Have A2DP Bluetooth Headset, How do I listen to music on 3GS with it?

[NaweG]

Have a Sonorix C3 Bluetooth headset with some nice stereo headphones attached. I can use it just fine with my computer to listen to music, and I've synced it to my iPhone 3GS to take calls. However, I can't for the life of me figure out how to play music on my iPhone 3GS so that I can hear it through the Sonorix. I've made sure the Sonorix is connected to the iPhone, and it works fine for calls, so what am I missing?

Thanks in advance!

 

[NaweG]

Ummm... so is this actually not possible? Or I'm the only one interested in doing this? Or... ?

 

[Roessnakhan]

If its paired and works with calls it should work with music too. I use a Motorola Motorokr S9 and it works fine, I just go to the iPod app and set my device to output to the headset.

 

[NaweG]

I just go to the iPod app and set my device to output to the headset.

OK, that's the part I suspect I'm not understanding how to do. How do you tell the iPod app to output to the headset? Normally I thought it just decided whether to play or not based on what was attached?

 

[NaweG]

Did a little more research, thanks to the clue above, and found out the problem was that the connection was not being made for both Headphone mode and Stereo mode. Evidently because I had earlier used it with my computer. Once I turned the Sonorix off, then back on, then connected again, I could go to iTunes/iPod and the bluetooth icon showed up at the bottom to select. Am now streaming music just fine.

Thanks!

 

[RetiredInFl]

I have a "regular" (not stereo) BT headset. Why am I unable to play music through it in mono?

What's strange is the VOICE RECORDER app plays back fine through the headset but not the iPod app. My Blackberry Bold has no problem with music in mono mode.

It's a Plantronics 925 Headset.

 

[jmpage2]

I have a "regular" (not stereo) BT headset. Why am I unable to play music through it in mono?

What's strange is the VOICE RECORDER app plays back fine through the headset but not the iPod app. My Blackberry Bold has no problem with music in mono mode.

It's a Plantronics 925 Headset.

The headset must support the Stereo A2DP profile for the iPhone to stream music to it. Mono headsets for phone calls do not typically do this. There's not much Apple can do about it, as these devices were not meant to work in this fashion.

 

[RetiredInFl]

The same MONO headset streams audio from the media player app on my wife's Blackberry Bold as well as from any other "stereo audio related" app which is what is confusing me. It also streams the iPhone Voice Recorder recordings fine.

The headset must support the Stereo A2DP profile for the iPhone to stream music to it. Mono headsets for phone calls do not typically do this. There's not much Apple can do about it, as these devices were not meant to work in this fashion.

 

[jmpage2]

The same MONO headset streams audio from the media player app on my wife's Blackberry Bold as well as from any other "stereo audio related" app which is what is confusing me. It also streams the iPhone Voice Recorder recordings fine.

I'm not sure how Blackberry is doing it. Typically the only way to get audio to a mono cell phone headset is to send it a phone call. Perhaps Blackberry presents it as a phone call and then once established sends the audio over.

In any event, I don't think there are too many people terribly interested in listening to low quality mono audio on a cell phone BT headset, which is probably a key reason that Apple isn't burning midnight oil to try to get this working.

 

[NaweG]

Well, now that I have the Sonorix working, I'm finding that the cable from the main part to the headphones is a bit of a pain (end up with them draped over my collar if I'm not using them). I don't suppose anyone makes a pair of bluetooth stereo headphones/microphone where the one ear has an over the ear holder, and you can flip back the speaker and the mike when you aren't actively using it, and then there's a cable that goes around the back of your head to another headphone with an over the ear holder that can also be flipped back?

Or something where the main piece and the headphones are wireless between themselves as well as with the phone?

 

[RetiredInFl]

I use it mainly for PODCAST listening and the audio was excellent. The Plantronics Discovery 925 headset is the most comfortable, lightest headset and best functoning headset I have found and has excellent phone audio so I hate to start over. I have no need for stereo.

I'm not sure how Blackberry is doing it. Typically the only way to get audio to a mono cell phone headset is to send it a phone call. Perhaps Blackberry presents it as a phone call and then once established sends the audio over.

In any event, I don't think there are too many people terribly interested in listening to low quality mono audio on a cell phone BT headset, which is probably a key reason that Apple isn't burning midnight oil to try to get this working.

 

[ActionAmerica]

It's All in the Profiles

I'm not sure how Blackberry is doing it. Typically the only way to get audio to a mono cell phone headset is to send it a phone call. Perhaps Blackberry presents it as a phone call and then once established sends the audio over.

