AVRCP: iPhone as a remote playback controller?

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AVRCP: iPhone as a remote playback controller?

Can iPhone serve as playback functions controller for other devices? Can iPhone be connected to (for example) Bluetooth CD player and used to control playback on CD player?

Related article "iOS: Supported Bluetooth profiles" said that iOS supports that playback functions ON iPhone can be controlled via other connected devices, but didn't say if it is possible to control playback functions on other devices via iPhone.

Best regards.

MacBook, Mac OS X (10.7.4)

Posted on Jul 3, 2012 11:13 PM

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Answer 1

Aug 19, 2014 1:12 PM in response to modular747

@Modular747 - I´m curious about volume control. My engineers have some problems with that exact problem - controlling volume from IOS device.

We are building an active speaker, and can not control the volume from iPhone when playing from iPhone via bluetooth. Where is that in the protocol? I'm guessing it has nothing to do with AVRCP then ?? or what?

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Answer 2

modular747

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Jul 3, 2012 11:15 PM in response to uerceg

No, iPhones can't serve as a remote control for other BT devices.

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Answer 3

uerceg Author

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Jul 3, 2012 11:26 PM in response to modular747

@modular747: Thanks for quick reply. I have read that iPhone 4S can connect to other non-Apple devices which are Bluetooth 4.0 LE compliant. If iPhone is connected to this kind of device, it still can't serve as a controller?

If not, can you explain me where's the problem? If iPhone and other BT device implement same BT profiles, my suggestion was that iPhone can be used as a controller. Does iOS support controller role of iPhone in BT connection at all, or only target mode? I didn't manage to find clear answer to this question.

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Answer 4

modular747

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Jul 3, 2012 11:30 PM in response to uerceg

No, the iPhone is not designed to do that. AVRCP is does not support remote control of OTHER devices.

iPhone and iPod touch: Supported Bluetooth profiles

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Answer 5

uerceg Author

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Jul 3, 2012 11:39 PM in response to modular747

Check out this article: https://developer.apple.com/hardwaredrivers/BluetoothDesignGuidelines.pdf

Look at page 14 (AVRCP section) of this document on bottom. It says: "Every iOS device supports volume handling in the role of AVRCP Controller."

If they are right, seems like iPhone can be used as controller, but looks like just for volume up/down commands, since it doesn't says anything else about remaining AVRCP controls. Or am I wrong?

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Answer 6

modular747

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Jul 3, 2012 11:51 PM in response to uerceg

You are wrong.

It only controls the volume when the source of the audio is the iPhone - not when using the other device with other sources (CD, radio, etc). Other controls like pause, stop, track skipping can go from the device to the phone but not the other way when using other sources.

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