Mint 21 and bluetooth

[Bookmem]

I'm finding that Linux Mint is becoming a real PITA. I'm old and hard of hearing and have a real problem hearing TV dialog. So I invested in a sound bar that has designed specially to enhance it. Works great with Windows 11 but Mint 21.2 doesn't recognize it. 

[securitybreach]

What is the make and model?

[securitybreach]

Probably need to install a driver or something.

[Bookmem]

10 minutes ago, securitybreach said:

What is the model?

Soundbar S100 I know the adapter is working because it sees my neighbor's TV. LOL

[securitybreach]

What is the brand?

[securitybreach]

So when you try to scan for a bluetooth device, nothing shows up?

[abarbarian]

11 hours ago, Bookmem said:

I'm finding that Linux Mint is becoming a real PITA. I'm old and hard of hearing and have a real problem hearing TV dialog. So I invested in a sound bar that has designed specially to enhance it. Works great with Windows 11 but Mint 21.2 doesn't recognize it. 

 

Seems like a lot of Mint users have had bluetooth  problems in the last year.

 

You have probably tried all of these,

 

sudo systemctl enable --now bluetooth.

 

You have to be a member of a certain group but I have lost the link that details which one.

 

Could be a problem with which kernel you have , updating to a newer kernel may help.

 

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=404637

 

May be a conflict with pipewire and pulse, one solution claimed that swapping from one to the fixed the problem

 

https://wiki.debian.org/BluetoothUser/a2dp

 

A extra program may help

 

Howto install bluetuith to manage bluetooth connections

 

Or this may help

 

How to fix “Bluetooth device doesn’t auto-connect” in Linux

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2024 by abarbarian

[Bookmem]

There is a new version of Mint beta out, so I thought I'd see if it fixed my Bluetooth problem. I booted the LiveCD iso on my Lenovo Think Pad and Bluetooth worked fine and connected my Sound Bar. So I booted to my desktop with a Bluetooth 5.3 USB dongle and it doesn't work. Tried earlier versions dongles with 5.0 and 4 and none of them work. Booted to  HP Envy laptop and it worked fine. Why would built in bluetooth work and dongles don't????? Same results with Linux Lite 7.0. Tablet work and desktop doesn't!!!!

[securitybreach]

Just a guess but maybe the kernel bluetooth module is being loaded by the built in bluetooth. https://www.gaunt.dev/blog/2022/linux-and-bluetooth-dongle/

[Bookmem]

8 hours ago, securitybreach said:

Just a guess but maybe the kernel bluetooth module is being loaded by the built in bluetooth. https://www.gaunt.dev/blog/2022/linux-and-bluetooth-dongle/

There is no built in bluetooth. If I pull the dongle, bluetooth manager shows no device.

[securitybreach]

Ah, I don't know why I thought this was a laptop

[Bookmem]

4 hours ago, securitybreach said:

Ah, I don't know why I thought this was a laptop

No, that's the weird part. It works fine on two different laptops with built in wifi. It's the desktops I'm having trouble with. My main desktop is what I use for streaming and need the sound bar. That is also the one that for decades was my Linux machine but now I'm pretty much being forced to run Windows 11 on it.