Huawei Freebuds Pro - Linux (KDE Neon) configuration and AAC audio

FreebudsPro.md

Huawei Freebuds Pro - Linux (KDE Neon) configuration and AAC audio

The default configuration of KDE Neon does not work with the headphones. I have managed to connect them doing some changes, and adjusting some configurations. This resumes that, to keep it if I need to reconfigure them in the future.

This configuration has worked for me using the following setup:

• KDE Neon 5.20, kernel 5.4.0
• Freebuds Pro version 1.9.0.256
• Cambridge Silicon Radio, Ltd Bluetooth Dongle

But it may work with other linux distributions and other hardware.

Connexion

If you try to connect them, and fails, try the following methods.

Bluetoothctl

The first thing you can try is to manually delete, trust, pair and connect the device using bluetoothctl

1. Open a terminal and execute: sudo bluetoothctl
2. Search the MAC address of the device using devices
3. Delete the device with remove [MAC]
4. Search for avaiable devices until you see the freebuds and then stop: scan on and scan off
5. Trust the device and try to pair using: trust [MAC] and pair [MAC]

If it pairs correctly, try to connect it with connect [MAC] and probably you are all set. But if that doens't work, continue with the next step.

Blueman

The next step is to make the connection using blueman, with this shoud work just fine.

First, install blueman: sudo apt-get install blueman. Launch it when it's done. Launch blueman, search for devices, choose the freebuds and pair them.

Now, it should pop a new window, with a pairing code and you should be able to confirm it and properly pair them.

If selecting it from the menu doesn't work, try using the "add a new device" option.

After that, all should work and you should be able to use the freebuds Pro.

Better audio: AAC Codec in linux

It is possible to use AAC instead of SBC codec in linux using the awesome work done in this repo.

Following the wiki for KDE Neon, just add the PPA and install pulseaudio-modules-bt and libldac from there:

https://launchpad.net/~berglh/+archive/ubuntu/pulseaudio-a2dp (by berglh)

sudo add-apt-repository ppa:berglh/pulseaudio-a2dp

sudo apt update

sudo apt install pulseaudio-modules-bt libldac

Now, restart pulseaudio and after opening the case, a lot of pop-ups may appear, just accept them and in sound settings AAC sink should be an option.

This also works for Ubuntu 20.04 with Huawei Freebuds 5i. Thanks