Bluetooth connection to an Auracast Transmitter

[Simon Ryvold]

Hello,

Using the nRF5340 chip on the Audio DK (https://www.nordicsemi.com/Products/Development-hardware/nRF5340-Audio-DK/Download?lang=en), is it possible to connect a paired bluetooth connection (lets say with classic bluetooth from an older smartphone), to then simutaneously broadcast this signal using Auracast from the same module? Or is it only possible to use the broadcast function on the DK by connecting a direct audio source like an AUX connection?

Thanks in advance

[Karl Ylvisaker]

Hello,

is it possible to connect a paired bluetooth connection (lets say with classic bluetooth from an older smartphone)

There are no Nordic products that support Bluetooth Classic, so it is not an option to transfer audio to the nRF5340 directly using Bluetooth Classic, so this option in particular would not be feasible.

Or is it only possible to use the broadcast function on the DK by connecting a direct audio source like an AUX connection?

The nRF5340 can broadcast whatever you provide it over the I2S interface, or over USB, and so your choice of audio source does not really matter so long as you can get it to either of these formats :)
You could in theory have a Bluetooth Classic chip receive audio, output it on I2S to the nRF5340, and have the nRF5340 broadcast this audio, but I am not sure how well this would function with respect to latency from the Bluetooth Classic component.
Please keep in mind that I personally have no experience working with Bluetooth Classic, so there might be some options there to reduce latency that I am not aware of.

Best regards,
Karl

[Simon Ryvold]

Hi Karl.

Thanks for the answer, but i still need some clarification on this topic.

Lets forget Bluetooth Classic for a moment.

Imagine i have an LE Audio device which i would like to pair over Bluetooth with the development kit. Can i then use the development kit to simutaneously broadcast this signal? I.E. is it possible for the board to both receive some bluetooth information and at the same time broadcast this information?

[Karl Ylvisaker]

Hello,

Simon Ryvold said:

Thanks for the answer, but i still need some clarification on this topic.

No problem at all, please ask away - I am happy to help! :)

Simon Ryvold said:

Imagine i have an LE Audio device which i would like to pair over Bluetooth with the development kit. Can i then use the development kit to simutaneously broadcast this signal? I.E. is it possible for the board to both receive some bluetooth information and at the same time broadcast this information?

Do you here mean to say that you would receive over 'regular BLE' (non-LE Audio communication), and then broadcast this information? Or do you mean that the DK will receive an audio stream from another LE Audio device, process it, and then broadcast it?
For additional clarity, could you clarify what you mean when you say 'broadcast' - do you mean a publicly available stream?

We currently do not have support for CIS (connected isochronous channels) + BIS (broadcast isochronous channels) simultaneously in our nRF 5340 audio application, for the record.

In general the answer to your question is yes - so long as you are able to get the data to the nRF in time it can send it out as a broadcast.

Best regards,
Karl