RPi-0W Bluetooth A2DP can't set as default, but works if used directly

[Mriswithe]

Hardware/Software:

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RPI Zero - W
Raspbian Stretch lite install.
root@raspberrypi:~# uname -a
Linux raspberrypi 4.14.98+ #1200 Tue Feb 12 20:11:02 GMT 2019 armv6l GNU/Linux

Trying to set up as a google-assistant using Bluetooth, currently working to get it working with a BT Headset before I buy any hardware I didn't already own.

Following this guide:

https://www.instructables.com/id/DIY-Go ... -Raspberr/

Can connect to the pi, I have the BT Headset paired, and trusted. The odd part is that if as root I run:

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aplay foo.wav

It comes out the bluetooth headset.

However the same command for the pi user tries to use something else, and acts like it is successfully playing, but if I specify the device, works just fine.

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aplay foo.wav  -D speaker

This is with no /etc/asound.conf and my .asoundrc contains the following (Note the MAC is correct for my device):

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ipcm.!default {
  type asym
  capture.pcm "mic"
  playback.pcm "speaker"
}
pcm.mic {
  type plug slave { pcm "hw:1,0" }
}
pcm.speaker {
  type plug
  slave.pcm {
    type bluealsa device "E8:07:BF:38:7F:C7"
    profile "a2dp"
  }
}

Which reads to me like I am using the bluealsa device as the default. Been bashing my face at this and google for awhile. Can someone tell me what I am doing dumb here? Obviously since I can get audio out of the BT headset if I specify the device it is able to use it, but I can't make it the default for some reason?

Any tips/questions/pointers would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Mriswithe

[Douglas6]

Is the 'ipcm' in your .asoundrc file a typo in your post or in the file?

Have you tried the standard .asoundrc contents:

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defaults.bluealsa.interface "hci0"
defaults.bluealsa.device "xx:xx:xx:xx:xx:xx"
defaults.bluealsa.profile "a2dp"
defaults.bluealsa.delay 10000

[Mriswithe]

Was a typo in the file, good eye. Though I removed the typo and still no love. Also to be clear, you mean my entire .asoundrc should be:

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defaults.bluealsa.interface "hci0"
defaults.bluealsa.device "E8:07:BF:38:7F:C7"
defaults.bluealsa.profile "a2dp"
defaults.bluealsa.delay 10000

Correct?

Once I replaced it with that it is still failing, but now the -D speaker doesn't function, as it doesn't exist. Just acts like it is playing the sound, then returns to the prompt. Same behavior even after a reboot. Though now -D bluealsa works. So confused as to why this isn't willing to take a BT device as the default.

Thanks for the questions/suggestions though!

[Douglas6]

Yes, I intended that as a test, as it doesn't include the 'speaker' or 'mic' designations. I'm sorry, I don't understand why you're not defaulting to the BlueALSA device, or why the root user IS.

[Mriswithe]

Hey thanks for the attempt! It is funny, I am a sysadmin by day, been in the field damn near a decade, but there are still things in Linux that are outside of my knowledge and hard for me to troubleshoot. I can write distributed python jobs, orchestrate with Terraform, Packer, or ansible, do all those things, but pulseaudio defeats me so far haha.

[Mriswithe]

Ok so I tried it on a RPi3 I had, and it worked. So on a hunch, I wiped the SD card I was using for the zero, reinstalled, and now the same config works... because reasons????

At least I can move on with my life.