asked 2014-01-06 11:11:09 +0300
Will Jolla envisage to add apt-x to the bluetooth stack for the jolla phone? Probably something to license but would like to know if this can come and when.
Would be wonderful as it enhances greatly the sound experience!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apt-X
Edit 1Sept2017: Sony paid the licence for Xperia X. Will it become possible to use it now under SailfishOS with that device?
answered 2014-01-06 15:01:13 +0300
You should make this feature request to Bluez developer list. As if support is not in Bluez then it most likely wont end up in Jolla Phones.
looks like Bluez has developped something in the android side: - libbt-aptx-4.0.3.so - libbt-codec-aptx.so http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2531440
does it help?
pat_o ( 2014-01-06 16:15:34 +0300 )editApt-x is a propietary codec for which very little is known. Forget about it. Adding support for AAC might be possible with some effort, OTOH.
javispedro ( 2014-01-07 23:48:01 +0300 )editanswered 2014-07-07 17:03:23 +0300
i have just visited link text and searching for aptx shows that support of the codec aptx is added. So sailfishos can add it too but then probably some royalties to give at some point ....
http://git.kernel.org/cgit/bluetooth/bluez.git/commit/?id=683aa4bf368c3fcdf2216b2fe280bbd42fdd4699
As that commit requires you to obtain license for propriatary codec, I cant see this happening anytime soon. Of course people could try to compile support and get licenses themselves.
rainisto ( 2014-07-07 19:07:11 +0300 )edit@rainisto Could you specify what you mean by "I cant see this happening anytime soon"? I understand that it is license based, but it is something that enhances the sound experience and very common in todays smartphones. At least Jolla should give a proper answer as if and when they will be considering this.
Neo ( 2014-10-04 23:37:22 +0300 )edit@axaq: introducing new bt profile requires new bluetooth certification round, which basicly means that it cannot be offered as ungrade option by us. And if only <100 people buys the upgrade it would cost over 100$ per device (even without calculating the cost of certification round) which would also make people not buy it. So in short, upgrade option is quite unlikely. If apt-x comes more popular and/or becomes license free part of bluez stack, then its more likely to come out in some possible future product.
rainisto ( 2015-01-09 08:50:35 +0300 )editanswered 2019-05-04 19:24:17 +0300
now, gstreamer1.0-plugins-ugly 1.16.0 (available at openrepos) provides apt-x support:
nemo@Sailfish ~]$ gst-inspect-1.0 | grep aptx
libav: avenc_aptx: libav aptX (Audio Processing Technology for Bluetooth) encoder
libav: avenc_aptx_hd: libav aptX HD (Audio Processing Technology for Bluetooth) encoder
libav: avdec_aptx: libav aptX (Audio Processing Technology for Bluetooth) decoder
libav: avdec_aptx_hd: libav aptX HD (Audio Processing Technology for Bluetooth) decoder
so maybe it is possible to create an a2dp connection via libgstbluez somehow...
however, gstreamers a2dp element seems only capable of sbc or mpeg:
Factory Details:
Rank none (0)
Long-name Bluetooth A2DP sink
Klass Sink/Audio
Description Plays audio to an A2DP device
Author Marcel Holtmann <marcel@holtmann.org>
Plugin Details:
Name bluez
Description Bluez-based bluetooth support
Filename /usr/lib/gstreamer-1.0/libgstbluez.so
Version 1.4.5
License LGPL
Source module gst-plugins-bad
Source release date 2014-12-18
Binary package SailfishOS GStreamer Bad Plug-ins
Origin URL http://jolla.com
GObject
+----GInitiallyUnowned
+----GstObject
+----GstElement
+----GstBin
+----GstA2dpSink
Implemented Interfaces:
GstChildProxy
Pad Templates:
SINK template: 'sink'
Availability: Always
Capabilities:
audio/x-sbc
rate: { (int)16000, (int)32000, (int)44100, (int)48000 }
channels: [ 1, 2 ]
channel-mode: { (string)mono, (string)dual, (string)stereo, (string)joint }
blocks: { (int)4, (int)8, (int)12, (int)16 }
subbands: { (int)4, (int)8 }
allocation-method: { (string)snr, (string)loudness }
bitpool: [ 2, 64 ]
audio/mpeg
Element has no clocking capabilities.
