PipeWire: Bluetooth Support Status Update

This page summarizes the projects mentioned and recommended in the original post on news.ycombinator.com

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  • liblc3codec

    LC3 codec implementation

    Bluetooth continues to be one of the most critically under-delivered standards, in my view. LC3, that this update discusses at the end, was announced January 2020. Over two years ago. There's still, to my knowledge, no devices that support it. None, not a one.

    In general I feel like we only just got Bluetooth 5.0 devices available on computers. Bluetooth 4.0 or 4.2 has been frighteningly prevalent, until very very recently. Bluetooth 5 harkens back to mid 2016, Bluetooth 5.1 was announced January 2019, 5.2 in January 2020, but I'd wager you'd need to drop numerous significant figures below 1% to account for how many laptops (much less desktops) are sold today whose bluetooth is >5.0.

    Truly one of the slowest, laggiest, least adoptable technologies on the planet. Really weird to me.

    I can definitely accept some lag. LC3 is really using bluetooth-le, a very different scheme. At the same time, I see folks like zephyr-project already kind of making inroads into this future[1]. A not small part of me thinks the way we do consumer devices is totally jank. That folks like PineBuds are living in the future, where we can compile our own OS'es for our peripherals. PineBuds[2] could, with a little zeal & push, become the first LC3 device on the planet. And they could, perhaps, unlike most other devices that'll be made in the next couple years, possibly support whatever comes next.

    [1] https://github.com/zephyrproject-rtos/liblc3codec

    [2] https://www.pine64.org/2022/04/01/introducing-the-pinebuds-a...

  • keymapper

    A cross-platform context-aware key remapper. (by houmain)

    This is true.

    Apple still is more sophisticated in the scripting department. Applescript support in most applications and the ability to tie that into actions is seriously powerful stuff.

    Gnome wins in the ability to use javascript to customize window handling, but it isn't really able to script application actions like you can in OS X.

    It is improving though. If you can use keyboard to navigate the functions you want in applications you can automate it with software like keymapper.

    https://github.com/houmain/keymapper

    There are other similar software available.

    Keymapper is software that intercepts input from your keyboard and allows you to 'remap' it. It operates on the libinput level of things, so it works regardless of environment or if you are in the console. It does require elevated privileges, though.

    This when combined with Gnome-shell extension and user keymapperd daemon it can provide application-specific contexts for keyboard combos. The extension monitors for switching applications and gives keymapper the ability to be context-aware.

    This is how I "solved" the copy past nightmare for myself in Linux. This way no matter if I am in a browser, terminal, or Emacs I have consistent copy-paste keys. (super-c, super-v). Makes things easier.

    This isn't even remotely on the same level as applescript, but at least it is something. You have to understand low-level Linux keyboard stuff, which is still a mess. Versus being able to simply record yourself using applescript.

    Gnome certainly is a very relaxing environment once you get used to it. Much less frantic or distraction filled compared to Windows or OS X. I like it.

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  • obs-studio

    OBS Studio - Free and open source software for live streaming and screen recording

    I can't answer all your questions, but OBS uses pipewire (I think for wayland support[1]), so there's that.

    [1] https://github.com/obsproject/obs-studio/pull/4287

NOTE: The number of mentions on this list indicates mentions on common posts plus user suggested alternatives. Hence, a higher number means a more popular project.

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