B2 Bluetooth woes.

[Majere613]

I've had a B2 for some time now, and whilst every now again it can be a bit twitchy so far I've been quite pleased with the experience. However, I recently picked up an Echo Show 8  (and a Bluetooth dongle for the B2) and things have, to use the words of the Immortal Burns, gan aglae.

As I understand it, if I pair the B2 and the Echo, I should then be able to use the B2 as a Bluetooth speaker for the Echo. (I have it connected by optical to my amp+speakers.) However, the devices seem to think I want to do the exact opposite. 

Using the Bluetooth button in the GUI I've got the B2 to see the Echo and vice versa. However, if I connect, the only thing the Echo will do is try to receive an input from the B2, which causes it to display a large Bluetooth icon on the display with the message 'not supported'. At one point, the Echo even somehow made the B2 start playing a track from my B2's library, whilst still continuing to play a completely different track through its own speakers, which sounded exactly as good as you'd expect it not to. 

Am I critically misunderstanding how the two should work together, or is there some step I'm missing?

[PMB]

Hi Majere613,

In the Bluetooth setup panel, on the web UI, there an 'out' box displayed next to the Echo pairing - if it is ticked then the B2 is sending music - untick it to make the B2 an input device.

Paul

Brennan Support.

[Majere613]

Hi Paul

That's how I expected it to work, yes. In practice, if I click the Output box whilst the Echo is on its Bluetooth setting screen, it connects, giving the 'Not Supported' screen I mentioned above. As soon as I click it again to uncheck the box, the Echo disconnects from the B2 completely.

Of course, in the time-honoured manner of tech it just decided to work on me... sort of. After disconnecting due to clicking the Output box it works. It seems the B2 is only discoverable once this has been done, and it has to be done every time I want to connect the two. The Echo still doesn't seem to understand 'Brennan B2' but will find it if I say 'connect to Bluetooth speaker' after toggling the Output box.

Anyway, success of a sort has been achieved!

[J Murdoch]

If you use an app called Samba, you can then cast from it, at least I can to google home devices! Takes a bit of setting up, but worth it!