In any event, I don't think there are too many people terribly interested in listening to low quality mono audio on a cell phone BT headset, which is probably a key reason that Apple isn't burning midnight oil to try to get this working.

It's all in the profiles that are supported by the two devices.

Typically, there are three profiles for Bluetooth stereo headphones. There is the HFP (Hands Free Profile) for phone calls and phone control, the A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) for stereo reception and AVRCP (Audio Video Remote Control Profile) for controlling the A/V portion of the sending device (Play, FF, REW, etc.). To listen to mono music through a stereo device, both the sending unit and the headphones must also support ADP (Audio Distribution Profile), which allows for a mono only signal.

Most manufacturers are getting away from the ADP profile on stereo devices, since so few people want to listen to mono, when stereo is available. Apple is apparently one of them.

Note too, that Apple has not yet completely implemented AVRCP in the iPhone. Only Play/Pause appears to work at this time. However, I can't imagine them letting that one go for long, though. My old setup, with separate cell phone and iPod could Play/Pause, Voice Dial, FF, Rew, Next and Back, using the iMuffs dongle on my old iPod. It will be really neat, when Apple finally gets AVRCP working completely on the iPhone.

 

[RetiredInFl]

Thanks for the explanation. Just this comment: "Most manufacturers are getting away from the ADP profile on stereo devices, since so few people want to listen to mono, when stereo is available." doesn't make sense. Since the iPhone is also a PHONE, tooling down the highway with earphones covering BOTH ears isn't good. While driving the mono headphone is a lot safer.

It's all in the profiles that are supported by the two devices.

Typically, there are three profiles for Bluetooth stereo headphones. There is the HFP (Hands Free Profile) for phone calls and phone control, the A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) for stereo reception and AVRCP (Audio Video Remote Control Profile) for controlling the A/V portion of the sending device (Play, FF, REW, etc.). To listen to mono music through a stereo device, both the sending unit and the headphones must also support ADP (Audio Distribution Profile), which allows for a mono only signal.

Most manufacturers are getting away from the ADP profile on stereo devices, since so few people want to listen to mono, when stereo is available. Apple is apparently one of them.

Note too, that Apple has not yet completely implemented AVRCP in the iPhone. Only Play/Pause appears to work at this time. However, I can't imagine them letting that one go for long, though. My old setup, with separate cell phone and iPod could Play/Pause, Voice Dial, FF, Rew, Next and Back, using the iMuffs dongle on my old iPod. It will be really neat, when Apple finally gets AVRCP working completely on the iPhone.

 

[ActionAmerica]

ADP vs A2DP

Thanks for the explanation. Just this comment: "Most manufacturers are getting away from the ADP profile on stereo devices, since so few people want to listen to mono, when stereo is available." doesn't make sense. Since the iPhone is also a PHONE, tooling down the highway with earphones covering BOTH ears isn't good. While driving the mono headphone is a lot safer.

The telephone profile is the HFP phone profile and only works in mono. When the phone part of the iPhone is operating, only HFP is enabled.

When the phone call hangs up and the iPod part of the iPhone is functioning, the HFP profile relinquishes control to the A2DP profile. Also, on most music-capable devices, the A2DP stereo audio profile works in conjunction with the AVRCP remote control profile, for handling control signals. At this time, Apple has not yet fully implemented AVRCP.

The end result is that phone calls are handled only in mono, by the HFP profile, while iPod music is transmitted in stereo, by the A2DP profile.

FYI, the Motorola S9 Bluetooth headset receives the mono HFP phone signal and sends it to only one side of the headphone set. The Motorola HT820, on the other hand, takes that same mono HFP phone signal and send it to both headphone speakers, at the same time. But even so, the phone calls in both cases are still mono.

It all comes down to what profiles each manufacturer puts into each device.

When given a choice between mono and stereo, almost everyone will choose stereo. Therefore, most manufacturers are phasing out ADP (mono) profiles, for music, since including it is not a big marketing tool and, as such, not worth the cost to include it. Besides, putting both ADP and A2DP profiles in the same player would be, though not impossible, problematic. It's just not worth the effort for the manufacturers to include both.

 

[iphonefilmmaker]

Try the Jabra 530. . .

It's an A2DP mono bluetooth headset that Will let you hear music, some internet radio, etc from your Iphone 3Gs. I wish the earpiece fit better, but it does the job well enough!

 

[cmschmidt]

Plantronics Voyager 855...end of story. Thanks