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Is there a way to make an Android phone (HTC Desire HD) act as Bluetooth speakers or headset?

I'd like to use the phone as wireless headphones whilst watching a movie on a computer (running Ubuntu).

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3 Answers

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As of right now the bluetooth API only supports pairing with the android device as the master. http://stackoverflow.com/questions/4474697/use-android-device-as-a-headset-for-another-device

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Comment by Dennis Mathews to the linked answer - Anyway being a master or slave has nothing to do with what it can or cannot do, the roles in bluetooth are symmetrical - it is the supported profiles that determines what it can or cannot do – Piotr Dobrogost Mar 25 '12 at 18:55
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This sort of functionality is often asked for, but as of yet I don't know of an application that actually does it!

Jamcast (http://www.sdstechnologies.com/) does what you ask, but they are currently still developing their Android app. http://www.sdstechnologies.com/Blog/post/Coming-Soon-Jamcast-for-Android.aspx

The good news is they are developing it though!

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Thanks, but it doesn't fit the bill for me. It's a nice idea (software creates a soundacrd device on computer and streams to Android app) but it's Windows-only. I'm running Ubuntu on the computer I'd mostly use this with, which I hadn't specified. I'm looking to leverage Bluetooth to avoid software/OS constraints. – misterben Feb 23 '11 at 10:16
Interesting. I'm still no the wiser on applications though. It may be worth asking over at xda developers. I'm not entirely sure how bluetooth works, I've never really developed with it. But I imagine when two devises first communicate they tell each other what they do - in which case I suppose it wouldn't be that hard for an application just to say it's a headset. – Ben Griffiths Feb 23 '11 at 11:36
As I understand it that's exactly what they do. I'm kind of surprised noone's thought of doing it already. Unless the app couldn't directly make the Bluetooth connection but just direct the phone to do whatever it does by standard with Bluetooth. – misterben Feb 23 '11 at 13:32
though off topic I used some wifi client in my android phone to listen to mp3s in the pc and it also works as wireless mouse. Gmote to name one. Probably it can also stream other sounds. – newcomer Feb 26 '11 at 6:57
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I must be missing something why do you want the phone to do it?

You'd be better off using a usb bluetooth chip(they cost less than £5) on your PC and a bluetooth Headset(I've got a superb one that lets me plug in any headphones I want,3.5 stereo jack so would take any little speakers as well).

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Well as the PC already has Bluetooth and the phone already has Bluetooth and produces decent quality sound, I'd like a way to use what I've got rather than buy a seperate Bluetooth headset. – misterben Feb 23 '11 at 11:04
I stand by my answer - buy a BT headphone adapter about £10 inc shipping. Then you can pair it with the pc and the phone...Leveraging the BT technology as its designed to be used. You'll have much less trouble configuring and finding apps or drivers. – Adrian Feb 23 '11 at 12:00
Does the Desire really have decent speakers? – Adrian Feb 23 '11 at 12:01
The Desire HD has a lot better sound than the Desire (I've had both), but I'd be using it with headphones. The idea is for when sound out loud when watching a movie would disturb others in the room. – misterben Feb 23 '11 at 13:29

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