Element has no URI handling capabilities.
Pads:
SINK: 'sink'
Element Properties:
async-handling : The bin will handle Asynchronous state changes
flags: readable, writable
Boolean. Default: false
auto-connect : Automatically attempt to connect to device
flags: readable, writable
Boolean. Default: true
device : Bluetooth remote device address
flags: readable, writable
String. Default: null
message-forward : Forwards all children messages
flags: readable, writable
Boolean. Default: false
name : The name of the object
flags: readable, writable
String. Default: "a2dpsink0"
parent : The parent of the object
flags: readable, writable
Object of type "GstObject"
transport : Use configured transport
flags: readable, writable
String. Default: null
Children: fakesink filter
answered 2019-05-11 15:45:53 +0300
So.. support for multiple bluetooth A2DP audio codecs (including AptX) is being worked upstream right now. It is partly done/merged, and some bits are still missing or work-in-progress currently (as of writing this, 2019-05-11). You can basicly "split" the required work in two main parts:
1) bluez support for multiple bluetooth A2DP audio codecs. Bluez needs to be able to discover/negotiate/parse different codecs, transport them, offer ability to choose/switch active codecs, remember last used codecs during BT reconnects, etc. Bluez does not need to actually encode/decode audio for these codecs, that's the job of bluez clients (like Pulseaudio), because bluez basicly just "transports" the encoded audio. This bluez work is mostly done and merged to upstream bluez git repository (in master branch, not yet in any released version). You can see the merged A2DP multiple audio codec patches here (commits after Dec 2018): https://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/bluetooth/bluez.git/log/?qt=grep&q=a2dp
2) Pulseaudio support for multiple bluetooth A2DP audio codecs, and ability to utilize the bluez provided support for handling multiple A2DP codecs. Pulseaudio is the client for bluez, so it's pulseaudio who must be able to encode/decode audio using various codecs, which means Pulseaudio needs to use various codec libraries to encode/decode audio using different codecs, and allow end-user to choose/configure which codec to use, etc. Currently the "groundwork" patches to support multiple A2DP audio codecs in Pulseaudio has been merged (during the last month or so), but the actual support for LDAC, AptX-HD, AptX, FastStream, and high-quality SBC codec is still a work-in-progress. More review and testing is needed to get the rest of the patches merged to upstream Pulseaudio. Currently the remaining pulseaudio patches are at 10th revision atm. You can find the patches for example here: https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/pulseaudio-discuss/2019-May/031100.html (from: https://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/pulseaudio-discuss/2019-May/ ).
BT A2DP multiple audio codecs development work is mostly done by developers Pali and Luiz. You can find the discussions/reviews/patches on linux-bluetooth and pulseaudio mailing lists.
audio codec libraries used/required: - https://github.com/pali/libopenaptx - https://android.googlesource.com/platform/external/libldac / https://github.com/EHfive/ldacBT
answered 2019-11-03 14:32:43 +0300
Update 2019/11: bluez 5.52 has been released recently, and it includes support for multiple bluetooth A2DP audio codecs, and switching between them. The related APIs have been declared as stable in bluez v5.52.
Pulseaudio patches to utilize bluez support for multiple A2DP codecs is currently at the 13th revision, and is still being reviewed/discussed on pulseaudio-discuss mailinglist.
Asked: 2014-01-06 11:11:09 +0300
Seen: 2,610 times
Last updated: Nov 03 '19
Yes! I agree with you! apt-x would be awesome function to Jolla in order to keep it as premium device (for high-end enthusiasts)
LaruX ( 2014-01-06 14:38:53 +0300 )editWhy would you ask for propietary extensions on a phone that stands out as being one of the most open platforms?
WhyNotHugo ( 2014-07-08 18:15:18 +0300 )edit