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Ubuntu 15.04 Dell XPS-13

I can connect my audio devices via Bluetooth, but I can not use them as they don't show up in sounds settings as an output option (or input option).

How do I fix this?

Aaron Weinberg
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4 Answers4

5

I tried to load the module first but I got a Failure: Module initialization failed so you have to unload the module first:

pactl unload-module module-bluetooth-discover

and then load it again:

pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover

After that I was able to see the audio device in audio settings.

kynan
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Ariskay
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  • Welcome to AskUbuntu :) I think you should add some detail to your answer, since it won't make much sense without the other answer. If your answer is the correct one it will be boosted to the top, and will thus be out of context. – Wilhelm Erasmus Dec 09 '15 at 23:21
3

I had the same issue here with Ubuntu Gnome 15.10 and 16.04. What helped me was adding read permissions for the gdm user on the pulseaudio bin.

sudo setfacl -m u:gdm:r /usr/bin/pulseaudio

after that restart pulseaudio (or restart your system)

pulseaudio -k

your bluetooth device should now be listed in the audio device list.

kynan
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apparat
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2

Blueman has a bug that will unload module-bluetooth-discover if it is loaded during boot so that you will likely need to unpair the audio device and then

pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover

Then pair your device and see if it appears in sound settings

kynan
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Jeremy31
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    (when I run) ~ $ sudo pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover (I get) Failure: Module initialization failed – Aaron Weinberg May 03 '15 at 18:32
  • When I try to install blueman bluetooth manger I get http://paste.ubuntu.com/10980288/ – Aaron Weinberg May 03 '15 at 18:44
  • I am not sure what is going on – Jeremy31 May 03 '15 at 20:29
  • Similar problems here

    $ sudo pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover Home directory not accessible: Permission denied Connection failure: Connection refused pa_context_connect() failed: Connection refused $ sudo -i pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover Connection failure: Connection refused pa_context_connect() failed: Connection refused

     – select Nov 25 '15 at 23:07
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    @select Pulseaudio runs as your user, so you shouldn't use sudo with it - the error messages you cite are totally different, and due to using sudo. – cincodenada Feb 25 '16 at 19:31
  • @cincodenada I think select has more issues than that. I have used sudo and not used sudo and never seen that error. – Jeremy31 Feb 26 '16 at 00:15
0

After successful connecting of the bluetooth headset, try
sudo -i pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover

If that then allows you to select the headset as an output device, you can make the following changes: 

nano /etc/pulse/default.pa

Comment out the following lines:

#.ifexists module-bluetooth-discover.so
#load-module module-bluetooth-discover
#.endif

Then in: 

nano /usr/bin/start-pulseaudio-x11

Find the following lines and add after them: 

if [ x”$SESSION_MANAGER” != x ] ; then
/usr/bin/pactl load-module module-x11-xsmp “display=$DISPLAY session_manager=$SESSION_MANAGER” > /dev/null
fi

# Add the following lines:
/usr/bin/pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover
# /usr/bin/pactl load-module module-switch-on-connect #<-- Uncomment to automatically select headset on connection
Mark
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