Ubuntu – How to set default profile for bluetooth headset

20.04bluemanbluetoothkubuntupulseaudio

Kubuntu 20.04 on Lenovo Thinkpad.

I recently bought an entry level Sony Bluetooth headset (WH-CH500) for the express purpose of audio- and video-conferencing.

It all works flawlessly except for one thing: when the headset connects, it always uses the "A2DP" high quality profile, which is fine to listen to music, but disables the microphone. I can change it to "headset HSP/HFP" in the bluetooth device manager. But next time I reconnect the headset, e.g. after switching it off, rebooting or putting the PC to sleep, I have to change the profile manually again.

Of course, sometimes I will forget to, so will enter a meeting without a microphone. Annoying!

Is there a way to make it remember a default profile to use, so the given headset will always connect using this profile (or, simply use the last profile used) ?

There are many questions and threads here and elsewhere about the opposite problem (force A2DP mode), but I could not find anything to force the "headset" profile.

Best Answer

You can consider this as a workaround, as here The profile will be switched to HSP/HFP once you start an activity that requires a microphone but the profile initially is set to a2dp_sink.

Modify /etc/pulse/default.pa

Add the following lines or modify them

### Automatically load driver modules for Bluetooth hardware
.ifexists module-bluetooth-policy.so
load-module module-bluetooth-policy auto_switch=2
.endif

The magic here in auto_switch=2 which will make the pulse audio switch the profile based on requirements.

For more information and options you can refer to this reference wiki : https://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/PulseAudio/Documentation/User/Modules/#module-bluetooth-policy

Edit

These are some of the pre-conditions that may affect the method.

The above method tested with Kde Neon (based on ubuntu-20.04)
I have installed ofono,ofono-phonesim based on the below links to enable HSP/HFP for my headphone. I don't know if that may affect the procedure or no.
- https://zambrovski.medium.com/using-bluetooth-headset-on-ubuntu-790ce6eecc2
- https://freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/PulseAudio/Documentation/User/Bluetooth/#supportedcodecs
Tested Apps
- Microsoft teams (you need to start the call)
- Browser (Webex site)

Getting ready

Install ofono

sudo apt install ofono

Config pulseaudio to use ofono:

Goto /etc/pulse/default.pa find the line load-module module-bluetooth-discover and change it in load-module module-bluetooth-discover headset=ofono.
Add the user pulse to group bluetooth to grant the permission: sudo usermod -aG bluetooth pulse (probably it's already correct)
VERY IMPORTANT: To grant the permission, add this to /etc/dbus-1/system.d/ofono.conf (add this before </busconfig>):
```
<policy user="pulse">
  <allow send_destination="org.ofono"/>
</policy>
```

Provide phonesim to ofono.
In order to make ofono work, you have to provide a modem to it! You can install a modem emulator called phonesim (implemented by ofono) to make it work:

install ofono-phonesim (in some distros it is called phonesim). in Ubuntu 18.04 (for Ubuntu 20.04 follow this link):

 sudo apt install ofono-phonesim

Configure phonesim by adding the following lines to /etc/ofono/phonesim.conf:

[phonesim]
Driver=phonesim
Address=127.0.0.1
Port=12345

Restart ofono:

sudo systemctl restart ofono.service

Clone ofono repository (contains useful scripts)

git clone git://git.kernel.org/pub/scm/network/ofono/ofono.git destination/path

Then, every time you want to enable hfp/hsp:

ofono-phonesim -p 12345 /usr/share/phonesim/default.xml &

then use

path/to/cloned/repo/test/enable-modem /phonesim

then restart pulseaudio with

pulseaudio --kill` and `pulseaudio --start

Now you should see a microphone device.

When you want to go back to a2dp:

path/to/cloned/repo/test/disable-modem /phonesim

then restart pulseaudio with

pulseaudio --kill` and `pulseaudio --start

eventually restart pulseeffects with

pulseeffects --quit` and `pulseeffects &

Lately i'm not using this because it's not always working, and so using a jack is faster.

Hope it helps :)

edit: Added getting ready section edit 2: Added git clone step

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Ubuntu – Bluetooth headset A2DP works, HSP/HFP not (no sound/no mic)

Ubuntu – Can’t change profile to HSP for Bluetooth headset

Getting ready

Then, every time you want to enable hfp/hsp:

When you want to go back to a2dp:

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