5 ms·

Small side note on Bluetooth: I regularly use four devices (phone, tablet, laptop, desktop) and I have two pairs of headphones (in ear and over ear). Since it

by harha 4y ago

Small side note on Bluetooth: I regularly use four devices (phone, tablet, laptop, desktop) and I have two pairs of headphones (in ear and over ear). Since it’s 2022 and we have so much amazing technology all around us, these are the two things I’m missing: I’d like to be able to use any combination of these without pairing again and I’d also really like to stay connected while I’m listening to something or having a conversation. Is this really too much to ask for? Now the funny thing is that it doesn’t matter if I spend $20 or $200. I’ve heard AirPods may be better as long as you stay in the apple ecosystem, but that’s one constraint too much.

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
hombre_fatal 4y ago
It would be more interesting if we started threads about TFA instead of rehashing the same generic complaints about X just because X appears in the title.
- harha 4y ago
  Ok let me rephrase that: can anyone explain why this common scenario doesn’t work and if there’s any way to solve this? Would a homebrew device running my own software help?
  - scarface74 4y ago
    I can’t imagine dealing with the shit show of BT outside of the Apple ecosystem in 2022. You’re not going to like the obvious answer - get into the Apple ecosystem and buy Apple headphones. They seamlessly switch between my iPhone, iPad and Mac. If I am watching something on my iPad and my iPhone rings, they automatically switch. If I start watching a video on my iPad and then start playing a video on my iPhone, they automatically switch. Not to mention if I’m using my AirPods with my AppleTV at night and my wife starts talking to me, I just take one side out and the TV pauses. Of course they work in just the opposite manner. If I put them in, audio switches to them. I’m not sure if auto switching from my watch. But since I can take phone calls on it anyway. It doesn’t matter as much. Also if I pair to any device connected to my Apple ID, all of my other devices automatically show them as an option - iPad, iPhone, AppleTV, Watch, Mac.
  - mbreese 4y ago
    To echo the sibling comment -- Apple has largely solved this problem, within the Apple ecosystem. If you want to avoid Apple, then you're up to the will of N vendors want to try to solve the problem their own way, so... For Apple, the key feature is iCloud. Your headphone bluetooth information is stored in iCloud, so any headphones that have been paired with one device, are paired with all other devices. This is the secret sauce that make the system work. But even here, there can be issues. My Airpods connect to all of our Apple TVs, but my wife's don't. My iCloud account is the primary one, but I haven't figured out how to get my wife's headphones to transfer over as easily. So, even here -- when things work, they work great. When they don't -- you're stuck. As far as using custom firmware, I'm not sure how much that would help you. The CSR8645 module from the article has its own firmware already installed and running. It looks like customizing would require some kind of license from Qualcomm. But, even then -- the secret sauce for migrating headphones from device to device isn't in the headphones. It's in the devices. So, that's where you'd need to add some custom code.
    - happyopossum 4y ago
      > My Airpods connect to all of our Apple TVs, but my wife's don't The key is to add your wife as an additional user on the AppleTV. The ability has been there since at least tvOS 13.x https://support.apple.com/guide/tv/multiple-users-atvb59ec8e2e/tvos https://support.apple.com/guide/tv/multiple-users-atvb59ec8e...
      - mbreese 4y ago
        I have. It doesn’t work for us. I think it’s probably something with her account, where she doesn’t have a setting right. But I try to stay out of her technology as much as possible… it’s just easier that way. :)
    - harha 4y ago
      > If you want to avoid Apple, then you're up to the will of N vendors want to try to solve the problem their own way, so... Isn’t this the whole idea of having a standard? > For Apple, the key feature is iCloud. Your headphone bluetooth information is stored in iCloud, so any headphones that have been paired with one device, are paired with all other devices. The pairing itself, while a bit annoying isn’t the whole problem, it’s having to connect and disconnect all the time and sometimes pair again. Now I’m not sure how iCloud is necessary for this, the device should already know my regular devices (in fact I think one of the headphones I have can be paired to nine devices, but only connect to two at the same time). The annoying thing is that it stays connected to devices I don’t use, e.g., the closed laptop, the desktop I’m not even logged in on or a different user is actively using. In an ideal world it would connect to all and figure out what to play. In an ok world I’m fine with it always connecting to my iPhone and the other device I’m actively using.

