the web on your tablet or smartphone. If many people are sharing the same Wi-Fi, things can get crowded and transmission speeds can be affected.
- Bluetooth is cost effective. Bluetooth devices tend to be cheaper than devices equipped with other forms of streaming technology.
In short, Bluetooth is a good way to simplify your life, one cable at a time. Recline on your sofa with your notebook or tablet and control a stream of music on your stereo speakers or take your portable Bluetooth speakers on a picnic and play the MP3’s you have stored on your smartphone. If your loudspeakers are Bluetooth enabled, you can easily pair them with your source device of choice and enjoy sound completely free from pesky wires.
All pictures: Property of Teufel Audio