[SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

Fumaz · 2021-06-20 00:44:23

Hello, I'm trying to connect to my Galaxy Buds+ bluetooth headphones, and I keep getting this error.
I've tried connecting with bluetoothctl, kde's bluetooth gui and even the earbuds aur package.

The issue has been happening for a few weeks now. I can't pinpoint what I updated or when since I've updated so many times and so many packages, but I know for a fact the earbuds used to connect without any issues previously.

This is what happens when I try to connect with bluetoothctl:

❯ bluetoothctl
Agent registered
[Galaxy Buds+ (51AA)]# connect E8:7F:6B:30:51:AA 
Attempting to connect to E8:7F:6B:30:51:AA
Failed to connect: org.bluez.Error.Failed

This is the output of sudo systemctl status bluetooth:

❯ sudo systemctl status bluetooth
● bluetooth.service - Bluetooth service
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/bluetooth.service; enabled; vendor preset: disabled)
     Active: active (running) since Sun 2021-06-20 02:35:28 CEST; 6min ago
       Docs: man:bluetoothd(8)
   Main PID: 578 (bluetoothd)
     Status: "Running"
      Tasks: 1 (limit: 28738)
     Memory: 3.6M
        CPU: 30ms
     CGroup: /system.slice/bluetooth.service
             └─578 /usr/lib/bluetooth/bluetoothd

Jun 20 02:35:28 fumaz-arch systemd[1]: Starting Bluetooth service...
Jun 20 02:35:28 fumaz-arch bluetoothd[578]: Bluetooth daemon 5.59
Jun 20 02:35:28 fumaz-arch systemd[1]: Started Bluetooth service.
Jun 20 02:35:28 fumaz-arch bluetoothd[578]: Starting SDP server
Jun 20 02:35:28 fumaz-arch bluetoothd[578]: Bluetooth management interface 1.19 initialized
Jun 20 02:35:35 fumaz-arch bluetoothd[578]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.73 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSink/sbc
Jun 20 02:35:35 fumaz-arch bluetoothd[578]: Endpoint registered: sender=:1.73 path=/MediaEndpoint/A2DPSource/sbc
Jun 20 02:35:45 fumaz-arch bluetoothd[578]: profiles/audio/a2dp.c:a2dp_select_capabilities() Unable to select SEP

I've run out of ideas, and I have no idea why this is happening. I tried loading and unloading the bluetooth module from pactl, reinstalling bluez and pulseaudio, and even deleting the main bluetooth config.
I should note that my other headphones work just fine. It's only the Galaxy Buds+ which won't connect. Also, these earbuds work perfectly fine on my phone (Android) with the Galaxy Wearable app

Last edited by Fumaz (2021-06-23 20:02:31)

impaler33 · 2021-06-20 11:50:32

I am tagging along in this thread, since I started experiencing the exact same thing just now.

I am downgrading packages to see if I can find the culprit meanwhile

EDIT

I actually found a solution.
This may seem incredibly dumb, but try to tag along.
While inside bluetoothctl have the connect [mac-address] command ready.
Start tapping slowly on your buds, as if you are trying to go the next song, and while doing this, press enter to start the connect command

As it says here under possible solutions, using the volume/play controls may enable the a2dp profile once again.
However, pressing these without being connected is a bit problematic, since the issue is that we cannot connect in the first place.
Despite this, using these controls while the adapter is connecting seemed to enable the a2dp profile again and let me connect.

I hope this helps you

EDIT2
Turns out this was not the issue. I had them connect until a reboot. Will continue searching for a solution

Last edited by impaler33 (2021-06-20 13:04:56)

Khere · 2021-06-20 15:27:26

Fumaz wrote:

Failed to connect: org.bluez.Error.Failed

Reboot and then try with :

pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover

Btw I read somewhere that this error could be caused by not installing the pulseaudio-bluetooth package --> https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x8 … bluetooth/

Last edited by Khere (2021-06-20 15:27:52)

Fumaz · 2021-06-20 16:06:15

impaler33 wrote:

I am tagging along in this thread, since I started experiencing the exact same thing just now.
I am downgrading packages to see if I can find the culprit meanwhile
EDIT
I actually found a solution.
This may seem incredibly dumb, but try to tag along.
While inside bluetoothctl have the connect [mac-address] command ready.
Start tapping slowly on your buds, as if you are trying to go the next song, and while doing this, press enter to start the connect command
As it says here under possible solutions, using the volume/play controls may enable the a2dp profile once again.
However, pressing these without being connected is a bit problematic, since the issue is that we cannot connect in the first place.
Despite this, using these controls while the adapter is connecting seemed to enable the a2dp profile again and let me connect.
I hope this helps you
EDIT2
Turns out this was not the issue. I had them connect until a reboot. Will continue searching for a solution

Unfortunately this didn't work for me

Fumaz · 2021-06-20 16:06:56

Khere wrote:

Fumaz wrote:
Failed to connect: org.bluez.Error.Failed
Reboot and then try with :
pactl load-module module-bluetooth-discover
Btw I read somewhere that this error could be caused by not installing the pulseaudio-bluetooth package --> https://archlinux.org/packages/extra/x8 … bluetooth/

Hi, I already tried doing that (and I also have the pulseaudio-bluetooth package installed already), but it didn't work.

TFizz · 2021-06-20 23:12:02

Hi, I also have been having this issue the last few days. It ended up being fixed by installing pipewire-pulse! That might not be considered a fix since it is broken for pulseaudio but it works with pipewire.

duynguyen · 2021-06-21 04:17:59

According to https://github.com/bluez/bluez/issues/157, there might be some problem with folder /var/lib/bluetooth
I have the same problem and fix it by remove that folder, restart bluetooth service and reconnect

igneel · 2021-06-21 07:23:02

duynguyen wrote:

According to https://github.com/bluez/bluez/issues/157, there might be some problem with folder /var/lib/bluetooth
I have the same problem and fix it by remove that folder, restart bluetooth service and reconnect

Does not work. Also I would like to add to this that its affecting all kinds of bluetooth audio devices.

Fumaz · 2021-06-21 12:11:26

duynguyen wrote:

According to https://github.com/bluez/bluez/issues/157, there might be some problem with folder /var/lib/bluetooth
I have the same problem and fix it by remove that folder, restart bluetooth service and reconnect

Deleting the /var/lib/bluetooth folder did not fix it for me, but installing bluez-git from the AUR did!
Should I mark this as solved, since it's clear now that it's a bluez problem (that will likely be fixed in the next release)?

impaler33 · 2021-06-21 16:30:01

Fumaz wrote:

duynguyen wrote:
According to https://github.com/bluez/bluez/issues/157, there might be some problem with folder /var/lib/bluetooth
I have the same problem and fix it by remove that folder, restart bluetooth service and reconnect
Deleting the /var/lib/bluetooth folder did not fix it for me, but installing bluez-git from the AUR did!
Should I mark this as solved, since it's clear now that it's a bluez problem (that will likely be fixed in the next release)?

I am not sure which one did the trick for me, since installing bluez-git from AUR did not seem to work at first glance, however after having installed it and removed /var/lib/bluetooth my earbuds are working again

Thank you

duynguyen · 2021-06-22 03:07:50

Fumaz wrote:

duynguyen wrote:
According to https://github.com/bluez/bluez/issues/157, there might be some problem with folder /var/lib/bluetooth
I have the same problem and fix it by remove that folder, restart bluetooth service and reconnect
Deleting the /var/lib/bluetooth folder did not fix it for me, but installing bluez-git from the AUR did!
Should I mark this as solved, since it's clear now that it's a bluez problem (that will likely be fixed in the next release)?

Please mark this as solved.
I think bluez has fixed this bug.

Arch Linux

#1 2021-06-20 00:44:23

[SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#2 2021-06-20 11:50:32

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#3 2021-06-20 15:27:26

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#4 2021-06-20 16:06:15

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#5 2021-06-20 16:06:56

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#6 2021-06-20 23:12:02

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#7 2021-06-21 04:17:59

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#8 2021-06-21 07:23:02

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#9 2021-06-21 12:11:26

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#10 2021-06-21 16:30:01

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

#11 2021-06-22 03:07:50

Re: [SOLVED] PulseAudio Bluetooth Issue: Unable to select SEP

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