by harha 4y ago

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

hombre_fatal 4y ago

It would be more interesting if we started threads about TFA instead of rehashing the same generic complaints about X just because X appears in the title.

harha 4y ago
Ok let me rephrase that: can anyone explain why this common scenario doesn’t work and if there’s any way to solve this? Would a homebrew device running my own software help?
- scarface74 4y ago
  I can’t imagine dealing with the shit show of BT outside of the Apple ecosystem in 2022. You’re not going to like the obvious answer - get into the Apple ecosystem and buy Apple headphones. They seamlessly switch between my iPhone, iPad and Mac. If I am watching something on my iPad and my iPhone rings, they automatically switch. If I start watching a video on my iPad and then start playing a video on my iPhone, they automatically switch. Not to mention if I’m using my AirPods with my AppleTV at night and my wife starts talking to me, I just take one side out and the TV pauses. Of course they work in just the opposite manner. If I put them in, audio switches to them. I’m not sure if auto switching from my watch. But since I can take phone calls on it anyway. It doesn’t matter as much. Also if I pair to any device connected to my Apple ID, all of my other devices automatically show them as an option - iPad, iPhone, AppleTV, Watch, Mac.
- mbreese 4y ago
  To echo the sibling comment -- Apple has largely solved this problem, within the Apple ecosystem. If you want to avoid Apple, then you're up to the will of N vendors want to try to solve the problem their own way, so... For Apple, the key feature is iCloud. Your headphone bluetooth information is stored in iCloud, so any headphones that have been paired with one device, are paired with all other devices. This is the secret sauce that make the system work. But even here, there can be issues. My Airpods connect to all of our Apple TVs, but my wife's don't. My iCloud account is the primary one, but I haven't figured out how to get my wife's headphones to transfer over as easily. So, even here -- when things work, they work great. When they don't -- you're stuck. As far as using custom firmware, I'm not sure how much that would help you. The CSR8645 module from the article has its own firmware already installed and running. It looks like customizing would require some kind of license from Qualcomm. But, even then -- the secret sauce for migrating headphones from device to device isn't in the headphones. It's in the devices. So, that's where you'd need to add some custom code.
  - happyopossum 4y ago
    > My Airpods connect to all of our Apple TVs, but my wife's don't The key is to add your wife as an additional user on the AppleTV. The ability has been there since at least tvOS 13.x https://support.apple.com/guide/tv/multiple-users-atvb59ec8e2e/tvos https://support.apple.com/guide/tv/multiple-users-atvb59ec8e...
    - mbreese 4y ago
      I have. It doesn’t work for us. I think it’s probably something with her account, where she doesn’t have a setting right. But I try to stay out of her technology as much as possible… it’s just easier that way. :)
  - harha 4y ago
    > If you want to avoid Apple, then you're up to the will of N vendors want to try to solve the problem their own way, so... Isn’t this the whole idea of having a standard? > For Apple, the key feature is iCloud. Your headphone bluetooth information is stored in iCloud, so any headphones that have been paired with one device, are paired with all other devices. The pairing itself, while a bit annoying isn’t the whole problem, it’s having to connect and disconnect all the time and sometimes pair again. Now I’m not sure how iCloud is necessary for this, the device should already know my regular devices (in fact I think one of the headphones I have can be paired to nine devices, but only connect to two at the same time). The annoying thing is that it stays connected to devices I don’t use, e.g., the closed laptop, the desktop I’m not even logged in on or a different user is actively using. In an ideal world it would connect to all and figure out what to play. In an ok world I’m fine with it always connecting to my iPhone and the other device I’m actively using.