hassio-bluepiaudio

Configuration files and notes to add bluetooth audio support in Hass.io

Purpose

The aim of this repository is to document the configuration steps to add bluetooth audio in Home Assistant running in the Hass.io ecosystem.

Environment

The configuration is based on a Home Assistant Supervised installation and not on a Home Assistant image. Home Assistant Supervised gives the possibility to run Hass.io with all add-ons features but it also makes the Linux OS available to run other server applications in parallel but outside the Hass.io environment.

Prerequisites

• Raspberry Pi with bluetooth interface. This configuration is made on a Pi 4 that uses an embedded Bluetooth controller.
• A bluetooth speaker. In this case a JBL GO 2 has been used.
• Raspbian Buster Lite installed
  • Version: February 2020
  • Release date: 2020-02-13
  • Kernel version: 4.19
• Home Assistant Supervised installed and running on Raspbian.

Setting up the Bluetooth speaker

Raspbian Buster comes preinstalled with the official Bluetooth protocol stack BlueZ. However some additional steps are needed to stream audio to a Bluetooth speaker. The commands bellow are issued to Raspbery Pi either locally or remotely by using SSH.

1. Install BlueALSA proxy
   • sudo apt install bluealsa
2. Add pi to the bluetooth group
   • sudo adduser pi bluetooth
3. Edit the bluetooth unit file
   • Open the bluetooth.service for editing: sudo nano /lib/systemd/system/bluetooth.service
   • Add the option --noplugin=sap to the end of the ExecStart parameter and save the file.
4. Restart Raspberry Pi
   • sudo reboot
   • Check the bluetooth service is running: sudo systemctl status bluetooth*
5. Pair Bluetooth speaker
   • Issue the command bluetoothctl
   • Switch on the bluetooth speaker and turn one the discovery mode.
   • Scan the device: scan on
   • If the device is found bluetoothctl will return its address and name. For example 70:99:1C:88:B0:06 JBL GO 2
   • Pair the device by using the address found: pair 70:99:1C:88:B0:06
   • Connect to the device: connect 70:99:1C:88:B0:06
   • Trust the device for automatic reconnection: trust 70:99:1C:88:B0:06
   • Turn off scanning: scan off
   • Exit bluetoothctl: quit
6. Test Bluetooth speaker with some audio
   • Ensure the bluetooth speaker is connected as described above
   • Copy the WAV sound file to Raspbery Pi or use your own
   • Play the sound to the bluetooth speaker: aplay -D bluealsa:DEV=70:99:1C:88:B0:06 piano2.wav

Setting up the mpd server application

The host operating system (Raspbian in this case) hosts a media player server that is capable to play sounds and music to various audio outputs including the bluetooth speaker.

1. Install the mpd server
   • sudo apt install mpd
2. Configure the mpd.conf file
   • Open the mpd.conf file for editing: sudo nano /etc/mpd.conf
   • Add the following audio output:

     audio_output {
          type            "alsa"
          name            "JBL GO"
          device          "bluealsa:DEV=70:99:1C:88:B0:06,PROFILE=a2dp"
          mixer_type      "software"
          format          "44100:16:2"
     }
     

   • Change the directories to your own needs. For example

     music_directory         "/home/pi/music"
     playlist_directory      "/home/pi/playlists"
     

   • Restart the daemon: sudo systemctl restart mpd
3. Test the media player server
   • Ensure the bluetooth speaker is on and connected
   • Install a media player client: sudo apt install mpc
   • Copy some sound files to the mpd music directory as defined in mpd.conf
   • Add a sound file to the mpd queue: mpc add piano2.wav
   • Update the mpd database: mpc update
   • Play the sound file: `mpc play 1'
4. Update hosts file in Raspbian (optional)
   • This step is only needed if TSL is used in Hass.io and the router cannot route the traffic to the local host when using a public DuckDNS domain name.
   • Edit hosts: `sudo nano /etc/hosts'
   • Add the text 127.0.0.1 xxx.duckdns.org where xxx is the DuckDNS name used
   • Save hosts file

Setting up Hass.io

Hass.io integrates an mpd media player by default.

1. Add the mpd integration
   • Edit the configuration.yaml file and add the following text

     media_player:
        - platform: mpd
          host: 127.0.0.1
     

2. Restart Home Assistant
3. Add a Media Control Card in Lovelace UI
4. Send a TTS sound to mpd from the Media Control Card.

TODO list

• Stream internet radio stations from Hass.io
• Build a docker image with the above configuration